20182 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 78 /Thursday, April 23, 1998 / Notices

under LG&E’s Open Access

Transmission Tariff.

Comment date: May 1, 1998, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph E

at the end of this notice.

Standard Paragraph

E. Any person desiring to be heard or

to protest said filing should file a

motion to intervene or protest with the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,

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

20426, in accordance with Rules 211

and 214 of the Commission’s Rules of

Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211

and 18 CFR 385.214). All such motions

or protests should be filed on or before

the comment date. Protests will be

considered by the Commission in

determining the appropriate action to be

taken, but will not serve to make

protestants parties to the proceeding.

Any person wishing to become a party

must file a motion to intervene. Copies

of these filings are on file with the

Commission and are available for public

inspection.

David P. Boergers,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98–10824 Filed 4–22–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P ′

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–6001–9]

Agency Information Collection

Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request; Application for

NPDES Discharge Permit and the

Sewage Sludge Management Permit

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 EPA is planning to submit the

following continuing Information

Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB):

Application for National Pollutant

Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

Discharge Permit and the Sewage

Sludge Management Permit ICR

(Applications ICR), EPA ICR No.

0226.13, OMB Control No. 2040–0086,

expires August 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 22, 1998.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the ICR will be

available at the Water Docket (W–98–

12), Mail Code-4101, U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, 401

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

20460. Copies of the ICR can be

obtained free of charge by writing to this

address. All public comments shall be

submitted to: ATTN: NPDES

Applications ICR Renewal Comment

Clerk, W–98–12, Water Docket MC–

4101, U.S. EPA, 401 M Street SW,

Washington, DC 20460.

Please submit the original and three

copies of your comments and enclosures

(including references). 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–98–12. 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

ICR revision has been established under

docket number W–98–12, 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, Room M2616, Washington, DC

20460. For access to the docket

materials, please call (202) 260–3027 to

schedule an appointment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Angela Lee, Phone: (202)260–6814, Fax:

(202) 260–9544, E-mail:

Lee.Angela@EPAmail.EPA.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Affected entities: Publicly owned

treatment works (POTWs), privately

owned treatment works, new and

existing manufacturing and commercial

dischargers, storm water dischargers,

treatment works treating domestic

sewage (TWTDS), and other entities that

apply for NPDES permits.

Title: Application for NPDES

Discharge Permit and the Sewage

Sludge Management Permit (EPA ICR

No. 0226.13, OMB Control No. 2040–

0086, expiring 8/31/98).

Abstract: This ICR calculates the

burden and costs associated with permit

applications for NPDES discharges and

sewage sludge management activities.

EPA uses the data contained in

applications and supplemental

information requests to set appropriate

permit conditions, issue permits, and

assess permit compliance. EPA

maintains national applications

information in databases, which assist

permit writers in determining permit

conditions. For most permits, EPA has

developed standard application forms.

In some cases, such as requests for

additional information and storm water

applications from municipal separate

sewer systems, standard forms do not

exist because standard forms are not

appropriate for the information

collected or because they have not been

developed. Application forms

correspond to the different types of

applicants, each form requesting

information necessary for issuing

permits to the associated applicants.

Applicants include POTWs, privately

owned treatment works, new and

existing manufacturing and commercial

dischargers, storm water dischargers,

TWTDS, and others. Depending on the

application form they are using,

applicants may be required to supply

information about their facilities,

discharges, treatment systems, sewage

sludge use and disposal practices,

pollutant sampling data, or other

relevant information. Section 308 of the

Clean Water Act authorized EPA to

request from dischargers any

information that may be reasonably

required to carry out the objectives and

provisions of the Act. Under this

authority, EPA sometimes requests

information supplemental to that

contained in permit applications. In its

burden and cost calculations, this ICR

includes requests for information

supplemental to permit applications.

Other parts of the Clean Water Act and

federal regulations authorize EPA to

collect information that supplements

permit applications, such as section

403(c). This ICR calculates the burden

and costs for all information collection

activities associated with applications

for permits. Application information is

necessary to obtain an NPDES or sewage

sludge permit. Information provided can

be accessed by the public through a

Freedom of Information Act request. 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.
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 78 /Thursday, April 23, 1998 / Notices 20183

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 total

respondent burden nation-wide for the

Application for National Pollutant

Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

Discharge Permit and the Sewage

Sludge Management Permit ICR is

612,732 burden hours and a cost of

$38,414,978 (including State

government burden). This total cost

includes contracting costs of

$17,720,000 for biological testing.

