[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 158 (Tuesday, August 17, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44720-44721]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-21313]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6423-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Reporting Requirements Under EPA's Water 
Alliances for Voluntary Efficiency (WAVE) Program

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 the following Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Reporting Requirements Under 
EPA's Water Alliances for Voluntary Efficiency (WAVE) Program, OMB 
Control Number 2040-0164, EPA ICR Number 1654.03, expiring October 31, 
1999. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and 
its expected burden and cost; where appropriate, it includes the actual 
data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before September 16, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandy Farmer at EPA by phone at (202) 
260-2740, by email at [email protected], or download a copy of the 
ICR off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR No. 
1654.03.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Reporting Requirements Under EPA's Water Alliances for 
Voluntary Efficiency (WAVE) Program (OMB Control No. 2040-0164; EPA ICR 
No. 1654.03) expiring October 31, 1999. This is an extension of a 
currently approved collection.
    Abstract: EPA initially collects facility information and 
thereafter annually collects water, energy, and cost savings 
information from participants in the WAVE program. WAVE Partners are 
commercial businesses or institutions that voluntarily agree to 
implement cost-effective water efficiency measures in their facilities. 
Initially the WAVE Program targeted the lodging industry, but is 
expanding to include office buildings, educational institutions and 
medical facilities. Another type of participant, ``Supporters,'' will 
work with EPA to promote water efficiency. Supporters are equipment 
manufacturers, water management companies, utilities, state and local 
governments, or the like.
    The purpose of the WAVE Program is pollution prevention. As defined 
by EPA, pollution prevention means ``source reduction'' as defined 
under the Pollution Prevention Act, and other practices that reduce or 
eliminate the creation of pollutants through increased efficiency in 
the use of raw materials, energy, water, or other resources, or through 
protection of natural resources by conservation. By promoting water 
efficiency, WAVE prevents pollution in two basic ways. First, 
wastewater flows are reduced which can increase treatment efficiency at 
wastewater treatment plants resulting in reduced pollutant loads. 
Second, less water used means that less energy will be used to treat, 
transport, and heat drinking water and to transport and treat 
wastewater. To the extent that the reduced energy use so achieved is 
electrical energy, power plant emissions are reduced. Water efficiency 
also causes less water to be withdrawn and helps preserve streamflow to 
maintain a healthy aquatic environment; in addition, less pumping of 
groundwater lowers the

[[Page 44721]]

chance that pollutants that may be in the groundwater will be drained 
into a water supply well.
    EPA uses the information to maintain a profile of program 
membership and to monitor the success of the program, demonstrate that 
pollution prevention can be accomplished with a non-regulatory 
approach, and to promote the program to potential partners. 
Participation in the WAVE Program is voluntary; however, a participant 
joins the program by signing and submitting a Membership Agreement and 
an annual Results Report to EPA to receive and retain program benefits, 
such as software and publicity. No participant is required to submit 
confidential business information. EPA maintains and distributes a list 
of program participants, and presents aggregated data only in its 
program progress reports.
    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 
Federal Register document required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting 
comments on this collection of information was published on April 29, 
1999 (64 FR 23069); no comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record keeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average three 
hours and three minutes per Membership Agreement response, and five 
hours and 54 minutes per Results Report response. Approximately 870 
facilities will be subject to this information collection for an 
estimated annual burden of 2,556 hours. 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: Businesses, Institutions, State and 
local governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 870.
    Frequency of Response: Annual.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 2556 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden (non-labor costs): $0.00.
    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 addresses. Please 
refer to EPA ICR No. 1654.03 and OMB Control No. 2040-0164 in any 
correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of 
Policy, Regulatory Information Division (2137), 401 M Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20460;
        and
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20503.

    Dated: August 11, 1999.
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 99-21313 Filed 8-16-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P