Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Water Quality Standards (Renewal), 38384-38387 [2011-16508]

Download as PDF 38384 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 126 / Thursday, June 30, 2011 / Notices FERCOnlineSupport.gov; call toll-free at (866) 208–3676; or, for TTY, contact (202) 502–8659. Although the Commission strongly recommends electronic filing, documents may also be paper-filed. To paper-file, an original and eight copies should be mailed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. For more information on how to submit these types of filings please go to the Commission’s Web site located at https://www.ferc.gov/filingcomments.asp. More information about this project, including a copy of the application can be viewed or printed on the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link of Commission’s Web site at https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ elibrary.asp. Enter the docket number (P–14153) in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support. Dated: June 23, 2011. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2011–16474 Filed 6–29–11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. RM98–1–000] Records Governing Off-the-Record Communications; Public Notice This constitutes notice, in accordance with 18 CFR 385.2201(b), of the receipt of prohibited and exempt off-the-record communications. Order No. 607 (64 FR 51222, September 22, 1999) requires Commission decisional employees, who make or receive a prohibited or exempt off-the-record communication relevant to the merits of a contested proceeding, to deliver to the Secretary of the Commission, a copy of the communication, if written, or a summary of the substance of any oral communication. Prohibited communications are included in a public, non-decisional file associated with, but not a part of, the decisional record of the proceeding. Unless the Commission determines that the prohibited communication and any responses thereto should become a part of the decisional record, the prohibited off-the-record communication will not be considered by the Commission in reaching its decision. Parties to a proceeding may seek the opportunity to respond to any facts or contentions made in a prohibited off-the-record communication, and may request that the Commission place the prohibited communication and responses thereto in the decisional record. The Commission will grant such a request only when it determines that fairness so requires. Any person identified below as having made a prohibited off-the-record communication shall serve the document on all parties listed on the official service list for the applicable proceeding in accordance with Rule 2010, 18 CFR 385.2010. Exempt off-the-record communications are included in the decisional record of the proceeding, unless the communication was with a cooperating agency as described by 40 CFR 1501.6, made under 18 CFR 385.2201(e)(1)(v). The following is a list of off-therecord communications recently received by the Secretary of the Commission. The communications listed are grouped by docket numbers in ascending order. These filings are available for review at the Commission in the Public Reference Room or may be viewed on the Commission’s Web site at https://www.ferc.gov using the eLibrary link. Enter the docket number, excluding the last three digits, in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, please contact FERC, Online Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at (866) 208–3676, or for TTY, contact (202) 502–8659. Docket No. File date Prohibited: 1. EC11–60–000 .................................................................................................................................. Exempt: 1. CP95–35–001 .................................................................................................................................. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. CP11–46–000 .................................................................................................................................. CP11–128–000 ................................................................................................................................ P–2299–000 ..................................................................................................................................... P–2299–000 ..................................................................................................................................... P–2299–000 ..................................................................................................................................... P–2299–000 ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Record 6–17–11 Perchrista Boone. 6–16–11 Hon. 6–16–11 6–22–11 6–8–11 6–8–11 6–9–11 6–17–11 ˜ Luis G. Fortno. Raymond Bransfield. Kevin Bowman.1 Hon. Anthony Cannella. Hob. Kristin Olsen. Hon. Tom Berryhill. Hon. Jim Ridenour. of telephone conversation. Dated: June 23, 2011. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FR Doc. 2011–16468 Filed 6–29–11; 8:45 am] [EPA–HQ–OW–2011–0465; FRL–9427–2] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Presenter or requester Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Water Quality Standards (Renewal) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). AGENCY: ACTION: VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:24 Jun 29, 2011 Jkt 223001 PO 00000 Notice. Frm 00037 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a request to renew an existing approved Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2011. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\30JNN1.SGM 30JNN1 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 126 / Thursday, June 30, 2011 / Notices Comments must be submitted on or before August 29, 2011. DATES: Submit your comments, identified by docket ID number EPA– HQ–OW–2011–0465 by one of the following methods: • https://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments. • E-mail: ow-docket@epa.gov. • Mail: ‘‘EPA Docket Center, Water Docket, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460]. • Hand Delivery: Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington DC. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket’s normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OW–2011– 0465. EPA’s policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change and may be made available online at https:// www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through https:// www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The https://www.regulations.gov Web site is an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through https:// www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD–ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA’s public docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at https:// www.epa.gov/dockets. srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES ADDRESSES: VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:24 Jun 29, 2011 Jkt 223001 Beth LeaMond, Office of Water, (4305T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202–566– 0444; fax number: 202–566–0409; email address: leamond.beth@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: How can I access the docket and/or submit comments? EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. EPA– HQ–OW–2011–0465 which is available for online viewing at https:// www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the 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 https://www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the 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 in this document. What information is EPA particularly interested in? Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically solicits comments and information to enable it to: (i) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (ii) evaluate the accuracy of the Agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (iii) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (iv) minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of specific additional efforts that EPA PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 38385 could make to reduce the paperwork burden for very small businesses affected by this collection. What should I consider when I prepare my comments for EPA? You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your comments: 1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific examples. 2. Describe any assumptions that you used. 3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used that support your views. 4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you arrived at the estimate that you provide. 5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity. 6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified under DATES. 7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal Register citation. What information collection activity or ICR does this apply to? Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are all States and certain authorized Indian Tribes that adopt water quality standards under the Clean Water Act; and water dischargers subject to certain requirements related to water quality standards in the Great Lakes system, including dischargers in the following SIC categories: Mining (SIC codes 10, 14); Food (20); Pulp and Paper (26); Inorganic Chemical Manufacturing (281); Organic Chemical Manufacturing (28); Petroleum Refining (29); Metal Manufacturing (33), Metal Finishing (34–37); Steam Electric (4911), and Publically Owned Treatment Works (4952). For the purposes of the Regulation, the term ‘‘State’’ means the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Title: Water Quality Standards Regulation (Renewal). ICR Number: EPA ICR No. 988.11, OMB Control No. 2040–0049. ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on December 31, 2011. 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 E:\FR\FM\30JNN1.SGM 30JNN1 srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 38386 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 126 / Thursday, June 30, 2011 / Notices 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: Water quality standards are provisions of State, Tribal, and Federal law that consist of designated uses for waters of the United States, water quality criteria to protect the designated uses, and an antidegradation policy. Section 303(c) of the Clean Water Act requires States and authorized Tribes to establish water quality standards, and to review and, if appropriate, revise their water quality standards once every three years. The Act also requires EPA to review and either approve or disapprove the new or revised standards, and to promulgate replacement Federal standards if necessary. Section 118(c)(2) of the Act specifies additional water quality standards requirements for waters of the Great Lakes system. The Water Quality Standards Regulation (40 CFR part 131 and portions of part 132) governs national implementation of the water quality standards program. The Regulation describes requirements and procedures for States and authorized Tribes to develop, review, and revise their water quality standards, and EPA procedures for reviewing and approving the water quality standards. The regulation requires the development and submission of information to EPA, including: —The minimum elements in water quality standards that each State or Tribe must submit to EPA for review, including any new or revised water quality standards resulting from the jurisdiction’s triennial review (40 CFR 131.6 and 131.20). The elements include use designations for specific water bodies; methods used and analyses conducted to support water quality standards revisions; supporting analysis for use attainability analyses; water quality criteria sufficient to protect the designated uses; methodologies for site-specific criteria development; an antidegradation policy; certification by the jurisdiction’s Attorney General or other appropriate legal authority that the water quality standards were duly adopted pursuant to State or Tribal law; information that will aid EPA in determining the adequacy of the scientific basis for the standards; VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:24 Jun 29, 2011 Jkt 223001 and information on general policies that may affect the implementation of the standards. —Information that an Indian Tribe must submit to EPA in order to determine whether a Tribe is qualified to administer the water quality standards program (40 CFR 131.8). —Information a State or Tribe must submit if it chooses to exercise a dispute resolution mechanism for disputes between States and Tribes over water quality standards on common water bodies (40 CFR 131.7). —Information related to public participation requirements during State and Tribal review and revision of water quality standards (40 CFR 131.20). States and Tribes must hold public hearings as part of their triennial reviews, and make any proposed standards and supporting analyses available to the public before the hearing. The Regulation establishes specific additional requirements for water quality standards and their implementation in the waters of the Great Lakes system, contained in the Water Quality Guidance for the Great Lakes System (40 CFR part 132). This portion of the Regulation includes the following requirements for information collection: bioassay tests to support the development of water quality criteria; studies to identify and provide information on antidegradation control measures that will guard against the reduction of water quality in the Great Lakes system; and information collection and record keeping activities associated with analyses and reporting to request regulatory relief from Guidance requirements. The Guidance includes additional information collections that are addressed in separate Information Collection Requests for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program. Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1060 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 PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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. The following estimates are based on estimates from the previous ICR renewal and will be revised prior to OMB submission. The public will have a second opportunity to comment before then. The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency’s estimate, which is only briefly summarized here: Estimated total number of potential respondents: 1 2,809 (56 States and Territories, 43 Tribes; 2,710 Great Lakes dischargers). Frequency of response: On occasion. Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 0.095. Estimated total annual burden hours: 293,214 hours. Estimated Total Annual Cost: $14,866,862 with no annualized capital or O&M cost. Are there changes in the estimates from the last approval? This FR Notice shows the burden estimate from the ICR renewal in 2008. EPA will be revising the burden estimate to include adjustments for changes in the number of tribes authorized to administer a water quality standards program, adjustments for the number of permits expected to be subject to requirements of the Water Quality Guidance for the Great Lakes System (40 CFR part 132), and adjustments for changes in labor cost. EPA is not aware of any programmatic changes needed to the burden estimate. These revisions will be reported in the second FR Notice. Changes from 2008 are not expected to be large. If you know of significant changes to the burden that are not listed in this notice, EPA asks you to submit comments containing that information, or contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. What is the next step in the process for this ICR? EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to 1 Note: EPA estimates that of the estimated total number of potential respondents there will