Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Great Lakes Water Quality Guidance, EPA ICR Number 1639.05, OMB Control Number 2040-0180, 51785-51787 [05-17369]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 168 / Wednesday, August 31, 2005 / Notices
comments, access the index listing of
the contents of the public docket, and to
access those documents in the public
docket that are available electronically.
When in the system, select ‘‘search,’’
then key in the docket ID number
identified above.
Any comments related to this ICR
should be submitted to EPA and OMB
within 30 days of this notice. EPA’s
policy is that public comments, whether
submitted electronically or in paper,
will be made available for public
viewing in EDOCKET as EPA receives
them and without change, unless the
comment contains copyrighted material,
Confidential Business Information (CBI),
or other information whose public
disclosure is restricted by statute. When
EPA identifies a comment containing
copyrighted material, EPA will provide
a reference to that material in the
version of the comment that is placed in
EDOCKET. The entire printed comment,
including the copyrighted material, will
be available in the public docket.
Although identified as an item in the
official docket, information claimed as
CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise
restricted by statute, is not included in
the official public docket, and will not
be available for public viewing in
EDOCKET. For further information
about the electronic docket, see EPA’s
Federal Register notice describing the
electronic docket at 67 FR 38102 (May
31, 2002), or go to www.epa.gov/
edocket.
Title: NSPS for Metallic Mineral
Processing Plants (Renewal).
Abstract: The New Source
Performance Standards (NSPS) for
Metallic Mineral Processing Plants were
proposed on August 24, 1982, and
promulgated on February 21, 1984.
These standards apply to the following
facilities in Metallic Mineral Processing
Plants: Each crusher and screen in openpit mines; each crusher, screen, bucket
elevator, conveyor belt transfer point,
thermal dryer, product packaging
station, storage bin, enclosed storage
area, truck loading and unloading
station at the mill or concentrator,
commencing construction, modification
or reconstruction after the date of
proposal. The NSPS does not apply to
facilities located in underground mines,
or to facilities performing the
beneficiation of uranium ore at uranium
ore processing plants.
Particulate matter (PM) is the
pollutant regulated under this subpart.
The standards limit the particulate
matter emissions from the stack to 0.05
grams per dry standard cubic meter and
to 7 percent opacity. Those sources that
are using a wet scrubbing control device
are exempted from the 7 percent opacity
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16:33 Aug 30, 2005
Jkt 205001
requirement. No affected facility may
discharge any process fugitive emissions
that exhibit greater than 10 percent
opacity.
Response to the collection of
information is mandatory under 40 CFR
part 60, subpart LL. Owners or operators
of the affected facilities described must
make initial notifications, including
notification of any physical or
operational change to an existing facility
that may increase the regulated
pollutant emission rate; notification of
the demonstration of the continuous
monitoring system (CMS), and
notification of the initial performance
test. Performance test reports are needed
as these are the Agency’s records of a
source’s initial capability to comply
with emission standards, and note the
operating conditions, flow rate and
pressure drop, under which compliance
was achieved. Owners of affected
facilities are required to install,
calibrate, maintain, and operate a
continuous monitoring system to
measure the change in the pressure of
the gas stream through the scrubber and
the scrubbing liquid flow rate. Owners
or operators are also required to
maintain records of the occurrence and
duration of any startup, shutdown, or
malfunction in the operation of an
affected facility, or any period during
which the monitoring system is
inoperative.
Semiannual excess emissions reports
and monitoring systems performance
reports will include the exceeded
findings of any control device operating
parameters, (specified in CFR 40 60.735,
Recordkeeping and Reporting), the date
and time of the deviance, the nature and
cause of the malfunction (if known) and
the corrective measures taken, and
identification of the time period during
which the CMS was inoperative (this
does not include zero and span checks
nor typical repairs/adjustments). These
notifications, reports and records are
required, in general, of all sources
subject to NSPS.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a collection of information
unless it displays a currently valid OMB
Control Number. The OMB Control
Numbers for EPA’s regulations are listed
in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR chapter 15,
and are identified on the form and/or
instrument, if applicable.
Burden Statement: The annual public
reporting and recordkeeping burden for
this collection of information is
estimated to average 52 hours per
response. Burden means the total time,
effort, or financial resources expended
by persons to generate, maintain, retain,
disclose or provide information to or for
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51785
a Federal agency. This includes the time
needed to review instructions; develop,
acquire, install, and utilize technology
and systems for the purposes of
collecting, validating, and verifying
information, processing and
maintaining information, and disclosing
and providing information; adjust the
existing ways to comply with any
previously applicable instructions and
requirements; train personnel to be able
to respond to a collection of
information; search data sources;
complete and review the collection of
information; and transmit or otherwise
disclose the information.
