Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; National Water Quality Inventory Reports (Renewal), 44268-44269 [2018-18856]
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44268
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 169 / Thursday, August 30, 2018 / Notices
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Supporting documents which explain in
detail the information that the EPA will
be collecting are available in the public
docket for this ICR. The docket can be
viewed online at www.regulations.gov
or in person at the EPA Docket Center,
WJC West, Room 3334, 1301
Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC.
The telephone number for the Docket
Center is 202–566–1744. For additional
information about EPA’s public docket,
visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets.
Abstract: This Information Collection
Request (ICR) seeks authorization for
tribes to demonstrate their eligibility to
be treated in the same manner as states
under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and to
submit applications to implement a
CAA program. This ICR extends the
collection period of information for
determining eligibility, which expires
December 31, 2018. The ICR maintains
the estimates of burden costs for tribes
in completing a CAA application.
The program regulation provides for
Indian tribes, if they choose, to assume
responsibility for the development and
implementation of CAA programs. The
regulation, Indian Tribes: Air Quality
Planning and Management (Tribal
Authority Rule [TAR] 40 CFR parts 9,
35, 49, 50, and 81) sets forth how tribes
may seek authority to implement their
own air quality planning and
management programs. This rule
establishes: (1) Which CAA provisions
Indian tribes may seek authority to
implement; (2) What requirements the
tribes must meet when seeking such
authorization; and (3) What federal
financial assistance may be available to
help tribes establish and manage their
air quality programs. The TAR provides
tribes the authority to administer air
quality programs over all air resources,
including non-Indian owned fee lands,
whining the exterior boundaries of a
reservation and other areas over which
the tribe can demonstrate jurisdiction.
An Indian tribe that takes responsibility
for a CAA program would essentially be
treated in the same way as a state would
be treated for that program.
Form Numbers: None.
Respondents/Affected Entities: States,
locals, Indian tribes.
Respondent’s Obligation to Respond:
Voluntary, required to obtain or retain a
benefit Tribal Authority Rule [TAR] 40
CFR parts 9, 35, 49, 50 and 81).
Estimated Number of Respondents: 8
(total).
Frequency of Response: One-time
applications.
Total Estimated Burden: 320 hours
(per year). Burden is defined at 5 CFR
1320.03(b).
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:25 Aug 29, 2018
Jkt 244001
Total Estimated Cost: $18,896.00 (per
year), includes $0 annualized capital or
operation & maintenance costs.
Changes in the Estimates: There is no
change of hours in the total estimated
respondent burden compared with the
ICR currently approved by OMB.
Dated: August 15, 2018.
Pat Childers,
OAR Tribal Program Coordinator.
[FR Doc. 2018–18857 Filed 8–29–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OW–2003–0026; FRL–9983–03–
OW]
Proposed Information Collection
Request; Comment Request; National
Water Quality Inventory Reports
(Renewal)
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Environmental Protection
Agency is planning to submit an
information collection request (ICR),
‘‘National Water Quality Inventory
Reports (Renewal)’’ (EPA ICR No.
1560.11, OMB Control No. 2040–0071)
to the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for review and approval in
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act (PRA). Before submitting
the ICR to OMB, EPA is soliciting public
comments on specific aspects of the
proposed information collection as
described below. This is a proposed
extension of the ICR, which is currently
approved through March 31, 2019. 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.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on
or before October 29, 2018.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
referencing Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–
OW–2003–0026, online using
www.regulations.gov (our preferred
method), by email to OW-Docket@
epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket
Center, Environmental Protection
Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC
20460.
EPA’s policy is that all comments
received will be included in the public
docket without change including any
personal information provided, unless
the comment includes profanity, threats,
information claimed to be Confidential
Business Information (CBI) or other
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Cynthia N. Johnson, Watershed
Restoration, Assessment and Protection
Division (WRAPD), Office of Water,
Mail Code: 4503T, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460;
telephone number: 202–566–1679; fax
number: 202–566–1336; email address:
Johnson.CynthiaN@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Supporting documents that explain in
detail the information that the EPA will
be collecting are available in the public
docket for this ICR. The docket can be
viewed online at www.regulations.gov
or in person at the EPA Docket Center,
WJC West, Room 3334, 1301
Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC.
