NESHAP for Taconite Iron Ore Processing (40 CFR part 63 subpart RRRRR) (Renewal)
Extension without change of a currently approved collection
No
Regular
02/28/2025
Requested
Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved
02/28/2025
121
32
3,520
1,483
18,600,000
521,000
"The National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Taconite Iron Ore Processing was proposed on December 18, 2002, and promulgated on October 30, 2003, and most recently amended on March 6, 2024. The NESHAP is codified at 40 CFR Part 63, Subpart RRRRR. The regulations apply to existing facilities and new facilities that either emit or have the potential to emit any single hazardous air pollutant (HAP) at a rate of 9.07 megagrams (10 tons) or more per year or any combination of HAP at a rate of 22.68 megagrams (25 tons) or more per year from all emission sources at the plant site. Affected sources include each new or existing ore crushing and handling operation, ore dryer, indurating furnace, and finished pellet handling operation. The pollutants regulated include HAP metals, using particulate matter (PM) as a surrogate. New facilities include those that commenced construction or reconstruction after the date of the original proposal (December 18, 2002). This information is being collected to assure compliance with 40 CFR Part 63, Subpart RRRRR.
In general, all NESHAP require initial notifications, performance tests, and periodic reports by the owners/operators of the affected facilities. Owners/operators are also required to maintain records of the occurrence and duration of any failures to meet applicable standards, or any period during which the monitoring system is inoperative. In addition to the notifications, a semiannual report is also required. These notifications, reports, and records are essential in determining compliance, and are required of all sources subject to NESHAP.
There is an increase of 2,037 hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB. This increase is not due to any program changes. The total estimated burden as currently identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved Burdens is 1,483 hours, which is the sum of incremental burden from EPA ICR Number 2050.09 (1,000 hours per year) and the prior approved burden from EPA ICR Number 2050.07 (483 hours). The burden in this renewal is updated to reflect additional requirements from the final 2023 amendments, as well as the ongoing activities performed by existing sources after rule implementation. Additionally, we made a correction to the number of respondents per year performing Method 5 performance tests, consistent with the number of respondents estimated to provide notifications of performance tests and report performance test results. This ICR adjusts the number of respondents conducting performance tests in each year from 2.7 per year to 7 per year, which increases the annual burden by approximately 300 hours. Additionally, there is an increase in labor costs due to the use of updated labor rates. This ICR uses labor rates from the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics report (December 2023) to calculate respondent burden costs. There is an increase in the Capital/O&M costs because this renewal reflects the costs associated with the requirements from the 2023 rule amendments, which includes DSI operation and maintenance costs, and ACI/Venturi scrubber operation and maintenance costs. Additionally, we have included the non-labor performance test costs associated with testing contractors as capital costs rather than including them with industry costs in Table 1 as in previous ICR renewals.
$29,900
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Muntasir Ali 919 541-0833
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.
Form 5900-576 NESHAP for Taconite Iron Ore Processing (40 CFR part 63 subpart RRRRR)
2050ss11rev.docx
2050t11.xlsx
NESHAP for Taconite Iron Ore Processing (40 CFR part 63 subpart RRRRR)