U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

INFORMATION COLLECTION REQUEST 

FOR

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR BEACH 

ACT GRANTS (RENEWAL)

EPA ICR No. 2048.04

OMB Control No. 2040-0244

January 2012
ii 1/24/2012

Contents

1. Identification of the Information Collection .........................................................................................1

1(a) Title of the Information Collection ...............................................................................................1

1(b) Short Characterization/Abstract....................................................................................................1

2. Need for and Use of the Collection.......................................................................................................2

2(a) Need/Authority for the Collection ................................................................................................2

2(b) Practical Utility/Users of the Data ................................................................................................2

3. Nonduplication, Consultations, and Other Collection Criteria .............................................................2

3(a) Nonduplication..............................................................................................................................2

3(b) Public Notice Required Prior to ICR Submission to OMB...........................................................2

3(c) Consultations.................................................................................................................................3

3(d) Effects of Less Frequent Collection..............................................................................................3

3(e) General Guidelines........................................................................................................................3

3(f) Confidentiality ..............................................................................................................................3

3(g) Sensitive Questions.......................................................................................................................3

4. The Respondents and the Information Requested.................................................................................3

4(a) Respondents/SIC Codes................................................................................................................3

4(b) Information Requested..................................................................................................................4

5. The Information Collected-Agency Activities, Collection Methodology, and Information 

Management..........................................................................................................................................6

5(a) Agency Activities..........................................................................................................................6

5(b) Collection Methodology and Management...................................................................................7

5(c) Small Entity Flexibility.................................................................................................................7

5(d) Collection Schedule ......................................................................................................................7

6. Estimating the Burden and Cost of the Collection................................................................................7

6(a) Estimating Respondent Burden.....................................................................................................7

6(b) Estimating Respondent Cost.........................................................................................................8

6(c) Estimating Agency Burden and Cost..........................................................................................13

6(d) Estimating the Respondent Universe and Total Burden and Costs.............................................14

6(e) Bottom Line Burden Hours and Cost Tables..............................................................................14

6(f) Reasons for Change in Burden....................................................................................................15

6(g) Burden Statement........................................................................................................................15
iii 1/24/2012

Tables

Table 1. BEACH Act Grant performance criteria summary.........................................................................4

Table 2. Individual respondent 3-year state burden hours..........................................................................10

Table 3. Total Agency burden hours per activity over 3 years...................................................................14

Table 4. Annualized respondent burden and cost .......................................................................................14

Table 5. Total annualized respondent and Agency burden and costs.........................................................15

Table 6. Change in annual state burden for performance criteria tasks.. Error! Bookmark not defined.14
1 1/24/2012

INFORMATION COLLECTION REQUEST

1. Identification of the Information Collection

1(a) Title of the Information Collection 

BEACH Act Grant Program

1(b)Short Characterization/Abstract 

The Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act amends the Clean 

Water Act (CWA) in part and authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to 

award BEACH Act Program Development and Implementation Grants to coastal and Great 

Lakes states, tribes, and territories (collectively referred to as states) for their beach monitoring 

and notification programs. The grants will assist those states to develop and implement a 

consistent approach to monitor recreational water quality; assess, manage, and communicate 

health risks from waterborne microbial contamination; notify the public of pollution occurrences, 

and post beach advisories and closures to prevent public exposure to microbial pathogens. To 

qualify for a BEACH Act Grant, a state must submit information to EPA documenting that its 

beach monitoring and notification program is consistent with nine performance criteria outlined 

in the National Beach Guidance and Performance Criteria for Recreation Waters. For EPA to 

award a BEACH Act Implementation Grant, a state must document that its coastal monitoring 

and notification program includes or will include the following:

• Risk-based beach evaluation and classification.

• Sampling design and monitoring implementation plan.

• Monitoring report submission and delegation.

• Methods and assessment procedures.

• Public notification and risk communication plan.

• Measures to notify EPA and local governments.

• Measures to notify the public.

• Notification report submission and delegation.

• Public evaluation of program.

All beach program information will be collected by EPA’s Office of Science and Technology, 

stored in the Beach Database, and displayed on EPA’s Beaches website for use by the public, 

state environmental and public health agencies, and EPA.

