[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 65 (Friday, April 4, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 16153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-8673]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5806-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Information Collection Request for Drinking 
Water State Revolving Fund Programs

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 the following Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Information Collection 
Request for Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Programs; OMB Control 
Number 2040-0185. 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 May 5, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY CALL: Sandy Farmer at EPA, (202) 260-
2740, and refer to EPA ICR No. 1803.02.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Information Collection Request for Drinking Water State 
Revolving Fund Programs (OMB Control No. 2040-0185; EPA ICR No. 
1803.02). This is a request for a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Amendments of 1996 
authorize the creation of State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) programs in each 
state and Puerto Rico to assist public water systems to finance the 
costs of infrastructure needed to achieve or maintain compliance with 
the SDWA requirements and to protect public health. SDWA authorizes the 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to award capitalization 
grants to the States and Puerto Rico which, in turn, provide low-cost 
loans and other types of assistance to eligible drinking water systems.
    The information collection activities will occur primarily at the 
program level through the Capitalization Grant Application/Intended Use 
Plan, Biennial Report, Annual Audit and Assistance Application Review.
    The State must prepare a Capitalization Grant Application that 
includes an Intended Use Plan (IUP) outlining in detail how it will use 
the program funds. The agreement is an instrument by which the State 
commits to manage its revolving fund program.
    The State must agree to complete and submit a Biennial Report on 
the uses of the fund. The report indicates how activities financed 
contribute toward meeting the goals and objectives and provides 
information on loan recipients, loan amounts, loan terms, project 
categories of eligible costs, and similar data on other forms of 
assistance.
    The State must also agree to conduct or have conducted a separate 
audit of its DWSRF. The audit report will contain an opinion on the 
financial statements of the DWSRF, a report on its internal controls, 
and a report regarding whether the compliance requirements have been 
met.
    Also, since States provide assistance to local applicants, the 
States must review completed loan applications and verify that proposed 
projects meet all applicable federal and state requirements.
    EPA will use the Capitalization Grant Application/Intended Use 
Plan, Biennial Report and Annual Audit to conduct its oversight 
responsibilities as mandated by the SDWA.
    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 Notice required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting 
comments on this collection of information was published on 12/31/96 
(FRL-5672-7); 3 comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record keeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1095 
hours per State response and 80 hours per local community 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: State, local, and tribal 
governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 714.
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 108,885 hours.
    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. 1803.02 and OMB Control No. 2040-0185 in any 
correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, OPPE Regulatory 
Information Division (2137), 401 M Street, SW, 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: March 31, 1997.
Richard T. Westlund,
Acting Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 97-8673 Filed 4-3-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P