[Federal Register: December 18, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 242)]
[Notices]
[Page 71682-71683]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18de07-51]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OW-2003-0026, FRL-8507-8]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment Request; National Water Quality Inventory
Reports (Renewal); EPA ICR No. 1560.08, OMB Control No. 2040-0071
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (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. The ICR, which is abstracted below,
describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated
burden and cost.
DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before January 17,
2008.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2003-0026, to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by e-mail to OW-Docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket
Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Water Docket (2822T), 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB by mail to:
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: Alice Mayio, Assessment and Watershed
Protection Division, Office of Water, Mail Code: 4503T, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460;
telephone number: 202-566-1184; fax number: 202-566-1437; e-mail
address: Mayio.alice@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 July 31, 2007 (72 FR 41749), EPA sought comments on this
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. Any
additional comments on this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB
within 30 days of this notice.
EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID
No. EPA-HQ-OW-2003-0026, 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.,
[[Page 71683]]
NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC 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.
Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at
http://www.regulations.gov, to submit or view public comments, access the
index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those
documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the
system, select ``docket search,'' then key in the docket ID number
identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public
comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made
available for public viewing at http://www.regulations.gov as EPA receives
them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted
material, Confidential Business Information (CBI), or other information
whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. For further
information about the electronic docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov.
Title: National Water Quality Inventory Reports (Renewal).
ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1560.08, OMB Control No. 2040-0071.
ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2007.
Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor
the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB.
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: Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act requires States to
identify and rank waters which cannot meet water quality standards
(WQS) following the implementation of technology-based controls. Under
Section 303(d), States are also required to establish total maximum
daily loads (TMDLs) for listed waters not meeting standards as a result
of pollutant discharges. In developing the Section 303(d) lists, States
are required to consider various sources of water-quality related data
and information, including the Section 305(b) State water quality
reports. The State Section 305(b) reports contain information on the
extent of water quality degradation, the pollutants and sources
affecting water quality, and State progress in controlling water
pollution.
EPA's Assessment and Watershed Protection Division (AWPD) works
with its Regional counterparts to review and approve or disapprove
State Section 303(d) lists and TMDLs from 56 respondents (the 50
States, the District of Columbia, and the five Territories). Section
303(d) specifically requires States to develop lists and TMDLs ``from
time to time'' and EPA to review and approve or disapprove the lists
and the TMDLs. EPA also collects State 305(b) reports from 59
respondents (the 50 States, the District of Columbia, five Territories,
and 3 River Basin commissions).
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average
66,590 hours per year per respondent for the 56 respondents with both
305(b) and 303(d) responsibilities and TMDL development activities. The
average reporting burden for the 3 respondents with only 305(b)
responsibilities is estimated at 3,659 hours per year. 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.
Respondents/Affected Entities: States, Territories, River Basin
Commissions.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 59.
Frequency of Response: Biennially.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 3,740,017.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: $177,837,808, includes no capital or
O&M costs.
Changes in the Estimates: There is no change in hours in the total
estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved
ICR Burdens.
Dated: December 12, 2007.
Sara Hisel-McCoy,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E7-24511 Filed 12-17-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P