[Federal Register: May 29, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 103)]
[Notices]
[Page 37418-37419]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29my02-61]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-7219-8]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB
Review; Comment Request; Modification of Secondary Treatment
Requirements for Discharges Into Marine Waters
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 the following Information
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Modification of Secondary
Treatment Requirements for Discharges into Marine Waters, EPA ICR
Number 0138.07, OMB Control Number 2040-0088, expiring July 31, 2002.
The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its
expected burden and cost; where appropriate, it includes the actual
data collection instrument.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before June 28, 2002.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Contact Susan Auby at EPA by phone at (202)
566-1672, by email at auby.susan@epa.gov, or download a copy of the ICR
off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR No.
0138.07.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Modification of Secondary Treatment Requirements for
Discharges into Marine Waters (EPA ICR Number 0138.07; OMB Control
Number 2040-0088) expiring July 31, 2002. This is a request for
extension of a currently approved collection.
Abstract: The Clean Water Act (CWA) 301(h) program involves
collecting information from two sources: (1) The municipal wastewater
treatment facility, commonly called a publicly owned treatment
works(POTW); and (2) the State in which the POTW is located.
Municipalities had the opportunity to apply for a waiver from secondary
treatment requirements, but that opportunity closed in December 1982. A
POTW seeking to obtain a 301(h) waiver, holding a current waiver, or
reapplying for a waiver, provides application, monitoring, and toxic
control program information. The State provides information on its
determination whether the proposed conditions of the waiver ensure the
protection of water quality, biological habitats, and beneficial uses
of receiving waters, and whether the discharge will result in
additional treatment, pollution control, or any other requirement for
any other point or nonpoint sources. The State also provides
information to certify that the discharge will meet all applicable
State laws and that the State accepts all permit conditions.
EPA requires updated information on the discharge to: (1) Determine
whether the section 301(h) criteria are still being met and whether the
section 301(h) waiver should be reissued; (2) determine whether the
water quality, biological habitats, and beneficial uses of the
receiving waters are protected; and (3) ensure that the permittee is
effectively minimizing industrial and nonindustrial toxic pollutant and
pesticide discharges into the treatment works. EPA needs information
from the State to: (1) Allow the State's views to be taken into account
when EPA reviews the section 301(h) application and develops permit
conditions; and (2) ensure that all State laws are met and that the
State accepts all permit conditions. This information is the means by
which the State can non-concur with a section 301(h) approval decision
made by the EPA Regional office. Responses to the collection of
information are required to obtain or retain a benefit. Regulations
implementing CWA section 301(h) are found at 40 CFR part 125, subpart
G. 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 are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR Chapter 15. The
Federal Register document required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting
comments on this collection of information, was published on January 3,
2002 (67 FR 71245); no comments were received.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 667
hours per response for POTWs and 86 hours per response for States. The
average annual reporting burden varies depending on the size of the
respondent and the category of the information collection. There are 6
categories of information collection in this ICR renewal. The frequency
of response varies from 1 time to once every 5 years, to case-by-case,
as the individual permit specifies, depending on the category. 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: Municipalities with publicly owned
treatment works (POTW) that currently have section 301(h) waivers from
secondary treatment, who have applied for a renewal of a section 301(h)
waiver, or have a pending section 301(h) waiver, and the States within
which these municipalities are located.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 51.
Frequency of Response: Varies from 1 time to once every 5 years, to
case-by-case, depending on the category of information collection.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 65,057 hours.
Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden (capital/startup and O&M
costs only): $0.
Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the
accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods
for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of
automated collection techniques to the following addresses. Please
refer to EPA ICR No. 0138.07 and OMB Control No. 2040-0088 in any
correspondence.
[[Page 37419]]
Ms. Susan Auby, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of
Information Collection, Collection Strategies Division (2822T), 1200
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; and
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20503
Dated: May 21, 2002.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 02-13346 Filed 5-28-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P