[Federal Register: February 3, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 22)] [Notices] [Page 5288-5290] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr03fe03-45] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [OW-2002-0041; FRL-7446-8] Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; (OMB Control No. 2040-0095, EPA ICR No. 0909.07) AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces [[Page 5289]] that the following Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Construction Grants Delegation to States. The ICR, which describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost. DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before March 5, 2003. ADDRESSES: Follow the detailed instructions in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gajindar Singh, Office of Wastewater Management, Mail Code 4204M, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-0634 , fax number: (202) 501-2396, e-mail: singh.gajindar@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12. On July 5, 2002, EPA sought comments on this ICR (67 FR 44829) pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. OW-2002-0041, 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. 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 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 and OMB within 30 days of this notice, and according to the following detailed instructions: (1) Submit your comments to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to OW-Docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 4204M, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) Mail your comments to OMB at: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503. 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 . Title: Construction Grants Delegation to States (OMB Control No. 2040-0095, EPA ICR Number 0909.07). This is a request to renew an existing approved collection that is scheduled to expire on 03/31/2003. Under the OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. Abstract: The purpose of this ICR is to revise and extend the current clearance for the collection of information under the Construction Grants Program Delegation to States, 40 CFR part 35, subpart J, and Title II of the Clean Water Act (CWA). While the Construction Grants Program is being phased out and replaced by the State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF) program, collection activities for the Construction Grants Program must continue until program completion in all the States and territories. The program includes reporting, monitoring and program requirements for municipalities and delegated States. The information collection activities described in this ICR are authorized under section 205(g) of the Clean Water Act as amended, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq., and under 40 CFR part 35, subpart J. The requested information provides the minimum data necessary for the Federal government to maintain appropriate fiscal accountability for use of section 205(g) construction grant funds. The information is also needed to assure an adequate management overview of those State project review activities that are most important to fiscal and project integrity, design performance, Federal budget control, and attainment of national goals. Managers at the State and Federal levels both rely on the information described in this ICR. State managers rely on the information for their own program and project administration. Federal managers rely on this information to assess, control, and predict the impacts of the construction grants program on the Federal Treasury and future budget requirements. Federal managers also use this information to respond to OMB and Congressional requests and to maintain fiscal accountability. In addition, builders of wastewater treatment plants use the information discussed in this ICR. 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, and are identified on the form and/or instrument, if applicable. Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average about 55 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; 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: States and municipalities. Estimated Number of Respondents: 15. Frequency of Response: On occasion and annually. Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 2,071 hours. Estimated Total Annual Cost: $69,399, includes $0 in annual startup and O&M costs. [[Page 5290]] Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 3,945 hours in the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR Burdens. This decrease is a result of EPA phasing out the Title II Construction Grants Program, and State Delegation of this program, due to the establishment of a State Revolving Loan Fund program. Dated: January 23, 2003. Oscar Morales, Director, Collection Strategies Division. [FR Doc. 03-2429 Filed 1-31-03; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P