[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 86 (Monday, May 5, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24442-24443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-11630]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5821-8]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection, 
Comment Request; National Health Protection Survey of Beaches

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that EPA is starting to develop an 
Information Collection Request (ICR) for submittal to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). EPA is soliciting comments on specific 
aspects of the proposed information collection as described below, 
before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before July 7, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Office of Water, Office of Science and Technology/Standards 
and Applied Science Division (4305), 401 M Street SW., Washington, DC 
20460. The ICR is currently under development.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Rick Hoffmann at EPA, telephone 
(202) 260-0642.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Potentially Affected Entities: The number of potentially affected 
entities is approximate since the list of survey participants is under 
development. EPA eventually intends to survey all State, County, City, 
and Tribal representatives with responsibilities for assessing the 
impact of water contaminated by microbiological pollutants on persons 
using beaches and related recreational waters.
    Title: National Health Protection Survey of Beaches.
    Abstract: Bacterial and other microbiological contaminants continue 
to pose potentially adverse human health problems for the nation's 
recreational waters, including bathing beaches. These adverse effects 
have been one of EPA's long-standing concerns and are directly related 
to such Clean Water Act responsibilities as water quality standards, 
surface water quality, and Agency efforts to ensure that the waters of 
the United States are ``fishable'' and ``swimmable.'' Recent studies 
have confirmed the health effects resulting from bathing in 
contaminated waters. Thus, water quality in bathing beach areas remains 
an important concern to EPA.
    EPA believes there is a need to improve the overall quality and 
availability of public information about beach health protection 
activities; these include, but are not limited to, water quality 
standards, monitoring and assessment activities, and beach closures. 
Many organizations share responsibility for these activities. 
Consequently, EPA will survey environmental public health officials 
from State, Tribal, County, and City agencies, as well as 
representatives from various interest groups to compile and verify this 
information. EPA will then assemble it into a format that can be 
readily analyzed and shared with responsible parties, as well as the 
public. This information collection effort will involve distributing a 
questionnaire to various agencies (e.g., State, Tribal, County, City) 
to evaluate the condition of bathing beaches at freshwater (the Great 
Lakes and others) and marine (estuarine and coastal) sites around the 
Nation. Responses to the questionnaire are required to determine 
compliance with water quality standards, assess public health risks, 
and determine what steps EPA should take next, if any. Completion of 
the questionnaire will be voluntary. 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 comments to:
    (i) evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the function 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;

[[Page 24443]]

    (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.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record keeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 2 
hours per response. 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. Respondents/Affected Entities: Estimated at 2,333 per 
year. (This burden assumes that the number of respondents will increase 
as the survey is phased in. EPA assumes total number of surveys as 
7,500: 500 surveys the first year, 3,000 surveys the second year; 4,000 
surveys the third year.)
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,333.
    Frequency of Response: One time per year.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 5,000 hours (per year). (15,000 
total hours/3 years: 1,000 hours the first year; 6,000 hours the second 
year; 8,000 hours the third year.)
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $100,000 (5,000 hours/year 
at $20/hour).
    Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the 
accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods 
for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques to the following address: Mr. Rick 
Hoffmann, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (4305), OW, Standards 
and Applied Science Division, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC 20460.

    Dated: April 25, 1997.
Tudor T. Davies,
Director, Office of Science and Technology.
[FR Doc. 97-11630 Filed 5-2-97; 8:45 am]
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