4070 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 10 / Friday, January 15, 2021 / Notices 

Respondents/affected entities: Entities 

potentially affected by this action are 

those States requesting assumption of 

the CWA section 404 permit program; 

States with approved assumed 

programs; and permit applicants for 

assumed State programs. No Tribes are 

expected to assume at this time. 

Respondent’s obligation to respond: 

Required to obtain or retain a benefit (40 

CFR 233). 

Estimated number of respondents: 

Two States to request program 

assumption; 9,022 permit applicants 

(2,255.5 applications per State); and 

four States with assumed programs (the 

two current programs and potentially 

two that may be approved under this 

ICR) which will submit an annual 

report. 

Frequency of response: States will 

respond one time to request assumption; 

if the program is approved, they will 

respond annually for the annual report; 

permit applicants will respond one time 

when requesting a permit. 

Total estimated burden: The public 

reporting and recordkeeping burden for 

this collection of information is 

estimated to be 165,755.4 hours per year 

(1,012 hours to request program 

assumption times two States (2,024 

hours) over a three-year period (675 

hours); 2,255.5 permit applications 

reviewed by four States times 12.7 hours 

per application (114,579.40 hours); 

4,511 permit applications in the two 

State-assumed programs times 11 hours 

per permit application (49,621); and 110 

hours to prepare an annual report times 

four State assumed programs (440 

hours)). The burden to EPA for related 

activities is 8,455 hours per year (442 

hours to review assumption requests 

times two States (884 hours) over a 

three-year period (295); 100 permit 

applications times 80 hours per 

application review (8,000 hours); and 40 

hours to review an annual report times 

four State assumed programs (160 

hours). Burden is defined at 5 CFR 

1320.03(b). 

Total estimated cost: Costs to States 

for assumed section 404 permit 

programs will vary widely by State and 

permit; however, the total estimated 

costs for four programs is $5,641,625.21 

and costs to permittees in State-assumed 

programs is $1,266,824.13. There are $0 

capital or operation and maintenance 

costs. The cost to EPA for related 

activities is $502,251.20 in labor costs 

(per year), includes $0 annualized 

capital or operation and maintenance 

costs. 

Changes in estimates: There is an 

increase of 45,250.4 hours in the total 

estimated respondent burden compared 

with the ICR currently approved by 

OMB (128,960 hours in the current ICR). 

There are several reasons for this 

increase: (1) A small increase in the 

estimate of hours required to assume a 

program based on information provided 

by Michigan and New Jersey, the two 

States that are currently approved by 

EPA to administer a State dredged and 

fill program; (2) recent changes to policy 

in 2020 addressing endangered species 

and historic preservation requiring 

additional burden for States and federal 

agencies; (3) this estimate for the first 

time includes and reports burden to 

State-assumed programs of permit 

review and burden to permittees (prior 

ICRs did not calculate this burden due 

to lack of data); and (4) adjustments 

reflecting a small increase in the 

estimate of hours reported for review of 

permits by Michigan and New Jersey, as 

well as a small increase in the time 

reported to complete the annual report 

by Michigan. The estimate for number 

of permits per state has been reduced 

based on data provided by New Jersey 

and Michigan (down to 2,255.5 per state 

from the prior estimate of 2,975). 

John Goodin, 

Director, Office of Wetlands, Oceans and 

Watersheds, Office of Water. 

[FR Doc. 2021–00904 Filed 1–14–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[EPA–HQ–OW–2020–0005; FRL–10018–41– 

OW] 

Draft National Pollutant Discharge 

Elimination System (NPDES) Pesticide 

General Permit for Point Source 

Discharges From the Application of 

Pesticides; Reissuance 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice of draft permit and 

request for public comment. 

