[Federal Register: June 5, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 107)]
[Notices]
[Page 32344-32345]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05jn06-52]
[[Page 32344]]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0486; FRL-8179-9]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; 2007 Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey Agency
Information Collection; EPA ICR No. 2234.01, OMB Control No. 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 the Environmental
Protection Agency (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 August 4, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2006-0486, by one of the following methods:
http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail: barles.robert@epa.gov.
Fax: 202-564-3757.
Mail: Water Docket, EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC),
Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 4101T, 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
Hand Delivery: Water Docket, EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC),
EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC.
Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2006-
0486. 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 by 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: Robert Barles, Drinking Water
Protection Division (Mailcode 4606), Office of Ground Water and
Drinking Water, U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC
20460; telephone number: 202-564-3814; fax number: 202-564-3757; e-mail
address: barles.robert@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-2006-0486, which is available for online viewing at
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing 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
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 which own, operate or regulate community water systems including,
but not limited to, owners/operators of community water systems, State
environmental water quality agencies, and State departments of health.
[[Page 32345]]
Title: 2007 Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey.
ICR numbers: EPA ICR 2234.01, 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, and 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: The purpose of this information collection is to identify
the infrastructure needs of community public water systems for the 20-
year period from January 2007 through December 2027. EPA's Office of
Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW) will collect these data to
comply with Sections 1452(h) and 1452(i)(4) of the Safe Drinking Water
Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-12).
EPA will use a questionnaire to collect capital investment need
information from large (serving more than 100,000 people) and medium
(serving more than 3,300 people but less than 100,000) community water
systems. The questionnaire will also be used by EPA survey teams in
visits to 400 to 600 statistically-selected small (serving less than
3,300 people) community water systems to ascertain their infrastructure
needs. Participation in the survey is voluntary. The data from the
questionnaires will provide EPA with a basis for estimating the
nationwide infrastructure needs of community water systems. Also, as
mandated by section 1452(a)(1)(D)(ii) of the Safe Drinking Water Act,
EPA uses the results of the latest survey to allocate Drinking Water
State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) monies to the States. Under the allotment
formula, each State receives a grant of the annual DWSRF appropriation
in proportion to its share of the total national need--with the proviso
that each State receives at least one percent of the total funds
available.
Burden Statement: Over the entire survey effort, the annual public
reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 3.74 hours per response for states and water
system respondents combined. However, nearly all of the responses from
water systems will occur in the single year of 2007. 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: 3,470.
Frequency of response: On occasion.
Estimated total average number of responses for each
respondent: 1 per system.
Estimated total annual burden hours: 12,984 hours.
Estimated total annual costs: $1,345,677. This includes an
estimated burden cost of $1,345,677 and an estimated cost of $0.00 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 26, 2006.
Cynthia Dougherty,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. E6-8664 Filed 6-2-06; 8:45 am]
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