Document ID: EPA-HQ-OW-2015-0641-0001
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Reporting Requirements for BEACH Act Grants (Renewal)
Posted Date: 2015-10-13T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 197 (Tuesday, October 13, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 61419]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-26037]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ 20415-0641; FRL -9935-60-OW]

Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Information Collection Request for Reporting Requirements for BEACH Act 
Grants (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an 
information collection request (ICR), ``Information collection request 
for reporting requirements for BEACH act grants (renewal)'' (EPA ICR 
No. 2048.05, OMB Control No. 2040-0244) to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Before doing so, EPA is 
soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed 
information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension 
of the ICR, which is currently approved through December 31, 2015. 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.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 14, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ 
20415-0614 online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), or 
by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail 
Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tracy Bone, OW, 4305T, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone number: 202-564-5257; email address: bone.tracy@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Supporting documents which explain in detail the information that 
the EPA will be collecting are available in the public docket for this 
ICR. The docket can be viewed online at www.regulations.gov or in 
person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The telephone number for the Docket Center 
is 202-566-1744. For additional information about EPA's public docket, 
visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting 
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. 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. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice 
to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to 
submit additional comments to OMB.
    Abstract: The Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health 
(BEACH) Act amends the Clean Water Act (CWA) in part and authorizes the 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to award BEACH Act Program 
Development and Implementation Grants to coastal and Great Lakes 
states, tribes, and territories (collectively referred to as states) 
for their beach monitoring and notification programs. The grants will 
assist those states to develop and implement a consistent approach to 
monitor recreational water quality; assess, manage, and communicate 
health risks from waterborne microbial contamination; notify the public 
of pollution occurrences, and post beach advisories and closures to 
prevent public exposure to microbial pathogens. To qualify for a BEACH 
Act Grant, a state must submit information to EPA documenting that its 
beach monitoring and notification program is consistent with 11 
performance criteria outlined in the National Beach Guidance and 
Required Performance Criteria for Grants, 2014 Edition.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are environmental and public health agencies in coastal and 
Great Lakes states, territories, and tribes.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Required to obtain the grants 
as directed by the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health 
(BEACH) Act amendment to the Clean Water Act (CWA).
    Estimated number of respondents: 38.
    Frequency of response: Submitting monitoring and notification 
reports quarterly, all other reporting annual.
    Total estimated burden: 92,391 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b)
    Total estimated cost: $13,302,102 (per year), includes $9,731,280 
operation & maintenance costs. There are no capital costs.
    Changes in Estimates: There is an increase of 3,579 hours in the 
total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This increase is due to an additional respondent 
qualifying for a grant and to additional performance criteria related 
to public evaluation of programs and implementation schedules, which 
are discussed in the updated grant guidance document, National Beach 
Guidance and Required Performance Criteria for Grants, 2014 Edition.

    Dated: October 1, 2015.
Elizabeth Southerland,
Director, Office of Science and Technology.
[FR Doc. 2015-26037 Filed 10-9-15; 08:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P