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[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 3 (Wednesday, January 6, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 484-485]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-33295]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2015-0613; FRL-9940-96-OW]

Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Title I 
of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an 
information collection request (ICR), ``Title I of the Marine 
Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act'' (EPA ICR No. 0824.06, OMB 
Control No. 2040-0008) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public 
comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as 
described below. This is a proposed renewal of the ICR (formerly known 
as ``Ocean Dumping Regulations--reports and record keeping to obtain a 
permit, request designation, and report on permitted dumping 
activities''), which is currently 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.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 7, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2015-0613, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by 
email to ow-docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Redford, Oceans and Coastal 
Protection Division, Environmental Protection Agency, 4504T 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone 202-566-1288; 
fax number: 202-566-1546; email address: redford.david@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail 
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the 
public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at 
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional 
information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting 
comments and information to enable it 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. EPA 
will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as appropriate. 
The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for review and 
approval. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice 
to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to 
submit additional comments to OMB.
    Abstract: Ocean dumping--the transportation of any material for the 
purpose of dumping in ocean waters--cannot occur unless a permit is 
issued under the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act 
(MPRSA). EPA is responsible for issuing ocean dumping permits for all 
materials except dredged material. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(USACE) is responsible for issuing ocean dumping permits for dredged 
material using EPA's environmental criteria. Ocean dumping permits for 
dredged material are subject to EPA review and concurrence. EPA is also 
responsible for designating and managing ocean sites for the disposal 
of wastes and other materials, and establishing Site Management and 
Monitoring Plans for ocean disposal sites. EPA collects or sponsors the 
collection of information for the purposes of permit issuance, 
reporting of emergency dumping to safety of life at sea, compliance 
with permit requirements, including specifically general permits for 
burial at sea and for transportation and disposal of vessels.
    EPA collects this information to ensure that ocean dumping is 
appropriately regulated and will not harm human health and the marine 
environment, based on applying the Ocean Dumping Criteria. The Ocean 
Dumping Criteria consider, among other things: The environmental impact 
of the dumping; the need for the dumping; the effect of the dumping on 
esthetic, recreational, or economic values; land-

[[Page 485]]

based alternatives to ocean dumping; and the adverse effects of the 
dumping on other uses of the ocean. The Ocean Dumping Criteria are 
codified in 40 CFR parts 227-228. To meet U.S. reporting obligation 
under the London Convention, EPA also reports some of this information 
in the annual United States Ocean Dumping Report.
    EPA uses ocean dumping information to make decisions regarding 
whether to issue or deny a permit. This information is also used to 
develop the conditions in ocean dumping permits issued by EPA in order 
to ensure consistency with the Ocean Dumping Criteria. EPA uses 
monitoring and reporting data from permittees to assess compliance with 
ocean dumping permits, including associated monitoring activities.
    Form numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Respondents/affected entities may 
include any private person or entity, or State, local or foreign 
governments.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Required to obtain or retain a 
benefit, specifically permit authorization and/or compliance with 
permits required under MPRSA sections 102 and 104, 33 U.S.C. 1402 & 
1404, and implementing regulations at 40 CFR parts 220-229.
    Estimated number of respondents: 2,767 respondents per year.
    Frequency of response: The frequency of response varies for 
application and reporting requirements for different permits. Other 
than the general permit for transportation and disposal of vessels, 
response is required once for each permit application, whether a single 
notification to EPA or a permit application. Depending on the type of 
MPRSA permit, a permit application would be required prior to 
expiration if the permittee seeks re-issuance: General permit (once 
every seven years); special permit (once every three years), and 
research permit (once every 18 months).
    Total estimated burden: The public reporting and recordkeeping 
burdens for this collection of information are estimated to be 3,207 
hours per year. Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.3(b).
    Total estimated cost: Annual labor costs are estimated to be 
$153,300 and $195,857 for capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in estimates: EPA estimates an increase in the number of 
respondents from 21 to 2,767 with a corresponding decrease in total 
estimated burden from 27,004 to 3,207 hours as compared to the most 
recently approved ICR, which expired January 31, 1992. The estimated 
increase in the number of respondents is due to the significant 
increase in the number of entities using the burial at sea and vessel 
general permits, which were not widely used at the time of the earlier 
ICR. The estimated decrease in the total estimated burden is due to the 
implementation of the Ocean Dumping Ban Act of 1988, which led to the 
cessation of the dumping of sewage sludge and industrial wastes. The 
respondent burden for these special permits was high due the 
potentially significant impacts from dumping these wastes, and the data 
required from the respondents to ensure permit compliance.

Benita Best-Wong,
Director, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds.
[FR Doc. 2015-33295 Filed 1-5-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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