SUMMARY: All ten Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA) Regions are 

proposing for public comment the draft 

2021 National Pollutant Discharge 

Elimination System (NPDES) pesticide 

general permit (PGP)—the draft 2021 

PGP. The draft 2021 PGP covers point 

source discharges from the application 

of pesticides to waters of the United 

States. Once finalized, the draft 2021 

PGP will replace the existing permit, the 

2016 PGP, which was issued for a fiveyear term in the Federal Register on 

October 31, 2016, and expires October 

31, 2021, at midnight. The draft 2021 

PGP has the same conditions and 

requirements as the 2016 PGP and 

would authorize certain point source 

discharges from the application of 

pesticides to waters of the United States 

in accordance with the terms and 

conditions described therein. EPA 

proposes to issue this permit for five (5) 

years in all areas of the country where 

EPA is the NPDES permitting authority. 

EPA solicits public comment on all 

aspects of the draft 2021 PGP. This 

Federal Register document describes 

the draft 2021 PGP in general and seeks 

comment as described in Section III.C, 

of this document. The Fact Sheet 

accompanying the permit contains 

supporting documentation. EPA 

encourages the public to read the Fact 

Sheet to understand the draft 2021 PGP 

better. 

DATES: Comments on the draft 2021 PGP 

must be received on or before March 16, 

2021. 

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, 

identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– 

OW–2020–0005, to the Federal 

eRulemaking Portal: http://

www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 

instructions for submitting comments. 

Instructions: All submissions received 

must include the Docket ID No. EPA– 

HQ–OW–2020–0005. Comments 

received may be posted without change 

to https://www.regulations.gov/, 

including any personal information 

provided. For detailed instructions on 

sending comments and additional 

information, see the ‘‘Public 

Participation’’ heading of the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of 

this document. Out of an abundance of 

caution for members of the public and 

our staff, EPA Docket Center and 

Reading Room are closed to the public 

with limited exceptions, to reduce the 

risk of transmitting COVID–19. Our 

Docket Center staff will continue to 

provide remote customer service via 

email, phone, and webform. We 

encourage the public to submit 

comments via https://

www.regulations.gov or email, as there 

may be a delay in processing mail and 

faxes. Hand deliveries and couriers may 

be received by scheduled appointment 

only. For further information on EPA 

Docket Center services and the current 

status, please visit us online at https:// 

www.epa.gov/dockets. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: EPA 

Regional Office listed in Section I.D. of 

this document, or you can send an email 

to pgp@epa.gov. You may also contact 

Chelsea Durant, EPA Headquarters, 

Office of Water, Office of Wastewater 

Management at tel.: 202–564–2290 or 

email: durant.chelsea@epa.gov. 

Electronic versions of the draft 2021 

PGP and Fact Sheet are also available on 

Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 10 / Friday, January 15, 2021 / Notices 4071 

EPA’s NPDES website at https://

www.epa.gov/npdes/pesticidepermitting. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

section is organized as follows: 

Table of Contents 

I. General Information 

A. Does this action apply to me? 

B. Public Participation 

C. Finalizing the Draft 2021 PGP 

D. Who are the EPA regional contacts for 

this draft permit? 

II. Background 

III. Scope and Applicability 

A. Geographic Coverage 

B. Categories of Pesticide Use-Patterns 

Covered 

C. Summary of the Permit and Changes 

From the 2016 PGP 

IV. Cost Impacts of the Draft 2021 PGP 

V. Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 

VI. Executive Order 13175: Consultation and 

Coordination With Indian Tribal 

Governments 

I. General Information 

A. Does this action apply to me? 

You may be affected by this action if 

you apply pesticides under the use 

patterns in Section III.B of this 

document that result in a discharge to 

waters of the United States in one of the 

geographic areas identified in Section 

III.A of this document. Potentially 

affected entities, as categorized in the 

North American Industry Classification 

System (NAICS), may include, but are 

not limited to: 

TABLE 1—ENTITIES POTENTIALLY REGULATED BY THE DRAFT 2021 PGP 

Category NAICS Examples of potentially affected entities 

Agricultural entities—General agricultural interests, farmers/producers, forestry, and irrigation.111 Crop Production ............. Producers of crops mainly for food and fiber, including farms, 

orchards, groves, greenhouses, and nurseries that have irrigation ditches requiring pest control. 

