[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 37 (Thursday, February 25, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8694-8696]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-3842]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0719, FRL-9118-2]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Animal Sectors; EPA ICR No. 1989.07; OMB Control No.
2040-0250
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 an existing approved Information Collection Request
(ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is
scheduled to expire on July 31, 2012. 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 April 26, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
[[Page 8695]]
OW-2008-0719, by one of the following methods:
http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the online instructions
for submitting comments.
E-mail: [email protected] (Identify Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OW-2008-0719 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-2008-0719. 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 Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460;
telephone number: (202) 564-5627; 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-2008-0719, 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.
What Information Collection Activity or ICR Does This Apply to?
Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) as specified in section
502(14) of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1362(14) and defined in the
NPDES regulations at 40 CFR 122.23 and a subset of facilities engaged
in aquatic animal production defined in 40 CFR part 451.
Title: Animal Sectors ICR.
ICR Number: EPA ICR No. 1989.07, OMB Control No. 2040-0250.
ICR Status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on July 31,
2012. 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 purpose of this ICR is to consolidate, streamline,
and update EPA's concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and
concentrated aquatic animal production (CAAP) facility ICRs into the
currently approved ICR for CAFOs (OMB Control No.:
[[Page 8696]]
2040-0250). The two ICRs that are being consolidated in this ICR are:
(1) NPDES and ELG Regulatory Revisions for Concentrated Animal Feeding
Operations (Final Rule) (OMB Control No. 2040-0250); and (2)
Concentrated Aquatic Animal Production (CAAP) Effluent Guidelines (OMB
Control No. 2040-0258). Additionally, two activities reported in the
NPDES Program ICR (OMB Control No. 2040-0004) that are directly related
with CAAP facilities or CAFOs will be incorporated in this ICR. (The
two activities are the Permit Application for CAAP facilities using
form 2B and Other Noncompliance Reports for CAFOs.)
Burden Statement: The individual ICRs provide a detailed
explanation of the Agency's estimate before update and consolidation,
which is only briefly summarized here on Tables 1 and 2. The frequency
of response for these ICRs varies from once to ongoing.
Table 1--ICRs Responses, Burden, and Cost Summary
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Annual cost
OMB ICR No. EPA ICR No. Title Annual number Annual burden burden
of responses (hours) (dollars)
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2040-0250............... 1989.06 NPDES and ELG 179,483 2,998,603 7,780,524
Regulatory Revisions
for Concentrated
Animal Feeding
Operations (Final
Rule).
2040-0258............... 2087.03 Concentrated Aquatic 734 44,196 0
Animal Production
Point Source Category
Effluent Guidelines
Reporting and
Recordkeeping
Requirements.
2040-0004............... 0229.19 NPDES program ICR..... 385 1,341 0
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Table 2--ICRs Respondents and Averages Summary
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Average
Number of number of
OMB ICR No. EPA ICR No. Title potential responses for Average hours
respondents each per response
respondent
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2040-0250............... 1989.06 NPDES and ELG 20,729 8.7 16.7
Regulatory Revisions
for Concentrated
Animal Feeding
Operations (Final
Rule).
2040-0258............... 2087.03 Concentrated Aquatic 245 3.0 60.2
Animal Production
Point Source Category
Effluent Guidelines
Reporting and
Recordkeeping
Requirements.
2040-0004............... 0229.19 NPDES program ICR..... 242 1.6 3.5
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After the consolidation and update are completed, the agency
estimates a burden of 2,810,266 hours annually for 22,844 operator
respondents at a cost of $63.6 million ($56.7 million burden cost and
$6.9 million capital and O&M cost). Burden for the state respondents
will be 463,412 hours annually at a cost of $10.0 million ($8.1 million
burden cost and $1.8 million capital and O&M cost). Updated agency
burden will be 15,188 hours annually at a cost of $0.8 million. The
annual reporting and record-keeping burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 1.1 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.
Change in Burden: The current burden approved by OMB for the two
ICRs being consolidated plus the activities from the NPDES Program ICR
being migrated to this ICR is 3,044,140 hours. This consolidated ICR
estimates a total burden that is 229,537 hours more than the currently
approved burden for the same ICRs. This increase in burden corresponds
to 7.5 percent of the overall burden. The main cause of increase is
that the animal agricultural industry has continued to change. These
changes have included further growth and consolidation, which has
resulted in a greater number of AFOs that meet the size threshold for
being defined as a Large CAFO. The projections also reflect more robust
estimates from States and EPA regions on numbers of CAFOs in each. EPA
estimates that the industry will grow at an average annual rate of 5.6%
over the life of this ICR; with permitted CAFOs growing at an average
annual rate of 6.0%.
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: February 16, 2010.
James A. Hanlon,
Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 2010-3842 Filed 2-24-10; 8:45 am]
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