FR 2025-03255

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a notice seeking approval to extend an information collection request (ICR) regarding the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for the Secondary Lead Smelter Industry. This involves collecting data to ensure compliance with regulations affecting operations that recover lead from scrap materials, such as used car batteries. Public commentary on this proposal is open until March 31, 2025.

General Summary

The document outlines the EPA's request to renew the existing requirements for the industry, highlighting an ongoing need to gather information to ensure facilities are following environmental standards. The focus is primarily on those facilities that extract lead from old automotive batteries, using various types of smelting processes. This renewal aims to continue the oversight of operational procedures at these facilities to ensure they do not exceed set pollution levels.

Significant Issues and Concerns

There are several potential issues and areas for improvement noted in the document:

• Clarity and Readability: The redundancy between the abstract and summary can make understanding the document's purpose more challenging for non-experts. Additionally, complex technical terms and regulatory references are used without sufficient explanation, potentially confusing a general audience.

• Terminology: Phrases like "Capital and O&M costs" and smelting methods are not defined, which may leave readers unsure about their meanings or significance.

• Lack of Context: The document does not fully explain the implications of the decrease in the number of facilities reporting, nor does it discuss how this affects compliance or environmental outcomes.

• Informal Language: Phrases such as "our preferred method" for comment submission are casual and may be perceived as informal for an official notice.

• Undefined Goals: There is no clear explanation of the desired outcomes or specific goals for the information collection, making it harder to understand its necessity.

Public Impact

The proposed extension affects the public by ensuring continued monitoring and control of emissions from secondary lead smelters, thereby potentially protecting public health and the environment. For the general public, this oversight is crucial as it aims to manage hazardous emissions from industries that might otherwise contribute to environmental degradation.

Stakeholder Impact

The impact on stakeholders, specifically the 11 facilities mentioned, involves both time and financial resources. The estimated burden includes significant operational costs and compliance hours, which may be seen as onerous by some facility operators. However, these measures are essential to maintain industry standards and environmental safety.

For environmental advocacy groups, the continuation of this data collection is likely seen as a positive step toward ensuring that industries adhere to pollution control measures.

In summary, while the EPA's notice addresses crucial regulatory needs, improvements in clarity, defining terms, and explaining changes could help the public and stakeholders better understand and engage with the process.

The Federal Register document under review involves the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) submission of an information collection request concerning the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for the Secondary Lead Smelter Industry. A critical part of the document focuses on the financial implications tied to this request.

Financial Summary

The document specifies a total estimated cost of $2,750,000 per year. This figure includes $238,000 in annualized capital or operation and maintenance (O&M) costs. These costs represent the financial resources necessary for implementing and maintaining compliance with the regulations outlined in the information collection request.

Financial Allocation and Context

The financial allocation in this document is earmarked for ensuring compliance with environmental standards set by NESHAP for the Secondary Lead Smelter Industry. This budget encompasses several activities, including initial notifications, performance tests, periodic reports, and ongoing maintenance, all of which are required for facilities operating under these standards.

Issues Related to Financial References

One of the identified issues with this financial reference is the use of technical jargon, such as "capital and O&M costs," without providing layperson-friendly definitions or explanations. This oversight could limit the general audience's understanding of how their tax money is being utilized.

Moreover, the document does not explicitly explain the impact of the decrease from 12 to 11 facilities on the total estimated respondent burden. This reduction in the number of sources has led to a decrease in estimated respondent burden by 1,800 hours and an associated decrease in capital and O&M costs. A comprehensive explanation of these changes would provide clearer insight into how and why financial resources are being adjusted and how these adjustments may affect overall compliance costs or environmental impacts.

Simplification for General Understanding

While discussing financial aspects, the document could benefit from simplifying the language used to explain costs. For instance, clearly stating that "operation and maintenance costs" involve regular expenses required to keep facilities compliant with environmental regulations would enhance accessibility for individuals unfamiliar with industry-specific terms.

Conclusion

The financial allocations outlined in the document highlight the significant investment needed by entities in the secondary lead smelter industry to comply with federal environmental regulations. Although the document outlines these costs, it could offer clearer explanations and context for a broader audience to enhance transparency and understanding of compliance-related expenses.