The third Information Collection Request (ICR) approval period expires in January 2012. This 

Supporting Statement is for the renewal ICR being submitted to Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) for re-approval of the Reporting Requirements for BEACH Act Grants 

information collection. For the fourth ICR approval period after rule promulgation, EPA 

estimates that the annual respondent burden for the 37 eligible coastal and Great Lakes states, 

tribes, and territories will be 88,812 hours and operations and maintenance (O&M) costs of 
2 1/24/2012

$3,943,080, for a total annual cost of $8,571,118. There are no start-up costs. Because the 

Agency does not incur any additional O&M costs, the total annual respondent and Agency

burden and cost estimate is 91,957 hours (respondents and Agency) and $8,778,500 (which 

includes the respondent and Agency burden costs and the respondent O&M costs of $3,943,080). 

EPA requests that OMB review and approve this ICR package proposal for 3 years.

2. Need for and Use of the Collection

2(a) Need/Authority for the Collection 

The BEACH Act (Public Law 106-284) established a grant program to assist states in 

implementing a uniform monitoring and notification program for their coastal recreational 

waters. As a condition of receipt of a BEACH Act Grant, states must show evidence of meeting 

the nine performance criteria and the conditions under the BEACH Act. Therefore, a state 

applying for a grant must submit information on its programs to its EPA Regional Coordinator to

document that its program is consistent with the performance criteria.

2(b)Practical Utility/Users of the Data 

Data will be used by EPA, state and local environmental and public health agencies, and the 

public. EPA will use the information submitted by a state to determine whether the state’s 

program is consistent with the performance criteria and the BEACH Act. State and local 

environmental and public health agencies will use the data as an indicator of program 

performance, and the public will use the data as reference to make informed decisions before 

going to the beach. The information provided by each state will also be used to report the status 

of beach monitoring and notification programs nationwide. A state must implement measures to 

notify EPA of the results of its water quality sampling. Therefore, these data will be used to 

create and maintain a national database of water quality trends, advisories, and closings.

3. Nonduplication, Consultations, and Other Collection Criteria

3(a) Nonduplication

The information requested from the states is required for receipt of a BEACH Act Grant and is 

not available from other sources. EPA has made every reasonable attempt to ensure that the 

beach monitoring and notification data and information requested through the BEACH Act Grant 

Program is not already available through less burdensome mechanisms.

3(b)Public Notice Required Prior to ICR Submission to OMB

EPA published the first Federal Register notice for this ICR on September 20, 2011 (76 FR 

58266). EPA requested comment from the public. EPA received one comment during the 

comment period, which was not relevant to the information collection.
3 1/24/2012

3(c) Consultations 

EPA consulted with the following state beach coordinators, asking them to compare EPA’s 

average burden estimates with their experience: Shannon Briggs (Michigan), Jon Dinneen 

(Connecticut), and Heather Merritt (Maryland). Shannon commented that the numbers were 

similar to Michigan’s estimates and were therefore reasonable. Jon provided a detailed 

breakdown of Connecticut’s burden on a task-by-task basis, with estimates that were higher in 

some places and lower in others, resulting in an overall annual burden higher than EPA’s 

estimates by 476 hours. Heather responded that the burden estimates seemed reasonable overall, 

but noted that Maryland spends more time on sample collection. Based on these responses, EPA 

feels that the state burden provided in the ICR is a reasonable estimate for an average state.

3(d)Effects of Less Frequent Collection

The requirement for a state to submit its monitoring and notification data is a statutory

requirement under the BEACH Act. The frequency and format of such submittal is at the 

Administrator’s discretion [see CWA section 406(b)(B)(3)]. Since 2003, EPA has required states 

to submit their monitoring and notification data annually. However, to provide more up-to-date 

information to the public on the state of their beaches, the Agency is encouraging more frequent 

reporting. The Agency continues to expect state grant performance reports annually.

3(e) General Guidelines 

The BEACH Act Grant Program will be conducted in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 

Act [Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) section 1320.5(d)(2)] and will adhere to 

OMB’s general guidelines for information collections.

