Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and Sewage Sludge Management State Program Requirements, EPA ICR Number 0168.09, OMB Control Number 2040-0057, 74523-74524 [E6-21115]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 238 / Tuesday, December 12, 2006 / Notices
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OW–2006–0139; FRL–8254–3]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment
Request; National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) and
Sewage Sludge Management State
Program Requirements, EPA ICR
Number 0168.09, OMB Control Number
2040–0057
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
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 December 31, 2006. 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 January 11, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
referencing docket ID number EPA–HQ–
OW–2006–0139, to (1) EPA online using
FDMS (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, 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.
EPA has
submitted the following ICR to OMB for
review and approval according to the
procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12.
On March 7, 2006 (71 FR 11407–11411),
EPA sought comments on this ICR
pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA
received no comments on the draft ICR.
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:00 Dec 11, 2006
Jkt 211001
EPA has established a public docket
for this ICR under Docket ID No. EPA–
HQ–OW–2006–0139, which is available
for public viewing at the Water Docket
in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC),
EPA West, Room 3334, 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 the Federal Docket
Management System (FDMS) at https://
www.regulations.gov/. Use FDMS 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 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 FDMS 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
FDMS. 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
FDMS.
Title: National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) and
Sewage Sludge Management State
Program Requirements.
ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 0168.09.
OMB Control No. 2040–0057.
ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to
expire on December 31, 2006. Under
OMB regulations, the Agency may
continue to conduct or sponsor the
collection of information while this
submission is pending at OMB. 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 title 40 of the CFR,
after appearing in the Federal Register
PO 00000
Frm 00039
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
74523
when approved, are listed in 40 CFR
part 9, are displayed either by
publication in the Federal Register or
by other appropriate means, such as on
the related collection instrument or
form, if applicable. The display of OMB
control numbers in certain EPA
regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR
part 9.
Abstract: Under the NPDES program,
States, Federally Recognized Indian
Tribes, and U.S. Territories, hereafter
referred to as States, may acquire the
authority to issue permits. These
governments have the option of
acquiring authority to issue general
permits (permits that cover a category or
categories of similar discharges). States
with existing NPDES programs must
submit requests for program
modifications to add Federal facilities,
or general permit authority. In addition,
as Federal statutes and regulations are
modified, States must submit program
modifications to ensure that their
program continues to meet Federal
requirements. States have the option of
obtaining a sludge management
program. This program may be a
component of a State NPDES Program,
or it may be administered as a separate
program. To obtain a NPDES or sludge
program, a State must submit an
application that includes a program
description, an Attorney General’s
Statement, draft Memorandum of
Agreement (MOA) with the EPA Region,
and copies of the State’s statutes and
regulations. Once a State obtains
authority for an NPDES or sludge
program, it becomes responsible for
implementing the program in that
jurisdiction. The State must retain
records on the permittees and perform
inspections. In addition, when a State
obtains NPDES or sludge authority, EPA
must oversee the program. Thus, States
must submit permit information and
compliance reports to the EPA. When
EPA issues a permit in an unauthorized
State, that State must certify that the
permit requirements comply with State
water laws. According to the Clean
Water Act (CWA) (section 510), States
may adopt discharge requirements that
are equal to or more stringent than
requirements in the CWA or Federal
regulations. There are three categories of
reporting requirements that are covered
by this ICR. The first category, ‘‘State
Program Requests,’’ includes the
activities States must complete to
request a new NPDES or sludge
program, or to modify an existing
program. The second category, ‘‘State
Program Implementation,’’ includes the
activities that approved States must
complete to implement an existing
E:\FR\FM\12DEN1.SGM
12DEN1
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
74524
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 238 / Tuesday, December 12, 2006 / Notices
program, such as certification of EPAissued permits by non-NPDES States.
