[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 78 (Thursday, April 23, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20182-20184]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-10858]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6001-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Application for NPDES Discharge Permit and the Sewage 
Sludge Management Permit

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 document announces that EPA is planning to submit the 
following continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB): Application for National Pollutant 
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Discharge Permit and the Sewage 
Sludge Management Permit ICR (Applications ICR), EPA ICR No. 0226.13, 
OMB Control No. 2040-0086, expires August 31, 1998. 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 22, 1998.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the ICR will be available at the Water Docket (W-
98-12), Mail Code-4101, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M. 
Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460. Copies of the ICR can be obtained 
free of charge by writing to this address. All public comments shall be 
submitted to: ATTN: NPDES Applications ICR Renewal Comment Clerk, W-98-
12, Water Docket MC-4101, U.S. EPA, 401 M Street SW, Washington, DC 
20460.
    Please submit the original and three copies of your comments and 
enclosures (including references). Commenters who want EPA to 
acknowledge receipt of their comments should enclose a self-addressed 
stamped envelope. No facsimiles (faxes) will be accepted. Comments may 
also be submitted electronically to: [email protected] 
Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use 
of special characters and forms of encryption. Electronic comments must 
be identified by the docket number W-98-12. No Confidential Business 
Information (CBI) should be submitted through e-mail. Comments and data 
will also be accepted on disks in WordPerfect 5.1 format or ASCII file 
format. Electronic comments on this notice may be filed online at many 
Federal Depository Libraries. The record for this proposed ICR revision 
has been established under docket number W-98-12, and includes 
supporting documentation as well as printed, paper versions of 
electronic comments. It does not include any information claimed as 
CBI. The record is available for inspection from 9 am to 4 pm, Monday 
through Friday, excluding legal holidays, at the Water Docket, Room 
M2616, Washington, DC 20460. For access to the docket materials, please 
call (202) 260-3027 to schedule an appointment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angela Lee, Phone: (202)260-6814, Fax: 
(202) 260-9544, E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Affected entities: Publicly owned treatment works (POTWs), 
privately owned treatment works, new and existing manufacturing and 
commercial dischargers, storm water dischargers, treatment works 
treating domestic sewage (TWTDS), and other entities that apply for 
NPDES permits.
    Title: Application for NPDES Discharge Permit and the Sewage Sludge 
Management Permit (EPA ICR No. 0226.13, OMB Control No. 2040-0086, 
expiring 8/31/98).
    Abstract: This ICR calculates the burden and costs associated with 
permit applications for NPDES discharges and sewage sludge management 
activities. EPA uses the data contained in applications and 
supplemental information requests to set appropriate permit conditions, 
issue permits, and assess permit compliance. EPA maintains national 
applications information in databases, which assist permit writers in 
determining permit conditions. For most permits, EPA has developed 
standard application forms. In some cases, such as requests for 
additional information and storm water applications from municipal 
separate sewer systems, standard forms do not exist because standard 
forms are not appropriate for the information collected or because they 
have not been developed. Application forms correspond to the different 
types of applicants, each form requesting information necessary for 
issuing permits to the associated applicants. Applicants include POTWs, 
privately owned treatment works, new and existing manufacturing and 
commercial dischargers, storm water dischargers, TWTDS, and others. 
Depending on the application form they are using, applicants may be 
required to supply information about their facilities, discharges, 
treatment systems, sewage sludge use and disposal practices, pollutant 
sampling data, or other relevant information. Section 308 of the Clean 
Water Act authorized EPA to request from dischargers any information 
that may be reasonably required to carry out the objectives and 
provisions of the Act. Under this authority, EPA sometimes requests 
information supplemental to that contained in permit applications. In 
its burden and cost calculations, this ICR includes requests for 
information supplemental to permit applications. Other parts of the 
Clean Water Act and federal regulations authorize EPA to collect 
information that supplements permit applications, such as section 
403(c). This ICR calculates the burden and costs for all information 
collection activities associated with applications for permits. 
Application information is necessary to obtain an NPDES or sewage 
sludge permit. Information provided can be accessed by the public 
through a Freedom of Information Act request. 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.

