[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 175 (Friday, September 10, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49180-49181]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23589]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6436-4]


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

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 Health Protection Survey of 
Beaches, EPA ICR No. 1814.02, OMB Control No. 2040-0189, and current 
expiration date 02/28/2000. 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 November 9, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Office of Water, Office of Science and Technology, Standards 
and Applied Science Division (4305), 401 M St. SW, Washington, DC 
20460. Interested persons may obtain a copy of the ICR without charge 
by contacting EPA staff listed in the section below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Charles Kovatch at EPA, telephone 
202-260-0642, email [email protected], facsimile 202-260-9830.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Affected entities: Entities potentially 
affected by this action are 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, OMB Control 
No. 2040-0189, EPA ICR No. 1814.02, expiring 02/28/2000.
    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 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 that 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 may 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 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 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.
    (This burden assumes that the number of respondents will continue 
to increase

[[Page 49181]]

as the survey is phased in. For the first two years of the program an 
average of 350 questionnaires were distributed. EPA assumes the total 
number of questionnaires to be sent in the next three years as 4,500; 
1,000 surveys the first year; 1,500 questionnaires the second year; 
2,000 questionnaires the third year.)
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,500.
    Frequency of Response: One time per year.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 3,000 hours (per year). (13,500 
total hours/3 years; 3,000 hours the first year; 4,500 hours the second 
year; 6,000 hours the third year.)

    Dated: September 1, 1999.
Tudor T. Davies,
Director, Office of Science and Technology.
[FR Doc. 99-23589 Filed 9-9-99; 8:45 am]
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