Respondents/Affected Entities:
Metallic Mineral Processing Plants.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
20.
Frequency of Response: On occasion,
initially and semiannually.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden:
2,306 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Costs:
$199,140 which includes $0 annualized
capital/startup costs, $13,000 annual
O&M costs, and $186,140 Respondent
Labor costs.
Changes in the Estimates: There is an
increase of 546 hours in the total
estimated burden currently identified in
the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR
Burdens. This increase is due to an
increase in the estimated number of
sources that will be reconstructed or
make or physical/operational changes.
In addition, the increase in burden is
due to the inclusion of burden hour
estimates for management and clerical
personnel at the plant.
Dated: August 22, 2005.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 05–17368 Filed 8–30–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[OW–2003–0030; FRL–7964–1]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment
Request; National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System Great Lakes Water
Quality Guidance, EPA ICR Number
1639.05, OMB Control Number 2040–
0180
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In compliance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.
3501 et seq.), this document announces
E:\FR\FM\31AUN1.SGM
31AUN1
51786
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 168 / Wednesday, August 31, 2005 / Notices
that an Information Collection Request
(ICR) has been forwarded to the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) for
review and approval. This is a request
to renew an existing approved
collection. This ICR is scheduled to
expire on August 31, 2005. Under OMB
regulations, the Agency may continue to
conduct or sponsor the collection of
information while this submission is
pending at OMB. This ICR describes the
nature of the information collection and
its estimated burden and cost.
DATES: Additional comments may be
submitted on or before September 30,
2005.
Submit your comments,
referencing docket ID number OW–
2003–0030, to (1) EPA online using
EDOCKET (our preferred method), by email to ow-docket@epa.gov, or by mail
to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental
Protection Agency, Water Docket, Mail
Code 4101T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave.,
NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2)
OMB at: Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, Office of
Management and Budget (OMB),
Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725
17th Street, NW., Washington, DC
20503.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lynn Stabenfeldt, Office of Wastewater
Management. 4201M, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460;
telephone number: (202) 564–0602; fax
number: (202) 501–2399; e-mail address:
stabenfeldt.lynn@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has
submitted the following ICR to OMB for
review and approval according to the
procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12.
On May 31, 2005 (70 FR 30944–30955),
EPA sought comments on this ICR
pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA
received no comments.
EPA has established a public docket
for this ICR under Docket ID No. OW–
2003–0030, which is available for public
viewing at the Water Docket in the EPA
Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West,
Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave.,
NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket
Center Public Reading Room is open
from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday, excluding legal
holidays. The telephone number for the
Reading Room is (202) 566–1744, and
the telephone number for the Water
Docket is (202) 566–2426. An electronic
version of the public docket is available
through EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at
https://www.epa.gov/edocket. Use
EDOCKET to submit or view public
comments, access the index listing of
the contents of the public docket, and to
VerDate Aug<18>2005
16:33 Aug 30, 2005
Jkt 205001
access those documents in the public
docket that are available electronically.
Once in the system, select ‘‘search,’’
then key in the docket ID number
identified above.
Any comments related to this ICR
should be submitted to EPA and OMB
within 30 days of this notice. EPA’s
policy is that public comments, whether
submitted electronically or in paper,
will be made available for public
viewing in EDOCKET as EPA receives
them and without change, unless the
comment contains copyrighted material,
CBI, or other information whose public
disclosure is restricted by statute. When
EPA identifies a comment containing
copyrighted material, EPA will provide
a reference to that material in the
version of the comment that is placed in
EDOCKET. The entire printed comment,
including the copyrighted material, will
be available in the public docket.
Although identified as an item in the
official docket, information claimed as
CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise
restricted by statute, is not included in
the official public docket, and will not
be available for public viewing in
EDOCKET. For further information
about the electronic docket, see EPA’s
Federal Register notice describing the
electronic docket at 67 FR 38102 (May
31, 2002), or go to https://www.epa.gov/
edocket.
Title: National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System Great Lakes Water
Quality Guidance.
Abstract: The primary objective of the
Clean Water Act (CWA) is ‘‘to restore
and maintain the chemical, physical
and biological integrity of the nation’s
waters’’ (Section 101(a)). CWA Section
402 establishes the National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
permit program to regulate the discharge
of any pollutant or combination of
pollutants from point sources into the
waters of the United States. CWA
Section 402(a), as amended, authorizes
the EPA Administrator to issue permits
for the discharge of pollutants if those
discharges meet the following
requirements:
• All applicable requirements of
CWA Sections 301, 302, 306, 307, 308,
and 403; and
• Any conditions the Administrator
determines are necessary to carry out
the provisions and objectives of the
CWA.
