31550 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 97 / Thursday, May 18, 2000 / Notices

Affected landowners and parties with

environmental concerns may be granted

intervenor status upon showing good

cause by stating that they have a clear

and direct interest in this proceeding

which would not be adequately

represented by any other parties. You do

not need intervenor status to have your

environmental comments considered.

Additional information about the

proposed project is available from Mr.

Paul McKee of the Commission’s Office

of External Affairs at (202) 208–1088 or

on the FERC website (www.ferc.fed.us)

using the ‘‘RIMS’’ link to information in

this docket number. Click on the

‘‘RIMS’’ link, select ‘‘Docket #’’ from the

RIMS Menu, and follow the

instructions. For assistance with access

to RIMS, the RIMS helpline can be

reached at (202) 208–2222.

Similarly, the ‘‘CIPS’’ link on the

FERC Internet website provides access

to the texts of formal documents issued

by the Commission, such as orders,

notices, and rulemakings. From the

FERC Internet website, click on the

‘‘CIPS’’ link, select ‘‘Docket #’’ from the

CIPS menu, and follow the instructions.

For assistance with access to CIPS, the

CIPS helpline can be reached at (202)

208–2474.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 00–12469 Filed 5–17–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–6702–6]

Agency Information Collection

Activities: Questionnaire for Nominees

for the Annual National Clean Water

Act Recognition Awards Program

(National Wastewater Management

Excellence Awards Program)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.

3501 et seq.), this notice announces that

EPA is planning to submit the following

continuing Information Collection

Request (ICR) to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB):

Questionnaire for the Annual National

Clean Water Act Recognition Awards

Program (National Wastewater

Management Excellence Awards

Program) EPA ICR Number 1287.05, and

OMB Control Number 2040–0101,

approved through December 31, 2000.

Before submitting the ICR to OMB for

review and approval, EPA is soliciting

comments on specific aspects of the

proposed information collection as

described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on

or before July 17, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Office of Water, Office of

Wastewater Management, Municipal

Support Division, Municipal Assistance

Branch, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW,

Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Maria E. Campbell, 202–260–5815/Fax

Number 202–260–0116/e-mail at

campbell.maria@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Affected entities: Entities potentially

affected by this action are public

wastewater treatment plants,

municipalities, industries, universities,

manufacturing sites, and States.

Title: Questionnaire for Nominees for

the Annual National Clean Water Act

Recognition Awards Program (National

Wastewater Management Excellence

Awards Program) (OMB Control No.

2040–0101, EPA ICR No. 1287.05)

expires 12/31/00.

Abstract: This ICR requests reapproval to collect data from EPA’s

National Clean Water Act Recognition

Awards nominees. The awards are for

the following program categories:

Operations and Maintenance (O&M),

Beneficial Use of Biosolids (Biosolids),

Combined Sewer Overflow Controls

(CSO), and Storm Water (SW)

Management.

Note: Information collection approval for

the Pretreatment awards program is included

in the National Pretreatment Program ICR

(OMB Control No. 2040–0009, EPA ICR No.

0003.08), approved through May 31, 2000.

The National Clean Water Act Recognition

Awards Program is managed by EPA’s Office

of Wastewater Management (OWM). The

Awards Program is authorized under section

501(e) of the Clean Water Act, as amended.

The Awards Program is intended to provide

recognition to communities and industries

which have demonstrated outstanding

technological achievements, innovative

processes, devices or other outstanding

methods in their waste treatment and

pollution abatement programs.

Approximately 50 awards are presented

annually. The achievements of these award

winners are summarized in reports, news

articles, national publications, and Federal

Register Notice.

The information is collected from

approximately 200 respondents at a

total cost of $79,200 per year and 2800

burden hours, including $46,000 and

1600 burden hours for the respondents’

time, and $33,200 and 1200 burden

hours for the States’ review time.

Submission of information on behalf of

the respondents is voluntary. No

confidential information is requested.

The Agency only collects information

from award nominees under a currently

valid OMB control number. The OMB

control numbers for EPA’s regulations

are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR

Chapter 15. Based on the data

collection, national panels will evaluate

the nominees’ efforts and recommend

finalists. The collections will be used by

the respective awards programs to

evaluate and determine which

abatement achievements should be

recognized.

As currently structured, the O&M

awards program has nine categories

which recognize municipal

achievements. The biosolids awards

program has four categories which

recognize municipal biosolids

operations, technology and research

achievements, and public acceptance;

the CSO awards program has one

category which recognizes municipal

programs; and the SW awards program

has two categories which recognize

municipal and industrial programs. All

nominees are screened for

environmental compliance by the States

and EPA. Municipalities and institutions desiring to be considered for

National awards voluntarily complete

the questionnaires and provide design

and operating information about their

facility or programs. The award nominations are reviewed by State/Regional

officials prior to forwarding them for

National award consideration. At the

National level, award reviews involve

Federal officials and review panels

comprised of representatives of EPA,

State water pollution control agencies,

and affiliated associations.