3(f) Confidentiality

Measures to ensure the confidentiality of the collected beach monitoring and notification data are 

not necessary because the information submitted by the respondents is public information.

3(g)Sensitive Questions 

No information of sensitive nature will be collected as a result of this ICR.

4. The Respondents and the Information Requested

4(a) Respondents/SIC Codes 

Information collected by EPA under the BEACH Act will be submitted by environmental and 

public health agencies in coastal and Great Lakes states, territories, and tribes. No private 

industries will be required to submit information, and, therefore, no SIC codes are relevant.
4 1/24/2012

4(b)Information Requested 

EPA is requiring states to provide information on how a beach monitoring and notification 

program is consistent with the following nine performance criteria, developed from the BEACH 

Act and summarized in Table 1.

Table 1. BEACH Act Grant performance criteria summary

Category

Performance 

criteria Requirement

BEACH Act 

section

Evaluation and 

Classification

1 Risk-based Beach Evaluation 

and Classification

406(b)(2)(A)(ii-iv)

406(c)(1)

Monitoring 2 Sampling Design and Monitoring 

Implementation Plan

406(c)(3)

3 Monitoring Report Submission 

and Delegation

406(b)(3)(A), (B)

406(c)(2)

4 Methods and Assessment 

Procedures

406(c)(4)

Public 

Notification and 

Prompt Risk 

Communication

5 Public Notification and Risk 

Communication Plan

406(c)(7)

6 Measures to Notify EPA and 

Local Governments

406(c)(5)

7 Measures to Notify the Public 406(c)(6)

8 Notification Report Submission 

and Delegation

406(b)(3)(A), (B)

406(c)(2)

Public 

Evaluation

9 Public Evaluation of Program 406(b)(2)(A)(v)

1) Risk-based Beach Evaluation and Classification

A state must develop a risk-based beach evaluation and classification plan and apply it to state 

coastal recreation waters. A state or tribal program must describe the factors used in its 

evaluation and classification process and explain how its beaches are ranked as a result of the 

process. The process must result in the identification of a list of coastal recreation waters in the 

state, including coastal recreation waters adjacent to beaches or similar points of access used by 

the public.

2) Sampling Design and Monitoring Plan

A state must develop a sampling design and monitoring implementation plan. The plan must 

adequately address the frequency and location of monitoring and assessment of coastal recreation 

waters according to the periods of recreational use of the waters, the nature and extent of use 

during certain periods, the proximity of the waters to known point sources and nonpoint sources 

of pollution, and any effect of storm events on the waters.
5 1/24/2012

3) Monitoring Report Submission and Delegation

A state must develop a mechanism to collect relevant information, submit timely reports to EPA,

and document any delegation of monitoring responsibilities to local governments.

Report Submission

A state recipient of a grant must submit to the EPA Administrator timely information and reports 

that describe the data collected as part of the monitoring program and the actions taken to notify

the public when water quality standards are exceeded.

Delegation

If monitoring responsibilities are delegated to local governments, the state grant recipient must 

describe the process by which the state may delegate to local governments responsibility for 

implementing the monitoring program.

4) Methods and Assessment Procedures

A state must develop detailed methods and assessment procedures. Those procedures must 

adequately address both the methods to be used for detecting levels of pathogens and pathogen 

indicators that are harmful to human health and the assessment procedures for identifying shortterm increases in pathogens and pathogen indicators that are harmful to human health.

5) Public Notification and Risk Communication Plan

A state must develop an overall public notification and risk communication plan. The plan must 

describe the state’s public notification efforts and measures to inform the public of the potential 

risks associated with water contact activities in the coastal recreation waters that do not meet 

applicable water quality standards.

6) Measures to Notify EPA and Local Governments

A state must identify measures for promptly communicating to EPA and local governments of 

the occurrence, nature, location, pollutants involved, and extent of any exceeding of, or 

likelihood of exceeding, applicable water quality standards for pathogens and pathogen 

indicators. The state must identify how that information will be promptly communicated to EPA 

and to a designated official of the local government that has jurisdiction over land adjoining the 

coastal recreation waters for which the failure to meet applicable standards has been identified.