The third category, ‘‘State Program
Oversight,’’ includes activities required
of NPDES States so that EPA may satisfy
its statutory requirements for state
program oversight. The information
collected by EPA is used to evaluate the
adequacy of a State’s NPDES or sludge
program and to provide EPA with the
information necessary to fulfill its
statutory oversight functions over State
program performance and individual
permit actions. EPA will use this
information to evaluate State requests
for full or partial program approval and
program modifications. In order to
evaluate the adequacy of a State’s
proposed program, appropriate
information must be provided to ensure
that proper procedures, regulations, and
statutes are in place and consistent with
the CWA requirements.
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,
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 which have subsequently
changed; 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: States,
Territories, and American Indian Tribal
Entities.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
618.
Frequency of Response: Semiannually, quarterly, on occasion, every
5 years, on-going.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden:
1,013,802 hours.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:00 Dec 11, 2006
Jkt 211001
Estimated Total Annual Cost:
$37,470,111, which includes $0 for
capital or O&M.
Changes in the Estimates: The
estimated increase in burden is 46,836
hours compared to the total estimated
burden hours currently identified in the
OMB Inventory of Approved ICR
Burdens. This change is primarily the
result of (1) EPA’s continuous effort to
improve the quality of data in its PCS
database. This change may reflect more
accurate data rather than a significant
change in the number of permits
actually administered. The total number
of permits in PCS has decreased, but the
number of major facilities has increased.
(2) Changes and adjustments in the
number and types of permits
administered by the states and EPA
under the NPDES program. Non-NPDES
authorized states continue to apply for
NPDES program and sludge program
authorization, impacting recordkeeping
and reporting, resulting in a shift of
burden from Federal to State
governments. (3) The shift toward the
use of general permits to cover certain
categories of dischargers, reducing the
number of standard permits.
Dated: December 4, 2006.
Richard T. Westlund,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies
Division.
[FR Doc. E6–21115 Filed 12–11–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OW–2005–0023; FRL–8254–1]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Clean Water Act Section 404
State-Assumed Programs; EPA ICR
No. 0220.10, OMB Control Number
2040–0168
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In compliance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document
announces 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. The ICR,
which is abstracted below, describes the
nature of the information collection and
its estimated burden and cost.
DATES: Additional comments may be
submitted on or before January 11, 2007.
PO 00000
Frm 00040
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Submit your comments,
referencing Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–
OW–2005–0023, to (1) EPA online using
https://www.regulations.gov (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 by mail to: 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:
Kathy Hurld, Office of Wetlands,
Oceans, and Watersheds, Wetlands
Division (4502T), Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460;
telephone: 202–566–1348; fax number:
202–566–1349; e-mail address:
hurld.kathy@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 July 11, 2006, (71 FR 39102), EPA
sought comments on this ICR pursuant
to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no
comments. Any additional comments on
this ICR should be submitted to EPA
and OMB within 30 days of this notice.
EPA has established a public docket
for this ICR under Docket ID No. EPA–
HQ–OW–2005–0023, which is available
for online viewing at https://
www.regulations.gov, or in person
viewing at the Water Docket in the EPA
Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West,
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave.,
NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC
Public Reading Room is open from 8
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.
Use EPA’s electronic docket and
comment system at https://
www.regulations.gov, to submit or view
public comments, access the index
listing of the contents of the docket, and
to access those documents in the docket
that are available electronically. Once in
the system, select ‘‘docket search,’’ then
key in the docket ID number identified
above. Please note that EPA’s policy is
that public comments, whether
submitted electronically or in paper,
will be made available for public
viewing at https://www.regulations.gov
as EPA receives them and without
change, unless the comment contains
copyrighted material, CBI, or other
ADDRESSES:
E:\FR\FM\12DEN1.SGM
12DEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 238 (Tuesday, December 12, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74523-74524]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-21115]
[[Page 74523]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0139; FRL-8254-3]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment Request; National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) and Sewage Sludge Management State Program
Requirements, EPA ICR Number 0168.09, OMB Control Number 2040-0057
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 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 December 31,
2006. 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 January 11,
2007.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number EPA-HQ-
OW-2006-0139, to (1) EPA online using FDMS (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, 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 March 7, 2006 (71 FR 11407-11411), EPA sought comments on
this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments on the
draft ICR.
EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID
No. EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0139, which is available for public viewing at the
Water Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334,
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 the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) at http:/
/www.regulations.gov/. Use FDMS 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 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 FDMS 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 FDMS. 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
FDMS.
Title: National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and
Sewage Sludge Management State Program Requirements.
ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 0168.09. OMB Control No. 2040-0057.
ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2006.
Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor
the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB.
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 title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when
approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed either by
publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such
as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The
display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is
consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
Abstract: Under the NPDES program, States, Federally Recognized
Indian Tribes, and U.S. Territories, hereafter referred to as States,
may acquire the authority to issue permits. These governments have the
option of acquiring authority to issue general permits (permits that
cover a category or categories of similar discharges). States with
existing NPDES programs must submit requests for program modifications
to add Federal facilities, or general permit authority. In addition, as
Federal statutes and regulations are modified, States must submit
program modifications to ensure that their program continues to meet
Federal requirements. States have the option of obtaining a sludge
management program. This program may be a component of a State NPDES
Program, or it may be administered as a separate program. To obtain a
NPDES or sludge program, a State must submit an application that
includes a program description, an Attorney General's Statement, draft
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the EPA Region, and copies of the
State's statutes and regulations. Once a State obtains authority for an
NPDES or sludge program, it becomes responsible for implementing the
program in that jurisdiction. The State must retain records on the
permittees and perform inspections. In addition, when a State obtains
NPDES or sludge authority, EPA must oversee the program. Thus, States
must submit permit information and compliance reports to the EPA. When
EPA issues a permit in an unauthorized State, that State must certify
that the permit requirements comply with State water laws. According to
the Clean Water Act (CWA) (section 510), States may adopt discharge
requirements that are equal to or more stringent than requirements in
the CWA or Federal regulations. There are three categories of reporting
requirements that are covered by this ICR. The first category, ``State
Program Requests,'' includes the activities States must complete to
request a new NPDES or sludge program, or to modify an existing
program. The second category, ``State Program Implementation,''
includes the activities that approved States must complete to implement
an existing
[[Page 74524]]
program, such as certification of EPA-issued permits by non-NPDES
States. The third category, ``State Program Oversight,'' includes
activities required of NPDES States so that EPA may satisfy its
statutory requirements for state program oversight. The information
collected by EPA is used to evaluate the adequacy of a State's NPDES or
sludge program and to provide EPA with the information necessary to
fulfill its statutory oversight functions over State program
performance and individual permit actions. EPA will use this
information to evaluate State requests for full or partial program
approval and program modifications. In order to evaluate the adequacy
of a State's proposed program, appropriate information must be provided
to ensure that proper procedures, regulations, and statutes are in
place and consistent with the CWA requirements.
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, 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 which have subsequently changed; 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: States, Territories, and American
Indian Tribal Entities.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 618.
Frequency of Response: Semi-annually, quarterly, on occasion, every
5 years, on-going.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 1,013,802 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: $37,470,111, which includes $0 for
capital or O&M.
Changes in the Estimates: The estimated increase in burden is
46,836 hours compared to the total estimated burden hours currently
identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR Burdens. This change is
primarily the result of (1) EPA's continuous effort to improve the
quality of data in its PCS database. This change may reflect more
accurate data rather than a significant change in the number of permits
actually administered. The total number of permits in PCS has
decreased, but the number of major facilities has increased. (2)
Changes and adjustments in the number and types of permits administered
by the states and EPA under the NPDES program. Non-NPDES authorized
states continue to apply for NPDES program and sludge program
authorization, impacting recordkeeping and reporting, resulting in a
shift of burden from Federal to State governments. (3) The shift toward
the use of general permits to cover certain categories of dischargers,
reducing the number of standard permits.
Dated: December 4, 2006.
Richard T. Westlund,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E6-21115 Filed 12-11-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
