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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 28, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81488-81490]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-33270]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0719, FRL-9613-4]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System 
(NPDES) Program (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this notice announces that EPA is planning to submit a 
request to renew an existing approved Information Collection Requests 
(ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is 
scheduled to expire on March 31, 2012. 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 February 27, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2008-0719, by one of the following methods:
    http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the online instructions 
for submitting comments.
     Email: ow-docket@epa.gov (Identify Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OW-2008-0719 in the subject line)
     Mail: Water Docket, Environmental Protection Agency, 
Mailcode: 4203M, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20004. 
Please include a total of three copies.
     Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, EPA West, Room 3334, 
1301 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460. Such deliveries are 
only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation, and 
special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed 
information.
    Instructions: Direct your comments identified by the Docket ID No. 
EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0719. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be 
included in the public docket without change and may be made available 
online at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal 
information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed 
to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information 
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information 
that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through http://www.regulations.gov or email. The http://www.regulations.gov Web site 
is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means EPA will not know your 
identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of 
your comment. If you send an email comment directly to EPA without 
going through http://www.regulations.gov, your email address will be 
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is 
placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you 
submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name 
and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any 
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to 
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA 
may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid 
the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of 
any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA's public 
docket, visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amelia Letnes, State and Regional 
Branch, Water Permits Division, OWM Mail Code: 4203M, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone number: (202) 564-5627; email address: letnes.amelia@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

How can I access the docket and/or submit comments?

    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0719, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Water Docket in 
the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution 
Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 8 
a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The 
telephone number for the Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the 
telephone number for the Water Docket is (202) 566-2426.
    Use http://www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft 
collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those 
documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Once 
in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the docket ID number 
identified in this document.

What information is EPA particularly interested in?

    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically 
solicits 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,

[[Page 81489]]

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. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from 
very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of 
specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork 
burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.

What should I consider when I prepare my comments for EPA?

    You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your 
comments:
    1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific 
examples.
    2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
    3. Provide copies of technical information/data you used that 
support your views.
    4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you 
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
    5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
    6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified 
under DATES.
    7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket 
ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page 
of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal 
Register citation.

What information collection activity or ICR does this apply to?

    Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
most facilities required to have NPDES permit coverage, including but 
not limited to publicly owned treatment works (POTWs), privately owned 
treatment works (PrOTWs), manufacturing and commercial dischargers, 
mining operation, stormwater dischargers, and vessels.
    Title: National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) 
Program (Renewal).
    ICR Number: EPA ICR No. 0229.20, OMB Control No. 2040-0004.
    ICR Status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on March 31, 
2012. An Agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not 
required to respond to, a collection of information, unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's 
regulations in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal 
Register when approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed 
either by publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate 
means, such as on the related collection instrument or form, if 
applicable. The display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA 
regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    Abstract: This consolidated ICR calculates the burden and costs 
associated with the NPDES program, identifies the types of activities 
regulated under the NPDES program, describes the roles and 
responsibilities of state governments and the Agency, and presents the 
program areas that address the various types of regulated activities. 
It is an update of the 2008 Information Collection Request for the 
NPDES Program (OMB Control Number: 2040-0004; EPA ICR Number: 0229.19) 
that consolidated the burden and costs associated with activities 
previously reported in nine of the 15 NPDES program or NPDES-related 
ICRs administered by EPA's Water Permits Division.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 4.3 
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 which have subsequently changed; 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.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 398,340 (397,703 facilities and 
637 States/Tribes/Territories).
    Frequency of Response: Once, every five years, annually, semi-
annually, quarterly, bimonthly, monthly, biweekly, weekly, daily, 
ongoing, occasionally/as needed.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 21,324,741 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $1,014,324,384 includes $211,074 
annualized capital costs and $18,551,848 annualized O&M costs.
    Change in Burden: The current burden approved by OMB for the ICRs 
being consolidated is 30,943,308 hours. This consolidated ICR estimates 
a total burden that is 9,618,566 hours less than the currently approved 
burden. This decrease in burden corresponds to 31 percent of the 
overall burden. The main reasons for the change in burden is that EPA 
generated a new estimate of construction sites based on data collected 
for the development of the final Construction Effluent Limitation 
Guidelines. The Agency revised its estimate of the number of large and 
small construction sites covered by this ICR downward from 243,076 to 
84,472 sites annually. The impact of this change in the number of 
construction sites is a decrease of 8,051,315 hours.
    Some other specific reasons for burdens changes are presented 
below:
     EPA's continuous effort to improve the quality of data in 
its electronic systems. This change could reflect more accurate data 
rather than a significant change in the number of permits actually 
administered. This change is particularly important for activities 
related to general permittees because in previous ICRs, EPA based the 
calculation on best professional estimates; whereas, for this ICR, the 
Agency has inventory numbers from its electronic data systems.
     All combined sewer overflow (CSO) permits or enforcement 
orders have fulfilled the obligation of Phase I technology-based CSO 
control requirements (Nine Minimum Controls)
     Previously, EPA accounted for 6 hours per concentrated 
aquatic agriculture production (CAAP) facilities to submit Form 2b and 
0.5 hours per application per state to process and review the form. 
This burden from CAAP facilities and states has been transferred to the 
Animal Sectors ICR (OMB Control No. 2040-0250).
     In the previous ICR, EPA accounted for the state burden of 
24 hours per pretreatment compliance inspection, but this burden has 
been transferred to the Pretreatment ICR (OMB Control No. 2040-0009).

What is the next step in the process for this ICR?

    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 pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will 
issue another Federal Register notice

[[Page 81490]]

pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the 
ICR to OMB and the opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If 
you have any questions about this ICR or the approval process, please 
contact the technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT.

    Dated: December 19, 2011.
Randolph L. Hill,
Acting Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 2011-33270 Filed 12-27-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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