7) Measures to Notify the Public

A state must develop measures to notify the public by posting signs at beaches or similar points 

of access or through functionally equivalent communication measures that are sufficient to give 

notice to the public that the coastal recreation waters are not meeting or are not expected to meet 

applicable water quality standards for pathogens and pathogen indicators.
6 1/24/2012

8) Notification Report Submission and Delegations

A state must develop a mechanism to collect relevant information, submit timely reports to EPA,

and document any delegation of notification responsibilities to local governments.

Report Submission

A state or tribal recipient of a grant must submit to the EPA Administrator timely information 

and reports that describe data collected as part of the notification program and the actions taken 

to notify the public when water quality standards are exceeded.

Delegation

If notification responsibilities are delegated to local governments, the state grant recipient must 

describe the process by which the state may delegate to local governments responsibility for 

implementing the notification program.

9) Public Evaluation of Program

A state must identify how to provide the public with an opportunity to review the program 

through a process that provides for public notice, review, and an opportunity to comment. That 

can be accomplished through a record of public comments, meetings, forums, or workshops.

5. The Information Collected-agency Activities, Collection 

Methodology, and Information Management

5(a) Agency Activities 

The BEACH Act Grant Program will be administered by EPA Headquarters and EPA Regional 

Offices, which have planned for and allocated resources for the efficient and effective 

management of the grant program. EPA is conducting the following activities in administering 

the BEACH Act grants:

• EPA Headquarters is to monitor state programs annually to ensure compliance with the 

performance criteria.

• EPA Regions are to monitor state programs annually to ensure compliance with the 

performance criteria.

• EPA Regions and EPA Headquarters are to provide miscellaneous support to the states.

• EPA Regions are to revise work plans and update the Quality Management Plan.

• EPA Regions are to perform technical review of a Quality Assurance Project Plan and Grants 

Management Plan.

• Regions are to ensure that a Quality Assurance Project Plan is complete before 

implementation.
7 1/24/2012

5(b) Collection Methodology and Management 

The EPA Beach Program encourages states to electronically transmit beach monitoring and 

notification data directly to EPA. Electronic reporting is intended to achieve data collection 

efficiencies and reduce the possibility of data input error.

It is the state’s responsibility to conduct ongoing data analysis, including performing data quality 

assurance/quality control to check for anomalies in the data that might be related to data entry or 

laboratory errors. Data quality review and analysis will include continuous analysis of laboratory

results, pollution occurrence events, public notification, and review of all program data. The 

beach monitoring and notification data will be maintained in the eBEACHES data system. 

Reporting of beach data to EPA consists of beach program information, notification data, 

monitoring data, locational data. The data collected under the BEACH Act Grant Program will 

be used for program performance evaluation to determine if a state program is consistent with 

the BEACH Guidance and Performance Criteria document, to analyze pollution occurrences at 

beaches across the nation and report to Congress on the status of the nation’s recreation waters.

5(c) Small Entity Flexibility

Measures to assist small entities are not applicable because the respondents for the BEACH Act 

Grant Program are state government agencies. However, EPA may make a grant to a local 

government for implementing a monitoring and notification program only if, after the 1-year 

period beginning on the date of publication of performance criteria, EPA determines that the 

state is not implementing a program that meets the performance criteria.

5(d) Collection Schedule 

A state must show evidence documenting its compliance with the nine performance criteria as 

listed in the Federal Register and the National Beach Guidance and Performance Criteria to be 

eligible for a BEACH Act Grant.

6. Estimating the Burden and Cost of the Collection

6(a) Estimating Respondent Burden 

The BEACH Act requires states to devote time and resources to implement a monitoring and 

notification program to meet the performance criteria outlined in the National Beach Guidance 

and Performance Criteria for Recreation Waters. To develop burden estimates, EPA estimated 

the number of hours that will be required by states to adhere to the following performance 

criteria:

1. Risk-based beach evaluation and classification.

2. Sampling design and monitoring implementation plan.

3. Monitoring report submission and delegation.

4. Methods and assessment procedures.

5. Public notification and risk communication plan.
8 1/24/2012

6. Measures to notify EPA and local governments.

7. Measures to notify the public.

8. Notification report submission and delegation.

9. Public evaluation of program.

The Agency estimated that implementing a monitoring and notification program in accordance 

with the nine performance criteria will take an annual average of 88,812 hours and $3,943,080 

O&M for all 37 respondents.