Section 101 of the Great Lakes Critical
Programs Act (CPA) amends section 118
of the CWA and directs EPA to publish
water quality guidance for the Great
Lakes System. Provisions of the
Guidance are codified in 40 CFR part
132. The Guidance establishes
minimum water quality criteria,
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
implementation procedures, and
antidegradation provisions for the Great
Lakes System.
Permitting authorities currently
require dischargers to provide
information such as the name, location,
and description of facilities to identify
the facilities that require permits. EPA
and authorized NPDES States store
much of this basic information in the
Permit Compliance System (PCS)
database. PCS provides EPA with a
nationwide inventory of NPDES permit
holders. EPA Headquarters uses the
information contained in the PCS to
develop reports on permit issuance,
backlogs, and compliance rates. The
Agency also uses the information to
respond to public and Congressional
inquiries, develop and guide its
policies, formulate its budgets, assist
States in acquiring authority for
permitting programs, and manage its
programs to ensure national consistency
in permitting.
NPDES permit applications and
requests for supplemental information
currently require information about
wastewater treatment systems,
pollutants, discharge rates and volumes,
whole effluent toxicity testing and other
data. Additional information collection
requirements that may be necessary to
implement State, Tribal, or EPA
promulgated provisions consistent with
the final Guidance include: (1)
Monitoring (pollutant-specific and
whole effluent toxicity or WET); (2)
pollutant minimization programs; (3)
antidegradation policy/demonstrations;
and, (4) regulatory relief options (e.g.,
variances from water quality criteria).
This information may be used to
ensure compliance with provisions
consistent with the Guidance and reevaluate existing permit conditions and
monitoring requirements. Data on
discharges is entered into STORET and
PCS, EPA’s databases for ambient water
quality data and NPDES permits,
respectively. Results of water quality
criteria testing will be entered into an
EPA Information Clearinghouse
database.
Permit applications may contain
confidential business information. If
this is the case, the respondent may
request that such information be treated
as confidential. All confidential data
will be handled in accordance with 40
CFR 122.7, 40 CFR part 2, and EPA’s
Security Manual part III, chapter 9,
dated August 9, 1976. However, CWA
Section 308(b) specifically states that
effluent data may not be treated as
confidential. No questions of a sensitive
nature are associated with this
information collection.
E:\FR\FM\31AUN1.SGM
31AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 168 / Wednesday, August 31, 2005 / Notices
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a collection of information
unless it displays a currently valid OMB
control number. The OMB control
numbers for EPA’s regulations in 40
CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and are
identified on the form and/or
instrument, if applicable.
Burden Statement: The annual public
reporting and recordkeeping burden for
this collection of information is
estimated to average 26,781 hours per
response. Burden means the total time,
effort, or financial resources expended
by persons to generate, maintain, retain,
or disclose or provide information to or
for a Federal agency. This includes the
time needed to review instructions;
develop, acquire, install, and utilize
technology and systems for the purposes
of collecting, validating, and verifying
information, processing and
maintaining information, and disclosing
and providing information; adjust the
existing ways to comply with any
previously applicable instructions and
requirements; train personnel to be able
to respond to a collection of
information; search data sources;
complete and review the collection of
information; and transmit or otherwise
disclose the information.
Respondents/Affected Entities: (1)
Industries discharging toxic pollutants
to waters in the Great Lakes System as
defined in 40 CFR 132.2 and (2)
publicly-owned treatment works
discharging toxic pollutants to waters of
the Great Lakes System as defined in 40
CFR 132.2.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
2,710
Frequency of Response: Varies
depending on discharger’s effluent
characteristics.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden:
28,797
Estimated Total Annual Cost:
$3,070,186, includes $0 annualized
capital or O&M costs.
Changes in the Estimates: There is a
decrease of 94,066 hours in the total
estimated burden currently identified in
the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR
Burdens. This decrease is due to a
transfer of burden hours to the Water
Quality Standards ICR (OMB Control
Number 2040–0049) and a decrease in
the number of potentially affected
entities.
Dated: August 23, 2005.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 05–17369 Filed 8–30–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
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16:33 Aug 30, 2005
Jkt 205001
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[OPPT–2003–0004; FRL–7733–7]
Access to Confidential Business
Information by Systems Research and
Applications Corporation
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: EPA has authorized its
contractor Systems Research and
Applications Corporation (SRA), of
Arlington and Fairfax, Virginia, access
to information which has been
submitted to EPA under all sections of
the Toxic Substances Control Act
(TSCA). Some of the information may be
claimed or determined to be
Confidential Business Information (CBI).