likely be only 264 responses. E:\FR\FM\30JNN1.SGM 30JNN1 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 126 / Thursday, June 30, 2011 / Notices OMB and the opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any questions about this ICR or the approval process, please contact the technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Dated: June 23, 2011. Ephraim King, Director, Office of Science and Technology. [FR Doc. 2011–16508 Filed 6–29–11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL–9427–8; Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–ORD– 2009–0204] Draft Toxicological Review of Acrylonitrile: In Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of public comment period and listening session. AGENCY: EPA is announcing a 60-day public comment period and a public listening session for the external review draft human health assessment titled, ‘‘Toxicological Review of Acrylonitrile: In Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)’’ (EPA/635/R–08/013A). The draft assessment was prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within the EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD). EPA is releasing this draft assessment for the purposes of peer review and public comment. This draft assessment is not final as described in EPA’s information quality guidelines, and it does not represent and should not be construed to represent Agency policy or views. After public review and comment, an EPA contractor will convene an expert panel for independent external peer review of this draft assessment. The public comment period and external peer review meeting are separate processes that provide opportunities for all interested parties to comment on the assessment. The external peer review meeting will be scheduled at a later date and announced in the Federal Register. Public comments submitted during the public comment period will be provided to the external peer reviewers before the panel meeting and considered by EPA in the revision of the draft document. Public comments received after the public comment period closes will not be submitted to the external peer reviewers and will only be considered srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:24 Jun 29, 2011 Jkt 223001 by EPA if time permits. The listening session will be held on August 10, 2011, during the public comment period for this draft assessment. The purpose of the listening session is to allow all interested parties to present scientific and technical comments on draft IRIS health assessments to EPA and other interested parties attending the listening session. EPA welcomes the comments that will be provided to the Agency by the listening session participants. The comments will be considered by the Agency as it revises the draft assessment after the independent external peer review. If listening session participants would like EPA to share their comments with the external peer reviewers, they should also submit written comments during the public comment period using the detailed and established procedures described in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice. DATES: The public comment period begins June 30, 2011, and ends August 29, 2011. Comments should be in writing and must be received by EPA by August 29, 2011. The listening session on the draft assessment for acrylonitrile will be held on August 10, 2011, beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 4 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time, or when the last presentation has been completed. To attend the listening session, interested parties should register no later than August 3, 2011. To present at the listening session, indicate in your registration that you would like to make oral comments at the session and provide the length of your presentation. The following are instructions for registering: To attend the listening session, register by August 3, 2011 online at https:// www2.ergweb.com/projects/ conferences/peerreview/registeracryl.htm, via e-mail at meetings@erg.com (subject line: Acrylonitrile Listening Session), by phone: 781–674–7374 or toll free at 800–803–2833, or by faxing a registration request to 781–674–2906 (please reference the ‘‘Acrylonitrile Listening Session’’ and include your name, title, affiliation, full address and contact information). When you register, please indicate if you will need audiovisual equipment (e.g., laptop computer and slide projector). In general, each presentation should be no more than 30 minutes. If, however, there are more requests for presentations than the allotted time allows, then the time limit for each presentation will be adjusted. A copy of the agenda for the listening session will be available at the meeting. If no speakers have registered by August 3, 2011, the listening session will be PO 00000 Frm 00040 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 38387 cancelled, and EPA will notify those registered, as observers, of the cancellation. The draft ‘‘Toxicological Review of Acrylonitrile: In Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)’’ is available primarily via the Internet on the NCEA home page under the Recent Additions and Publications menus at https://www.epa.gov/ncea. A limited number of paper copies are available from the Information Management Team (Address: Information Management Team, National Center for Environmental Assessment (Mail Code: 8601P), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone: 703–347–8561; facsimile: 703–347– 8691). If you request a paper copy, please provide your name, mailing address, and the assessment title. Comments may be submitted electronically via https:// www.regulations.gov, by e-mail, by mail, by facsimile, or by hand delivery/ courier. Please follow the detailed instructions provided in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice. The listening session on the draft acrylonitrile assessment will be held at the EPA offices at Potomac Yard (North Building), 7th Floor, Room 7100, 2733 South Crystal Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22202. Please note that to gain entrance to this EPA building to attend the meeting, attendees must have photo identification with them and must register at the guard’s desk in the lobby. The guard will retain your photo identification and will provide you with a visitor’s badge. At the guard’s desk, attendees should give the name Christine Ross and the telephone number 703–347–8592 to the guard on duty. The guard will contact Ms. Ross who will meet you in the reception area to escort you to the meeting room. When you leave the building, please return your visitor’s badge to the guard and you will receive your photo identification. A teleconference line will also be available for registered attendees/ speakers. The teleconference number is 866–299–3188 and the access code is 926–378–7897, followed by the pound sign (#). The teleconference line will be activated at 8:45 a.m., and you will be asked to identify yourself and your affiliation at the beginning of the call. Information on Services for Individuals with Disabilities: EPA welcomes public attendance at the acrylonitrile listening session and will make every effort to accommodate ADDRESSES: E:\FR\FM\30JNN1.SGM 30JNN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 126 (Thursday, June 30, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38384-38387]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-16508]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0465; FRL-9427-2]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Water Quality Standards (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to 
submit a request to renew an existing approved Information Collection 
Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is 
scheduled to expire on December 31, 2011. Before submitting the ICR to 
OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific 
aspects of the proposed information collection as described below.