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.

Respondents: Officials at public

wastewater treatment plants,

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 97 / Thursday, May 18, 2000 / Notices 31551

municipalities, industries, universities,

States and manufacturing sites.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

200.

Estimated Number of Responses Per

Respondent: 1.

Frequency of Collection: Once a year.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 2800 hours (1600 hours

for the response time and 1200 hours for

the States’ review time).

Burden means the total time, effort, or

financial resources expended to

generate, maintain, retain, disclose, or

provide information to EPA. This

estimate includes the time needed to

review instructions, collect, validate,

and verify information; complete and

review the collection of information;

and transmit the information to EPA.

Dated: May 2, 2000.

Michael B. Cook,

Director, Office of Wastewater Management.

[FR Doc. 00–12523 Filed 5–17–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–6702–2]

Agency Information Collection

Activities: Submission for OMB

Review; Comment Request;

Performance Track Program Level

One: The Environmental Achievement

Track

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.

3501 et seq.), this document announces

that the following Information

Collection Request (ICR) has been

forwarded to the Office of Management

and Budget (OMB) for review and

approval: Performance Track Program

Level One: The Environmental

Achievement Track, ICR Number

1949.01. The ICR describes the nature of

the information collection and its

expected burden and cost; where

appropriate, it includes the actual data

collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on

or before June 19, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

a copy of the ICR contact Sandy Farmer

at EPA by phone at (202) 260–2740, by

E-Mail at

Farmer.Sandy@epamail.epa.gov or

download off the Internet at http://

www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR

No.1949.01. For technical questions

about the ICR contact Ken Munis, at

202–260–9560.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Performance Track Program

Level One: The Environmental

Achievement Track, EPA ICR No.

1949.01. This is a new collection.

Abstract: The Environmental

Protection Agency is developing a

national Performance Track Program. In

the July, 1999 report, ‘‘Aiming for

Excellence: Actions to Encourage

Stewardship and Accelerate

Environmental Progress,’’ the Agency

committed to developing a Performance

Track Program to reward and motivate

top environmental performance.

The Performance Track is a twotiered, voluntary program designed to

promote leadership in environmental

protection through the use of

Environmental Management Systems

(EMS), Pollution Prevention Programs,

and public reporting. Qualifying

program participants will benefit from a

variety of incentives, such as public

recognition, reduced monitoring and

reporting, and operational flexibility.

EPA will announce and begin to solicit

applications for level one of the

Performance Track, the Environmental

Achievement Track, in June of 2000.

Level two, the Environmental

Stewardship Track, will be announced

in May of 2001.

Participation in the Performance

Track program is voluntary. To be

considered for acceptance into the

program, applicants for the

Environmental Achievement Track will

be asked to submit information

documenting their EMS, history of

compliance with EPA regulations,

commitment to continuous

environmental performance

improvement, and commitment to

public outreach and performance

reporting. Upon acceptance to the

Environmental Achievement Track,

participants will be required to make

environmental performance reports

accessible to the public.

An agency may not conduct or

sponsor, and a person is not required to

respond to, a collection of information

unless it displays a currently valid OMB

control number. The OMB control

numbers for EPA’s regulations are listed

in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR Chapter

15. The Federal Register document

required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d),

soliciting comments on this collection

of information was published on 3/02/

2000 (65 FR 11305); no comments were

received.

Burden Statement: The annual public

reporting and record keeping burden for

this collection of information is

estimated to average 252 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:

Various Industries

Estimated Number of Respondents:

250.

Frequency of Response: Annually .

Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden:

50,450 hours.

Estimated Total Annualized Capital,

O&M Cost Burden: 0

Send comments on the Agency’s need

for this information, the accuracy of the

provided burden estimates, and any

suggested methods for minimizing

respondent burden, including through

the use of automated collection

techniques to the following addresses.

Please refer to EPA ICR No. 1949.01 in

any correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, Office of

Environmental Information,

Collection Strategies Division (2822),

1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW,

Washington, DC 20460;

and

Office of Information and Regulatory

Affairs, Office of Management and

Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for

EPA, 725 17th Street, NW,

Washington, DC 20503.

Dated: May 11, 2000.

Oscar Morales,

Director, Collection Strategies Division.

[FR Doc. 00–12518 Filed 5–17–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P