[[Page 20183]]

    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 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 total respondent burden nation-wide for the 
Application for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) 
Discharge Permit and the Sewage Sludge Management Permit ICR is 612,732 
burden hours and a cost of $38,414,978 (including State government 
burden). This total cost includes contracting costs of $17,720,000 for 
biological testing. Tables 1 and 2 detail the respondent and government 
costs for each of the applications included in this ICR.

                                  Table 1.--Estimated Annual Respondent Burden                                  
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                                                                                                       Total    
          Form/request               Number of     Burden hours     Total hours     Respondent      Respondent  
                                    respondents      per form                       labor rate       cost ($)   
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Standard Form A.................             802              15          12,030          $26.13        $314,344
Short Form A....................           3,483               1           3,483           26.13          91,011
Biological Testing:                                                                                             
    Major Municipalities........             802              20          16,040           26.13         419,125
    Minor Municipalities........              84              20           1,680           26.13          43,898
    Contractor Costs............  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............      17,720.000
Section 308 Requests                                                                                            
 (Municipalities) Major                                                                                         
 Municipalities:                                                                                                
    Routine.....................             610               5           3,050  ..............  ..............
    Medium......................             107              50           5,350  ..............  ..............
    Complex.....................              54           1,000          54,000  ..............  ..............
    Totals......................             771  ..............          62,400           26.13       1,630,512
    Contractor Costs............  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............          48,600
Minor Municipalities:                                                                                           
    Routine.....................             519               5           2,595           26.13          67,807
Interim Sewage Sludge Permit:                                                                                   
    Municipalities..............           3,623               8          30,433           26.13         795,220
    Privately Owned Treatment                                                                                   
     Works......................              27               8             227           43.67           9,904
Form 1:                                                                                                         
    New Facilities..............           5,167               3          15,501           43.67         676,929
    Existing Facilities.........          10,203               1          10,203           43.67         445,565
Form 2b.........................             990               6           5,940           43.67         259,400
Form 2c.........................           5,989              33         197,637           43.67       8,630,808
Form 2d:                                                                                                        
    Major New Facilities........              40              46           1,840           43.67          80,353
    Minor New Facilities........             322              32          10,304           43.67         449,976
Section 308 Requests (Non-                                                                                      
 municipal) Majors:                                                                                             
    Routine.....................             219               5           1,095           43.67          47,819
    Medium......................              27              50           1,350           43.67          58,955
Minors:                                                                                                         
    Routine.....................             483               5           2,415           43.67         105,463
Form 2e:                                                                                                        
    New Facilities..............             138              14           1,932           43.67          84,370
    Existing Facilities.........           3,225              14          45,150           43.67       1,971,701
Form 2f.........................              66              29           1,888           43.67          82,431
Alaskan Lands MS4s..............               3              30              90           43.67           3,930
    Large.......................               4           4,432          17,730           26.13         463,274
    Medium......................               7           2,813          19,690           26.13         514,508
Notice of Intent (NOI):                                                                                         
    NOI for Storm Water (SW)                                                                                    
     General Permit.............           5,288               1           5,288           43.67         230,927
    NOI for SW discharges to                                                                                    
     MS4s.......................          11,053             1.5          16,580           43.67         724,027
    NOI for general permits                                                                                     
     other than SW..............           4,217               1           4,217           43.67         184,156
Petition for Individiaul Permit.              24              40             960           26.13          25,085
Permit Consolidation............             100               2             200           43.67           8,734
Notice of Construction..........               3               1               3           43.67             131
Ocean Discharge Recordkeeping...              30             778          23,340           43.67       1,019,258
    Existing Facilities                                                                                         
     (Municipal)................           4,284               1           4,284           26.13         111,941
    Existing Facilities (Non-                                                                                   
     Municipal).................          10,203               1          10,203           43.67         445,565
    Major New Facilities........              40               5             200           43.67           8,734
    Municipal Separate Storm                                                                                    
     Sewer Systems..............              11               5              55           26.13           1,437
    Minor New Facilities &                                                                                      
     Individual SW Permits......             520             1.5             780           43.67          34,063
    Sludge Only Facilities                                                                                      
     (municipals)...............             390             1.5             585           26.13          15,286
    Sludge Only Facilities (non-                                                                                
     municipals)................              40             1.5              60           43.67           2,820
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        Totals..................          58,480  ..............         574,640  ..............      37,208,220
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[[Page 20184]]


