This supporting statement addresses information collection activities imposed by the Sewage Sludge Incineration (SSI) Unit Emission Guidelines Subpart MMMM. The guidelines do not apply directly to SSI unit owners and operators. The guidelines can be thought of as model regulations that States use in developing State plans to implement the emission guidelines. If a State does not develop, adopt, and submit an approvable State plan, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must develop a Federal plan to implement the emission guidelines. Whether a SSI unit is ultimately regulated under a State plan or Federal plan, the full respondent burden for the first 3 years after promulgation of the emission guidelines is included in this information collection request (ICR).
This ICR includes the burden for activities that will be conducted in the first three years following promulgation of the emission guidelines. These activities include reading the rule, submitting a control plan, initial stack testing, establishing operating parameters, and monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements. We realize, however, that some facilities may not incur these costs within the first three years, and may incur them during the fourth or fifth year instead. Therefore, this ICR presents a conservatively high burden estimate for the initial three years following promulgation of the proposed emission guidelines.
This ICR presents the burden to respondents (owners or operators of SSI units) and the Designated Administrator (State or Federal Government) that will be imposed by State plans developed to implement the emission guidelines. Respondents are owners or operators of existing SSI units.
The requirements described below are the minimum requirements established by the emission guidelines. Although States may choose to impose more stringent requirements, it is assumed for this burden estimate that the State plans mirror the emission guidelines.
Sewage Sludge Incinerators are categorized into fluidized bed or multiple hearth units. For fluidized bed SSI units, 60 units at 42 facilities would be affected by the proposed standards; for multiple hearth SSI units, 144 units at 69 facilities would be affected. One of these facilities has both a multiple hearth and a fluidized bed unit, so 110 facilities in all are expected to be subject to the regulation. The cost of this Information Collection Request (ICR), based on these 204 units at 110 facilities, will be $28.9 million.
US Code:
42 USC 7429
Name of Law: Solid Waste Combustion
US Code:
42 USC 7411
Name of Law: Standards of performance for new stationary sources
There is an adjustment decrease of in the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB. The decrease occurred because the standard has been in effect for more than three years and the requirements are different during initial compliance as compared to on-going compliance. The previous ICR reflected those burdens and costs associated with the initial activities for subject facilities. This includes purchasing monitoring equipment, conducting performance test(s) and establishing recordkeeping systems. This ICR, by in large, reflects the on-going burden and costs which include continuously monitoring of pollutants and the submission of annual reports. However, note there is an adjustment increase in the total respondent costs due to an increase in labor rates.
In addition, there is a slight increase in the Agency cost due to a correction in travel expense. This ICR corrects the number of hours required for observing each stack test from 30 to 48 hours to be consistent with Table 2, Burden Item 3A.
$275,760
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
Learia Williams 202 564-4113 williams.learia@epa.gov
No
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
2403ss03.docx
Emission Guidelines for Existing Sources: Solid Sludge Incineration (SSI) Units (40 CFR Part 60, Subpart MMMM)-Private Sector