19248 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 74 / Friday, April 17, 1998 / Notices

box 770000, Mail Code N11C, San

Francisco, CA 94177, (415) 973–4603.

i. FERC Contact: Dr. John M. Mudre,

(202) 219–1208.

j. Comment Date: June 8, 1998.

k. Description: Pacific Gas and

Electric Company (PG&E), licensee for

the Potter Valley Project (FERC No. 77)

has filed the final report on its 10-year

study of the effects of its article 38

minimum flow schedule on salmonids,

and its associated proposal for changes

to the required minimum flows at the

project. The flow proposal represents

the culmination of negotiations among

technical staff of PG&E, the California

Department of Fish and Game (CDFG),

the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and

the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Under these ‘‘Joint Recommendations’’

(JR), flows to the Eel River would be

adjusted up to three times per day in

response to changes in streamflow in

the downstream Tomki Creek. The

quantity of flow released would be

proportional to Tomki Creek flow and

would range, in normal years, from 5 to

200 cfs. During dry years, ‘‘water

conservancy’’ measures would be

implemented that could reduce releases

by up to one half, but flow would never

be less than 5 cfs. The JR also reserve

a block of 5,000 acre-feet of water

annually to maintain pre-specified flows

during protracted droughts when the

release schedule prescribes flow

reductions in response to natural

conditions.

Because the project serves as an interbasin transfer, increased minimum flow

releases to the Eel River would result in

decreases in diversions to the East Fork

Russian River. Under the JR, diversions

to the East Fork Russian River would

decrease from an estimated 8 percent in

the wettest years to 25 percent in the

driest years. From a volumetric

perspective, the annual reduction in

diversions would range from an

estimated 13,000 to 18,000 acre feet.

The JR also contain non-flow

provisions for protecting and enhancing

aquatic resources. These include: (1)

PG&E will provide $20,000 annually to

fund a scientific aide position at the Van

Arsdale Fishery Station; (2) PG&E will

fund annual chinook salmon carcass

surveys at selected sites on the Eel River

and Tomki Creek; (3) PG&E will provide

CDFG $10,000 annually for Sacramento

squawfish suppression; (4) PG&E will

provide CDFG up to $30,000 annually

for CDFG’s chinook salmon and stock

rescue program; (5) PG&E will continue

to cooperate in releasing warm water

from the spillway of Scott Dam in the

late winter/spring period to promote the

timely migration of juvenile chinook

salmon from the Eel River between Scott

and Cape Horn Dams; (6) the Tomki

Creek flow gage will be updated to

improve the precision of low flow

measurements and to allow data

telemetry for flow calculation; and (7)

Cape Horn Dam will be modified to

allow accurate regulation of the higher

minimum flows provided under the JR.

Commission staff has determined that

amendment of the minimum flow

requirements at the Potter Valley Project

could constitute a major Federal action

significantly affecting the quality of the

human environment. Therefore, staff

intends to prepare an Environmental

Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed

amendment. The EIS will also consider

reasonable alternatives to the proposed

amendment. A draft EIS will be issued

and circulated for review to those on the

mailing list for this proceeding. All

comments filed on the draft EIS will be

analyzed by Commission Staff and

considered in the Final EIS.

As part of the EIS process, we will be

conducting a series of scoping meetings

in the project vicinity. The purpose of

the scoping process is to identify the

scope of environmental issues that

should be analyzed in the EIS and to

provide us with information that may be

useful in preparing the EIS. The dates,

times, and locations of the scoping

meetings will be announced in a

subsequent public notice. We will also

accept written scoping comments from

any interested party, either prior to, or

for a limited period following, the

scoping meetings. To help focus

comments on the environmental issues,

a scoping document outlining subject

areas to be addressed in the EIS will be

sent to those on the mailing list for this

proceeding prior to the scoping

meetings. The deadline for receiving

scoping comments will be specified at

that time. Those not on the mailing list

may request a copy of the scoping

document from the project coordinator,

whose telephone number is listed

below.

Those wishing to be added to the

mailing list or to submit comments,

information, or other correspondence

pertaining to this proceeding should file

their correspondence with the

commission at the following address:

The Secretary, Federal Energy

Regulatory Commission, 888 First

Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20426.

All filings should show the following

on the first page: ‘‘Potter Valley

Project,’’ FERC No. 77–110.

For further information, please

contact the FERC Project Coordinator,

John M. Mudre, at (202) 219–1208.

1. This notice also consists of the

following standard paragraphs: B, C1,

and D2.

B. Comments, Protests, or Motions to

Intervene—Anyone may submit

comments, a protest, or a motion to

intervene in accordance with the

requirements of Rules of Practice and

Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, .211, .214.

In determining the appropriate action to

take, the Commission will consider all

protests or other comments filed, but

only those who file a motion to

intervene in accordance with the

Commission’s Rules may become a

party to the proceeding. Any comments,

protests, or motions to intervene must

be received on or before the specified

comment date for the particular

application.