113110 Timber Tract Operations.The operation of timber tracts for the purpose of selling 

standing timber. 

113210 Forest Nurseries 

Gathering of Forest Products.

Growing trees for reforestation and/or gathering forest products, such as gums, barks, balsam needles, rhizomes, fibers, Spanish moss, ginseng, and truffles. 

221310 Water Supply for Irrigation.Operating irrigation systems. 

Pesticide parties (includes pesticide manufacturers, other pesticide users/interests, and 

consultants).

325320 Pesticide and Other 

Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing..

Formulation and preparation of agricultural pest control 

chemicals. 

Public health parties (includes mosquito or 

other vector control districts and commercial 

applicators that service these).

923120 Administration of 

Public Health Programs.

Government establishments primarily engaged in the planning, administration, and coordination of public health programs and services, including environmental health activities. 

Resource management parties (includes State 

departments of fish and wildlife, State departments of pesticide regulation, State environmental agencies, and universities).

924110 Administration of Air 

and Water Resource and 

Solid Waste Management 

Programs.

Government establishments primarily engaged in the administration, regulation, and enforcement of air and water resource programs; the administration and regulation of water 

and air pollution control and prevention programs; the administration and regulation of flood control programs; the 

administration and regulation of drainage development and 

water resource consumption programs; and coordination of 

these activities at intergovernmental levels. 

924120 Administration of 

Conservation Programs.

Government establishments primarily engaged in the administration, regulation, supervision and control of land use, including recreational areas; conservation and preservation 

of natural resources; erosion control; geological survey program administration; weather forecasting program administration; and the administration and protection of publicly 

and privately owned forest lands. Government establishments responsible for planning, management, regulation 

and conservation of game, fish, and wildlife populations, including wildlife management areas and field stations; and 

other administrative matters relating to the protection of 

fish, game, and wildlife are included in this industry. 

Utility parties (includes utilities) ......................... 221 Utilities ........................... Provide electric power, natural gas, steam supply, water supply, and sewage removal through a permanent infrastructure of lines, mains, and pipes. 

B. Public Participation 

1. Written Comments 

Submit your comments, identified by 

Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OW–2020– 

0005, at https://www.regulations.gov. 

Once submitted, comments cannot be 

edited or removed from the docket. EPA 

may publish any comment received to 

its public docket. Do not submit to 

EPA’s docket at https://

www.regulations.gov any information 

you consider to be Confidential 

Business Information (CBI) or other 

information whose disclosure is 

restricted by statute. Multimedia 

submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be 

accompanied by a written comment. 

The written comment is considered the 

official comment and should include 

discussion of all points you wish to 

make. EPA will generally not consider 

comments or comment contents located 

outside of the primary submission (i.e. 

on the web, cloud, or other file sharing 

system). For additional submission 

methods, the full EPA public comment 

policy, information about CBI or 

multimedia submissions, and general 

guidance on making effective 

comments, please visit https://

www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epadockets. 

4072 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 10 / Friday, January 15, 2021 / Notices 

EPA is temporarily suspending its 

Docket Center and Reading Room for 

public visitors, with limited exceptions, 

to reduce the risk of transmitting 

COVID–19. Our Docket Center staff will 

continue to provide remote customer 

service via email, phone, and webform. 

We encourage the public to submit 

comments via https://

www.regulations.gov as there may be a 

delay in processing mail and faxes. 

Hand deliveries or couriers will be 

received by scheduled appointment 

only. For further information and 

updates on EPA Docket Center services, 

please visit us online at https://

www.epa.gov/dockets. 

EPA continues to monitor information 

carefully and continuously from the 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention (CDC), local area health 

departments, and our Federal partners 

so that we can respond rapidly as 

conditions change regarding COVID–19. 

2. Will public hearings be held on this 

action? 

EPA has not scheduled any public 

hearings to receive public comment 

concerning the draft 2021 PGP. 

