[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 128 (Monday, July 3, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41065-41066]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-16764]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6728-6]


Agency Information Collection: Continuing Collection; Comment 
Request Combined Sewer Overflow Control Policy

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 plans to submit the 
following renewal Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB): Combined Sewer Overflow Control Policy 
(OMB Control Number 2040-0170; EPA Number 1680.03; expiring on 
September 30, 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 September 1, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Wastewater 
Management, (Mail Code 4203, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460. Interested persons may obtain a copy 
of the proposed renewal ICR without charge by calling or writing to 
Timothy J. Dwyer at the Office of Wastewater Management, MC 4203, Ariel 
Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20450; 
telephone (202) 260-6064.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Timothy Dwyer, EPA Office of 
Wastewater Management (Mail Code 4203), Ariel Rios Building, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. Telephone: (202) 260-
6064. Fax: (202) 260-1460. E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Affected entities: Entities affected by this action are 
municipalities with combined sewer systems, which are covered by EPA's 
Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Control Policy.
    Title: Combined Sewer Overflow Control Policy (OMB Control No. 
2040-0170; EPA ICR No. 1680.02) expiring on 09/30/00.

[[Page 41066]]

    Abstract: EPA is proposing to continue its ICR for the Combined 
Sewer Overflow (CSO) Control Policy. The ICR was initially approved in 
April 1994. The first renewal was approved in September 1997. This 
renewal ICR includes the burden associated with documenting 
implementation of the nine minimum controls identified in the CSO 
control policy, public notification of CSO events and their impacts, 
developing and submitting long-term CSO control plans (LTCPs), and 
post-construction compliance monitoring.
    Combined sewer systems (CSSs) serve approximately 900 
municipalities, primarily in the Northeast and Great Lakes regions. 
This number is smaller than that in the former ICR largely because the 
Agency has better data on the number of municipalities with combined 
sewer systems nationwide. CSOs occur when these systems overflow and 
discharge to receiving waters prior to treatment in a publicly owned 
treatment works (POTW).
    The CSO Control Policy, published on April 19, 1994 (59 FR 18688), 
is a national framework for controlling CSOs through the National 
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting program. The 
Policy represents a comprehensive national strategy to ensure that 
municipalities with CSSs, NPDES permitting authorities, water quality 
standards authorities, and the public engage in a comprehensive and 
coordinated planning effort to achieve cost-effective CSO controls that 
ultimately meet appropriate health and environmental objectives, 
including compliance with water quality standards.
    Among the provisions in the CSO Policy are the nine minimum 
controls, which are technology-based actions or measures designed to 
reduce the magnitude, frequency, and duration of CSOs and their effects 
on receiving water quality. The CSO Control Policy provided for 
implementation of the nine minimum controls by January 1, 1997.
    One of these controls is public notification of CSO occurrences and 
impacts. Public notification is of particular concern at beach and 
recreation areas directly or indirectly affected by CSOs, where public 
exposure is likely to be significant. That burden continues to be 
included in this renewal.
    The CSO Control Policy also contains a provision for the 
development of long-term control plans. The policy recommends that 
permit writers require permittees to develop a long-term plan within 
two years of the issuance of a NPDES permit or other enforceable 
mechanism containing such a requirement. The core of the plan is the 
development and evaluation of long-term control alternatives. One of 
the elements of the long-term plan is the development of a post-
construction compliance monitoring program to be implemented when 
selected controls are completed. OMB's approval of the initial ICR for 
the CSO Control Policy recommended that the renewal ICRs include EPA's 
best estimate of the burden associated with a reasonable and targeted 
compliance monitoring program. That burden also continues to be 
included in this renewal.
    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 on its renewal ICR for the 
CSO Control Policy. Specifically we would like comments to help us 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 estimated burden reflected in this ICR is 
1,754,877 hours and a cost of $61,964,707.
    Of this total, the portion for municipalities with combined sewer 
systems is 1,699,696 hours at a cost of $60,016,265, including start-up 
costs of $182,125 for the third party notification under the nine 
minimum controls in the CSO Policy. The estimated burden on each of 585 
municipalities for DMR reporting and record keeping is 417 hours and 
$14,724. The estimated burden on each of 490 municipalities for nine 
minimum control reporting and LTCP development and submission is 3,011 
hours and $106,313 and for third-party notification, 27 hours and $940.
    The estimated burden for Federal and State governments is 4,894 
hours and $172,807 and 55,181 hours and $1,948,441, respectively. This 
includes the burden associated with reviewing the DMRs, the nine 
minimum control documentations, and the LTCP plans submitted by the 
respondents, and reissuing NPDES permits or issuing other enforceable 
mechanisms to municipalities with CSSs to implement the CSO Control 
Policy. The annual average burden for Federal and State review of DMRs, 
nine minimum control documentations, and LTCP plans is 1,325 hours and 
$46,774 and 15,807 hours and $532,722, respectively. The annual average 
burden associated with reissuing NPDES permits or issuing other 
enforceable mechanisms to CSO municipalities is 307 hours and $10,828 
for the Federal government and 3,307 hours and $116,758 for State 
governments.
    The estimated burden on the States to report summary information to 
EPA for oversight of the EPA's CSO Control Policy and for GPRA purposes 
is 1,200 hours and $42,351.
    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.
    Interested parties may obtain a copy of the draft supporting 
statement, including the burden analysis, from Timothy Dwyer, EPA 
Office of Wastewater Management, at (202) 260-6064.

    Dated: June 23, 2000.
A.W. Lindsey,
Acting Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 00-16764 Filed 6-30-00; 8:45 am]
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