C1. Filing and Service of Responsive

Documents—Any filings must bear in

all capital letters the title

‘‘COMMENTS’’,

‘‘RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TERMS

AND CONDITIONS’’, ‘‘PROTEST’’, OR

‘‘MOTION TO INTERVENE’’, as

applicable, and the Project Number of

the particular application to which the

filing refers. Any of the above-named

documents must be filed by providing

the original and the number of copies

provided by the Commission’s

regulations to: The Secretary, Federal

Energy Regulatory Commission, 888

First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.

20426. A copy of any motion to

intervene must also be served upon each

representative of the Applicant

specified in the particular application.

D2. Agency Comments—Federal,

state, and local agencies are invited to

file comments on the described

application. A copy of the application

may be obtained by agencies directly

from the Applicant. If an agency does

not file comments within the time

specified for filing comments, it will be

presumed to have no comments. One

copy of an agency’s comments must also

be sent to the Applicant’s

representatives.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98–10191 Filed 4–16–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–5998–5]

Agency Information Collection

Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request; Municipal Water

Pollution Prevention Program

Evaluation (Self-Audit)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 74 / Friday, April 17, 1998 / Notices 19249

SUMMARY: In compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.

3501 et seq.), this document announces

that EPA is planning to submit the

following continuing Information

Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB):

Municipal Water Pollution Prevention

Program Evaluation (Self-Audit), EPA

ICR Number 1728.03, OMB Control

Number 2040–0181, expires May 31,

1998. 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 June 16, 1998. All public

comments shall be submitted to: DMR

ICR Comment Clerk (W–98–17), Water

Docket MC 4101, U.S. EPA, East Tower

basement, 401 M Street, S.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20460.

Please submit the original and three

comments and enclosures (including

references). Comments must be received

or post-marked by midnight no later

than June 16, 1998. Commenters who

want EPA to acknowledge receipt of

their comments should enclose a selfaddressed stamped envelope. No

facsimiles (faxes) will be accepted.

Comments may also be submitted

electronically to: owdocket@epamail.epa.gov

Electronic comments must be

submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the

use of special characters and forms of

encryption. Electronic comments must

be identified by the docket number W–

98–17. No Confidential Business

Information (CBI) should be submitted

through e-mail. Comments and data will

also be accepted on disks in

WordPerfect 5.1 format or ASCII file

format. Electronic comments on this

notice may be filed online at many

Federal Depository Libraries. The record

for this proposed Information Collection

Request (ICR) revision has been

established under docket number W–

98–17 and includes supporting

documentation as well as printed, paper

versions of electronic comments. It does

not include any information claimed as

CBI. The record is available for

inspection from 9 am to 4 pm, Monday

through Friday, excluding legal

holidays, at the Water Docket, East

Tower basement, 401 M Street S.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20460. For access to

the docket materials, please call (202)

260–3027 to schedule an appointment.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the proposed ICR

will be available at the Water Docket

(W–98–17), Mailcode 4101,

Environmental Protection Agency, 401

M Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460.

Copies of the proposed ICR can be

obtained without charge by writing to

this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Patrick Ogbebor, 202/260–6322; fax:

202/260–9544;

ogbebor.patrick@epamail.epa.gov

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Affected entities: Entities potentially

affected by this action are wastewater

facilities.

Title: Municipal Water Pollution

Prevention Program Evaluation (SelfAudit) (OMB Control No. 2040–0181;

EPA ICR No. 1728–03) expiring 05/31/

98.

Abstract: This is a request for

clearance to collect information via selfaudit form on the operation, physical

capabilities and financial status of

Municipal Water Pollution Prevention

(MWPP) programs. EPA will collect the

information from more than nine

municipal wastewater treatment

facilities in any of the ten Regions

(currently operated in two regions) with

non-approved National Pollutant

Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

States.

Since the enactment of the Federal

Water Pollution Control Act of 1972,

more than $85 billion in federal, State

and local funds have been invested in

constructing and upgrading municipal

wastewater treatment facilities. The

1996 Needs Survey total estimates to be

$139.5 billion, to satisfy all program

categories eligible for State Revolving

Fund (SRF) funding for the design year

(2016) population, including $44.0

billion for wastewater treatment; $10.3

billion for upgrading existing

wastewater collection systems; $21.6

billion for new sewer construction; and

$44.7 billion for controlling Combined

Sewer Overflows (CSOs). The

availability of federal funds which

support the construction and upgrade of

wastewater facilities is decreasing and

EPA program managers and the States

have identified that monitoring of early

warning systems could detect potential

operating and financial problems at

wastewater treatment facilities. Early

detection and resolution of problems

help facilities to maintain compliance

and promote proper planning and

corrective actions to prevent costly

repairs and environmental degradation.

The result of the self-audit will be used

by the facilities owners and EPA to

assess the compliance needs at facilities.

The MWPP program is authorized

under section 104 of the Clean Water

Act (CWA). Section 104(b) (7) of the Act

authorizes EPA to develop effective and

practical processes, methods, and

prototype devices for prevention,

reduction, and elimination of pollution.

