[Federal Register: June 1, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 105)]
[Notices]
[Page 31176-31177]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01jn06-50]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0454; FRL-8177-4]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Community Water System Survey 2006 Agency Information
Collection; EPA ICR No. 2232.01; OMB Control No. 2006-2040. New
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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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 for a new Information Collection Request (ICR) to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 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 July 31, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2006-0454 by one of the following methods:
http://www.regulations .gov: Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail: Rourke.brian@epa.gov.
Fax: 202-564-3760.
Mail: Water Docket, EPA Docket Center, Environmental
Protection Agency, Mailcode: 4101T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460.
Hand Delivery: Water Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/
DC), EPA West, Room B102, 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-2006-
0454. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in
the public docket without change and may be made available online at
http://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 http://www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The http://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 http://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 http://www.epa.gov/epahome
/dockets.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Rourke, Standards and Risk
Management Division (Mailcode 4607M), Office of Ground Water and
Drinking Water, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-564-5241; fax
number: 202-564-3760; e-mail address: rourke.brian@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-2006-0454 which is available for viewing on line at http://www.regulations.gov
, or viewing in person at the Water Docket in the
EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 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 http://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
[[Page 31177]]
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
those that own or operate community water systems.
Title: Community Water System Survey 2006.
ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2232.01; OMB Control No. 2040-New.
ICR status: This ICR is for a new information collection activity.
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: Last conducted in 2001, the Community Water System Survey
is conducted about every five years to gather information on the
operating and financial characteristics of a nationally representative
sample of community water systems. Specifically, the Agency uses the
data provided by this survey to meet its Regulatory Impact Analysis
(RIA) obligations under executive Order 12866 and its obligations to
assess and mitigate regulatory impacts on small entities under the
Regulatory Flexibility Act and the Small Business Regulatory
Enforcement Fairness Act. Also, under section 1412(b)(3)(C) of the Safe
Drinking Water Act, the Agency must prepare a Health Risk Reduction and
Cost Analysis for any proposed National Primary Drinking Water
Regulation. Through this survey, EPA seeks to gather information on
community drinking water system finances, as well as infrastructure
characteristics that bear on both present costs and future cost
impacts, including current treatment, storage and distribution system
configurations, to help inform the Agency's determination of baseline
conditions for effective economic analysis. In addition, the survey
will provide a limited amount of information designed to help the
Agency better conduct its outreach efforts to assist the regulated
community and gauge the effectiveness of current program initiatives in
the area of water security. This is a one-time collection effort.
Responses are voluntary and are not required in order to obtain or
retain any benefit. The Agency does not intend to share or make public
the names or identities of survey participants.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average five
(5) hours per response for large systems serving more than 3,300 people
and one-half (\1/2\) hour for small systems serving fewer than 3,300
people. The smaller systems will experience reduced burden because
their questionnaires will be completed for them by EPA contractors on
site. 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 ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate,
which is only briefly summarized here:
Estimated total number of potential respondents: 1,500.
Frequency of response: One time.
Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 1.
Estimated total annual burden hours per response: One-half (1/2)
hour for small systems; five (5) hours for large systems.
Estimated total annual costs for all respondents: $176,678. This
includes an estimated burden cost of $176,678 and an estimated cost of
$0 for capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.
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 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: May 25, 2006.
Cynthia Dougherty,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. E6-8466 Filed 5-31-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P