Document ID: EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0424-0001
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; State Water Quality Program Management Resource Analysis
Posted Date: 2011-07-27T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 144 (Wednesday, July 27, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44904-44906]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-18867]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0424; FRL-9443-7]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; State Water Quality Program Management Resource 
Analysis; EPA ICR No. 2433.01

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 EPA is planning to 
submit a request for a new Information Collection Request (ICR) to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 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 September 26, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2011-0424, by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: ow-docket@epa.gov (Identify Docket ID number EPA-
HQ-OW-2011-0424, in the subject line.)
     Fax: 202-501-2346.
     Mail: Water Docket, Environmental Protection Agency, 
Mailcode: 4203M, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460]. 
``Please include a total of three copies.''
     Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, EPA West, Room 3334, 
1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. 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 to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2011-
0424. 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 e-mail. The 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 e-mail comment directly to EPA without 
going through http://www.regulations.gov your e-mail 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: Kit Farber, Planning, Information, and 
Resource Management Staff, Office of Wastewater Management, Mail Code 
4201M, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-564-0601; fax number: 202-
501-2346; e-mail address: farber.kit@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-2011-0424, 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 
8:30 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 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.

[[Page 44905]]

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, 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 any technical information and/or 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 
state governments. Major respondents are state governments.
    Title: State Water Quality Program Management Resource Analysis.
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2433.01, OMB Control No. 2040-NEW.
    ICR status: This ICR is for a new information collection activity. 
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: EPA, in partnership with states, is conducting the State 
Water Quality Program Management Resource Analysis to enumerate current 
and future expenditures and resources for the administration and 
management of state water quality programs, and to quantify the 
resource needs for the administration and management of state water 
quality programs to implement the Clean Water Act (CWA). This effort 
builds on an expenditure and resource needs data collection effort 
conducted by EPA in collaboration with the states in 1998 and 2000.
    EPA requires this information to comprehend resource expenditures 
and needs for the administration and management of the water quality 
programs under 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq. This effort, supported by EPA and 
the states, is necessary to develop strategies for better managing 
state water quality programs that implement the CWA, thus ensuring the 
long-term sustainability, efficiency, and effectiveness of these 
programs. This effort also helps states and EPA to effectively target 
resources to meet EPA's FY 2011-2015 strategic goals of protecting the 
nation's waters and enforcing environmental laws.
    This is a one-time collection effort by the Office of Wastewater 
Management and responses to this ICR are voluntary. The data collection 
will facilitate creation of a detailed activity-based workload model to 
serve as a long-term budgeting, program management, and progress 
tracking tool for the states and EPA to use in the future.
    This information will be collected by EPA and made available to the 
states and to the public in accordance with the requirements of the 
Freedom of Information Act.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 63 
hours per response. Approximately 20 states are expected to respond to 
this one-time information collection request, for a total estimated 
annual burden of 1,252 hours and a total estimated cost of $49,740. The 
total estimated burden for this information collection activity, 
including the Agency, is 1,731 hours nationally; the estimated total 
cost is $86,518. 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.
    The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate, 
which is only briefly summarized here:
    Estimated total number of potential state respondents: 20.
    Frequency of response: One time.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 1.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 1,731 hours.
    Estimated total annual costs: $86,518. This estimate includes 
annual labor costs only, since no capital or operation and maintenance 
costs are associated with this ICR.

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 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.

[[Page 44906]]

    Dated: July 19, 2011.
James A. Hanlon,
Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 2011-18867 Filed 7-26-11; 8:45 am]
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