The telephone number for the Docket
Center is 202–566–1744. For additional
information about EPA’s public docket,
visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets.
Pursuant to Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of
the PRA, EPA is soliciting 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. 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. At that time, EPA
will issue another Federal Register
notice to announce the submission of
the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to
submit additional comments to OMB.
Abstract: The Clean Water Act
Section 305(b) reports contain
information on whether waters assessed
by a state meet the state’s water quality
standards, and, when waters are
impaired, the pollutants and potential
sources affecting water quality. This
information helps State’s and the public
track progress in addressing water
pollution. Section 303(d) of the Clean
Water Act requires States to identify and
E:\FR\FM\30AUN1.SGM
30AUN1
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 169 / Thursday, August 30, 2018 / Notices
rank waters that cannot meet water
quality standards (WQS) following the
implementation of technology-based
controls. Under Section 303(d), States
are also required to establish total
maximum daily loads (TMDLs) for
listed waters not meeting standards
because of pollutant discharges. In
developing the Section 303(d) lists,
States are required to consider various
sources of water quality related data and
information, including the Section
305(b) State water quality reports.
Section 106(e) requires that states
annually update monitoring data and
use it in their Section 305(b) report.
Section 314(a) requires states to report
on the condition of their publicly
owned lakes within the Section 305(b)
report.
Pursuant to the Clean Water Act and
its implementing regulations, EPA’s
WRAPD works with its Regional
counterparts to review and approve or
disapprove State Section 303(d) lists
and TMDLs from 56 respondents (the 50
States, the District of Columbia, and the
five Territories). Section 303(d)
specifically requires States to develop
lists and TMDLs, and EPA is to review
and approve or disapprove the lists and
the TMDLs. EPA also collects State
305(b) reports from 59 respondents (the
50 States, the District of Columbia, five
Territories, and 3 River Basin
Commissions).
Tribes are not required to submit
Section 305(b) reports. However, to
meet the needs of Tribes at all levels of
development, EPA has prepared
guidance that presents the basic steps a
Tribe should take to collect the water
quality information it needs to make
effective decisions about its program, its
goals and its future directions. Tribal
water quality monitoring and reporting
activities are covered under the Section
106 Tribal Grants Program and are not
included in the burden estimates for
this ICR. In addition, ICR number
2553.02 ‘‘Treatment of Indian Tribes in
a Similar Manner as States for Purposes
of Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act
(Final Rule)’’ addresses the Tribes’ CWA
Section 303(d) Impaired Water Listing
and TMDL TAS application and 303(d)
Program implementation burden, as
well as EPA’s burden for reviewing the
Tribes’ applications and 303(d) Program
submittals.
During the period covered by this ICR
renewal, respondents will: Complete
their 2020 Section 305(b) reports and
2020 Section 303(d) lists; complete their
2022 Section 305(b) reports and 2022
Section 303(d) lists; transmit annual
electronic updates of ambient
monitoring data via the Water Quality
Exchange; and continue to develop
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:25 Aug 29, 2018
Jkt 244001
TMDLs according to their established
schedules. EPA will prepare biennial
updates on assessed and impaired
waters for Congress and the public for
the 2020 reporting cycle and for the
2022 cycle, and EPA will review 303(d)
list and TMDL submissions from
respondents.
The burdens of specific activities that
States undertake as part of their Section
305(b) and 303(d) programs are derived
from a project among EPA, States and
other interested stakeholders to develop
a tool for estimating the States’ resource
needs for State water quality
management programs. This project has
developed the State Water Quality
Management Workload Model
(SWQMWM), which estimates and sums
the workload involved in more than one
hundred activities or tasks comprising a
State water quality management
program. Over twenty States contributed
information about their activities that
became the basis for the model.
According to the SWQMWM, to meet
Section 305(b) and 303(d) reporting
requirements the States will conduct:
Watershed monitoring and
characterization; modeling and analysis;
development of Section 303(d) lists and
TMDLs for public review; public
outreach; formal public participation;
tracking; planning; legal support; etc. In
general, respondents have conducted
each of these reporting and record
keeping activities for past Section 305(b)
and 303(d) reporting cycles and thus
have staff and procedures in place to
continue their Section 305(b) and 303(d)
reporting programs. The burden
associated with these tasks is estimated
in this ICR to include the total number
of TMDLs that may be submitted during
the period covered by this ICR.
