[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 229 (Monday, November 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65776-65777]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-31675]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6193-8]


Agency Information Collection Activities Up for Renewal--Water 
Quality Standards

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this document announces that the Information Collection 
Request (ICR) listed below is coming up for renewal. Before submitting 
the renewal package to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), EPA 
is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the collection as 
described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 29, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to Karen Gourdine, 
Water Quality Standards Branch, Mailcode 4305, USEPA, 401 M Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Gourdine; Telephone (202) 260-
1328, Facsimile Number (202) 260-9830.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Affected entities: Entities affected by this action are the 50 
States and 7 Territories (the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Trust 
Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands) and Indian Tribes that are seeking or have EPA 
authorization to administer the water quality standards program 
contained in section 303 of the Clean Water Act (the Act).
    Title: Information Collection Request for the Water Quality 
Standards Regulation, OMB Control #2040-0049; Expiration Date: March 
31, 1999.
    Abstract: Water Quality Standards are provisions of State, Tribal, 
and Federal law which consist of designated uses for waters of the 
United States, numeric or narrative water quality criteria to protect 
the designated uses, and an antidegradation policy to protect existing 
uses and high quality waters. States are required by Federal law to

[[Page 65777]]

establish water quality standards. Section 303(c) requires States and 
certain Indian Tribes (those Tribes that have received EPA 
authorization to administer the water quality standards program and 
have had their water quality standards approved by EPA) to review and, 
if appropriate, revise their water quality standards regulations once 
every three years and to submit to EPA the results of the review. EPA 
then reviews each State and Tribal submission for approval or 
disapproval.
    The Water Quality Standards (WQS) Regulation (40 CFR part 131) is 
the EPA regulation governing the implementation of the water quality 
standards program. The WQS Regulation describes requirements and 
procedures for the States and Tribes to develop, review, and revise 
their water quality standards, and EPA procedures for reviewing and 
approving the water quality standards. The regulation requires, in some 
cases, the development and submission of information to EPA. The 
following paragraphs describe the information collection requirements 
in part 131.
    Section 131.6 establishes minimum requirements for a State or Tribe 
to submit new or revised water quality standards to EPA including the 
submissions required every three years by section 303(c) of the Act. 
The information to be submitted consists of: (a) Use designations for 
water bodies consistent with sections 101(a)(2) and 303(c)(2) of the 
Act; (b) methods used and analyses conducted to support water quality 
standards revisions; (c) water quality criteria sufficient to protect 
the designated uses; (d) an antidegradation policy consistent with 40 
CFR 131.12; (e) certification by the Attorney General or other 
appropriate legal authority that the water quality standards were duly 
adopted pursuant to State or Tribal law; and (f) information which will 
aid EPA in determining the adequacy of the scientific basis of the 
water quality standards and information on general policies that may 
affect the implementation of the standards.
    Part 131.8 specifies information that an Indian Tribe must submit 
to EPA in order to determine whether a Tribe is qualified to administer 
the Water Quality Standards Program. The application must include the 
following information: (a) Evidence that the Tribe is recognized by the 
Secretary of the Interior; (b) a statement that the Tribe is currently 
carrying out substantial governmental duties and powers over a Federal 
Indian Reservation; (c) a statement of the Tribe's authority to 
regulate the quality of the reservation's waters; and (d) a narrative 
statement describing the capability of the Tribe to administer an 
effective water quality standards program.
    Additionally, part 131.7 describes a dispute resolution mechanism 
that will assist in resolving disputes that arise between States and 
Tribes over water quality standards on common waterbodies. 
Implementation of this provision includes collection of information by 
EPA to determine if initiation of a formal EPA dispute resolution 
action is justified. Although States and Tribes are not required to 
request formal EPA dispute resolution action, information collection is 
necessary where a State or Tribe formally requests EPA intervention.
    A Federal 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 displayed in 40 CFR part 9.
    EPA is soliciting comments from the public to:
    (i) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information (see 
Burden statement below) 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;
    (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 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    Burden Statement: The existing estimated total annual burden to the 
respondents is 193,980 hours per year (based on 77 jurisdictions, 
including 20 Indian Tribes qualifying to administer the water quality 
standards program). This estimate includes the time needed to review 
instructions, search existing data sources, gather and maintain the 
data needed, and complete and review the collection of information.
    Send comments regarding these matters, or any other aspect of the 
information collection, including suggestions for reducing the burden, 
to the address listed above.

    Dated: November 17, 1998.
Tudor T. Davies,
Director, Office of Science and Technology.
[FR Doc. 98-31675 Filed 11-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P