[Federal Register: November 24, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 226)]
[Notices]
[Page 68346-68347]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24no04-70]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OW-2004-0015; FRL-7841-5]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Clean Water Act State Revolving
Fund Program (Renewal), EPA ICR Number 1391.07, OMB Control Number
2040-0118
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 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 11/30/2004.
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 December 27,
2004.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OW-2004-
0015, to (1) EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail
to OW-Docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental
Protection Agency, Water Docket, Mail Code 4101T, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB at: Office of Information
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB),
Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC
20503.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Clifford Yee, Office of Wastewater
Management, Mail Code 4204M, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-
564-0598; fax number: 202-501-2403; e-mail address:
yee.clifford@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 August 5, 2004 (69 FR 47432), EPA sought comments on this
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments.
EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID
No. OW-2004-0015, which is available for public viewing at the Water
Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301
Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public
Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading
Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the Water Docket
is (202) 566-2426. An electronic version of the public docket is
available through EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket.
Use EDOCKET to submit or view public comments, access the index listing
of the contents of the public docket, and to access those documents in
the public docket that are available electronically.
[[Page 68347]]
Once in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the docket ID number
identified above.
Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB
within 30 days of this notice. EPA's policy is that public comments,
whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available
for public viewing in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change,
unless the comment contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other
information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA
identifies a comment containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide
a reference to that material in the version of the comment that is
placed in EDOCKET. The entire printed comment, including the
copyrighted material, will be available in the public docket. Although
identified as an item in the official docket, information claimed as
CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise restricted by statute, is not
included in the official public docket, and will not be available for
public viewing in EDOCKET. For further information about the electronic
docket, see EPA's Federal Register notice describing the electronic
docket at 67 FR 38102 (May 31, 2002), or go to http://www.epa.gov/edocket
.
Title: Clean Water Act State Revolving Fund Program (Renewal).
Abstract: The Clean Water Act, as amended by ``The Water Quality
Act of 1987'' (U.S.C. 1381-1387 et. seq.), created a Title VI which
authorizes grants to States for the establishment of State Water
Pollution Control Revolving Funds (SRFs). The information collection
activities will occur primarily at the program level through the State
``Intended Use Plan'' and ``Annual Report.'' The information is needed
annually to implement section 606 of the Clean Water Act (CWA).
The 1987 Act declares that water pollution control revolving funds
shall be administered by an instrumentality of the State subject to the
requirements of the act. This means that each State has a general
responsibility for administering its revolving fund and must take on
certain specific responsibilities in carrying out its administrative
duties. The information collection activities will occur primarily at
the program level through the State Intended Use Plan and Annual
Report. The information is needed annually to implement section 606 of
the Clean Water Act (CWA). The Act requires the information to ensure
national accountability, adequate public comment and review, fiscal
integrity and consistent management directed to achieve environmental
benefits and results. The individual information collections are: (1)
Capitalization Grant Application and Agreement/State Intended Use Plan,
(2) Annual Report, (3) State Annual Audit, and (4) Application for SRF
Financial Assistance.
(1) Capitalization Grant Application and Agreement/State Intended
Use Plan: The State will prepare a Capitalization Grant application
that includes an Intended Use Plan (IUP) outlining in detail how it
will use all the funds available to the fund. The grant agreement
contains or incorporates by reference the IUP, application materials,
payment schedule, and required assurances. The bulk of the information
is provided in the IUP, the legal agreement which commits the State and
EPA to execute their responsibilities under the Act.
(2) Annual Report: The State must agree to complete and submit an
Annual Report that indicates how the State has met the goals and
objectives of the previous fiscal year as stated in the IUP and grant
agreement. The report provides information on loan recipients, loan
amounts, loan terms, project categories, and similar data on other
forms of assistance. The report describes the extent to which the
existing SRF financial operating policies, alone or in combination with
other State financial assistance programs, will provide for the long
term fiscal health of the Fund and carry out other provisions specified
in the grant operating agreement.
(3) Annual Audit: Most States have agreed to conduct or have
conducted a separate financial audit of the Capitalization Grant which
will provide opinions on the financial statements, and a report on the
internal controls and compliance with program requirements. The
remaining States will be covered by audits conducted under the
requirements of the Single Audit Act and by EPA's Office of Inspector
General.
(4) Application for SRF Financial Assistance: Local communities and
other eligible entities have to prepare and submit applications for SRF
assistance to their respective State Agency which manages the SRF
program. The State reviews the completed loan applications, and
verifies that the proposed projects will comply with applicable Federal
and State 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 in 40 CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and are identified on
the form and/or instrument, if applicable.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 111
hours per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial
resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or
disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This
includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire,
install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of
collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and
maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information;
adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable
instructions and requirements; train personnel to be able to respond to
a collection of information; search data sources; complete and review
the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the
information.
Respondents/Affected Entities: 3,009.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,060.
Frequency of Response: Annually.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 339,405.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: $6,155,700, includes $0 annual
capital/startup and O&M costs and $6,155,700 annual labor costs.
Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 76,500 hours in
the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of
Approved ICR Burdens. This increase is due to the increase in the
number of participants in the program, the individual burden still
remains the same.
Dated: November 17, 2004.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 04-26077 Filed 11-23-04; 8:45 am]
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