The following assumptions were made for this ICR on the basis of data collected by EPA and 

consultations with respondents listed in section 3(c):

• The average beach (monitoring) season was assumed to be 18 weeks.

• The average number of samples collected per week at each monitored beach during the beach 

season was assumed to be 2 samples.

• The average cost of sample analysis was assumed to be $30 per sample.

• The frequency of reporting to EPA is assumed to be quarterly.

6(b)Estimating Respondent Cost 

The annual cost for a state to implement the performance criteria necessary to comply with the 

BEACH Act Grant Program are attributed to labor costs and O&M costs. The total cost burden 

over 3 years for the 37 states and territories is estimated to be $25,713,355, which consists of 

$25,713,355 in labor costs and $11,829,240 in O&M costs.

Labor Costs

To develop labor costs, EPA multiplied the number of hours that will be required to implement a 

monitoring and notification plan by the state employee hourly rate to generate a cost estimate. 

Because labor rates vary so widely among the state government personnel involved in 

implementing a state monitoring and notification program, EPA used an average loaded hourly 

rate that is representative of the average salary for a managerial and technical state employee as 

listed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for full-time state and local government workers in the 

2010 National Compensation Survey. The managerial salary of $82.58 per hour is calculated as 

the hourly rate of $51.61 times an overhead factor of 1.6. That is, $51.61 x 1.6) = $82.58. The 

technical salary of $49.74 per hour is calculated as $31.09 times the 1.6 factor. Table 2 presents 

an estimate of the burden that state governments will incur to meet each performance criterion 

outlined in the National Beach Guidance and Grant Performance Criteria for Recreation 

Waters. The table identifies the activities to be performed by the state, the associated hours 

required for each activity, and the labor cost for each activity. Annual totals are presented at the 

end of Table 2.

Operation and Maintenance Costs 

In addition to labor costs, the states and territories incur O&M costs associated with the 

analytical fees and shipping for the water quality samples. Non-labor costs for the 37 states and 
9 1/24/2012

territories are solely attributed to the laboratory fees that will be charged for analysis and to 

shipping charges for sending the sample bottles to the appropriate laboratory.
10 1/24/2012

Table 2. Individual respondent 3-year state burden hours 

Performance 

criterion State activity

3-year 

managerial burden

3-year 

technical burden

Total 

3-year burden

Total 

burden 

per 

activity 

(hours)

Total labor 

cost 

$134.19/hour 

(dollars)

Total 

burden 

per 

activity 

(hours)

Total 

labor cost

$80.83/

hour 

(dollars)

Total 

burden 

per 

activity 

(hours)

Total labor 

cost

(dollars)

1 -

Risk-based 

Beach 

Evaluation 

and 

Classification

Identify coastal 

recreation waters

1 $83 6 $298 7 $381

Identify and submit list of 

monitored waters

1 $83 6 $298 7 $381

Collect and submit 

beach lat/long 

coordinates 

(georeference beaches 

using maps, GPS, etc.)

20 $1,652 180 $8,954 200 $10,605

Identify bathing beaches 

and submit beach miles

20 $1,652 80 $3,980 100 $5,631

Determine legal authority 

for administering 

monitoring and 

notification programs

3 $248 6 $298 9 $546

Review available 

information

5 $413 15 $746 20 $1,159

Rank beaches 3 $248 100 $4,974 103 $5,222

Performance Criterion 

1 Total

53 $4,377 393 $19,549 446 $23,926

2 -

Sampling 

Design and 

Monitoring 

Implementati

on Plan

Identify sampling plan 

(when and where to 

sample, what depth to 

sample, etc.)