However, interested persons may 

request a public hearing concerning the 

draft 2021 PGP pursuant to 40 CFR 

124.12. Requests for a public hearing 

must be sent or delivered in writing to 

the same email address (PGP@epa.gov) 

as provided above for public comments 

prior to the close of the comment 

period. Requests for a public hearing 

must state the nature of the issues 

proposed to be raised in the hearing. 

Pursuant to 40 CFR 124.12, EPA shall 

hold a public hearing if it finds, on the 

basis of requests, a significant degree of 

public interest in a public hearing on 

the draft 2021 PGP. If EPA decides to 

hold a public hearing, a public notice of 

the date, time, and place of the hearing 

will be made at least 30 days prior to the 

hearing. Any person may provide 

written or oral statements and data 

pertaining to the draft 2021 PGP at any 

such public hearing. 

To facilitate robust opportunities for 

public participation in the permitting 

process during any interruptions caused 

by COVID–19, EPA intends to utilize 

and encourages the use of electronic and 

telephonic means of communication to 

the maximum extent possible under the 

law. EPA will issue public notices and 

solicit comments on permit actions via 

on-line tools and/or email. If public 

hearings are requested, EPA will seek to 

conduct those hearings utilizing remote 

capabilities via telephone and the 

internet. 

C. Finalizing the Draft 2021 PGP 

EPA intends to issue a final 2021 PGP 

on or prior to October 31, 2021 (the 

expiration date of the 2016 PGP). The 

final 2021 PGP will be issued after all 

public comments received during the 

public comment period have been 

considered and any appropriate changes 

are made to the draft 2021 PGP. EPA 

will include its response to significant 

comments received in the docket as part 

of the final permit decision. Once the 

final 2021 PGP becomes effective, 

eligible Operators may seek 

authorization under the new PGP as 

outlined in the permit. To ensure 

uninterrupted permit coverage from the 

2016 PGP to the 2021 PGP, Operators 

who are required to submit a Notice of 

Intent (NOI) must submit their NOI for 

coverage under the new permit prior to 

discharge as outlined in the permit (no 

later than 10 or 30 days before 

discharge). See Part 1.2.4 of the draft 

2021 PGP. 

D. Who are the EPA regional contacts 

for this draft permit? 

For EPA Region 1, contact George 

Papadopoulos at tel.: (617) 918–1579; or 

email at papadopoulos.george@epa.gov. 

For EPA Region 2, contact Stephen 

Venezia at tel.: (212) 637–3856; or email 

at venezia.stephen@epa.gov. 

For Puerto Rico, contact Sergio 

Bosques at tel.: (787) 977–5838 or 

bosques.sergio@epa.gov. 

For EPA Region 3, contact Carissa 

Moncavage at tel.: (215) 814–5798; or 

email at moncavage.carissa@epa.gov. 

For EPA Region 4, contact Sam 

Sampath at tel.: (404) 562–9229; or 

email at sampath.sam@epa.gov. 

For EPA Region 5, contact John 

Colletti at tel.: (312) 886–6106; or email 

at colletti.john@epa.gov. 

For EPA Region 6, contact William F. 

Cooper at tel.: (214) 665–6443 or email 

at cooper.williamf@epa.gov. 

For EPA Region 7, contact Alex 

Owutaka at tel.: (913) 551–7584 or email 

at: owutaka.alex@epa.gov. 

For EPA Region 8, contact Amy Clark 

at tel.: (303) 312–7014 or email at: 

clark.amy@epa.gov. 

For EPA Region 9, contact Pascal 

Mues at tel.: (415) 972–3768 or email at: 

mues.pascal@epa.gov. 

For EPA Region 10, contact Bilin Basu 

at tel.: (206) 553–0029 or email at: 

basu.bilin@epa.gov. 

