[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 110 (Tuesday, June 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31461-31462]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-15323]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6109-4]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and 
Sewage Sludge Management State Programs

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): National Pollutant Discharge 
Elimination System and Sewage Sludge Management State Programs, EPA ICR 
No. 0168.07, and OMB Control No. 2040-0057, 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 August 10, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Angela Lee, U.S.EPA, Permits Division, Mail Code 4203, 401 
M. Street SW, Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angela Lee, Phone: (202) 260-6814, 
Fax: (202) 260-9544, E-mail: [email protected]. A copy of the 
ICR can be obtained by writing to the preceding address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
State and Tribal governments and governments of U.S. Territories.
    Title: National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and 
Sewage Sludge Management State Programs, (OMB Control No. 2040-0057; 
EPA ICR No. 0168.07) expiring 8/31/98.
    Abstract: Under the NPDES program, States, Federally Recognized 
Indian Tribes, and U.S. Territories, hereafter referred to as States, 
may acquire the authority to issue permits. States that administer 
NPDES programs are also required to obtain pretreatment authority 
(authority to require publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) to 
establish pretreatment programs and to require that indirect 
dischargers meet pretreatment standards) and authority to issue permits 
to federal facilities. These governments have the option of acquiring 
authority to issue general permits (permits that cover a category or 
categories of similar discharges). States with existing NPDES programs 
must submit requests for program modifications to add pretreatment, 
Federal facilities, or general permit authority. In addition, as 
federal statutes and regulations are modified, States must submit 
program modifications to ensure that their program continues to meet 
Federal requirements.
    States have the option of obtaining a sludge management program. 
This program may be a component of a State NPDES Program, or it may be 
administered as a separate program. To obtain a NPDES or sludge 
program, a State must submit an application that includes a program 
description, an Attorney General's Statement, draft Memorandum of 
Agreement (MOA) with the EPA Region, and copies of the State's statutes 
and regulations.
    Once a State obtains authority for an NPDES or sludge program, it 
becomes responsible for implementing the program in that jurisdiction. 
The State must retain records on the permittees and perform 
inspections. In addition, when a State obtains NPDES or sludge 
authority, EPA must oversee the program. Thus, States must submit 
permit information and compliance reports to the EPA.
    When EPA issues a permit in an unauthorized State, that State must 
certify that the permit requirements comply with State water laws. 
According to the Clean Water Act (CWA) (section 510), States may adopt 
discharge requirements that are equal to or more stringent than 
requirements in the CWA or Federal regulations.
    The purpose of this ICR is to revise and extend the current 
recordkeeping and reporting requirements associated with State NPDES 
and sludge programs. There are three categories of reporting 
requirements that are covered by this ICR. The first category, ``State 
Program Requests,'' includes the activities States must complete to 
request a new NPDES or sludge program, or to modify an existing 
program. The second category, ``State Program Implementation,'' 
includes the activities that approved States must complete to implement 
an existing program, such as certification of EPA-issued permits by 
non-NPDES States. The third category, ``State Program Oversight,'' 
includes activities required of NPDES States so that EPA may satisfy 
its statutory requirements for state program oversight.
    The information collected by EPA is used to evaluate the adequacy 
of States' NPDES or sludge program and to provide EPA with the 
information necessary to fulfill its statutory oversight functions over 
State program performance and individual permit actions. EPA will use 
this information to evaluate States' requests for full or partial 
program approval and program modifications. In order to evaluate the 
adequacy of a State's proposed program, appropriate information must be 
provided to ensure that proper procedures, regulations, and statutes 
are in place and consistent with the CWA requirements.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to

[[Page 31462]]

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 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 respondent burden for the activities 
covered in this ICR is estimated to be 1,074,410 hours at a cost of 
$32,511,641. EPA estimates an average of 25,688 responses each year. 
Table 1 shows the annual respondent burden and costs associated with 
specific program elements.

                                  Table 1.--Annual Respondent Burden and Costs                                  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                       Total    
              Reporting requirement/citation                Number of    Hours per   Total hours    respondent  
                                                            responses     response                 cost ($) \1\ 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Program Requests:                                                                                         
    Request for NPDES Program Approval...................         0.67        2,080        1,394          42,170
    Request for NPDES Partial Program Approval...........         1.33        2,080        2,766          83,711
    Request for NPDES Program Modification...............         1.33          250          333          10,061
    Request for Program Transfer/Withdrawal..............         0.00  ...........            0               0
    Request for NPDES Sludge Program Approval............         3.00          750        2,250          68,085
    Request for Non-NPDES Sludge Program Approval........         6.00          750        4,500         136,170
State Program Implementation:                                                                                   
    Report on Compliance Evaluation......................         0.00  ...........            0               0
    Recordkeeping of NPDES Program Information...........        45.00           50        2,250          68,085
    Recordkeeping for Non-NPDES Sludge Program                                                                  
     Implementation......................................        12.00           50          600          18,156
    Inspection and Investigation of NPDES permittees.....       23,240      ( \2\ )    1,041,998      31,530,853
    Inspection of Class I Sludge Management Facilities...         0.00            8            0               0
    Certification of EPA-Issued Permits..................        1,849            4        7,396         223,803
State Program Oversight:                                                                                        
    Submittal of NPDES Permit Information................        45.00           40        1,813          54,877
    Submittal of Sludge Permit Information (40 CFR                                                              
     Sections 123.43 and 123.44(j))......................         8.00            0            2              75
    Submittal of Sludge Permit Information (40 CFR                                                              
     Section 501.16).....................................        12.00            0            3              76
    NPDES Quarterly, Semi-Annual, and Annual Reports.....       225.00           25        5,625         170,213
    Semi-Annual Sludge Noncompliance Reports (40 CFR                                                            
     Section 123.45).....................................        16.00           24          384          11,620
    Semi-Annual Sludge Noncompliance Reports (40 CFR                                                            
     Section 501.21).....................................        24.00           24          576          17,430
    Annual Sludge Noncompliance Reports (40 CFR Section                                                         
     123.45).............................................         8.00          126        1,008          30,502
    Annual Sludge Noncompliance Reports (40 CFR Section                                                         
     501.21).............................................        12.00          126        1,512          45,753
      Total Burden.......................................       25,688  ...........    1,074,410     32,511,641 
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\1\ Assumes an hourly labor rate of $30.26.                                                                     
\2\ Varies.                                                                                                     

    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 (1) collecting, validating, 
and verifying information, (2) processing and maintaining information, 
and (3) 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: June 2, 1998.
Michael B. Cook,
Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 98-15323 Filed 6-8-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P