Attachment 6 - Copy of Consultations Message Sent by EPA to Potential Respondents

ATTACHMENT 6

Copy of Consultations Message Sent by EPA to Potential Respondents

Date: May 9, 2012

From: Abeer Hashem/DC/USEPA/US

To: [Addressees]

Subject: Information Collection Request Consultation

On April 9, 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a notice in the Federal Register (77 FR 21096) titled “Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request (“Notice”). (See http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=EPA-HQ-OPPT-2011-0778-0001.) This Notice refers to EPA's intention to request renewed Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance this Information Collection Request (ICR), which relates to Significant New Use Rules for EPA’s Existing Chemicals Program.

In addition to public notice and comment requirement that the Notice initiates, OMB regulations at 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1)) require agencies to consult with potential respondents and data users about specific aspects of an information collection request (ICR) before submitting it to OMB for review and approval, regardless, in the case of ICR renewals, of whether changes have or have not been made to the collection activity.

As part of this required consultation, I am contacting you to solicit your comments on the renewal ICR for the reporting requirements associated with significant new use rules. Please note that if you take this opportunity to provide input, your name, affiliation, e-mail address, phone number and any information you provide (e.g., copies of e-mails) will be incorporated and attached to the ICR supporting statement, which will be a public document. In addition, the OMB Desk Examiner for the ICR assigned to evaluate the ICR may contact you to verify the accuracy of any comments EPA identifies in the ICR.

EPA solicits your input on the following questions:

Are the data that EPA seeks under this ICR available from any public source, or already collected by another EPA office or by another agency? If so, where can the Agency find the data?

The ICR is intended to require that respondents provide detailed responses and certain data so that the Agency can utilize the information in whatever manner is required. Is it clear to you, based on the instructions, that you are required to provide specifics and submit data? If not, what suggestions do you have for clarifying the instructions? Do you understand that you are required to submit or maintain records of certain data elements? Is the format of the reporting forms clear, logical, and easy to complete?

What, if any benefits are you experiencing from using the e-PMN software and submitting your Significant New Use Notices (SNUNs) and notices via the Central Data Exchange (CDX)(e.g., burden reduction, greater efficiency in compiling the information, etc.)? Are the online instruction manuals and guidance documents for using the software and submitting notices electronically accurate and understandable?

To access the Federal Register Notice, the ICR supporting documents, and any public comments received to date, go to:

o www.regulations.gov/

o enter EPA-HQ-OPPT-2011-0778 in the Enter Keyword or ID field

o click on "Search"

o then click on any of the documents listed within the docket to read the document; you may be

most interested in the supporting statement, identified by its title beginning "Information

Collection Request…"

Your response will be greatly appreciated. If you have any comments in response to the above questions, or with respect to any other part of the information collection, please respond by return e-mail by May 24, 2012. EPA will consider those responses, as well as any public comment received in response to the Federal Register Notice identified above, in preparing a final document for OMB review.

Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely yours,

Abeer Hashem

U.S. EPA
Existing Chemicals Branch
phone (202) 564-1117

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