[Federal Register: March 27, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 59)]
[Notices]
[Page 14975-14976]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27mr03-44]
[[Page 14975]]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OW-2003-0014, FRL-7473-6]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Surveys to Determine the Effectiveness of No-Discharge
Zones for Vessel Sewage and Marine Sanitation Devices
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
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 EPA is planning to submit the
following proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB): Surveys to Determine the Effectiveness
of No-Discharge Zones for Vessel Sewage and Marine Sanitation Devices,
EPA ICR No. 2107.01. 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 May 27, 2003.
ADDRESSES: Follow the detailed instructions in SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Woodley, Oceans and Coastal
Protection Division, Office of Water, Environmental Protection Agency,
4504T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone
number:
(202) 566-1287; fax number: (202) 566-1546; email address:
woodley.james@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this
ICR under Docket ID number OW-2003-0014, which is available for public
viewing at the Water Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA
West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460. The
EPA Docket Center 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. An electronic version of the
public docket is available through EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket.
Use EDOCKET to obtain a copy of the draft
collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the
index listing of the contents of the public 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 above.
Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA within
60 days of this notice, according to the following detailed
instructions: (1) Submit your comments to EPA online using EDOCKET (our
preferred method), by email to ow-docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA
Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Water Docket, EPA West,
4101T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted
electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing
in EDOCKET 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.
When EPA identifies a comment containing copyrighted material, EPA will
provide a reference to that material in the version of the comment that
is placed in EDOCKET. The entire printed comment, including the
copyrighted material, will be available in the public docket. Although
identified as an item in the official docket, information claimed as
CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise restricted by statute, is not
included in the official public docket, and will not be available for
public viewing in EDOCKET. For further information about the electronic
docket, see EPA's Federal Register notice describing the electronic
docket at 67 FR 38102 (May 31, 2002), or go to http://www.epa.gov.edocket
.
Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
boat owners and operators, marina owners and operators, State and local
governments, marine sanitation device (MSD) manufacturers, U.S. Coast
Guard accepted independent laboratories, and other Federal Agencies.
Title: Surveys to Determine the Effectiveness of No-Discharge Zones
for Vessel Sewage and Marine Sanitation Devices; EPA ICR Number
2107.01.
Abstract: This ICR requests approval to collect information from
boat owners and operators, marina owners and operators, and State and
local government officials regarding the effectiveness of no-discharge
zones. It also requests approval to collect information regarding the
effectiveness of marine sanitation devices (MSDs) in removing harmful
pollutants from the waste stream of the device. This information would
be gathered from MSD manufacturers and U.S. Coast Guard accepted
independent laboratories. Section 312 of the Clean Water Act mandates
the use of MSDs on all vessels with installed toilets. There are three
types of MSDs. Type I and Type II MSDs provide treatment of sewage that
is to be discharged and rely on a variety of different technologies for
treatment prior to discharge including maceration, chlorination,
heating, filtering, and biological processes. Type III MSDs are holding
tanks that provide minimal sewage treatment and can be installed on
vessels of any size. Installed toilets on vessels of 65 ft. or less in
length may be equipped with any of the three types of MSDs. Type I
MSDs, which are only applicable to vessels up to 65 ft. in length, are
required to produce an effluent with a fecal coliform bacteria count
less than or equal to 1000 bacteria per 100 ml of seawater with no
visible floating solids. For vessels greater than 65 ft., all installed
toilets must be equipped with either Type II or Type III MSDs. The Type
II MSDs are required to produce effluent with a fecal coliform count
less than or equal to 200 bacteria per 100 ml of seawater and suspended
solids less than or equal to 150 mg/l. Type III MSDs are holding tanks
that are designed to prevent overboard discharge of any sewage. Also
under section 312 of the Clean Water Act, with EPA's approval, States
may designate a portion or all of their waters as no-discharge zones
making all vessel sewage discharges illegal. States may designate their
waters as no-discharge zones for vessel sewage to achieve any of the
following objectives: (1) To protect aquatic habitats; (2) to protect
special aquatic habitats or species such as coral reefs and shellfish
beds; and (3) to safeguard human health by protecting drinking water
intake zones. Under section 312(f)(3), States designate no-discharge
zones for aquatic habitats by demonstrating to EPA that safe and
adequate pumpout and dump facilities are available. Currently about 95%
of the no-discharge zones designated have been done so under this
provision. At a State's request, under sections 312(f)(4)(A) and (B),
no-discharge zones for special aquatic habitats and drinking water
intake zones, respectively, also can be established by regulation by
EPA if the State demonstrates that additional protection of the aquatic
environment is required. No-discharge zones established by regulations
promulgated by EPA do not require the availability of pumpout or dump
facilities. Currently, about 5% of the no-discharge zones for
[[Page 14976]]
vessel sewage have been designated by regulations promulgated by EPA.