                                                      Table 2.--Estimated Annual Government Burden                                                      
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                                                                  Number       Number                    State                    Federal               
                         Form/request                          reviewed by  reviewed by  Review time     burden     State cost     burden      Federal  
                                                                  State       Federal      (hours)       hours         ($)         hours       cost ($) 
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Standard Form A..............................................          661          141          0.5          331      $10,530         70.5       $2,233
Short Form A.................................................        3,040          443          0.5        1,520       48,427        221.5        7,017
Section 308 Requests (Municipalities) Major Municipalities:                                                                                             
    Routine..................................................          503          107          1.0          503       16,026        107.0        3,390
    Medium...................................................           88           19         10.0          880       28,037        190.0        6,019
    Complex..................................................           45            9         20.0          900       28,674        180.0        5,702
Minor Municipalities:                                                                                                                                   
    Routine..................................................          453           66          1.0          453       14,443         66.0        2,091
Interim Sewage Sludge Permit:                                                                                                                           
    Municipalities...........................................        2,971          652          3.0        8,913      283,968      1,956.0       61,966
    Privately Owned Treatment Works..........................           22            5          2.0           44        1,402         10.0          317
Form 1:                                                                                                                                                 
    New Facilities...........................................        4,547          620          0.5        2,274       72,434        310.0        9,821
    Existing Facilities......................................        8,979        1,224          0.5        4,490      143,035        612.0       19,388
Form 2b......................................................          792          198          0.5          396       12,617         99.0        3,136
Form 2c......................................................        5,836          796          2.0       11,672      371,870      1,592.0       50,435
Form 2d:                                                                                                                                                
    Major New Facilities.....................................  ...........           40          0.5            0  ...........         20.0          634
    Minor New Facilities.....................................  ...........          322          0.5            0  ...........        161.0        5,100
Section 308 Requests (Non-municipal) Majors:                                                                                                            
    Routine..................................................          192           27          1.0          192        6,117         27.0          855
    Medium...................................................           22            5         10.0          220        7,009         50.0        1,584
Minors:                                                                                                                                                 
    Routine..................................................                                                                                           
Form 2e:                                                                                                                                                
    New Facilities...........................................          121           17          0.5           61        1,928          8.5          269
    Existing Facilities......................................        3,143          428          0.5        1,572       50,068        214.0        6,780
Form 2f......................................................           53           13          2.2          117        3,715         28.6          906
Alaskan Lands MS4s...........................................            0            3          0.6            0  ...........          1.8           57
    Large....................................................            3            1         60.0          180        5,735         60.0        1,901
    Medium...................................................            5            2         40.0          200        6,372         80.0        2,534
Notice of Intent (NOI) NOI for Storm Water (SW) General:                                                                                                
    Permit--MSGP.............................................            0        5,288          0.5            0            0      2,644.0       83,762
    NOI for SW discharges to MS4s............................        7,050        2,163          0.3        2,115       67,384        649.0  ...........
    NOI for general permits other than SW....................        3,458          759          0.3          865       27,543        189.8        6,011
Petition for Individual Permit...............................           20            4          8.0          160        5,098         32.0        1,014
Permit Consolidation.........................................           81           19          0.5           41        1,290          9.5          301
Notice of Construction.......................................            0            3          0.6            0  ...........          1.8           57
Ocean Discharge..............................................           24            6         88.0        2,112       67,288        528.0       16,727
                                                              ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals...................................................  ...........  ...........  ...........    38,092.10    1,206,758     6,825.95   216,246.10
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    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: April 16, 1998.
Michael B. Cook,
Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 98-10858 Filed 4-22-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P