EPA Publishes Ozone Depletion Chemicals Program ICR Notice

Today the Environmental Protection Agency published a 60-day information collection request renewal notice in the Federal Register (77 FR 20384-20385)  in support of their program to eliminate the use of ozone depleting chemicals like methyl bromide. This ICR was initially approved in 1992 and most recently approved in 2009.

Today’s notice indicates that both the number of expected respondents and total burden-hours in this renewal are smaller numbers than in the previously approved ICR. The EPA explains that this is “due to the continued phaseout and decreased use of Class I controlled substances, which subsequently reduces reporting obligations” (77 FR 20385). At the current rate of change (respondents: -727; and burden hours: -227) it will take another six years or so to close out this program.

Okay, time for standard rant: This is the program to phase out the use of methyl bromide (among other chemicals) that DHS in 2007 used to justify the removal of that toxic inhalation hazard chemical from the list of DHS chemicals of concern (COI) for the CFATS program. Methyl bromide needs to be re-introduced to the Appendix A list when that list is revised in the near future.