[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 64 (Monday, April 3, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17499-17500]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-8153]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6570-6]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Guidance Manual and Example NPDES Permit for 
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

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 proposed 
Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval:
    Guidance Manual and Example NPDES Permit for Concentrated Animal 
Feeding Operations, ICR 1937.01. The ICR describes the nature of the 
information collection request and its expected burden and cost.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 3, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For a copy of the ICR 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. 1937.01. For technical 
questions about the ICR contact Charlotte White by telephone: (202) 
260-8559.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Guidance Manual and Example NPDES 
Permit for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (EPA ICR No. 
1937.01). This is a new collection.
    Abstract: This information collection burden is a result of EPA's 
issuance of guidance concerning permits issued to concentrated animal 
feeding operations (CAFOs), which are point sources subject to 
permitting under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System 
(NPDES). Also affected by the permit guidance provisions are NPDES-
authorized States implementing the NPDES permitting program for CAFOs. 
The animal livestock industry is shifting toward larger facilities and 
increased potential for water quality impacts. To help address the 
potential and actual impacts on water quality, the manual provides 
guidance for permitting agencies regarding the development of effective 
NPDES permits for CAFOs. Although the guidance does not increase the 
number of CAFOs subject to permitting under the NPDES permitting 
program, it recommends the development of a comprehensive nutrient 
management plan (CNMP) as a special condition of NPDES permits issued 
to CAFOs. This proposed ICR covers the development of the CNMP, which 
includes soil and manure sampling; reporting of CNMP development to the 
permitting authority; and other reporting and record keeping activities 
that are not described in the current NPDES program guidance for CAFOs. 
When CNMPs are part of the NPDES permit, the collection of information 
requirements of the CNMP are mandatory. EPA has authority to undertake 
the information collection activities under section 308 of the Clean 
Water Act and under Title 33, sections 1311, 1318, and 1342 of the 
United States Code. Components of a CNMP typically include: manure 
handling and storage, land application of manure, land management, 
recordkeeping, and other utilization options. EPA believes this CNMP 
will reduce the potential impact that changes in the industry will have 
on water quality. CNMP data will be used by EPA and States to develop 
permits, used by the regulated facilities to ensure appropriate land 
application, and used by the compliance monitoring and enforcement 
personnel to document NPDES permit compliance. The guidance also 
recommends that the permittee maintain records concerning manure 
generation and disposition, and summarize this information on an annual 
reporting form. Under the guidance, the permittee would also be asked 
to certify that the facility's CNMP reflects current conditions. EPA 
needs this information to more fully and effectively implement the 
requirements of the Clean Water Act, which prohibits the discharge of 
pollutants from point sources--including discharges from CAFOs--to 
waters of the United States without an NPDES permit.
    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),

[[Page 17500]]

soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on 
November 19, 1999 (64 FR 63312); no comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record keeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 81 
hours per response for CAFO respondents and 2,200 hours for States. 
Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by 
persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose and provide information 
to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed to: (1) 
review instructions; (2) 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; (3) adjust the existing ways to 
comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements; 
(4) train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of 
information; (5) search data sources; (6) complete and review the 
collection of information; and (7) transmit or otherwise disclose the 
information.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Concentrated animal feeding 
operations, EPA, and NPDES-authorized States implementing the NPDES 
permitting program for CAFOs.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 5,529 per year.
    Frequency of Response: CAFOs have one time CNMP record keeping and 
reporting requirements and annual certification reporting requirements. 
States have annual record keeping requirements.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 983,205 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden (non-labor costs): $665,373.
    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. 1937.01 in any correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of 
Environmental Information, Collection Strategies Division (2822), 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW, 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: March 28, 2000.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 00-8153 Filed 3-31-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-U