II. Background 

Section 301(a) of the Clean Water Act 

(CWA) provides that ‘‘the discharge of 

any pollutant by any person shall be 

unlawful’’ unless the discharge is in 

compliance with certain other Sections 

of the Act. 33 U.S.C. 1311(a). The CWA 

defines ‘‘discharge of a pollutant’’ as 

‘‘(A) any addition of any pollutant to 

navigable waters from any point source 

and (B) any addition of any pollutant to 

the waters of the contiguous zone or the 

ocean from any point source other than 

a vessel or other floating craft.’’ 33 

U.S.C. 1362(12). A ‘‘point source’’ is any 

‘‘discernible, confined and discrete 

conveyance’’ but does not include 

‘‘agricultural stormwater discharges and 

return flows from irrigated agriculture.’’ 

33 U.S.C. 1362(14). 

The term ‘‘pollutant’’ includes among 

other things ‘‘garbage . . . chemical 

wastes, biological materials . . . and 

industrial, municipal, and agricultural 

waste discharged into water.’’ 33 U.S.C. 

1362(6). 

A person may discharge a pollutant 

without violating the Section 301 

prohibition by obtaining authorization 

to discharge (referred to herein as 

‘‘coverage’’) under a Section 402 NPDES 

permit (33 U.S.C. 1342). Under Section 

402(a), EPA may ‘‘issue a permit for the 

discharge of any pollutant, or 

combination of pollutants, 

notwithstanding Section 1311(a)’’ upon 

certain conditions required by the Act. 

EPA issued the first Pesticide General 

Permit (‘‘2011 PGP’’) on October 31, 

2011, in response to the United States 

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling 

vacating EPA’s 2006 Final Rule on 

Aquatic Pesticides. National Cotton 

Council of America. v. EPA, 553 F.3d 

927 (6th Cir. 2009). EPA developed the 

PGP to control point source discharges 

of biological pesticides and chemical 

pesticides that leave a residue into 

waters of the United States. The PGP 

provides coverage for certain point 

source discharges of pollutants to waters 

of the United States in areas where EPA 

is the NPDES permitting authority. In 

2016, EPA issued the second PGP 

(‘‘2016 PGP’’). The 2016 PGP will expire 

at midnight on October 31, 2021. 

III. Scope and Applicability 

A. Geographic Coverage 

EPA provides permit coverage for 

classes of point source discharges of 

pollutants that occur in areas where 

EPA is the NPDES permitting authority. 

The geographic coverage of the draft 

2021 PGP is listed in Appendix C of the 

draft permit. 

B. Categories of Pesticide Use-Patterns 

Covered 

The draft 2021 PGP has the same 

requirements and conditions as EPA’s 

2016 PGP and regulates the same 

discharges of pollutants to waters of the 

United States from the application of (1) 

Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 10 / Friday, January 15, 2021 / Notices 4073 

biological pesticides, and (2) chemical 

pesticides that leave a residue. The draft 

2021 PGP applies to the following same 

pesticide use patterns: 

• Mosquito and Other Flying Insect 

Pest Control—to control public health/ 

nuisance and other flying insect pests 

that develop or are present during a 

portion of their life cycle in or above 

standing or flowing water. Public 

health/nuisance and other flying insect 

pests in this use category include 

mosquitoes and black flies. 

• Weed and Algae Pest Control—to 

control weeds, algae, and pathogens that 

are pests in water and at water’s edge, 

including ditches and/or canals. 

• Animal Pest Control—to control 

animal pests in water and at water’s 

edge. Animal pests in this use category 

include fish, lampreys, insects, 

mollusks, and pathogens. 

• Forest Canopy Pest Control— 

application of a pesticide to a forest 

canopy to control the population of a 

pest species (e.g., insect or pathogen) 

where, to target the pests effectively, a 

portion of the pesticide unavoidably 

will be applied over and deposited to 

water. 

The scope of activities encompassed 

by these pesticide use patterns is 

described in greater detail in Part III.1.1 

of the Fact Sheet for the draft 2021 PGP. 