This information collection request will focus on the effectiveness of
no-discharge zones for vessel sewage designated under Clean Water Act
section 312(f)(3) and the effectiveness of current MSD technologies.
There would be separate surveys developed for boat owners and
operators, marina owners and operators, State and local government
officials, MSD manufacturers, and U.S. Coast Guard accepted independent
laboratories.
The survey developed for boat owners and operators would address
the boater's experience with using pumpout or dump facilities in no-
discharge zones. Specifically, the survey would seek information with
regards to whether the pumpout or dump facilities were working or not
working when the boater attempted to use them. It would address whether
the boater would use the facilities if they were available and how
often the boaters actually use the facilities. Respondents would be
selected from North-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic States, California,
the Florida Keys, and the Great Lakes. Approximately, 600 respondents
from the geographical regions would be selected for response. The
information collection would be voluntary and would not include CBI.
The survey developed for marina owners and operators would address the
downtime of pumpout and dump facilities located in no-discharge zones
and the use of those facilities by boaters. Respondents would be
selected from North-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic States, California,
the Florida Keys, and the Great Lakes. Approximately, 80 marina owners
or operators from the geographical regions would be selected for
response. The information collection would be voluntary and would not
include CBI. Also, a survey would be developed for State and local
government officials to determine if the designation of no-discharge
zones has been effective in addressing water quality issues of the
particular water body, and if boaters were in compliance. Respondents
would be selected from North-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic States,
California, the Florida Keys, and the Great Lakes. Approximately, 100
respondents from the geographical regions would be selected for
response. The information collection would be voluntary and would not
include CBI. The information collected from the surveys would be used
to assess the overall effectiveness of no-discharge zones for vessel
sewage established under Clean Water Act section 312(f)(3) to determine
if modifications to the program are needed.
An additional survey would be developed to review current MSD
technology. The information on MSDs that would be requested includes
effluent constituents and their concentrations; bacteria eradication
processes and suspended solids removal; and cost and installation. This
information would be used to help determine the effectiveness of the
current MSD technologies. Approximately, 30 MSD manufacturers and 8
U.S. Coast Guard accepted independent laboratories would be selected
for response. Responding to the collection of information would be
voluntary. The survey would provide instructions on the procedures for
making CBI claims, and the respondents would also be informed of the
terms and rules governing protection of CBI obtained under the Clean
Water Act. 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 EPA would like to solicit comments 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.
Burden Statement: EPA estimates that 35 marina owners and operators
would respond to the survey. It would probably take 20 minutes to
complete the survey. Also, EPA estimates that the total burden for
marina owners and operators would be 12 hours and $240. EPA estimates
that 350 boat owners and operators would respond to the survey, and at
a maximum, it would take 20 minutes for each respondent to complete the
survey. EPA estimates that the total burden for boat owners and
operators would be 117 hours and $1,800. EPA estimates that 70 State
and local government officials would respond to the survey, and at a
maximum, it would take 2 hours for each respondent to complete the
survey. EPA estimates that the total burden for State and local
government officials would be 140 hours and $4,900. EPA estimates that
20 MSD manufacturers would respond to the survey, and it would take
them approximately 2 hours to complete it. The total burden for MSD
manufacturers would be 40 hours, and the total cost would be $800.
Lastly, EPA estimates that 7 U.S. Coast Guard accepted independent
laboratories would respond to the survey. These laboratories test MSDs
to certify that they meet the current MSD standards located at 40 CFR
140.3. It would take each of them approximately 2 hours to complete the
survey. The total burden on the U.S. Coast Guard accepted independent
laboratories would be 14 hours, and the total cost would be $420. There
is no start up or capital cost associated with the surveys described
above. 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.
Dated: March 19, 2003.
Diane C. Regas,
Director, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds.
[FR Doc. 03-7372 Filed 3-26-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P