[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70014-70015]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32520]


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

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6509-2]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; National Health Protection Survey of Beaches

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 following Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: National Health Protection 
Survey of Beaches, EPA ICR Number 1814.02, OMB Control Number 2040-
0189, expiration date 02/29/2000. 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 January 14, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandy Farmer at EPA, (202) 260-2740, 
by email at [email protected], or download a copy off the Internet 
at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR No. 1814.02.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: National Health Protection Survey of Beaches (OMB Control 
No. 2040-0189; EPA ICR No. 1814.02; expiring 02/29/00). This is a 
request for an extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: Bacterial and other microbiological contaminants continue 
to pose potentially serious human health problems for the Nation's 
recreational waters, including bathing beaches. These adverse effects 
have been one of EPA's long-standing concerns. They are directly 
related to such Clean Water Act responsibilities as water quality 
standards and surface water quality, and to the Agency's efforts to 
ensure that the waters of the United States are ``fishable'' and 
``swimmable.'' In 1986, EPA formally issued a revision to its 
bacteriological ambient water quality criteria recommendations to 
protect persons participating in body contact recreation. Since that 
time, few states have adopted the revised criteria, and the use of the 
bacterial criteria has varied greatly from one location to the next. In 
addition, recent studies have confirmed the adverse health effects 
resulting from

[[Page 70015]]

bathing in contaminated waters. Therefore, water quality in bathing 
beach areas is a critical concern to EPA.
    EPA believes there is a need to improve the overall quality and 
availability of public information about health protection activities 
at beaches, which 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's Office of Water will conduct an annual ``beach'' 
survey which will be sent to environmental health officials from State, 
tribal, county, and city agencies, as well as representatives from 
various interest groups. It will obtain and verify information on the 
location and condition of swimming beaches and the agencies and persons 
responsible for maintaining and issuing advisories or closings for 
those beaches at freshwater sites (the Great Lakes and others) and 
saltwater (estuarine and coastal) sites around the Nation. Responses to 
the questionnaire (either on paper or electronically via the Internet) 
are required to determine compliance with water quality standards, to 
assess public health risks, and to determine what steps EPA should take 
next, if any. Completion of the questionnaire and map marking will be 
voluntary.
    EPA will assemble the information (maps and questionnaire 
responses) into electronic database and graphic formats that can be 
readily analyzed and shared with responsible parties (e.g., EPA program 
and regional offices, other Federal, state, tribal, county, and city 
agencies), as well as the public. The nationwide collection of 
information is being conducted in phases over three years, with an 
average estimated number of respondents of 533 per year. When the 
survey is fully implemented, it is estimated that 750 respondents per 
year will be involved. The estimated annual cost for the survey per 
respondent is anticipated to decrease each year, since respondents will 
only be requested to provide information that has changed during the 
year.
    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 9/10/99 (64 
FR 49180); no comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 2.4 
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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: County, public health, and 
environmental protection agencies.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 533.
    Frequency of Response: Annual.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 1,267.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden (non-labor costs): $1,201.
    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. 1814.02 and OMB Control No. 2040-0189 in any 
correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of 
Environmental Information, Collection Strategies Division (2822), 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: December 8, 1999.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 99-32520 Filed 12-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P