C. Summary of the Permit and Changes 

From the 2016 PGP 

Once issued, the final 2021 PGP will 

replace the 2016 PGP, which was issued 

for a five-year term in the Federal 

Register on October 31, 2016 (81 FR 

75816), and expires October 31, 2021, at 

midnight. The draft 2021 PGP is similar 

to the 2016 PGP, and is structured in the 

same nine parts: (1) Coverage under 

This Permit, (2) Technology-Based 

Effluent Limitations, (3) Water QualityBased Effluent Limitations, (4) 

Monitoring, (5) Pesticide Discharge 

Management Plan, (6) Corrective Action, 

(7) Recordkeeping and Annual 

Reporting, (8) EPA Contact Information 

and Mailing Addresses, and (9) Permit 

Conditions Applicable to Specific States 

(including Territories) and Indian 

Country. Additionally, as with the 2016 

PGP, the draft 2021 PGP includes nine 

appendices with additional conditions 

and guidance for permittees: (A) 

Definitions, Abbreviations, and 

Acronyms, (B) Standard Permit 

Conditions, (C) Areas Covered, (D) 

Notice of Intent (NOI) form, (E) Notice 

of Termination (NOT) form, (F) 

Pesticide Discharge Evaluation 

Worksheet (PDEW), (G) Annual 

Reporting Template, (H) Adverse 

Incident Report Template, and (I) 

Endangered Species Procedures. 

The following is a summary of the 

draft 2021 PGP’s proposed 

requirements: 

• The PGP defines ‘‘Operator’’ (i.e., 

the entity required to obtain NPDES 

permit coverage for discharges) to 

include any (a) Applicator who 

performs the application of pesticides or 

has day-to-day control of the application 

of pesticides that results in a discharge 

to waters of the United States, or (b) 

Decision-maker who controls any 

decision to apply pesticides that results 

in a discharge to waters of the United 

States. There may be instances when a 

single entity acts as both an Applicator 

and a Decision-maker. 

• All Applicators are required to 

minimize pesticide discharges by using 

only the amount of pesticide and 

frequency of pesticide application 

necessary to control the target pest, 

maintain pesticide application 

equipment in proper operating 

condition, control discharges as 

necessary to meet applicable water 

quality standards, and monitor for and 

report any adverse incidents. 

• All Decision-makers are required, to 

the extent not determined by the 

Applicator, to minimize pesticide 

discharges by using only the amount of 

pesticide and frequency of pesticide 

application necessary to control the 

target pest. All Decision-makers are also 

required to control discharges as 

necessary to meet applicable water 

quality standards and monitor for and 

report any adverse incidents. 

• Certain Decision-makers [i.e., any 

agency for which pest management for 

land resource stewardship is an integral 

part of the organization’s operations, 

entities with a specific responsibility to 

control pests (e.g., mosquito and weed 

control districts), local governments or 

other entities that apply pesticides in 

excess of specified annual treatment 

area thresholds, and entities that 

discharge pesticides to Tier 3 waters 

(Outstanding National Resource Waters, 

40 CFR 131.12(a)(3)) or to waters of the 

United States containing National 

Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Listed 

Resources of Concern] are required also 

to submit an NOI to obtain authorization 

to discharge and to implement pest 

management options to reduce the 

discharge of pesticides to waters of the 

United States. Within this group, certain 

large Decision-makers (any (1) public 

entity that serves a population greater 

than 10,000 or (2) private enterprise that 

exceeds the Small Business 

Administration size standard as 

identified in 13 CFR 121.201) must also 

develop a Pesticide Discharge 

Management Plan (PDMP), submit 

annual reports, and maintain detailed 

records. Certain small Decision-makers 

(any (1) public entity that serves a 

population of 10,000 or less or (2) 

private enterprise that does not exceed 

the Small Business Administration size 

standard as identified in 13 CFR 

121.201) are required to complete a 

pesticide discharge evaluation 

worksheet for each pesticide application 

(in lieu of the more comprehensive 

PDMP), an annual report, and detailed 

recordkeeping. 