3 $248 5 $249 8 $496

Ensure data quality 12 $991 100 $4,974 112 $5,965

Staff monitoring 

programs

4 $330 7 $348 11 $679

Train monitoring staff 16 $1,321 200 $9,949 216 $11,270

Create database and 

data submission process

40 $3,303 360 $17,908 400 $21,211

Manage data for beach 

season

20 $1,652 180 $8,954 200 $10,605

Program implementation 

and oversight

120 $9,909 120 $5,969 240 $15,878

Performance Criterion 

2 Total

215 $17,754 972 $48,351 1,187 $66,105
11 1/24/2012

Performance 

criterion State activity

3-year 

managerial burden

3-year 

technical burden

Total 

3-year burden

Total 

burden 

per 

activity 

(hours)

Total labor 

cost 

$134.19/hour 

(dollars)

Total 

burden 

per 

activity 

(hours)

Total 

labor cost

$80.83/

hour 

(dollars)

Total 

burden 

per 

activity 

(hours)

Total labor 

cost

(dollars)

3 -

Monitoring 

Report 

Submission 

and

Delegation

Submit report that 

describes data collected 

and public notification 

activities

12 $991 35 $1,741 47 $2,732

Describe process by 

which the state may 

delegate to local 

governments the 

responsibility for 

implementing a 

monitoring program

6 $495 18 $895 24 $1,391

Performance Criterion 

3 Total

18 $1,486 53 $2,636 71 $4,123

4 -

Methods and 

Assessment 

Procedures

Identify laboratories for 

analysis

1 $83 12 $597 13 $680

Determine analytical 

procedures

0 $0 4 $199 4 $199

Identify sample collection 

techniques

1 $83 6 $298 7 $381

Collect water sample 0 $0 1,350 $67,154 1,350 $67,154

Determine data 

validation and 

verification procedures

2 $165 9 $448 11 $613

Analyze and submit 

monitoring data to EPA

140 $11,561 2,600 $129,334 2,740 $140,895

Identify the use of 

predictive tools in beach 

monitoring. (If using 

predictive tools, identify 

what type of tool, how 

used, how applicable, 

etc.)

4 $330 20 $995 24 $1,325

Performance Criterion 

4 Total

148 $12,221 4,001 $199,026 4,149 $211,247

5 -

Public 

Notification 

and Risk 

Communication Plan

Perform a problem 

assessment and 

audience identification

2 $165 22 $1,094 24 $1,260

Determine and develop 

content and procedures 

for advisories and 

closings

4 $330 44 $2,189 48 $2,519

Performance Criterion 

5 Total

6 $495 66 $3,283 72 $3,779
12 1/24/2012

Performance 

criterion State activity

3-year 

managerial burden

3-year 

technical burden

Total 

3-year burden

Total 

burden 

per 

activity 

(hours)

Total labor 

cost 

$134.19/hour 

(dollars)

Total 

burden 

per 

activity 

(hours)

Total 

labor cost

$80.83/

hour 

(dollars)

Total 

burden 

per 

activity 

(hours)

Total labor 

cost

(dollars)

6 -

Measures to 

Notify EPA

and Local 

Governments

Determine the 

mechanisms for states to 

notify local governments 

of advisories and 

closings, and removal of 

advisories and closings

3 $248 23 $1,144 26 $1,392

Determine the 

mechanisms for states to 

notify EPA of advisories, 

closings, and removal of 

advisories and closings 

1 $83 13 $647 14 $729

Collect and submit 

notification data to EPA

4 $330 22 $1,094 26 $1,425

Performance Criterion 

6 Total

8 $661 58 $2,885 66 $3,546

7 -

Measures to 

Notify the 

Public

Determine the 

mechanisms for states to 

notify the public of 

advisories, closings, and 

removal of advisories 

and closings

2 $165 20 $995 22 $1,160

Implement notification 

program (could include 

posting signs or 

functional equivalent)

