[Federal Register: June 27, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 123)]
[Notices]
[Page 35227-35230]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27jn07-55]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OW-2007-0142; FRL-8332-1]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; See List of ICRs Planned To Be Submitted in Section A
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 notice announces that EPA is planning to submit a
request to renew three existing Information Collection Requests (ICR)
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Before submitting the
ICRs to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on
specific aspects of the information collections as described at the
beginning of SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 27, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2007-0142, by one of the following methods:
http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the online instructions
for submitting comments.
E-mail: ow-docket@epa.gov (Identify Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OW-2007-0142 in the subject line).
Mail: Water Docket, Environmental Protection Agency,
Mailcode: 4203M, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
Please include a total of three copies.
Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, EPA West, Room 3334,
1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. 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 identified by the Docket ID No.
EPA-HQ-OW-2007-0142. 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 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: Amelia Letnes, State and Regional
Branch, Water Permits Division, OWM Mail Code: 4203M, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
[[Page 35228]]
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-5627; e-
mail address: letnes.amelia@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
For All ICRS
An Agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required
to respond to collection information unless it displays a currently
valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's regulations
are displayed in 40 CFR part 9.
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.
How Can I Access the Docket and/or Submit Comments?
EPA has established a public docket for these ICRs under Docket ID
No. EPA-HQ-OW-2007-0142, 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 3334, 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 technical information/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.
A. List of ICRS Planned To Be Submitted
(1) Concentrated Aquatic Animal Production Point Source Category
Effluent Guidelines Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements, EPA ICR
Number 2087.03, OMB Control Number 2040-0258, expiration date 09/30/
2007.
(2) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)/
Compliance Assessment/Certification Information, EPA ICR Number
1427.08, OMB Control Number 2040-0110, expiration date 09/30/2007.
(3) National Pretreatment Program, EPA ICR Number 0002.13, OMB
Control Number 2040-0009, expiration date 09/30/2007.
B. Individual ICRS
(1) Concentrated Aquatic Animal Production Point Source Category
Effluent Guidelines Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements, EPA ICR
Number 2087.03, OMB Control Number 2040-0258, expiration date 09/30/
2007.
Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
a subset of facilities engaged in aquatic animal production defined to
40 CFR part 451.
Abstract: This ICR requests OMB renewal of the ICR for the:
``Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for Concentrated
Aquatic Animal Production (CAAP) Point Source Category'' (Effluent
Guidelines). The rule establishes specific reporting requirements for a
segment of CAAP facilities through NPDES permits. The rule covers
facilities which are defined as CAAP facilities (see 40 CFR 122.24 and
40 CFR part 122 Appendix C) and produce at least 100,000 pounds per
year in flow through, recirculating and net pen systems.
The rule includes special reporting and recordkeeping requirements
which are the subject of this ICR. CAAP facility owners or operators
are also required to file reports with the permitting authority when
drugs with special approvals are applied to the production units or a
failure in the structural integrity occurs in the aquatic animal
containment system.
When CAAP facilities apply either an Investigational New Animal
Drug (INAD) or a drug that has been prescribed extra-label by a
veterinarian to treat the aquatic animals at their facility, the owner
or operator must report this use to the permitting authority. In
addition, the owner or operator of a CAAP facility must notify the
permitting authority upon agreeing to participate in an INAD study.
Whenever a structural failure occurs in the aquatic animal
containment system, the owner or operator must report this to the
permitting authority. For the purposes of this requirement, the aquatic
animal containment system is defined as the unit(s) that contain(s) the
aquatic animals and in which their culture takes place, as well as the
wastewater handling and treatment units associated with aquatic animal
production.
CAAP facilities subject to this regulation are also required to
develop and implement a Best Management
[[Page 35229]]
Practices (BMP) plan that ensures that the regulatory requirements will
be met. Upon completion of this BMP plan, the owner or operator must
certify to the permitting authority that the plan has been developed.
CAAP facilities are also expected to keep records of the feed
inputs along with an estimate of the number and weight of the animals
being raised. These records are to be used to calculate the feed
conversion ratios for the facility. Records must also be kept
documenting the frequency of facility inspections, maintenance and
repairs, along with the cleaning of the rearing units at flow through
and recirculating facilities or changing the nets at net pen
facilities.
This information collection may contain CBI, especially the
reporting requirements associated with investigational drug use. If
this is the case, the respondent may request that such information be
treated as confidential. All confidential data will be handled in
accordance with 40 CFR 122.7, 40 CFR part 2 and EPA's Security Manual.
However, Clean Water Act (CWA) sec. 308(b) specifically states that
effluent data may not be treated as confidential.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 180
hours per respondent per year, or 60 hours per response.
Estimated total number of potential respondents: 245 (200
facilities and 45 States).
Frequency of response: Once every five years, on occasion, on-
going.
Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent:
Three.
Estimated total annual burden hours: 44,196 hours.
Estimated total annual costs: $971,500. This includes an estimated
burden cost of $971,500 and an estimated cost of $0 for capital
investment or maintenance and operational costs.
Change in Burden: There is a decrease of 4 hours in the total
estimated respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR
currently approved by OMB. This decrease reflects EPA's corrections to
the 2004 ICR and is not the result of changes to the requirements
covered by this ICR.
(2) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)/
Compliance Assessment/Certification Information, EPA ICR Number
1427.08, OMB Control Number 2040-0110, expiration date 09/30/2007.
Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
most facilities required to have NPDES permit coverage, including but
not limited to publicly owned treatment works (POTWs), privately owned
treatment works (PrOTWs), manufacturing and commercial dischargers,
mining operations, and Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs).
Abstract: The purpose of this ICR is to calculate the burden and
costs associated with the data requirements necessary for a permitting
authority (either an authorized State or the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA)) to determine whether an existing NPDES or sewage sludge
permittee is in compliance with the conditions of its permit.
A permitting authority collects information necessary to determine
a permittee's compliance with specific permit requirements during the
effective term of a given permit. Compliance assessment reporting
requirements include routine submittals (e.g., annual certifications
and reports submitted when a compliance schedule milestone is reached)
and non-routine submittals (e.g., required when certain conditions
occur, such as an unanticipated bypass). NPDES staff may use this
information to determine if follow-up activities are necessary.
This ICR includes burden hours and costs associated with
noncompliance reports for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations
(CAFOs) not accounted for in the NPDES Regulation and Effluent
Limitation Guidelines and Standards for Concentrated Animal Feeding
Operations ICR (EPA ICR No. 1989.04; OMB No. 2040-0250).
Five additional effluent limitations guidelines development ICRs
are set to expire in the next three years prior to the next renewal of
this Compliance Assessment/Certification ICR. The burden for direct
dischargers associated with those five ICRs has been incorporated into
the Compliance Assessment/Certification ICR as part of this renewal
process. The five ICRs include:
1. Milestone Plans for the Bleached Papergrade Kraft and Soda
Subcategory of the Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Point Source Category
(40 CFR part 430), EPA ICR No. 1877.02, OMB Control No. 2040-0202;
2. Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Bleached Papergrade Kraft
and Soda Subcategory and the Papergrade Kraft Sulfite Subcategory of
the Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Point Source Category (40 CFR part
430), EPA ICR No. 1829.02, OMB Control No. 2040-0207;
3. Baseline Standards and Best Management Practices for the Coal
Mining Point Source Category (40 CFR part 434)--Coal Remining
Subcategory and Western Alkaline Coal Mining Subcategory, EPA ICR No.
1944.02, OMB Control No. 2040-0239;
4. Voluntary Certification in Lieu of Chloroform Minimum Monitoring
Requirements for Direct and Indirect Discharging Mills in the Bleached
Papergrade Kraft and Soda Subcategory of the Pulp, Paper and Paperboard
Manufacturing Category (40 CFR part 430), EPA ICR No. 2015.01, OMB
Control No. 2040-0242; and
5. Minimum Monitoring Requirements for Direct and Indirect
Discharging Mills in the Bleached Papergrade Kraft and Soda Subcategory
and the Papergrade Sulfite Subcategory of the Pulp, Paper and
Paperboard Manufacturing Category (40 CFR part 430), EPA ICR No.
1878.01, OMB Control No. 2040-0243.
Burden Statement: The annual average reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information by facilities responding is
estimated to be 4.47 hours per respondent (i.e., an annual average of
2,015,231 hours of burden divided among an anticipated annual average
of 450,509 unique facilities). The State reporting and recordkeeping
burden is estimated to average 1,117 hours per State respondent (i.e.,
an annual average of 51,384 hours of burden divided among 46 States).
Estimated total number of potential respondents: 450,555 (450,509
facilities and 46 States).
Frequency of response: Every five years, annual, semiannual,
quarterly, monthly, on occasion.
Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent:
2.41 (1.1 for facilities, 637 for States)
Estimated total annual burden hours: 2,066,615 hours.
Estimated total annual costs: $92,351,594. This includes an
estimated burden cost of $92,351,594 and an estimated cost of $0 for
capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.
Change in Burden: There is an increase of 257,035 hours (14.2%) in
the total estimated respondent burden compared with that identified in
the ICR currently approved by OMB. This increase is the result of the
migration of burden from the five ICRs listed above to this ICR and the
increase in the number of expected stormwater construction and other
non-stormwater general permittees. It is not the result of changes to
the requirements covered by this ICR.
(3) National Pretreatment Program, EPA ICR Number 0002.13, OMB
Control
[[Page 35230]]
Number 2040-0009, expiration date 09/30/2007.
