Document ID: EPA-HQ-OW-2003-0064-0022
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Application for Sustainable Water Leadership
Posted Date: 2010-02-19T05:00Z

[Federal Register: February 19, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 33)]
[Notices]               
[Page 7475-7477]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19fe10-70]                         

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2003--0064, FRL-9113-9; EPA ICR 1287.10, OMB Control Number 
2040-0101]

 
Agency Information Collection Activity; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Information Collection Request for Application for 
Sustainable Water Leadership Program

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 to update an existing approved 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 April 20, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number EPA-HQ-
OW-2003-0064, by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the online instructions 
for submitting comments.
     E-mail: ow-docket@epa.gov (Identify Docket ID number EPA-
HQ-OW-2003-0064, in the subject line)
     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 identified by the Docket ID 
number EPA-HQ-OW-2003-0064. EPA's policy is that all comments received 
will be included in the public docket without change and may be made 
available online at 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 http://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: Gregory Gwaltney, Municipal Support 
Division, Office of Wastewater Management, OWM Mail Code: 4204M, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Room 7111--EPA East, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-2340; e-
mail address: gwaltney.gregory@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

How Can I Access the Docket and/or Submit Comments?

    EPA has established a public docket for the ICR identified in this 
document (ID number EPA-HQ-OW-2003-0064), 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,

[[Page 7476]]

Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC 
Public Reading Room is open from 8 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.

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 technical information/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 
publicly or privately owned wastewater treatment plants or systems, 
community drinking water plants or systems, managed decentralized 
systems (public or private), municipally-owned stormwater systems, and 
municipalities.
    Title: Application for Sustainable Water Leadership Program 
(formerly named the Annual National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards 
Program).
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1287.10 OMB Control No. 2040-0101.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on February 
28, 2011. 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, and 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: This notice requests approval for modifications to the 
application used to collect data for EPA's National Clean Water Act 
Recognition Awards Program. The voluntary Program has been updated to 
reflect new industry practices consistent with EPA's sustainable 
infrastructure initiatives and is now called the Sustainable Water 
Leadership Program. The Sustainable Water Leadership Program maintains 
elements from the previous Clean Water Act Recognition Awards Program, 
namely, excellence in operations and maintenance, biosolids, combined 
sewer overflows, pretreatment, and storm water management, and also 
expands eligibility to community drinking water utilities and systems, 
as well as managed decentralized treatment systems (public or private). 
As described below, the development of the Sustainable Water Leadership 
Program is the latest evolution in EPA's commitment to recognize and 
award outstanding and innovative utility management practices.
    In 1985, EPA established the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) 
awards program to provide a positive incentive for compliance with the 
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Because of the 
successes of the O&M Awards program, in 1988 EPA amended the Clean 
Water Act Recognition Awards Program to include the Beneficial 
Biosolids Use awards (formerly Sludge awards). In 1989, the 
Pretreatment awards were added. In 1990, EPA established the Combined 
Sewer Overflow (CSO) and Storm Water (SW) Management awards programs 
which were also added to the Clean Water Act Recognition Awards 
Program.
    The Sustainable Water Leadership Program consists of two 
components: (1) A recognition program that recognizes applicants that 
are moving toward sustainable operations and meet specified criteria 
identified in the application, and (2) A competitive awards program to 
showcase the ``best of the best'' in a specific topic area selected in 
advance by EPA. Today's notice and request focuses on the recognition 
component, the awards component is still under development. An update 
to this ICR will be provided following finalization of the awards 
component. The recognition component requires that an applicant meet 
criteria under specific categories. One category is mandatory for all 
applicants, Effective Utility Management, and is based on the 
Attributes of Effectively Managed Systems that EPA and the water sector 
have endorsed. In addition, applicants are asked to describe activities 
in other areas of their choice including: biosolids, pretreatment, 
decentralized systems, energy management, water efficiency, climate 
change adaptation and or mitigation, and watershed approaches, 
including source water protection and storm water.
    The updated application addresses the recognition component of the 
Sustainable Water Leadership Program and provides the mechanism for the 
applicants to demonstrate how they meet the required criteria.
    This notice also requests approval to consolidate the pretreatment 
component of the recognition awards program into this ICR. Currently, 
the Pretreatment awards program is covered by ICR (OMB Control No. 
2040-0009, EPA ICR No.

[[Page 7477]]

0002.14), approved through December 31, 2011. A framework to implement 
the awards recognition program is at 40 CFR part 105.
    The respondent will read the instructions for completing the 
recognition application for the Sustainable Water Leadership Program. 
The respondent will use existing files, planning and progress reports, 
and institutional memory to complete the application. Based on the 
instructions provided with the application, the respondent will compile 
the requested information. The requested design and operating 
information should be readily available from wastewater/drinking water/
storm water treatment facility, or pollution abatement program 
operating records. The data collection may include flow, permit, 
operating and environmental data.
    The information collection will be used by the Office of Water, 
Office of Wastewater Management, to evaluate and determine if required 
criteria are met for recognition. Based on the collection, national 
panels will evaluate the applicant's efforts and recommend finalists. 
Recognized entities will receive a letter and certificate signed by the 
EPA Administrator or Assistant Administrator for Water, their utility 
name on EPA and outside organization Web sites, and announcements of 
their recognition at national conferences. EPA Regions may also opt to 
hold Regional ceremonies.
    Burden Statement: The total number of respondents for the 
recognition program is estimated to be 2,036 (includes 530 respondents 
in Year 1 of the Program and 1,507 in Year 3) with a total annual 
average of 679. The responses are collected every other year. The 
respondents reporting burden of 20 person hours per response is 
estimated to be 40,723 hours and a cost of $1.8 million. Total 
estimated annual burden for this collection is 13,574 hours and 
$614,919 (all labor cost). For additional details on the estimated 
burden, please see docket ID number EPA-HQ-OW-2003-0064. Burden means 
the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to 
generate, maintain, or disclose or provide information to or for a 
Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review instructions; 
develop, acquire, install, and use 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 information. The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the 
Agency's estimate, which is only briefly summarized here:
    Estimated total number of potential respondents: 679.
    Frequency of response: Biennial
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 1.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 13,574 hours.
    Estimated total annual costs: $614,919. This includes an estimated 
burden cost of $614,919 and an estimated cost of $0 for capital 
investment or maintenance and operational costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 12,414 hours in 
the total estimated respondent burden compared with that identified in 
the ICR currently approved by OMB. This change is primarily the result 
of (1) changes and adjustments in the number and types of applicants 
eligible for recognition under the Sustainable Water Leadership 
Program. The new Sustainable Water Leadership Program expands the 
universe of eligible entities to include community drinking water 
utilities and systems, as well as managed decentralized treatment 
systems (public or private). (2) EPA updated the estimated time spent 
by respondents to complete the revised Recognition Application for 
Sustainable Water Leadership Program to 20 hours per respondent. (3) 
The ICR now includes the applicant respondent burden consolidated from 
the Pretreatment ICR (OMB Control No. 2040-0009, EPA ICR No. 0002.14), 
which was previous included in only the Pretreatment ICR and not 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.

    Dated: February 4, 2010.
James A. Hanlon,
Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 2010-3254 Filed 2-18-10; 8:45 am]
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