Tables 1 and 2 detail the respondent

and government costs for each of the

applications included in this ICR.

TABLE 1.—ESTIMATED ANNUAL RESPONDENT BURDEN

Form/request Number of

respondents

Burden hours

per form Total hours Respondentlabor rate

Total Respondent cost

($)

Standard Form A .................................................................. 802 15 12,030 $26.13 $314,344

Short Form A ........................................................................ 3,483 1 3,483 26.13 91,011

Biological Testing:

Major Municipalities ....................................................... 802 20 16,040 26.13 419,125

Minor Municipalities ....................................................... 84 20 1,680 26.13 43,898

Contractor Costs ............................................................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ 17,720.000

Section 308 Requests (Municipalities) Major Municipalities:

Routine .......................................................................... 610 5 3,050 ........................ ........................

Medium .......................................................................... 107 50 5,350 ........................ ........................

Complex ......................................................................... 54 1,000 54,000 ........................ ........................

Totals ............................................................................. 771 ........................ 62,400 26.13 1,630,512

Contractor Costs ............................................................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ 48,600

Minor Municipalities:

Routine .......................................................................... 519 5 2,595 26.13 67,807

Interim Sewage Sludge Permit:

Municipalities ................................................................. 3,623 8 30,433 26.13 795,220

Privately Owned Treatment Works ............................... 27 8 227 43.67 9,904

Form 1:

New Facilities ................................................................ 5,167 3 15,501 43.67 676,929

Existing Facilities ........................................................... 10,203 1 10,203 43.67 445,565

Form 2b ................................................................................ 990 6 5,940 43.67 259,400

Form 2c ................................................................................. 5,989 33 197,637 43.67 8,630,808

Form 2d:

Major New Facilities ...................................................... 40 46 1,840 43.67 80,353

Minor New Facilities ...................................................... 322 32 10,304 43.67 449,976

Section 308 Requests (Non-municipal) Majors:

Routine .......................................................................... 219 5 1,095 43.67 47,819

Medium .......................................................................... 27 50 1,350 43.67 58,955

Minors:

Routine .......................................................................... 483 5 2,415 43.67 105,463

Form 2e:

New Facilities ................................................................ 138 14 1,932 43.67 84,370

Existing Facilities ........................................................... 3,225 14 45,150 43.67 1,971,701

Form 2f ................................................................................. 66 29 1,888 43.67 82,431

Alaskan Lands MS4s ............................................................ 3 30 90 43.67 3,930

Large .............................................................................. 4 4,432 17,730 26.13 463,274

Medium .......................................................................... 7 2,813 19,690 26.13 514,508

Notice of Intent (NOI):

NOI for Storm Water (SW) General Permit .................. 5,288 1 5,288 43.67 230,927

NOI for SW discharges to MS4s ................................... 11,053 1.5 16,580 43.67 724,027

NOI for general permits other than SW ........................ 4,217 1 4,217 43.67 184,156

Petition for Individiaul Permit ................................................ 24 40 960 26.13 25,085

Permit Consolidation ............................................................. 100 2 200 43.67 8,734

Notice of Construction .......................................................... 3 1 3 43.67 131

Ocean Discharge Recordkeeping ......................................... 30 778 23,340 43.67 1,019,258

Existing Facilities (Municipal) ........................................ 4,284 1 4,284 26.13 111,941

Existing Facilities (Non-Municipal) ................................ 10,203 1 10,203 43.67 445,565

Major New Facilities ...................................................... 40 5 200 43.67 8,734

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems ................... 11 5 55 26.13 1,437

Minor New Facilities & Individual SW Permits .............. 520 1.5 780 43.67 34,063

Sludge Only Facilities (municipals) ............................... 390 1.5 585 26.13 15,286

Sludge Only Facilities (non-municipals) ........................ 40 1.5 60 43.67 2,820

