[Federal Register: October 21, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 204)]
[Notices]
[Page 62495-62496]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21oc08-51]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0356; FRL-8731-7]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Water Quality Standards
Regulation (Renewal), EPA ICR Number 0988.10, OMB Control Number 2040-
0049
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 November 30,
2008. 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 November 20,
2008.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number EPA-HA-
OW-2008-0356, 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, Mailcode
28221T, 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: Samantha Fontenelle, Standards and
Health Protection Division, Office of Science and Technology (4305T),
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 566-0400; fax number:
(202) 566-0409; e-mail address: fontenelle.samantha@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 June 2, 2008 (73 FR 31477), 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. EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0356, 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
8:30 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, to 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: Water Quality Standards Regulation (Renewal).
ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 0988.10, OMB Control No. 2040-0049.
[[Page 62496]]
ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on November 30, 2008.
Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor
the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB.
Under OMB regulations, the 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 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: Water quality standards are provisions of State, Tribal,
and Federal law that consist of designated uses for waters of the
United States, water quality criteria to protect the designated uses,
and an antidegradation policy. Section 303(c) of the Clean Water Act
requires States and authorized Tribes to establish water quality
standards, and to review and, if appropriate, revise their water
quality standards once every three years. The Act also requires EPA to
review and either approve or disapprove the new or revised standards,
and to promulgate replacement Federal standards if necessary. Section
118(c)(2) of the Act specifies additional water quality standards
requirements for waters of the Great Lakes system.
The Water Quality Standards Regulation (40 CFR part 131 and
portions of part 132) governs national implementation of the water
quality standards program. The Regulation describes requirements and
procedures for States and authorized Tribes to develop, review, and
revise their water quality standards, and EPA procedures for reviewing
and approving the water quality standards.
The Regulation establishes specific additional requirements for
water quality standards and their implementation in the waters of the
Great Lakes system, contained in the Water Quality Guidance for the
Great Lakes System (40 CFR part 132).
Burden Statement: The public reporting and recordkeeping burden for
this collection of information is estimated to average 1,060 hours per
response annually. 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: States, Territories and certain
authorized Indian tribes that adopt water quality standards under the
Clean Water Act; and water dischargers subject to certain requirements
related to water quality standards in the Great Lakes system.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,809 (56 States and Territories,
43 Tribes; 2,710 Great Lakes dischargers).
Frequency of Response: On occasion.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 293,214 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: $14,866,862 with no annualized capital
or O&M cost.
Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 32,500 hours in
the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of
Approved ICR Burdens. This increase is due to an adjustment in the
number of Tribes approved to administer water quality standards
programs to reflect additional approvals since the previous ICR in
2005.
Dated: October 15, 2008.
Sara Hisel-McCoy,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E8-25016 Filed 10-20-08; 8:45 am]
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