[Federal Register: September 3, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 171)]
[Notices]
[Page 51464-51466]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03se08-60]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2004-0228; FRL-8710-5]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Reporting and Recordkeeping
Requirements Under the Perfluorocompound (PFC) Reduction/Climate
Partnership for the Semiconductor Industry; EPA ICR No. 1823.04, OMB
Control No. 2060-0382
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document
[[Page 51465]]
announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been
forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and
approval. This is a request to reinstate a previously approved ICR. The
ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the information
collection and its estimated burden and cost.
DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before October 3,
2008.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2004-0228, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred
method), by e-mail to a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket
Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Air and Radiation Docket,
Mailcode: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and
(2) OMB by mail to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA,
725 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20503.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Bartos, Office of Atmospheric
Programs, Climate Change Division (6207J), Environmental Protection
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone
number: 202-343-9167; fax number: 202-343-2202; e-mail address:
bartos.scott@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR
1320.12. On March 11, 2008 (73 FR 12996), EPA sought comments on this
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. Any
additional comments on this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB
within 30 days of this notice.
EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID
No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2004-0228, which is available for online viewing at
www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Air and Radiation
Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301
Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room
is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding
legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is 202-566-
1744, and the telephone number for the Air and Radiation Docket is 202-
566-1742.
Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at
www.regulations.gov, to submit or view public comments, access the
index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those
documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the
system, select ``docket search,'' then key in the docket ID number
identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public
comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made
available for public viewing at www.regulations.gov as EPA receives
them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted
material, confidential business information (CBI), or other information
whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. For further
information about the electronic docket, go to www.regulations.gov.
Title: Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements under the
Perfluorocompound (PFC) Reduction/Climate Partnership for the
Semiconductor Industry
ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1823.04, OMB Control No. 2060-0382
ICR Status: This ICR expired on March 31, 2008. 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. The OMB control numbers for EPA's regulations in title
40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when approved,
are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and are displayed either by publication in
the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such as on the
related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The display of
OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is consolidated in 40
CFR part 9.
Abstract: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) PFC
Reduction/Climate Partnership for the Semiconductor Industry is a
voluntary program that promotes reduction of perfluorocompounds (PFCs).
PFCs are the most potent greenhouse gases (GHG) known, with atmospheric
lifetimes of up to 50,000 years. These unique chemical compounds are
required during two critical semiconductor manufacturing steps: Plasma
etching and CVD chamber cleaning. EPA's Partnership uses a pollution
prevention approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and tracks
progress by collecting annual PFC emissions estimates from voluntary
participants. Partnership Companies have committed to reduce their PFC
emissions 10 percent below their 1995 baseline level by 2010. As a
Partner to the industry, EPA serves as a clearinghouse of technical
information on successful strategies for reducing PFC emissions that
are economically, technically, and environmentally sound. EPA also
helps assess the global warming potential of potential substitute
chemicals and publicly recognizes the Partner Companies' achievements.
Participation in the program begins with completion of a Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) that outlines responsibilities of the PFC
Reduction/Climate Partnership. By joining the Partnership, a Company
agrees to submit a Company-specific annual report, identifying an
overall estimate of PFC emissions by gas, to a third party designated
by the participating Companies. The MOU also specifies that the Partner
Company will direct the designated third party to create a confidential
data depository for the information supplied by the Partner Company. In
addition, the MOU states that the Partner Company will direct the
designated third party to prepare an industry-wide annual report, to be
submitted to EPA, that aggregates PFC emissions estimates, and provides
each Partner Company's annual emissions by gas on a ``blind'' or
anonymous basis. The Partner Company also agrees to share with EPA and
others in the semiconductor industry information about successful PFC
emission reduction processes and technologies that the Partner Company
considers nonconfidential. This MOU applies only to PFC emissions
originating from U.S. semiconductor manufacturing sites and can be
terminated by either Party 30 days after the receipt of written notice
by the other Party with no penalties or continuing obligations.
Using the information provided through the Partnership, the EPA is
able to (1) evaluate the overall PFC emission reductions achieved by
the voluntary program, (2) develop estimates for the total U.S.
semiconductor emissions, (3) identify new technologies or processes
that reduce PFC emissions, and (4) serve as a technical clearing-house
to provide industry with pertinent information on emissions estimation
and reduction strategies. The Partnership data is a valuable resource
for evaluating current and promoting future GHG emissions reductions
within the semiconductor industry.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 544
hours per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial
resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or
disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This
includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire,
install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of
collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and
maintaining information, and disclosing
[[Page 51466]]
and providing information; adjust the existing ways to comply with any
previously applicable instructions and requirements which have
subsequently changed; train personnel to be able to respond to a
collection of information; search data sources; complete and review the
collection of information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the
information.
Respondents/Affected Entities: Semiconductor manufacturing
companies.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 21.
Frequency of Response: Annually.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 11,426.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: $938,461, which includes $116,319
annualized capital or O&M costs and $822,142 in labor costs.
Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 11,426 hours in
the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of
Approved ICR Burdens, which reflect the burden for reinstating the
entire program. EPA has not collected under this ICR since it expired
in March 2008. There is a decrease of 1,624 hours from the last time
this ICR was approved. This is because the number of respondents
decreased from 24 to 21.
Dated: August 27, 2008.
Sara Hisel-McCoy,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E8-20393 Filed 9-2-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P