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[Federal Register: January 26, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 16)]
[Notices]               
[Page 4064-4066]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26ja10-52]                         

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0369; FRL-9107-1]

 
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; National Estuary Program 
(Renewal); EPA ICR No. 1500.07, OMB Control No. 2040-0138

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)(44 U.S.C. 
3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection 
Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing 
approved collection. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the 
nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before February 25, 
2010.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2006-0369, to (1) EPA online using

[[Page 4065]]

www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by e-mail to ow-docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Water Docket (Mail Code: 28221T), 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB by mail to: Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nell Orscheln, Oceans and Coastal 
Protection Division, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, Mail 
Code 4504T, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 566-2102; fax 
number: (202) 566-1336; e-mail address: Orscheln.nell@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB 
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 
1320.12. On October 8, 2009 (74 FR 51849), EPA sought comments on this 
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. Any 
additional comments on this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB 
within 30 days of this notice.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0369, which is available for online viewing at 
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 
8:30 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 EPA's electronic docket and comment system at 
www.regulations.gov, to submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those 
documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the 
system, select ``docket search,'' then key in the docket ID number 
identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public 
comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made 
available for public viewing at www.regulations.gov as EPA receives 
them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted 
material, confidential business information (CBI), or other information 
whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. For further 
information about the electronic docket, go to www.regulations.gov.
    Title: National Estuary Program (Renewal).
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1500.07, OMB Control No. 2040-0138.
    ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on January 31, 2010. 
Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor 
the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. 
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:
    Annual Workplans: The National Estuary Program (NEP) involves 
collecting information from the state or local agency or 
nongovernmental organizations that receive funds under Sec. 320 of the 
Clean Water Act (CWA). The regulation requiring this information is 
found at 40 CFR Part 35. Prospective grant recipients seek funding to 
develop or oversee and coordinate implementation of Comprehensive 
Conservation Management Plans (CCMPs) for estuaries of national 
significance. In order to receive funds, grantees must submit an annual 
workplan to EPA. The workplan consists of two parts: (a) Progress on 
projects funded previously; and (b) new projects proposed with dollar 
amounts and completion dates. The workplan is reviewed by EPA and also 
serves as the scope of work for the grant agreement. EPA also uses 
these workplans to track performance of each of the 28 estuary programs 
currently in the NEP.
    Program Evaluations: EPA provides funding to NEPs to support long-
term implementation of CCMPs if such programs pass a program evaluation 
process. The primary purpose of the program evaluation process is to 
help EPA determine whether the 28 programs included in the National 
Estuary Program (NEP) are making adequate progress implementing their 
CCMPs and therefore merit continued funding under Sec. 320 of the Clean 
Water Act. Continued funding for each NEP under Sec. 320 of the CWA is 
contingent upon Congress appropriating sufficient funds to the EPA for 
the purpose of implementing the NEP. The program evaluation process 
also is useful for highlighting environmental results; highlighting 
strengths and challenges in program management; demonstrating continued 
stakeholder commitment; assessing the progress of the NEP as a national 
program; and transferring lessons learned within EPA, among NEPs, and 
with other watershed programs. For this ICR cycle, program evaluations 
will be required for nine programs in FY2010, nine programs in FY2011, 
and ten programs in 2012.
    Government Performance Results Act: EPA requests that each of the 
28 NEPs receiving Sec. 320 funds report information that can be used in 
the GPRA reporting process. This reporting is done on an annual basis 
and is used to show environmental results that are being achieved 
within the overall NEP Program. This information is ultimately 
submitted to Congress along with GPRA information from other EPA 
programs.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 100 
hours per response for annual workplans, 250 hours per response for 
program evaluations, and 25 hours per response for GPRA reporting. 
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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: States with National Estuary 
Programs.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 28.
    Frequency of Response: Annual.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 5,833.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $241,558, this includes no annualized 
capital or O&M costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is no change in the total estimated 
burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR 
Burdens.

    Dated: January 20, 2010.

[[Page 4066]]


John Moses,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2010-1469 Filed 1-25-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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