45 $3,716 855 $42,531 900 $46,247

Performance Criterion 

7 Total

47 $3,881 875 $43,526 922 $47,407

8 -

Notification 

Report 

Submission 

and 

Delegation

Submit report that 

describes data collected 

and the public 

notification activities

6 $495 50 $2,487 56 $2,983

Describe process by 

which the state may 

delegate to local 

governments the 

responsibility for 

implementing a 

notification program 

2 $165 22 $1,094 24 $1,260

Performance Criterion 

8 Total

8 $661 72 $3,582 80 $4,242
13 1/24/2012

Performance 

criterion State activity

3-year 

managerial burden

3-year 

technical burden

Total 

3-year burden

Total 

burden 

per 

activity 

(hours)

Total labor 

cost 

$134.19/hour 

(dollars)

Total 

burden 

per 

activity 

(hours)

Total 

labor cost

$80.83/

hour 

(dollars)

Total 

burden 

per 

activity 

(hours)

Total labor 

cost

(dollars)

9 -

Public 

Evaluation of 

Program

Ensure the monitoring 

and notification program 

meets the needs of the 

audiences and the 

objectives of the Agency

8 $661 96 $4,775 104 $5,436

Evaluate the monitoring 

and notification program

8 $661 96 $4,775 104 $5,436

Performance Criterion 

9 Total

16 $1,321 192 $9,551 208 $10,872

Total 519 $42,857 6,682 $332,389 7,201 $375,246

Annual Total 173 $14,286 2,227 $110,796 2,400 $125,082

The O&M costs were calculated as an average for the 3,651 coastal and Great Lakes beaches 

identified in EPA’s 2010 National Beaches Survey (the most recent version available) for the 37

states and territories eligible to participate in the BEACH Act Grant Program. EPA obtained 

laboratory fees and shipping costs from testing labs and estimated the cost to be $30 per sample. 

The cost for each state was calculated using the equation below:

3,651 beaches × 36 samples (twice per week for 18 week season) × $30/sample = $106,570/state

37 states

EPA estimates an annual O&M cost of $106,570 per state, an annual total O&M cost of 

$3,943,080 for all 37 states, and a total O&M cost of $11,829,240 for 37 states over 3 years.

6(c) Estimating Agency Burden and Cost 

The BEACH Act requires EPA to devote time and resources to manage the grant program. To 

develop burden estimates, EPA estimated the number of hours that will be required to administer 

the program. The Agency estimates that it will take 85 hours per respondent to review and 

process the applications, monitor respondent programs, and provide miscellaneous support. 

When multiplied by 37 respondents, the annual Agency burden is 3,145 hours to administer the 

program and a total Agency burden of 9,435 hours over 3 years. The Agency used an average 

hourly salary for Agency employees of $65.94, which was calculated using an hourly rate of 

$41.21 plus an overhead factor of 60%. That is, $41.21 x 1.6 = $65.94. The labor rate was 

obtained using 2011 salary tables provided by the Office of Personnel Management.

Table 3 presents an estimate of the burden that EPA will incur to manage the BEACH Act Grant 

Program for years 1 through 3 of this ICR. The annual totals are presented at the bottom of the table.
14 1/24/2012

Table 3. Total Agency burden hours per activity over 3 years

Activities

Agency 

burden hours

Agency 

burden dollars

EPA Headquarters to monitor state programs annually to ensure 

compliance with the performance criteria.

1,480 $97,591

EPA Regions to monitor state programs annually to ensure 

compliance with the performance criteria.

2,035 $134,188

EPA Headquarters and EPA Regions to provide miscellaneous 

support to states. 

1,480 $97,591

EPA Regions to revise work plans and update beach monitoring 

and notification program procedures. 

1,268 $83,612

EPA Regions to perform technical review on Quality Assurance 

Project Plan and Grants Management Plan, DQOs and SOPs 

prior to implementation.

3,172 $209,162

Total over 3 years 9,435 $622,144

Annual total 3,145 $207,381

6(d)Estimating the Respondent Universe and Total Burden and Costs 

Table 4 presents an estimate of the total respondent burden and costs expected for the BEACH 

Act Grant Program. The total annual respondent burden is expected to be 88,812 hours and 

$3,943,080 O&M Costs. There are no start-up costs. 