MWPP program will contribute to the

protection of this public investment and

will provide an early warning system of

potential problems. The information

collected will be used to assist communities to become aware of their multimedia pollution prevention efforts such

as water conservation, industrial

pretreatment practices, energy

management, beneficial use of biosolids

and management of household

hazardous wastes. EPA Regional Offices

use this information to target technical,

training and compliance assistance;

determine needs for grant assistance;

and develop operating program

priorities to better meet facility and

municipality needs. It is an improved

approved approach to managing

municipal sewage treatment facilities

which can benefit local communities,

States and federal governments. Facility

participation in the program will be at

the discretion of the EPA Regional

Office. All information collected is

available to the public. A hard copy is

available for perusal in the Regional

Office, or copies of audits may be

obtained by mail through a Freedom of

Information Act request.

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.

Burden Statement: The reporting

burden for completion of the self-audit

by each facility is estimated to be 26

hours. This estimate includes time to

receive and review the self-audit form,

gather the requested information,

complete the form, develop corrective

actions, prepare municipal resolution

and submit the completed package to

the governing body. The reporting

burden for approval of the self-audit by

each municipal governing body is

estimated to be 2.5 hours. This estimate

includes time to review and approve the
19250 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 74 / Friday, April 17, 1998 / Notices

self-audit and corrective action plan,

sign the resolution and submit the

package to the Agency. Approximately

865 facilities will be subject to this

information collection for an estimated

burden of approximately 24,653 hours.

The total estimated burden for this

information collection activity,

including the Agency, is 27,780 hours

nationally.

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.

Dated: April 8, 1998.

Michael Quigley,

Director, Municipal Support Division.

[FR Doc. 98–10222 Filed 4–16–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[OPP–00531; FRL–5780–8]

Renewal of Pesticide Information

Collection Activities; Application for

New or Amended Pesticide

Registration; Request for Comments

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)

pursuant to the procedures described in

5 CFR 1320.12: ‘‘Application for New or

Amended Pesticide Registration’’ (EPA

ICR No. 277.10; OMB No. 2070–0060).

Before submitting the following ICR to

OMB for review and reapproval, EPA is

soliciting comments on specific aspects

of and recent changes to activities

associated with the information

collection which is briefly described

below. This ICR relates to section 3 of

the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and

Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and covers the

information collection related pesticide

registration. This ICR has recently

undergone several changes that impact

the Agency’s burden estimates. 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.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on

or before June 16, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments

to: Public Information and Records

Integrity Branch, Information Resources

and Services Division (7502C), Office of

Pesticide Programs, Environmental

Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW.,

Washington, DC 20460. In person,

deliver comments to: Rm. 119 of Crystal

Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway,

Arlington, VA.

Comments and data may also be

submitted electronically to: oppdocket@epamail.epa.gov. Follow the

instructions under Unit III. of this

document. No Confidential Business

Information (CBI) should be submitted

through e-mail.

All comments which contain

information claimed as CBI must be

clearly marked as such. Three sanitized

copies of any comments containing

information claimed as CBI must also be

submitted and will be placed in the

public record for this document. The

public docket is available for public

inspection in Rm. 119 at the Virginia

address given above, from 8:30 a.m. to

4 p.m., Monday through Friday,

excluding legal holidays. Persons

submitting information any portion of

which they believe is entitled to

treatment as CBI by EPA must assert a

business confidentially claim in

accordance with 40 CFR part 2 for each

such portion. This claim must be made

at the time that the information is

submitted to EPA. If a submitter does

not assert a confidentiality claim at the

time of submission, EPA will consider

this a waiver of any confidentiality

claim and the information may be made

available to the public by EPA without

further notice to the submitter.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cameo Smoot, Field and External

Affairs Division, Mail Code (7506C),

Office of Pesticide Programs,

Environmental Protection Agency, 401

M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460,

Telephone: (703) 305–5454, e-mail:

smoot.cameo@epamail.epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Availability:

Internet

Electronic copies of this document

and the ICR are available from the EPA

Home Page at the Federal Register -

Environmental Documents entry for this

document under ‘‘Laws and

Regulations’’ (http://www.epa.gov/

fedrgstr/).

Fax-on-Demand

Using a faxphone call 202–401–0527

and select item 6052 for a copy of the

ICR.

I. Background

Affected entities: Entities potentially

affected by the activities covered by this

ICR are individuals or entities engaged

in activities related to the registration of

a pesticide product.

For the collection of information

addressed in this notice, EPA would

like to solicit comments to:

1. 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.

2. Evaluate the accuracy of the

Agency’s estimates of the burden of the

proposed collection of information,

including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used.

3. Enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected.

4. 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.

The Agency is particularly interested

in comments and information about the

burden estimates, including examples

that could be used to reflect the burdens

imposed.

II. Information Collection

EPA is seeking comments on the

following ICR, as well as the Agency’s

intention to renew the corresponding

OMB approval.

Expiration date: This ICR is currently

scheduled to expire on May 31, 1998.

However, EPA will be seeking an

extension until August 1998, in order to

provide adequate time for comments to

be received and evaluated, and any

necessary changes made to the ICR prior

to its submission to OMB.

Title: Application for New or

Amended Pesticide Registrations.

ICR numbers: EPA No. 277.10 and

OMB No. 2070-0060.

Abstract: In compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.