DATES: Access to the confidential data
will occur no sooner than September 8,
2005.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Colby Lintner, Regulatory Coordinator,
Environmental Assistance Division
(7408M), Office of Pollution Prevention
and Toxics, Environmental Protection
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460; telephone
number: (202) 554–1404; e-mail address:
TSCA–Hotline@.epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this Notice Apply to Me?
This action is directed to the public
in general. This action may, however, be
of interest to those persons who are or
may be required to conduct testing of
chemical substances under TSCA. Since
other entities may also be interested, the
Agency has not attempted to describe all
the specific entities that may be affected
by this action. If you have any questions
regarding the applicability of this action
to a particular entity, consult the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
B. How Can I Get Copies of this
Document and Other Related
Documents?
1. Docket. EPA has established an
official public docket for this action
under docket identification (ID) number
OPPT–2003–0004. The official public
docket consists of the documents
specifically referenced in this action,
any public comments received, and
other information related to this action.
Although a part of the official docket,
the public docket does not include CBI
or other information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. The official public
docket is the collection of materials that
PO 00000
Frm 00041
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
51787
is available for public viewing at the
EPA Docket Center, Rm. B102-Reading
Room, EPA West, 1301 Constitution
Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA
Docket Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,
excluding legal holidays. The EPA
Docket Center Reading Room telephone
number is (202) 566–1744 and the
telephone number for the OPPT Docket,
which is located in EPA Docket Center,
is (202) 566–0280.
2. Electronic access. You may access
this Federal Register document
electronically through the EPA Internet
under the ‘‘Federal Register’’ listings at
https://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.
An electronic version of the public
docket is available through EPA’s
electronic public docket and comment
system, EPA Dockets. You may use EPA
Dockets at https://www.epa.gov/edocket/
to submit or view public comments,
access the index listing of the contents
of the official public docket, and to
access those documents in the public
docket that are available electronically.
Although not all docket materials may
be available electronically, you may still
access any of the publicly available
docket materials through the docket
facility identified in Unit I.B.1. Once in
the system, select ‘‘search,’’ then key in
the appropriate docket ID number.
II. What Action is the Agency Taking?
Under Contract Number EP–W–05–
024, SRA of 2000 15th Street, North
Arlington, VA 22201, and 4300 Fair
Lakes Court, Fairfax, VA 22033, will
assist EPA in preparing OPPT’s Target
Information Architecture, involving
enterprise architecture documentation,
development, requirements analysis,
design, testing and change management.
In accordance with 40 CFR 2.306(j),
EPA has determined that under Contract
Number EP–W–05–024, SRA will
require access to CBI submitted to EPA
under all sections of TSCA, to perform
successfully the duties specified under
the contract.
SRA personnel will be given
information submitted to EPA under all
sections of TSCA. Some of the
information may be claimed or
determined to be CBI.
EPA is issuing this notice to inform
all submitters of information under all
sections of TSCA, that the Agency may
provide SRA access to these CBI
materials on a need-to-know basis only.
All access to TSCA CBI under this
contract will take place at EPA
Headquarters.
Clearance for access to TSCA CBI
under Contract Number EP–W–05–024
may continue until April 14, 2010.
E:\FR\FM\31AUN1.SGM
31AUN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 168 (Wednesday, August 31, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51785-51787]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-17369]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OW-2003-0030; FRL-7964-1]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment Request; National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System Great Lakes Water Quality Guidance, EPA ICR Number
1639.05, OMB Control Number 2040-0180
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.), this document announces
[[Page 51786]]
that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is
a request to renew an existing approved collection. This ICR is
scheduled to expire on August 31, 2005. Under OMB regulations, the
Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information
while this submission is pending at OMB. This ICR describes the nature
of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.
DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before September 30,
2005.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OW-2003-
0030, to (1) EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail
to ow-docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental
Protection Agency, Water Docket, Mail Code 4101T, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB at: Office of Information
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB),
Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC
20503.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynn Stabenfeldt, Office of Wastewater
Management. 4201M, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-0602; fax
number: (202) 501-2399; e-mail address: stabenfeldt.lynn@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR
1320.12. On May 31, 2005 (70 FR 30944-30955), EPA sought comments on
this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments.
EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID
No. OW-2003-0030, which is available for public viewing at the Water
Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301
Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public
Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading
Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the Water Docket
is (202) 566-2426. An electronic version of the public docket is
available through EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at https://www.epa.gov/edocket.
Use EDOCKET to submit or view public comments, access the index listing
of the contents of the public docket, and to access those documents in
the public docket that are available electronically. Once in the
system, select ``search,'' then key in the docket ID number identified
above.
Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB
within 30 days of this notice. EPA's policy is that public comments,
whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available
for public viewing in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change,
unless the comment contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other
information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA
identifies a comment containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide
a reference to that material in the version of the comment that is
placed in EDOCKET. The entire printed comment, including the
copyrighted material, will be available in the public docket. Although
identified as an item in the official docket, information claimed as
CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise restricted by statute, is not
included in the official public docket, and will not be available for
public viewing in EDOCKET. For further information about the electronic
docket, see EPA's Federal Register notice describing the electronic
docket at 67 FR 38102 (May 31, 2002), or go to https://www.epa.gov/
edocket.
Title: National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Great Lakes
Water Quality Guidance.
Abstract: The primary objective of the Clean Water Act (CWA) is
``to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological
integrity of the nation's waters'' (Section 101(a)). CWA Section 402
establishes the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
permit program to regulate the discharge of any pollutant or
combination of pollutants from point sources into the waters of the
United States. CWA Section 402(a), as amended, authorizes the EPA
Administrator to issue permits for the discharge of pollutants if those
discharges meet the following requirements:
All applicable requirements of CWA Sections 301, 302, 306,
307, 308, and 403; and
Any conditions the Administrator determines are necessary
to carry out the provisions and objectives of the CWA.
Section 101 of the Great Lakes Critical Programs Act (CPA) amends
section 118 of the CWA and directs EPA to publish water quality
guidance for the Great Lakes System. Provisions of the Guidance are
codified in 40 CFR part 132. The Guidance establishes minimum water
quality criteria, implementation procedures, and antidegradation
provisions for the Great Lakes System.
Permitting authorities currently require dischargers to provide
information such as the name, location, and description of facilities
to identify the facilities that require permits. EPA and authorized
NPDES States store much of this basic information in the Permit
Compliance System (PCS) database. PCS provides EPA with a nationwide
inventory of NPDES permit holders. EPA Headquarters uses the
information contained in the PCS to develop reports on permit issuance,
backlogs, and compliance rates. The Agency also uses the information to
respond to public and Congressional inquiries, develop and guide its
policies, formulate its budgets, assist States in acquiring authority
for permitting programs, and manage its programs to ensure national
consistency in permitting.
NPDES permit applications and requests for supplemental information
currently require information about wastewater treatment systems,
pollutants, discharge rates and volumes, whole effluent toxicity
testing and other data. Additional information collection requirements
that may be necessary to implement State, Tribal, or EPA promulgated
provisions consistent with the final Guidance include: (1) Monitoring
(pollutant-specific and whole effluent toxicity or WET); (2) pollutant
minimization programs; (3) antidegradation policy/demonstrations; and,
(4) regulatory relief options (e.g., variances from water quality
criteria).
This information may be used to ensure compliance with provisions
consistent with the Guidance and re-evaluate existing permit conditions
and monitoring requirements. Data on discharges is entered into STORET
and PCS, EPA's databases for ambient water quality data and NPDES
permits, respectively. Results of water quality criteria testing will
be entered into an EPA Information Clearinghouse database.
Permit applications may contain confidential business information.
If this is the case, the respondent may request that such information
be treated as confidential. All confidential data will be handled in
accordance with 40 CFR 122.7, 40 CFR part 2, and EPA's Security Manual
part III, chapter 9, dated August 9, 1976. However, CWA Section 308(b)
specifically states that effluent data may not be treated as
confidential. No questions of a sensitive nature are associated with
this information collection.
[[Page 51787]]
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a
currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's
regulations in 40 CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and are identified on
the form and/or instrument, if applicable.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average
26,781 hours per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or
financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain,
or disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This
includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire,
install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of
collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and
maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information;
adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable
instructions and requirements; train personnel to be able to respond to
a collection of information; search data sources; complete and review
the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the
information.
Respondents/Affected Entities: (1) Industries discharging toxic
pollutants to waters in the Great Lakes System as defined in 40 CFR
132.2 and (2) publicly-owned treatment works discharging toxic
pollutants to waters of the Great Lakes System as defined in 40 CFR
132.2.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,710
Frequency of Response: Varies depending on discharger's effluent
characteristics.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 28,797
Estimated Total Annual Cost: $3,070,186, includes $0 annualized
capital or O&M costs.
Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 94,066 hours in
the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of
Approved ICR Burdens. This decrease is due to a transfer of burden
hours to the Water Quality Standards ICR (OMB Control Number 2040-0049)
and a decrease in the number of potentially affected entities.
Dated: August 23, 2005.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 05-17369 Filed 8-30-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P