Form numbers: None.
Respondents/affected entities: Entities
potentially affected by this action are
States, Territories and Tribes with Clean
Water Act (CWA) responsibilities.
Respondent ’s obligation to respond:
Mandatory: Integrated Water Quality
Inventory Reports (Clean Water Act
Sections 305(b), 303(d), 314(a), and
106(e)).
Estimated number of respondents: 59
(total).
Frequency of response: Biennial.
Total estimated burden: 3,740,017
(per year) hours. Burden is defined at 5
CFR 1320.03(b).
Total estimated cost: $214,524,738
(per year), includes $0 annualized
capital or operation & maintenance
costs.
Changes in estimates: There is no
change of hours in the total estimated
respondent burden compared with the
ICR currently approved by OMB,
PO 00000
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44269
published on March 1, 2016. EPA has
completed phase 1 of the Water Quality’
Framework, which is a new way of
integrating EPA’s data and information
systems to more effectively support
reporting and tracking water quality
protection and restoration actions.
Phase 1 streamlined water quality
assessment and reporting by reducing
transactions associated with paper copy
reviews and increasing electronic data
exchange. The system to support this
new electronic reporting was released to
support the 2018 reporting cycle in
April of 2018. Because this is the first
year that the new reporting method is
being used, EPA will use this reporting
cycle to gather information on reporting
burden using this new approach. EPA
expects the new approach will result in
a reduction in reporting burden, but
does not have enough information at
this time to quantify the reduction. EPA
will use the information collected on
reporting burden from the 2018 cycle to
revise the ICR burden estimates in the
next iteration of this ICR.
Dated: August 22, 2018.
John Goodin,
Acting Director, Office of Wetlands, Oceans,
and Watersheds.
[FR Doc. 2018–18856 Filed 8–29–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION
[OMB 3060–0349]
Information Collection Being
Submitted for Review and Approval to
the Office of Management and Budget
Federal Communications
Commission.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
As part of its continuing effort
to reduce paperwork burdens, and as
required by the Paperwork Reduction
Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC or
the Commission) invites the general
public and other Federal agencies to
take this opportunity to comment on the
following information collection.
Comments are requested concerning:
Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
Commission, including whether the
information shall have practical utility;
the accuracy of the Commission’s
burden estimate; ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information collected; ways to minimize
the burden of the collection of
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\30AUN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 169 (Thursday, August 30, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44268-44269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-18856]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OW-2003-0026; FRL-9983-03-OW]
Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request;
National Water Quality Inventory Reports (Renewal)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an
information collection request (ICR), ``National Water Quality
Inventory Reports (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 1560.11, OMB Control No.
2040-0071) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Before
submitting the ICR to OMB, EPA is soliciting public comments on
specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described
below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently
approved through March 31, 2019. 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.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 29, 2018.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2003-0026, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by
email to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center,
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460.
EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the
public docket without change including any personal information
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia N. Johnson, Watershed
Restoration, Assessment and Protection Division (WRAPD), Office of
Water, Mail Code: 4503T, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-566-
1679; fax number: 202-566-1336; email address:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents that explain in detail
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the
public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West,
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The telephone
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional
information about EPA's public docket, visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets.
Pursuant to Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting
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. 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. At that
time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice to announce the
submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to submit additional
comments to OMB.
Abstract: The Clean Water Act Section 305(b) reports contain
information on whether waters assessed by a state meet the state's
water quality standards, and, when waters are impaired, the pollutants
and potential sources affecting water quality. This information helps
State's and the public track progress in addressing water pollution.
Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act requires States to identify and
[[Page 44269]]
rank waters that cannot meet water quality standards (WQS) following
the implementation of technology-based controls. Under Section 303(d),
States are also required to establish total maximum daily loads (TMDLs)
for listed waters not meeting standards because of pollutant
discharges. In developing the Section 303(d) lists, States are required
to consider various sources of water quality related data and
information, including the Section 305(b) State water quality reports.
Section 106(e) requires that states annually update monitoring data and
use it in their Section 305(b) report. Section 314(a) requires states
to report on the condition of their publicly owned lakes within the
Section 305(b) report.
