[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 205 (Monday, October 26, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54996-54998]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-25738]
[[Page 54996]]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OW-2002-0059; FRL-8973-8; EPA ICR No. 1803.06; OMB Control No.
2040-0185]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Safe Drinking Water Act State Revolving Fund Program
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 February 28, 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 28, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2002-0059 by one of the following methods:
http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail: [email protected].
Mail: Water Docket, Environmental Protection Agency,
Mailcode: 4101T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
Hand Delivery: Water Docket, EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC),
EPA West, Room 3334, 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-2002-
0059. 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 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: Howard Rubin, Mail Code 4606M,
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-2051; fax number:
(202) 564-3757; 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-2002-0059, 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 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
the 50 States, Puerto Rico, and the recipients of assistance in each of
these jurisdictions.
[[Page 54997]]
Title: Safe Drinking Water Act State Revolving Fund Program
ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1803.06, OMB Control No. 2040-0185.
ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on February
28, 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, 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 Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Amendments of 1996
(Pub. L. 104-182) authorized the creation of the Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund (DWSRF; the Fund) program in each State and Puerto Rico
to assist public water systems to finance the costs of infrastructure
needed to achieve or maintain compliance with SDWA requirements and to
protect public health. Section 1452 authorizes the Administrator of the
EPA to award capitalization grants to the States and Puerto Rico which,
in turn, provide low-cost loans and other types of assistance to
eligible drinking water systems. States can also reserve a portion of
their grants to conduct various set-aside activities. The information
collection activities will occur primarily at the program level through
the (1) Capitalization Grant Application and Agreement/State Intended
Use Plan; (2) Biennial Report; (3) Annual Audit; and (4) Assistance
Application Review. Information collected is needed for input into the
DWSRF National Information Management System.
(1) Capitalization Grant Application and Agreement/State Intended
Use Plan: The State must prepare a Capitalization Grant Application
that includes an Intended Use Plan (IUP) outlining in detail how it
will use all the funds covered by the capitalization grant. The State
may, as an alternative, develop the IUP in a two part process with one
part identifying the distribution and uses of the funds among the
various set-asides in the DWSRF program and the other part dealing with
project assistance from the Fund.
(2) Biennial Report: The State must agree to complete and submit a
Biennial Report on the uses of the capitalization grant. The scope of
the report must cover assistance provided by the Fund and all other
set-aside activities included under the Capital Grant Agreement. States
which jointly administer DWSRF and Clean Water State Revolving Fund
(CWSRF) programs, in accordance with section 1452(g)(1), may submit
reports (according to the schedule specified for each program) which
cover both programs.
(3) Annual Audit: A State must comply with the provisions of the
Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996. Best management practices suggest
and EPA recommends that a State conduct an annual independent audit of
its DWSRF program. The scope of the report must cover the DWSRF Fund
and all other set-aside activities included in the Capitalization Grant
Agreement. States which jointly administer DWSRF and CWSRF programs, in
accordance with section 1452(g)(1), may submit audits that cover both
programs but which report financial information for each program
separately.
(4) Assistance Application Review: Local applicants seeking
financial assistance must prepare and submit DWSRF loan applications.
States then review completed loan applications and verify that proposed
projects will comply with applicable Federal and State requirements.
As a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed by the
President on February 17, 2009, the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
received an additional $2 billion in funding for assistance agreements
for projects to be under contract or construction by February 17, 2010.
EPA expects an estimated two-fold increase of respondents (in some
years) due to this additional funding.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to be an average
of 131 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:
DWSRF--Base Program
Estimate total number of potential respondents: 1505 respondents
per year, at a cost of $4,565.35 average annual burden per response.
Frequency of response: For Capitalization Grants and Audits
responses are annual, for Biennial reports and Loan Applications,
responses are on occasion.
Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent:
This ICR estimates one annual response per respondent.
Estimated total annual burden hours per response: Approximately 131
hrs. (197,155 hrs./1505 respondents)
Estimated total annual burden hours: Respondent burden is estimated
at 197,155 hrs. annually.
Estimated total annual costs: Respondent total cost is estimated at
$6,870,852 annually.
DWSRF--American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
Estimate total number of potential respondents: 1505 respondents
per year at a cost of $3,849.40 average annual burden per response.
Frequency of response: For Capitalization Grants and Audits
responses are annual, for Biennial reports and Loan Applications,
responses are on occasion.
Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent:
This ICR estimates one annual response per respondent.
Estimated total annual burden hours per response: Approximately 97
hrs. (146,550 hrs./1505 respondents)
Estimated total annual burden hours: Respondent burden is estimated
at 146,550 hrs. annually.
Estimated total annual costs: Respondent total cost is estimated at
$5,793,489 annually.
Summary: Annual Burden for Assistance Recipients Receiving DWSRF Loans
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Program Hours Cost
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DWSRF--Base..................................... 197,155 $6,870,852
DWSRF--ARRA..................................... 146,550 5,793,489
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Total......................................... 343,705 12,664,341
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[[Page 54998]]
Are There Changes in the Estimates From the Last Approval?
There is an increase of 197,155 hours in the total estimated
respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently
approved by OMB. This reflects EPA's calculation of the burden hours
resulting from a possible two-fold increase in respondents due to
additional funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.
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 20, 2009.
Cynthia C. Dougherty,
Director, Office of Ground Water & Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. E9-25738 Filed 10-23-09; 8:45 am]
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