[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 14, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69755-69756]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32377]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6508-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities Associated With 
``Standards for the Use or Disposal of Sewage Sludge'; Proposed 
Collection; Comment Request

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 proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB): Standards for The Use or Disposal of 
Sewage Sludge EPA ICR #0229.13 OMB Control #2040-0004
    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 February 14, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Comment Clerk; Proposed Information 
Collection and Reporting Request for Compliance with Phase 1 Amendments 
to the Round 1 Sewage Sludge Regulation; Water Docket MC-4101; U. S. 
Environmental Protection Agency; 401 M Street, SW; Washington, DC 
20460. Respondents are requested to submit an original and three copies 
of their written comments. Respondents who want receipt of their 
comments acknowledged should include a self-addressed, stamped 
envelope. All submissions must be postmarked or delivered by hand, no 
facsimiles (faxes) will be accepted.
    Copies of the Supporting Statement for this information collection 
request and the Phase 1 Amendments to Round 1 of the Part 503 rule are 
available for review at EPA's Water Docket; 401 M Street, SW; 
Washington, DC 20460. The Docket is located in room EB57. For access to 
the Docket materials call (202) 260-3027 between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. 
for an appointment. The EPA public information regulation (40 CFR part 
2) provides that a reasonable fee may be charged for copying.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alan B. Rubin, Ph.D., Senior 
Scientist, Health and Ecological Criteria Division (4304), Office of 
Science and Technology, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M 
Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460, telephone (202) 260-7589.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
those which generate and subsequently dispose of their sewage sludge by 
incineration and sewage sludge incinerator owner/operators (SSIOOs).
    Title: ``Standards for the Use or Disposal of Sewage Sludge'' EPA 
ICR 
#0229.13 OMB Control #2040-0004
    Abstract: This ICR estimates the total burden hours for sewage 
sludge incinerator owners/operators (SSIOOs) to comply with self-
implementing requirements for sewage sludge incinerators under Subpart 
E of 40 CFR Part 503, Standards for the Use or Disposal of Sewage 
Sludge. On February 19, 1993, EPA published the final 40 CFR Part 503 
Rule at 58 FR 9248. For the most part, this rule was designed to be 
self-implementing with the exception of certain provisions of the 
sewage sludge incineration Subpart E of the Rule. In order to make the 
entire Part 503 Rule self-implementing, the Agency on August 4, 1999 at 
64 FR 42551 published Phase 1 Amendments to Round 1 of Part 503. 
Included in these amendments were requirements for SSIOOs to provide 
the permitting authority certain information as specified in the above-
captioned ICR title that would allow the permitting authority to 
determine whether SSIOOs are in compliance with the numerical standards 
section of Subpart E of the Part 503 Rule. The specific sections of the 
Part 503 rule that were amended to effect these requirements are 
Sec. 503.43(e)(2), 503.43(e)(3)(ii), and 503.43(e)(4). The requirement 
for SSIOOs to perform air dispersion

[[Page 69756]]

modeling and run performance tests to comply with Subpart E numerical 
standards have always been in the base Part 503 Rule and burden hours 
for these activities were included in the base Part 503 Rule ICR. 
However, the base Part 503 Rule required the permitting authority to 
specify to the SSIOOs the air dispersion model and model parameters to 
use as well as specify the protocol for running the incinerator 
performance test. The Phase 1 Amendments now require SSIOOs to select 
this information from EPA-published guidance documents and to submit 
this information to the permitting authority. This ICR estimates the 
burden hours for this activity.
    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. 
Reference is made to Section VII D (Paper Work Reduction Act) of the 
preamble discussion for additional background on this statutory 
requirement.
    The following is a description of the information collection and 
reporting requirements of this proposed ICR that is needed to satisfy 
certain sections of these amendments to the Standards for the Use or 
Disposal of Sewage Sludge published on August 4, 1999 at 64 FR 42551:

(A) Information Collection and Reporting: Description of Air Dispersion 
Model Selected by the SSIOO, the Values Used for the Model Parameters, 
and the Results of the Air Dispersion Modeling (Sec. 503.43(e)(2))

    The above-captioned information shall be submitted to the 
permitting authority within 30 days after completion of the modeling.

(B) Notification of the Permitting Authority: Scheduled Date of the 
Incinerator Performance Test (Sec. 503.43(e)(3)(ii))

    The above-captioned notification shall be given to the permitting 
authority at least 30 days prior to the performance test to allow the 
permitting authority to observe the test. The notice shall include a 
test protocol with incinerator operating conditions and a list of test 
methods to be used.
    (C) Information Collection and Reporting: Submission of Numerical 
Pollutant Limits to the Permitting Authority (Sec. 503.43(e)(4))
    The above-captioned information developed to satisfy 
Secs. 503.43(c) and (d) shall be submitted to the permitting authority 
no later than 30 days after completion of the air dispersion modeling 
and incinerator performance test.
    Burden Statement: EPA estimates that annually 30 SSIOOs will expend 
a total of 150 hours at a total cost of $2734.50 to comply with the 
information collection and reporting provisions of the Phase 1 
Amendments to the Part 503 Standards for the use or Disposal of Sewage 
Sludge. There are no State costs associated with these requirements.
    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.
    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.

    Dated: December 6, 1999.
Geoffrey H. Grubbs,
Director, Office of Science and Technology.
[FR Doc. 99-32377 Filed 12-13-99; 8:45 am]
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