• Deadlines for submittal of a Notice 

of Intent to be covered, if required, are 

provided in Part 1.2.3, Table 1–2, of the 

draft 2021 PGP. 

EPA encourages the public to review 

and comment on all aspects and 

provisions in the draft 2021 PGP. The 

draft 2021 PGP is similar to the 2016 

PGP but includes minor changes which 

are listed below. See the Fact Sheet 

accompanying the draft 2021 PGP for 

further discussion. 

(1) Removes the out of date NOI 

provision that provided automatic 

coverage for all Operators until January 

12, 2017. 

(2) Replaces the requirement to use 

EPA’s eNOI system with EPA’s NPDES 

eReporting Tool (NeT) when preparing 

and submitting NOIs, NOTs, and annual 

reports. 

(3) Updates Appendix A, Definitions, 

Abbreviations, and Acronyms to include 

the terms ‘‘Pesticide discharges to 

waters of the United States from 

pesticide application’’ and ‘‘pesticide 

residue,’’ as defined in 40 CFR 122.2. 

(4) Modifies Appendix B, Standard 

Permit Conditions, to ensure 

consistency with 40 CFR 122.41. 

(5) Updates Appendix C, Areas 

Covered, to add Indian Country within 

Virginia and Indian Country within 

Indiana, and to remove the State of 

Idaho. 

IV. Cost Impacts of the Draft 2021 PGP 

Based on the cost analyses performed 

for the 2011 PGP and 2016 PGP, EPA 

expects the costs that covered entities, 

including small businesses, will bear to 

comply with this permit will be 

minimal. Since the draft 2021 PGP is 

similar to the 2016 PGP, EPA projects 

that the draft 2021 PGP will have no 

incremental cost impacts on regulated 

entities. Copies of EPA’s cost impact 

analyses for the 2011 PGP and 2016 PGP 

are available in the docket for this 

permit. See the Fact Sheet 

accompanying this draft permit for 

further discussion. 

V. Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 

The draft 2021 PGP is not a significant 

regulatory action and was therefore not 

4074 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 10 / Friday, January 15, 2021 / Notices 

submitted to the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) for review. 

VI. Executive Order 13175: 

Consultation and Coordination With 

Indian Tribal Governments 

This action does not have tribal 

implications as specified in E.O. 13175. 

It will neither impose substantial direct 

compliance costs on federally 

recognized tribal governments, nor 

preempt tribal law. EPA directly 

implements the NPDES Program, 

including the 2021 PGP when it is 

finalized, in Indian Country; therefore, 

in compliance with EPA Policy on 

Consultation and Coordination with 

Indian Tribes, EPA consulted with tribal 

officials early in the process to permit 

tribes to have meaningful and timely 

input into the renewal of the PGP. To 

gain an understanding of, and where 

necessary, to address tribal implications 

of the draft 2021 PGP, EPA conducted 

the following activities: 

• May 8, 2020—EPA emailed 

notification letters to tribal leaders 

initiating consultation and coordination 

on the renewal of the PGP. The 

initiation letter was also posted on 

EPA’s Tribal Consultation Opportunities 

Tracking System (TCOTS) at https://

tcots.epa.gov/. 

• June 9, 2020—EPA held an 

informational webinar open to all tribal 

representatives and reserved the last 

part of the webinar for official 

consultation comments. Fourteen tribal 

representatives participated in the 

webinar. No official comments were 

received during the webinar. The 

presentation was posted on the tribal 

portal website at http://tcots.epa.gov. 

EPA received no comments from 

tribes and tribal organizations during 

the formal consultation period. Records 

of the tribal informational webinar and 

a consultation summary are included in 

the docket for this proposed action 

(Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OW–2020– 

0005). 

Authority: Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1251 

et seq. 

Dated: December 14, 2020. 

Dennis Deziel, 

Regional Administrator, EPA Region 1. 

Dated: December 14, 2020. 

Javier Laureano, 

Director, Water Division, EPA Region 2. 