Affected Entities: Various industrial categories, publicly owned
treatment works (POTWs), Local and State governments
Abstract: This ICR calculates the burden and costs associated with
managing and implementing the National Pretreatment Program as mandated
under CWA sections 402(a) and (b) and 307(b). This ICR includes all
existing tasks under the National Pretreatment Program, as amended by
the EPA's recent Streamlining Rule. It integrates key elements from two
existing ICRs whose approvals are due to expire shortly: (1)
Information Collection Request for the National Pretreatment Program,
OMB Control No.: 2040-0009, EPA ICR No.: 0002.11, June 7, 2005, and (2)
Revision of the Information Collection Request for the National
Pretreatment Program (Pretreatment Streamlining ICR) (Title 40 of the
Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Part 403), OMB Control No. 2040-0009,
EPA ICR No. 0002.12, September 22, 2005.
EPA's Office of Wastewater Management (OWM) in the Office of Water
(OW) is responsible for the management of the pretreatment program. The
CWA requires EPA to develop national pretreatment standards to control
discharges from Industrial Users (IUs) into POTWs. These standards
limit the level of certain pollutants allowed in non-domestic
wastewater that is discharged to a POTW. EPA administers the
pretreatment program through the NPDES permit program. Under the NPDES
permit program, EPA may approve State or individual POTW implementation
of the pretreatment standards at their respective levels. Data
collected from IUs during implementation of the pretreatment program
include the mass, frequency, and content of IU discharges and IU
schedules for installing pretreatment equipment. Data also include
actual or anticipated IU discharges of wastes that violate pretreatment
standards, have the potential to cause problems at the POTW, or are
considered hazardous under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA). OWM uses the data collected under the pretreatment program to
monitor and enforce compliance with the pretreatment regulations, as
well as to authorize program administration at the State or Local
(POTW) level. States and POTWs applying for approval of their
pretreatment programs submit data concerning their legal, procedural,
and administrative bases for establishing such programs. This
information may include surveys of IUs, local limits for pollutant
concentrations, and schedules for completion of major project
requirements. IUs and POTWs submit written reports to the approved
State or EPA. These data may then be entered into the NPDES databases
by the approved State or by EPA.
Four additional effluent limitations guidelines development ICRs
are set to expire within the next three years, before the next renewal
of this Pretreatment Program ICR. The burden for indirect dischargers
associated with those four ICRs has been incorporated into this
Pretreatment Program ICR as part of this renewal process. The four ICRs
are the following:
1. Pollution Prevention Compliance Alternative; Transportation
Equipment Cleaning Point Source Category (40 CFR part 442), EPA ICR No.
2018.02, OMB Control No. 2040-0235.
2. Voluntary Certification in Lieu of Chloroform Minimum Monitoring
Requirements for Direct and Indirect Discharging Mills in the Bleached
Papergrade Kraft and Soda Subcategory of the Pulp, Paper and Paperboard
Manufacturing Category (40 CFR part 430), EPA ICR No. 2015.01, OMB
Control No. 2040-0242.
3. Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Bleached Papergrade Kraft
and Soda Subcategory and the Papergrade Kraft Sulfite Subcategory of
the Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Point Source Category (40 CFR part
430), EPA ICR No. 1829.02, OMB Control No. 2040-0207.
4. Minimum Monitoring Requirements for Direct and Indirect
Discharging Mills in the Bleached Papergrade Kraft and Soda Subcategory
and the Papergrade Sulfite Subcategory of the Pulp, Paper and
Paperboard Manufacturing Category (40 CFR part 430), EPA ICR No.
1878.01, OMB Control No. 2040-0243.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 67.8
hours per respondent per year, or 68 hours per response.
Estimated total number of potential respondents: 24,740 (35 States,
1,512 POTWs and 23,193 industrial users).
Frequency of response: On occasion, semi-annually, annually, and as
needed.
Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent:
4.1.
Estimated total annual burden hours: 1,806,020 hours.
Estimated total annual costs: $80,688,312. This includes an
estimated burden cost of $80,698,312 and an estimated cost of $10,000
for capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.
Change in Burden: There is a decrease of 142,439 (7.3%) hours in
the total estimated respondent burden compared with that identified in
the ICR currently approved by OMB. There are burden increases reflected
in this ICR due to increases in the estimates of state respondents,
number of approved programs, and incorporation of burden from other
ICRs. However, the main change in burden is reflected in a decrease in
the number of SIUs. EPA revised the estimated number of SIUs and
pretreatment programs after extensive consultation with the EPA regions
and a thorough examination of PCS data. This resulted in an overall
decrease in the burden of this ICR.
Dated: June 22, 2007.
James A. Hanlon,
Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. E7-12445 Filed 6-26-07; 8:45 am]
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