Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 244 / Tuesday, December 21, 2004 / Notices 76465

(NHSRC) is helping to protect human 

health and the environment from 

adverse impacts resulting from 

intentional acts of terror. With an 

emphasis on decontamination and 

consequence management, water 

infrastructure protection, and threat and 

consequence assessment, NHSRC 

scientists and engineers are working to 

develop tools and information that will 

help detect the intentional introduction 

of chemical, biological, and radiological 

contaminants in buildings or water 

systems, the containment of these 

contaminants, the decontamination of 

buildings and/or water systems, and the 

disposal of material resulting from 

cleanups. With a substantial background 

in environmental protection and risk 

management, NHSRC researchers are 

well-positioned to develop the tools and 

technologies needed to respond to 

existing and potential terrorist threats. 

The focus of these efforts is aimed at 

providing advice, guidance, and 

scientific expertise on homeland 

security issues to emergency response 

personnel, consequence managers, 

decision-makers, and government 

officials that will result in improved 

protection for all citizens. 

An important facet of the NHSRC 

mission is identifying, testing, and 

evaluating technologies to support water 

utility operators, emergency responders, 

and facility managers. EPA lacks a well 

documented array of technological tools 

to adequately address all of the 

monitoring, detection, decontamination, 

and treatment tasks associated with 

remediating contaminated facilities and 

drinking water supply systems. EPA is 

aware that significant research, 

development, and commercialization 

efforts are underway by the private 

sector, but EPA needs to manage the 

information concerning the myriad of 

technology choices faced by its 

customers. 

EPA has initiated this effort to 

develop brief vendor information 

summaries of available technologies 

relevant to the detection and 

decontamination of drinking water 

systems, building materials, building 

structures, and indoor air that may 

become contaminated with chemical, 

biological, or radiological contaminants. 

These summaries will be based upon 

vendor-generated or provided 

information including any independent, 

validated test data generated by 

governmental or other organizations and 

provided to EPA through this ICR. 

EPA will produce 4–10 page 

summaries on each of the technologies 

for which vendors voluntarily agreed to 

submit the requested information. These 

summaries will be shared with EPA and 

other emergency response personnel, 

building and facility managers, and 

water utility operators. The information 

provided by technology developers and 

vendors will also be used by the 

NHSRC’s Technology Testing and 

Evaluation Program (TTEP) to identify 

technologies that may be suitable 

candidates for testing and evaluation 

and to track those technologies under 

development that may eventually be 

ready for rigorous testing and 

evaluation. Developers and vendors 

with applicable technologies are being 

searched through all available 

mechanisms. Once identified, the 

developer or vendor is sent a letter 

requesting the submission of specific 

information pertinent to the 

performance, operation, maintenance, 

and cost of the technology. 

The submission of information is 

voluntary. Because the summarized 

information will be publically available, 

technology vendors/developers will be 

discouraged from submitting CBI. 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 40 CFR are listed 

in 40 CFR part 9. 

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 

150 technology developers or vendors 

will annually respond to this request for 

information. EPA assumes that the 

vendors or developers have data 

supporting their claim of efficacy, but 

will not require that it be generated if 

that is not the case. EPA estimates 1–4 

hours of time (average 2.5 hours) will be 

expended by the companies collating 

existing information, photocopying, and 

submitting packages to EPA. The 

request letter will require the recipient 

to devote time (i.e., as measured by staff 

man-hours) and resources (i.e., to copy 

documents and mail responses) to 

produce acceptable responses. EPA 

expects that the companies will be 

photocopying existing information, test 

results, and testing procedures as well 

as product literature, to respond to this 

request for information and, where 

possible, submitting documents 

electronically. 

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: December 13, 2004. 

Andrew P. Avel, 

Acting Director, National Homeland Security 

Research Center.

[FR Doc. 04–27885 Filed 12–20–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[OW–2004–0009; FRL–7851–4] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Submission to OMB for 

Review and Approval; Comment 

Request; Disinfectants/Disinfection 

Byproducts, Chemical and 

Radionuclides Rules (Renewal), EPA 

ICR Number 1896.05, OMB Control 

Number 2040–0204

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 

3501 et seq.), this document announces 

that an Information Collection Request 

(ICR) has been forwarded to the Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB) for 

review and approval. This is a request 

to renew an existing approved 

collection. This ICR is scheduled to 

expire on December 31, 2004. Under 

OMB regulations, the Agency may 

76466 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 244 / Tuesday, December 21, 2004 / Notices 

continue to conduct or sponsor the 

collection of information while this 

submission is pending at OMB. This ICR 

describes the nature of the information 

collection and its estimated burden and 

cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be 

submitted on or before January 20, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, 

referencing docket ID number OW–

2004–0009, to (1) 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, Mail 

Code 4101T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., 

NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) 

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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Richard P. Naylor, Office of Ground 

Water and Drinking Water, (4606M), 

Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 

Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, 

DC 20460; telephone number: 

202.564.3847; fax number: 

202.564.3755; e-mail address: 

naylor.richard@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 April 30, 2004 (69 FR 23740), EPA 

sought comments on this ICR pursuant 

to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA has addressed 

the comment received. 

EPA has established a public docket 

for this ICR under Docket ID No. OW–

2004–0009, 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. 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, 

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: Disinfectants/Disinfection 

Byproducts, Chemical and 

Radionuclides Rules (Renewal). 

Abstract: This ICR examines public 

water system (PWS), primacy agency, 

and EPA burden and costs for 

recordkeeping and reporting required in 

support of the chemical regulations. 

These rules, which have recordkeeping 

and reporting requirements that are 

mandatory for compliance with 40 CFR 

Parts 141 and 142, include the 

following: the Stage 1 Disinfectants and 

Disinfection Byproducts Rule (Stage 1 

DBPR); the Chemical Phase Rules 

(Phases II/IIB/V); the Unregulated 

Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR), 

Lists 1 and 2; the 1976 Radionuclides 

Rule and 2000 Radionuclides Rule; the 

Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Rule; 

the Disinfectant Residual Monitoring 

and Associated Activities under the 

Surface Water Treatment Rule (SWTR); 

Arsenic Rule; and the Lead and Copper 

Rule (LCR). Future chemical-related 

rulemakings, such as Radon and the 

Stage 2 DBPR, will be added to this ICR 

after the regulations are finalized and 

the initial, rule-specific, ICRs have 

expired.

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 40 

CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9 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 0.37 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: (1) 

Owners/operators of PWSs who must 

report to the primacy agency; (2) 

Primacy agencies that must report to 

EPA; and (3) Regional EPA 

administrators, who must send reports 

and notices to PWS owners and states. 

Estimated Number of Respondents:

161,274. 

Frequency of Response: as necessary, 

monthly, quarterly, annually, 

semiannually, biennially, triennially, 

six years, nine years. 

Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden:

6,427,048. 

Estimated Total Annual Cost:

$379,817,000, includes $194,768,000 

annualized capital or O&M costs and 

$185,049,000 annual labor costs. 

Changes in the Estimates: There is an 

increase of 309,113 hours in the total 

estimated burden currently identified in 

the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR 

Burdens. This increase is primarily due 

to the restructuring adjustment for the 

previously approved stand-alone 

Arsenic ICR and is offset by reductions 

to individual rule burdens (e.g., updated 

system inventories and different 

monitoring requirements during the ICR 

period).

Dated: December 14, 2004. 

Oscar Morales, 

Director, Collection Strategies Division.

[FR Doc. 04–27887 Filed 12–20–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P