[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 9, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15801-15802]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-8816]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5456-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Information Collection Request for the National 
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)/Compliance Assessment 
Information

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this notice announces that EPA is planning to submit the 
following continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB): National Pollutant Discharge 
Elimination System (NPDES/Compliance Assessment Information, OMB 
Control Number 2040-0110; expiration date, September 30, 1996. 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 10, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons may obtain a copy of the ICR without 
charge from U.S.E.P.A., Office of Wastewater Management, Permits 
Division (4203), 401 M. St., S.W., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shirley Dorrington, (202) 260-6961; 
Facsimile Number, (202) 260-9544; Email Number, 
[email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
those which are issued NPDES discharge permits for the discharge of 
domestic wastewater, industrial wastewater, and storm water, and for 
the use and disposal of sewage sludge.
    Title: Agency information collection activities: Proposed 
collection; comment request; Information Collection Request for the 
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)/Compliance 
Assessment Information; OMB Control Number 2040-0110; expiration date, 
September 31, 1996.
    Abstract: Pollutant discharge limits in a NPDES permit are designed 
to be protective of the environment and the public. Permitting 
authorities must assess whether the permittee is complying with these 
discharge limits on a consistent basis. Compliance is assessed by 
reviewing records, compliance schedule reports, and noncompliance 
reports for a bypass, upset, or maximum daily violation. Permittees 
must maintain such records, meet compliance schedules, and submit 
reported violations as mandated in 40 CFR Parts 122 and 501. The 
information that is collected can lead the permitting authority to 
follow through with informal discussions with the permittee (telephone 
and/or letters), permit modification, or enforcement action.
    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.
    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

[[Page 15802]]
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 information collection for compliance 
assessment and certification activities will involve an estimated 
23,673 respondents and 205,896 record keepers. The annual costs to 
respondents and record keepers is estimated to be $19,883,261. The 
total annual cost to both respondents, record keepers, and government 
(excluding Federal government) is estimated to be $20,556,817. There 
will be approximately 27,859 annual responses submitted by the 23,673 
respondents resulting in 1.177 responses per year. The time required 
for a response ranges from 15 minutes to 41 hours, with an average 
response time of 2.36 hours per response. The average annual record 
keeping burden per record keeper is estimated to be 3.17 hours. The 
compliance assessment and certification activities will entail an 
annual burden of 652,873 hours of record keeping and 65,712 hours of 
reporting for a total of 718,585 burden hours. These activities will 
also entail 23,395 burden hours for State governments as users of data.
    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: March 29, 1996.
Alfred Lindsey,
Acting Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 96-8816 Filed 4-8-96; 8:45 am]
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