Totals ...................................................................... 58,480 ........................ 574,640 ........................ 37,208,220
20184 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 78 /Thursday, April 23, 1998 / Notices

TABLE 2.—ESTIMATED ANNUAL GOVERNMENT BURDEN

Form/request

Number reviewed by

State

Number reviewed by

Federal

Review time

(hours)

State burden hoursState cost

($)

Federal burden hoursFederal cost

($)

Standard Form A ....................................... 661 141 0.5 331 $10,530 70.5 $2,233

Short Form A ............................................. 3,040 443 0.5 1,520 48,427 221.5 7,017

Section 308 Requests (Municipalities)

Major Municipalities:

Routine ............................................... 503 107 1.0 503 16,026 107.0 3,390

Medium .............................................. 88 19 10.0 880 28,037 190.0 6,019

Complex ............................................. 45 9 20.0 900 28,674 180.0 5,702

Minor Municipalities:

Routine ............................................... 453 66 1.0 453 14,443 66.0 2,091

Interim Sewage Sludge Permit:

Municipalities ...................................... 2,971 652 3.0 8,913 283,968 1,956.0 61,966

Privately Owned Treatment Works .... 22 5 2.0 44 1,402 10.0 317

Form 1:

New Facilities ..................................... 4,547 620 0.5 2,274 72,434 310.0 9,821

Existing Facilities ............................... 8,979 1,224 0.5 4,490 143,035 612.0 19,388

Form 2b ..................................................... 792 198 0.5 396 12,617 99.0 3,136

Form 2c ..................................................... 5,836 796 2.0 11,672 371,870 1,592.0 50,435

Form 2d:

Major New Facilities ........................... .................... 40 0.5 0 .................... 20.0 634

Minor New Facilities ........................... .................... 322 0.5 0 .................... 161.0 5,100

Section 308 Requests (Non-municipal)

Majors:

Routine ............................................... 192 27 1.0 192 6,117 27.0 855

Medium .............................................. 22 5 10.0 220 7,009 50.0 1,584

Minors:

Routine.

Form 2e:

New Facilities ..................................... 121 17 0.5 61 1,928 8.5 269

Existing Facilities ............................... 3,143 428 0.5 1,572 50,068 214.0 6,780

Form 2f ...................................................... 53 13 2.2 117 3,715 28.6 906

Alaskan Lands MS4s ................................ 0 3 0.6 0 .................... 1.8 57

Large .................................................. 3 1 60.0 180 5,735 60.0 1,901

Medium .............................................. 5 2 40.0 200 6,372 80.0 2,534

Notice of Intent (NOI) NOI for Storm

Water (SW) General:

Permit—MSGP ................................... 0 5,288 0.5 0 0 2,644.0 83,762

NOI for SW discharges to MS4s ....... 7,050 2,163 0.3 2,115 67,384 649.0 ....................

NOI for general permits other than

SW .................................................. 3,458 759 0.3 865 27,543 189.8 6,011

Petition for Individual Permit ..................... 20 4 8.0 160 5,098 32.0 1,014

Permit Consolidation ................................. 81 19 0.5 41 1,290 9.5 301

Notice of Construction ............................... 0 3 0.6 0 .................... 1.8 57

Ocean Discharge ...................................... 24 6 88.0 2,112 67,288 528.0 16,727

Totals ................................................. .................... .................... .................... 38,092.10 1,206,758 6,825.95 216,246.10

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 16, 1998.

Michael B. Cook,

Director, Office of Wastewater Management.

[FR Doc. 98–10858 Filed 4–22–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–6002–1]

Request for Proposals for Small Public

Water Systems Technology Assistance

Centers

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection

Agency is soliciting proposals from

institutions of higher learning interested

in establishing a Small Public Water

Systems Technology Assistance Center

(SPWSTAC). Section 1420(f) of the Safe

Drinking Water Act (SDWA) as

amended authorizes the Agency to make

grants to institutions of higher learning

to establish and operate such centers.

The responsibilities of the centers will

include the conduct of training and

technical assistance relating to the

information, performance, and technical

needs of small public water systems or

public water systems that serve Indian

Tribes. The Environmental Protection

Agency’s fiscal year 1998 appropriation

provides $2 million for establishment of

five SPWSTAC’s. This document