[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 194 (Thursday, October 8, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51848-51850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-24341]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0369; FRL-8967-5]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; National Estuary Program (Renewal); EPA ICR No.
1500.07, OMB Control No. 2040-0138
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 to renew an existing approved Information Collection
Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is
scheduled to expire on 01/31/2010. 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 December 7, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2006-0369 by one of the following methods:
http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail: [email protected].
Fax: (202) 566-9744.
Mail: EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0369, Environmental Protection
Agency, EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Water Docket--Mail Code 28221T,
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
Hand Delivery: Office of Water Docket, Environmental
Protection Agency, Public Reading Room, Room B102, 1301 Constitution
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20004. 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-
0369. 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
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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/dockets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nell Orscheln, Oceans and Coastal
Protection Division, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, Mail
Code 4504T, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave.,
NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 566-2102; fax
number: (202) 566-1336; e-mail address: [email protected].
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-2006-0369, 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 people) 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 state or local agencies or nongovernmental organizations in the
National Estuary Program (NEP) who receive grants under Section 320 of
the Clean Water Act.
Title: National Estuary Program (Renewal).
ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 1500.07, OMB Control No. 2040-0138.
ICR Status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire 01/31/2010.
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:
Annual Workplans: The NEP involves collecting information from the
state or local agency or nongovernmental organizations that receive
funds under Sec. 320 of the Clean Water Act. The regulation requiring
this information is found at 40 CFR Part 35. Prospective grant
recipients seek funding to develop or oversee and coordinate
implementation of Comprehensive Conservation Management Plans (CCMPs)
for estuaries of national significance. In order to receive funds,
grantees must submit an annual workplan to EPA. The workplan consists
of two parts: (a) Progress on projects funded previously; and (b) new
projects proposed with dollar amounts and completion dates. The
workplan is reviewed by EPA and also serves as the scope of work for
the grant agreement. EPA also uses these workplans to track performance
of each of the 28 estuary programs currently in the NEP.
Program Evaluations: EPA provides funding to NEPs to support long-
term implementation of CCMPs if such programs pass a program evaluation
process. The primary purpose of the program evaluation process is to
help EPA determine whether the 28 programs included in the National
Estuary Program (NEP) are making adequate progress implementing their
CCMPs and therefore merit continued funding under Sec. 320 of the
Clean Water Act. Continued funding for each NEP under Sec. 320 of the
CWA is contingent upon Congress appropriating sufficient funds to the
EPA for the purpose of implementing the NEP. The program evaluation
process also is useful for highlighting
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environmental results; highlighting strengths and challenges in program
management; demonstrating continued stakeholder commitment; assessing
the progress of the NEP as a national program; and transferring lessons
learned within EPA, among NEPs, and with other watershed programs. For
this ICR cycle, program evaluations will be required for nine programs
in FY2010, nine programs in FY2011, and ten programs in 2012.
Government Performance Results Act: EPA requests that each of the
28 NEPs receiving Sec. 320 funds report information that can be used
in the GPRA reporting process. This reporting is done on an annual
basis and is used to show environmental results that are being achieved
within the overall NEP Program. This information is ultimately
submitted to Congress along with GPRA information from other EPA
programs.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 218
hours per response. 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: 28.
Frequency of response: Annual.
Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent:
2.3.
Estimated total annual burden hours: 5,833.
Estimated total annual costs: $409,349, includes $0 annualized
capital or O&M costs.
Are There Changes in the Estimates from the Last Approval?
There are no changes in burden from the last approval.
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: October 1, 2009.
Suzanne Schwartz,
Director, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds.
[FR Doc. E9-24341 Filed 10-7-09; 8:45 am]
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