[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 219 (Thursday, November 12, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71892-71893]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-24998]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OLEM-2020-0521; FRL-10016-49-OLEM]
Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Survey
of State Emergency Response Commissions (SERCs)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an
information collection request (ICR), ``Survey of State Emergency
Response Commissions (SERCs)'' (EPA ICR No. 2660.01, OMB Control No.
2050-new) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing
so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the
proposed information collection as described below. This is a request
for approval of a new collection. An Agency may not conduct or sponsor
and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information
unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 11, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OLEM-
2020-0521, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method) or
by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail
Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460.
EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the
public docket without change including any personal information
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sicy Jacob, Regulations Implementation
Division, Office of Emergency Management, Mail Code 5104A,
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington,
DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-8019; email address:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the
public docket for this information collection request (ICR). The docket
can be viewed online at www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA
Docket Center, WJC West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW,
Washington, DC. The telephone number for the Docket Center is 202-566-
1744. For additional information about EPA's public docket, visit
http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting
comments and information to enable it to: (i) Evaluate whether the
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility; (ii) evaluate the accuracy of
the Agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; (iii) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (iv) minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who are to respond, including
through the use of appropriate automated electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information
technology,
[[Page 71893]]
e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. EPA will consider
the comments received and amend the ICR as appropriate. The final ICR
package will then be submitted to OMB for review and approval. At that
time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice to announce the
submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to submit additional
comments to OMB.
Abstract: The EPA's Office of Emergency Management is conducting a
survey of the State Emergency Response Commissions (SERCs) of each
State and territories of the U.S. The SERCs were created under the
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) of 1986. The
purpose of this survey is to gather information on how EPCRA is being
implemented, best practices, challenges, and gaps in meeting the
requirements. After the survey is completed, EPA is planning to publish
the results of the survey, including success stories and lessons
learned to share with all states and territories.
EPCRA established State Emergency Response Commissions (SERCs) and
Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) and assigned implementation
responsibilities to these state and local agencies. EPCRA required
SERCs to appoint LEPCs \1\ within a few months after the enactment of
EPCRA and to supervise their activities. Importantly, SERCs should
ensure that LEPCs develop local emergency response plans for their
community, review the plans, and make suggestions to coordinate the
plans with neighboring LEPCs. In addition, SERCs are required to
collect and manage hazardous chemical information from facilities and
to provide access to the public on the presence of hazardous chemicals
in the community.
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\1\ Approximately, 3,000 LEPCs were established within few
months after the enactment of EPCRA.
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In response to the deadly explosion at a fertilizer distribution
facility in West Texas, Executive Order (E.O.) 13650 was signed, which
directed the federal government to improve the safety and security of
chemical facilities and reduce the risks of hazardous chemicals to
workers and communities. One of the key components of the E.O. was to
strengthen the state and local infrastructure created by EPCRA for
emergency planning and preparedness. EPA published additional guidance
documents, and developed on-line training for states, tribes and local
agencies to implement EPCRA to protect their community and first
responders.
As part of the America's Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA),\2\
promulgated in October 2018, additional coordination and provision of
information responsibilities were established for SERCs and LEPCs under
EPCRA. Specifically, these EPCRA amendments establish notification and
information coordination with State Drinking Water Agency and Community
Water Systems to ensure that these agencies prepare and protect the
community from contamination of their water.
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\2\ The America's Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) amended the
emergency release notification and the hazardous chemical inventory
provisions of the 1986 legislation. The amendments require the SERCs
to provide immediate notification to the State Drinking Water
Primacy Agency or the Community Water Systems where there is no
primacy agency. The amendment to the hazardous chemical inventory
provisions require the SERCs and LEPCs to provide access to the
``Tier II'' information upon request by the community water systems.
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The data collected in this survey will inform the Agency about how
SERCs are fulfilling the requirements of the law, specifically in
sharing key information among all appropriate State organizations and
managing LEPCs and their activities. Additionally, the results of the
survey will help to identify areas where SERCs are having difficulty
meeting their requirements, the specific challenges they are facing,
and will identify areas where EPA can better assist SERCs and LEPCs in
implementing EPCRA and its amendments under AWIA.
Form Numbers: None.
Respondents/affected entities: Respondents to this voluntary ICR
are State Emergency Response Commissions (SERCs).
Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
Estimated number of respondents: Approximately 56 (total).
Frequency of response: Once.
Total estimated burden: 4 Hours/respondent, 224 hours total. Burden
is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
Total estimated cost: $284/respondent, $15,904 total, includes $0
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
Reggie Cheatham,
Director, Office of Emergency Management.
[FR Doc. 2020-24998 Filed 11-10-20; 8:45 am]
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