Table 4. Annual respondent burden and cost

Performance 

criteria

Respondent 

hours/year

Respondent 

labor 

cost/year

O&M

cost/year

Number of 

respondents/

year

Total 

hours/year

Total 

cost/year*

1 148.67 $7,975 37 5,501 $295,086

2 395.67 $22,035 37 14,640 $815,295

3 23.67 $1,374 37 876 $50,848

4 1,383.00 $70,416 37 51,171 $2,605,380

5 24.00 $1,260 37 888 $46,602

6 22.00 $1,182 37 814 $43,731

7 307.33 $15,802 37 11,371 $584,687

8 26.67 $1,414,06 37 987 $52,320

9 69.33 $3,624 37 2,565 $134,089

Total 2,400.33 $125,082 $3,943,080 37 88,812 $8,571,118

*Values might not add up exactly due to rounding.

6(e) Bottom Line Burden Hours and Cost Tables 

Table 5 presents an estimate of the total annual State and Agency burden and costs expected for 

the BEACH Act Grant Program. As shown in Table 5, the annual burden for the Agency and 37

states, tribes, and territories with coastal recreation waters is 91,957 hours and $8,778,500

including O&M costs.
15 1/24/2012

Table 5. Total annual respondent and Agency burden and costs 

Burden

(hours) Burden cost* O&M cost Total cost*

37 States 88,812 $4,628,038 $3,943,080 $8,571,118

Agency 3,145 $207,381 $0 $207,381

Total 91,957 $4,835,420 $3,943,080 $8,778,500

*Values might not add up exactly due to rounding.

6(f) Reasons for Change in Burden 

The respondent average annual burden increased from the 2008 level of 2,374 hours to 2,400 

hours for the total number of 37 respondents. The Agency annual burden decreased from the 

2008 level of 3,200 hours to 3,145 hours. EPA used 37 for the number of respondents (37 

currently receive BEACH Act grants) compared to 40 respondents used in the 2008 ICR. EPA 

used 40 for the number of respondents in the 2008 ICR because the Agency expected additional

tribes to apply for BEACH Act grants that had not done so during the original ICR period. 

However, no additional tribes applied for grants. Therefore, for this ICR renewal EPA used the 

actual number (37) of states, territories, and tribes that currently receive BEACH Act grants. The 

increase in respondent burden is because EPA is encouraging states to voluntarily report 

monitoring and notification data more frequently, up to four times each year. The increase in 

burden is minimized, however, because respondents have become more efficient in their 

reporting of data and information over the past several years and EPA has made improvements to 

the eBEACHES data system. The annual O&M costs for all respondents also increased from 

$3,938,760 to $3,943,080 for all states. That is because the estimated number of beaches 

monitored by grant recipients increased slightly from 3,647 (estimated from EPA’s 2007 

National List of Beaches) to 3,651 (estimated from the 2010 Annual Swimming Season Report). 

Relative to the 2008 ICR, EPA maintained its estimate of two samples collected each week per 

monitored beach with a beach season length of 18 weeks and sample cost of $30 per sample, 

according to data that EPA collected and comments received from several state Beach Program 

contacts and testing labs.

EPA also revised the labor rates, which increased from $47.00 to 51.61 for a managerial 

employee and decreased from $31.25 to $31.09 for a technical employee according to the 

average Bureau of Labor Statistics salaries for managerial and technical employees in state and 

local governments as shown in its 2010 National Compensation Survey Table. 

6(g) Burden Statement 

The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is 

estimated to average 2,400 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. That includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, 

install, and use 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. An 

agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of 
16 1/24/2012

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 Part 15. 

To comment on the Agency’s need for this information, the accuracy of the provided burden 

estimates, and any suggested methods for minimizing respondent burden, including the use of 

automated collection techniques, EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket 

ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0357, which is available for public viewing at the Water Docket in the 

EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 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 Water 

Docket is (202) 566-2426. An electronic version of the public docket is available through 

Regulations.gov at http://www.regulations.gov/. 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, use the Regulations.gov website. Once there, click search, 

then key in the docket ID number identified above. Also, you can send comments to the Office of 

Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW, 

Washington, DC 20503, Attention: Desk Office for EPA. Please include the EPA Docket ID No. 

EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0357 and OMB control number 2040-0244 in any correspondence.