[Federal Register: July 23, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 141)]
[Notices]               
[Page 39969]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23jy99-42]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

 
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce (DOC) has submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for 
collection of information under provisions of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).
    Agency: Bureau of Export Administration (BXA).
    Title: Chemical Weapons Convention Declaration Forms.
    Agency Form Number: Form 1-1, Form 1-2, Form 1-2A, Form 1-2B, etc.
    OMB Approval Number: 0694-0091.
    Type of Request: Reinstatement, with change, of a previously 
approved collection for which approval has expired.
    Burden: 34,709 hours.
    Average Time Per Response: 10 minutes--31 hours per response.
    Number of Respondents: 2,241 respondents.
    Needs and Uses: Declarations: The CWC requires initial and annual 
declarations for activities involving Schedule 1, Schedule 2, Schedule 
3 and Unscheduled Discrete Organic Chemicals (UDOCs) above specified 
threshold quantities. The frequency of this collection is the minimum 
required under the CWC.
    Schedule 1: The CWC requires initial declarations for facilities 
that produced in excess of specified aggregate quantities of Schedule 1 
chemicals in calendar year 1997, 1998 or 1999.
    Schedule 2: The CWC requires industry to review production, 
processing and consumption data from the three previous calendar years 
to determine whether there is a declaration requirement on past 
activities.
    Schedule 3: The CWC requires initial declarations from plant sites 
that had one or more plants that produced in excess of specified 
quantities of one or more Schedule 3 chemicals in calendar year 1996.
    UDOCs: Although the majority of declarations will come from plant 
sites that produced UDOCs, the declaration requirements for such 
production involve the fewest forms. The CWC only requires declarations 
from plant sites that produced UDOCs in excess of specified quantities 
in the previous calendar year.
    BXA officials will review the information collected from the data 
declarations for completeness and accuracy. The data will then be 
compiled into a report for transmittal to the USNA and subsequent 
presentation to the OPCW. The collected data will also be used by BXA 
officials to monitor the aggregate amount of Schedule 1 chemicals in 
the United States to ensure that it is at all times below 1 metric ton 
(as required by Part VI.A.2 of the Convention's Annex on Implementation 
and Verification), and to prepare such additional reports as the USNA 
may reasonably require.
    Inspections: Each State Party to the CWC, including the United 
States Government, has agreed to allow inspections of certain declared 
facilities by inspectors employed by the Organization for the 
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to ensure that their activities 
are consistent with obligations under the CWC. The Department of 
Commerce is responsible for leading, hosting and escorting inspections 
of all facilities in the United States, except Department of Defense 
and Department of Energy facilities and other United States Government 
facilities that notify the USNA of their decision to be excluded from 
the CWCR.
    Affected Public: Individuals, businesses or other for-profit 
institutions.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    OMB Desk Officer: David Rostker (202) 395-3897.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Linda Engelmeier, DOC Forms Clearance Officer, 
Office of the Chief Information Officer, (202) 482-3272, Department of 
Commerce, Room 5327, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 
20230 (or via the Internet at LEngelme@doc.gov).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to David Rostker, OMB Desk Officer, Room 10202, New Executive Office 
Building, Washington, DC 20230.

    Dated: July 16, 1999.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-18779 Filed 7-22-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-33-P