[[Page 38385]]


DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 29, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket ID number EPA-HQ-
OW-2011-0465 by one of the following methods:
     https://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: ow-docket@epa.gov.
     Mail: ``EPA Docket Center, Water Docket, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mailcode: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460].
     Hand Delivery: Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), 
EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington DC. Such 
deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of 
operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of 
boxed information.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2011-
0465. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in 
the public docket without change and may be made available online at 
https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you 
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through https://www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The https://www.regulations.gov Web site 
is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means EPA will not know your 
identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of 
your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without 
going through https://www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be 
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is 
placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you 
submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name 
and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any 
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to 
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA 
may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid 
the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of 
any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA's public 
docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at https://www.epa.gov/dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beth LeaMond, Office of Water, 
(4305T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-566-0444; fax number: 202-
566-0409; e-mail address: leamond.beth@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

How can I access the docket and/or submit comments?

    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0465 which is available for online viewing at https://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the 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 https://www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft 
collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the 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 in this document.

What information is EPA particularly interested in?

    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically 
solicits comments and information to enable it to:
    (i) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (ii) evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden 
of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used;
    (iii) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and
    (iv) minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from 
very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of 
specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork 
burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.

What should I consider when I prepare my comments for EPA?

    You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your 
comments:
    1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific 
examples.
    2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
    3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used 
that support your views.
    4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you 
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
    5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
    6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified 
under DATES.
    7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket 
ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page 
of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal 
Register citation.

What information collection activity or ICR does this apply to?

    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
all States and certain authorized Indian Tribes that adopt water 
quality standards under the Clean Water Act; and water dischargers 
subject to certain requirements related to water quality standards in 
the Great Lakes system, including dischargers in the following SIC 
categories: Mining (SIC codes 10, 14); Food (20); Pulp and Paper (26); 
Inorganic Chemical Manufacturing (281); Organic Chemical Manufacturing 
(28); Petroleum Refining (29); Metal Manufacturing (33), Metal 
Finishing (34-37); Steam Electric (4911), and Publically Owned 
Treatment Works (4952). For the purposes of the Regulation, the term 
``State'' means the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Guam, the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and 
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
    Title: Water Quality Standards Regulation (Renewal).
    ICR Number: EPA ICR No. 988.11, OMB Control No. 2040-0049.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on December 
31, 2011. 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

[[Page 38386]]