Dated: December 14, 2020. 

Carmen R. Guerrero-Pe ́rez, 

Director, Caribbean Environmental Protection 

Division, EPA Region 2 Caribbean Office. 

Dated: December 14, 2020. 

Catherine A. Libertz, 

Director, Water Division, EPA Region 3. 

Dated: December 14, 2020. 

Jeaneanne M. Gettle, 

Director, Water Division, EPA Region 4. 

Dated: December 14, 2020. 

Tera L. Fong, 

Director, Water Division, EPA Region 5. 

Dated: December 14, 2020. 

Charles W. Maguire, 

Director, Water Division, EPA Region 6. 

Dated: December 14, 2020. 

Jeffery Robichaud, 

Director, Water Division, EPA Region 7. 

Dated: December 14, 2020. 

Judy Bloom, 

Manager, Clean Water Branch, EPA Region 

8. 

Dated: December 14, 2020. 

Toma ́ s Torres, 

Director, Water Division, EPA Region 9. 

Dated: December 14, 2020. 

Daniel D. Opalski, 

Director, Water Division, EPA Region 10. 

[FR Doc. 2021–00834 Filed 1–14–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS 

COMMISSION 

[FRS 17384] 

Notice of Comment Period 

AGENCY: Federal Communications 

Commission. 

ACTION: Notice of Comment Period. 

SUMMARY: On December 21, 2020, the 

FCC released a Public Notice (PN), 

Public Safety and Homeland Security 

Bureau Seeks Comment on a National 

911 Call Center Contact Information 

Database, PS Dockets Nos. 13–75, 11– 

60. The PN announced that the Bureau 

will seek comments on a letter, filed on 

December 7, 2020 by the Alliance for 

Telecommunications Industry 

Solutions’ (ATIS) Network Reliability 

Steering Committee. This letter 

addresses third-party efforts to develop 

a national Public Safety Answering 

Point (PSAP) contact information 

database. ATIS supports the 

development of this database, but 

believes that providers need a liability 

safe harbor for potentially inaccurate 

database information. ATIS further 

believes participation in this database 

should be voluntary. 

DATES: Comments are due on or before 

30 days from the date of publication in 

the Federal Register. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, 

identified by PS Dockets Nos. 13–75, 

11–60, by any of the following methods: 

• Electronic Filers: Comments may be 

filed electronically using the internet by 

accessing the Federal Communications 

Commission’s ECFS website: http://

apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Paper Filers: Parties who choose to 

file by paper must file an original and 

one copy of each filing. If more than one 

docket or rulemaking number appears in 

the caption of this proceeding, filers 

must submit two additional copies for 

each additional docket or rulemaking 

number. 

Filings can be sent by commercial 

overnight courier, or by first-class or 

overnight U.S. Postal Service mail. All 

filings must be addressed to the 

Commission’s Secretary, Office of the 

Secretary, Federal Communications 

Commission. 

• Commercial overnight mail (other 

than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail 

70570 and Priority Mail) must be sent to 

9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis 

Junction, MD 20701. 

• U.S. Postal Service first-class, 

Express, and Priority mail must be 

addressed to 45 L Street NE, 

Washington, DC 20554. 

• Effective March 19, 2020, and until 

further notice, the Commission no 

longer accepts any hand or messenger 

delivered filings. This is a temporary 

measure taken to help protect the health 

and safety of individuals, and to 

mitigate the transmission of COVID–19. 

See FCC Announces Closure of FCC 

Headquarters Open Window and 

Change in Hand-Delivery Policy, Public 

Notice, DA 20–304 (March 19, 2020). 

During the time the Commission’s 

building is closed to the general public 

and until further notice, if more than 

one docket or rulemaking number 

appears in the caption of a proceeding, 

paper filers need not submit two 

additional copies for each additional 

docket or rulemaking number; an 

original and one copy are sufficient. 

People with Disabilities: To request 

materials in accessible formats for 

people with disabilities (braille, large 

print, electronic files, audio format),