[Federal Register: August 14, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 157)]
[Notices]
[Page 48606-48607]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14au03-44]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OW-2003-0064, FRL-7544-6]
Agency Information Collection Activity: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Questionnaire for Nominees for the Annual National
Clean Water Act Recognition Awards Program, EPA ICR 1287.06, OMB
Control Number 2040-0101
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a
continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB). This is a request to renew an existing
approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on February 29,
2004. 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.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 14, 2003.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OW-2003-
0064, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to
ow-docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental
Protection Agency, Office of Water Docket, MC 4101-T, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria E. Campbell, Municipal
Assistance Branch, MC 4204-M, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-
564-0628; fax number: 202-501-2396; e-mail address:
campbell.maria@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this
ICR under Docket ID number OW-2003-0064, which is available for public
viewing at the Office of Water Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/
DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC.
The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The
telephone number for the Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the
telephone number for the Office of Water Docket is (202) 566-2426. An
electronic version of the public docket is available through EPA
Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket. Use EDOCKET to obtain
a copy of the draft collection of information, submit or view public
comments, access the index listing of the contents of the public
docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are
available electronically. Once in the system, select ``search,'' then
key in the docket ID number identified above.
Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA within
60 days of this notice. EPA's policy is that public comments, whether
submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public
viewing in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change, unless the
comment contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose
public disclosure is restricted by statue. When EPA identifies a
comment containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference
to that material in the version of the comment that is placed in
EDOCKET. The entire printed comment, including copyrighted material,
will be available in the public docket. Although identified as an item
in the official docket, information claimed as CBI, or whose disclosure
is otherwise restricted by statute, is not included in the official
public docket, and will not be available for public viewing in EDOCKET.
For further information about the electronic docket, see EPA's Federal
Register notice describing the electronic docket at 67 FR 38102 (May
31, 2002), or go to http://www.epa.gov./edocket.
Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
public wastewater treatment plants, municipalities, industries,
universities, manufacturing sites and States.
Title: Questionnaire for Nominees for the Annual National Clean
Water Act Recognition Awards Program.
Abstract: This ICR requests re-approval to collect data from EPA's
National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards nominees. The awards are
for the following program categories: Operations and Maintenance (O&M)
Excellence, Biosolids (Biosolids) Management Excellence, Combined Sewer
Overflow Control (CSO) Program Excellence and Storm Water (SW)
Management Excellence.
Note: Information collection approval for the Pretreatment
Awards Program is included in the National Pretreatment Program ICR
(OMB No. 2040.0009, EPA ICR No. 0002.09), approved through September
30, 2003. The National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards Program is
managed by EPA's Office of Wastewater Management (OWM). The Awards
Program is authorized under Section 501(e) of the Clean Water Act,
as amended. The Awards Program is intended to provide recognition to
municipalities and industries which have demonstrated outstanding
technological achievements, innovative processes, devices or other
outstanding methods in their waste treatment and pollution abatement
programs. Approximately 50 awards are presented annually. The
achievements of these award winners are summarized in reports, news
articles, national publications, and Federal Register Notice.
Submission of information on behalf of the respondents is
voluntary. No confidential information is requested. The Agency only
collects information from award nominees under 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. An agency may not
conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB
control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's regulations in 40 CFR
are listed in 40 CFR part 9. Based on the data collection, national
panels will evaluate the nominees' efforts and recommend finalists. The
collections will be used by the respective awards programs to evaluate
and determine which abatement achievements should be recognized. A
regulation in the Federal Register on February 8, 2002, (67 FR 6138,
February 8, 2002) establishes a framework for the annual Clean Water
Act Recognition Awards.
As currently structured, the O&M awards category has nine sub-
categories which recognize municipal achievements. The biosolids awards
category has four sub-categories which recognize municipal biosolids
operations, technology and research
[[Page 48607]]
achievements, and public acceptance; the CSO awards category has one
sub-category which recognizes municipal programs; and the SW awards
category has two sub-categories which recognize municipal and
industrial programs. All nominees are screened for environmental
compliance by the States and EPA. Municipalities and institutions
desiring to be considered for National awards voluntarily complete the
questionnaires and provide design and operating information about their
facility or programs. The award nominations are reviewed by State/
Regional officials prior to forwarding them for National award
consideration. At the National level, award reviews involve Federal
officials and review panels comprised of representatives of EPA, State
water pollution control agencies and affiliated associations.
The EPA would like to solicit comments 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.
Burden Statement: The information is collected from approximately
200 respondents at a total cost of $89,600 per year and 2800 burden
hours, including $52,200 and 1600 burden hours for the respondents'
time, and $37,400 and 1200 burden hours for the States' review time.
Burden means the total time, effort or financial resources expended by
persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide
information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed
to review instructions; develop, acquire, install and utilize
technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating and
verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and
disclosing and providing information; adjust the existing ways to
comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements;
train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information;
search data sources; complete and review the collection of information;
and transmit or otherwise disclose information.
Dated: August 6, 2003.
Jane S. Moore,
Acting Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 03-20781 Filed 8-13-03; 8:45 am]
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