Pursuant to the Clean Water Act and its implementing regulations,
EPA's WRAPD works with its Regional counterparts to review and approve
or disapprove State Section 303(d) lists and TMDLs from 56 respondents
(the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the five Territories).
Section 303(d) specifically requires States to develop lists and TMDLs,
and EPA is to review and approve or disapprove the lists and the TMDLs.
EPA also collects State 305(b) reports from 59 respondents (the 50
States, the District of Columbia, five Territories, and 3 River Basin
Commissions).
Tribes are not required to submit Section 305(b) reports. However,
to meet the needs of Tribes at all levels of development, EPA has
prepared guidance that presents the basic steps a Tribe should take to
collect the water quality information it needs to make effective
decisions about its program, its goals and its future directions.
Tribal water quality monitoring and reporting activities are covered
under the Section 106 Tribal Grants Program and are not included in the
burden estimates for this ICR. In addition, ICR number 2553.02
``Treatment of Indian Tribes in a Similar Manner as States for Purposes
of Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act (Final Rule)'' addresses the
Tribes' CWA Section 303(d) Impaired Water Listing and TMDL TAS
application and 303(d) Program implementation burden, as well as EPA's
burden for reviewing the Tribes' applications and 303(d) Program
submittals.
During the period covered by this ICR renewal, respondents will:
Complete their 2020 Section 305(b) reports and 2020 Section 303(d)
lists; complete their 2022 Section 305(b) reports and 2022 Section
303(d) lists; transmit annual electronic updates of ambient monitoring
data via the Water Quality Exchange; and continue to develop TMDLs
according to their established schedules. EPA will prepare biennial
updates on assessed and impaired waters for Congress and the public for
the 2020 reporting cycle and for the 2022 cycle, and EPA will review
303(d) list and TMDL submissions from respondents.
The burdens of specific activities that States undertake as part of
their Section 305(b) and 303(d) programs are derived from a project
among EPA, States and other interested stakeholders to develop a tool
for estimating the States' resource needs for State water quality
management programs. This project has developed the State Water Quality
Management Workload Model (SWQMWM), which estimates and sums the
workload involved in more than one hundred activities or tasks
comprising a State water quality management program. Over twenty States
contributed information about their activities that became the basis
for the model. According to the SWQMWM, to meet Section 305(b) and
303(d) reporting requirements the States will conduct: Watershed
monitoring and characterization; modeling and analysis; development of
Section 303(d) lists and TMDLs for public review; public outreach;
formal public participation; tracking; planning; legal support; etc. In
general, respondents have conducted each of these reporting and record
keeping activities for past Section 305(b) and 303(d) reporting cycles
and thus have staff and procedures in place to continue their Section
305(b) and 303(d) reporting programs. The burden associated with these
tasks is estimated in this ICR to include the total number of TMDLs
that may be submitted during the period covered by this ICR.
Form numbers: None.
Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by
this action are States, Territories and Tribes with Clean Water Act
(CWA) responsibilities.
Respondent 's obligation to respond: Mandatory: Integrated Water
Quality Inventory Reports (Clean Water Act Sections 305(b), 303(d),
314(a), and 106(e)).
Estimated number of respondents: 59 (total).
Frequency of response: Biennial.
Total estimated burden: 3,740,017 (per year) hours. Burden is
defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
Total estimated cost: $214,524,738 (per year), includes $0
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
Changes in estimates: There is no change of hours in the total
estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by
OMB, published on March 1, 2016. EPA has completed phase 1 of the Water
Quality' Framework, which is a new way of integrating EPA's data and
information systems to more effectively support reporting and tracking
water quality protection and restoration actions. Phase 1 streamlined
water quality assessment and reporting by reducing transactions
associated with paper copy reviews and increasing electronic data
exchange. The system to support this new electronic reporting was
released to support the 2018 reporting cycle in April of 2018. Because
this is the first year that the new reporting method is being used, EPA
will use this reporting cycle to gather information on reporting burden
using this new approach. EPA expects the new approach will result in a
reduction in reporting burden, but does not have enough information at
this time to quantify the reduction. EPA will use the information
collected on reporting burden from the 2018 cycle to revise the ICR
burden estimates in the next iteration of this ICR.
Dated: August 22, 2018.
John Goodin,
Acting Director, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds.
[FR Doc. 2018-18856 Filed 8-29-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