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: Water quality standards are provisions of State, Tribal, 
and Federal law that consist of designated uses for waters of the 
United States, water quality criteria to protect the designated uses, 
and an antidegradation policy. Section 303(c) of the Clean Water Act 
requires States and authorized Tribes to establish water quality 
standards, and to review and, if appropriate, revise their water 
quality standards once every three years. The Act also requires EPA to 
review and either approve or disapprove the new or revised standards, 
and to promulgate replacement Federal standards if necessary. Section 
118(c)(2) of the Act specifies additional water quality standards 
requirements for waters of the Great Lakes system.
    The Water Quality Standards Regulation (40 CFR part 131 and 
portions of part 132) governs national implementation of the water 
quality standards program. The Regulation describes requirements and 
procedures for States and authorized Tribes to develop, review, and 
revise their water quality standards, and EPA procedures for reviewing 
and approving the water quality standards. The regulation requires the 
development and submission of information to EPA, including:
--The minimum elements in water quality standards that each State or 
Tribe must submit to EPA for review, including any new or revised water 
quality standards resulting from the jurisdiction's triennial review 
(40 CFR 131.6 and 131.20). The elements include use designations for 
specific water bodies; methods used and analyses conducted to support 
water quality standards revisions; supporting analysis for use 
attainability analyses; water quality criteria sufficient to protect 
the designated uses; methodologies for site-specific criteria 
development; an antidegradation policy; certification by the 
jurisdiction's Attorney General or other appropriate legal authority 
that the water quality standards were duly adopted pursuant to State or 
Tribal law; information that will aid EPA in determining the adequacy 
of the scientific basis for the standards; and information on general 
policies that may affect the implementation of the standards.
--Information that an Indian Tribe must submit to EPA in order to 
determine whether a Tribe is qualified to administer the water quality 
standards program (40 CFR 131.8).
--Information a State or Tribe must submit if it chooses to exercise a 
dispute resolution mechanism for disputes between States and Tribes 
over water quality standards on common water bodies (40 CFR 131.7).
--Information related to public participation requirements during State 
and Tribal review and revision of water quality standards (40 CFR 
131.20). States and Tribes must hold public hearings as part of their 
triennial reviews, and make any proposed standards and supporting 
analyses available to the public before the hearing.

    The Regulation establishes specific additional requirements for 
water quality standards and their implementation in the waters of the 
Great Lakes system, contained in the Water Quality Guidance for the 
Great Lakes System (40 CFR part 132). This portion of the Regulation 
includes the following requirements for information collection: 
bioassay tests to support the development of water quality criteria; 
studies to identify and provide information on antidegradation control 
measures that will guard against the reduction of water quality in the 
Great Lakes system; and information collection and record keeping 
activities associated with analyses and reporting to request regulatory 
relief from Guidance requirements. The Guidance includes additional 
information collections that are addressed in separate Information 
Collection Requests for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination 
System program.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1060 
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.
    The following estimates are based on estimates from the previous 
ICR renewal and will be revised prior to OMB submission. The public 
will have a second opportunity to comment before then. The ICR provides 
a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate, which is only briefly 
summarized here:
    Estimated total number of potential respondents: \1\ 2,809 (56 
States and Territories, 43 Tribes; 2,710 Great Lakes dischargers).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Note: EPA estimates that of the estimated total number of 
potential respondents there will likely be only 264 responses.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 
0.095.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 293,214 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $14,866,862 with no annualized capital 
or O&M cost.

Are there changes in the estimates from the last approval?

    This FR Notice shows the burden estimate from the ICR renewal in 
2008. EPA will be revising the burden estimate to include adjustments 
for changes in the number of tribes authorized to administer a water 
quality standards program, adjustments for the number of permits 
expected to be subject to requirements of the Water Quality Guidance 
for the Great Lakes System (40 CFR part 132), and adjustments for 
changes in labor cost. EPA is not aware of any programmatic changes 
needed to the burden estimate. These revisions will be reported in the 
second FR Notice. Changes from 2008 are not expected to be large. If 
you know of significant changes to the burden that are not listed in 
this notice, EPA asks you to submit comments containing that 
information, or contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT.

What is the next step in the process for this ICR?

    EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as 
appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for 
review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will 
issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 
1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to

[[Page 38387]]

OMB and the opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you 
have any questions about this ICR or the approval process, please 
contact the technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT.

    Dated: June 23, 2011.
Ephraim King,
Director, Office of Science and Technology.
[FR Doc. 2011-16508 Filed 6-29-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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