[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 184 (Thursday, September 21, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57184-57185]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-24314]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6873-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; National Pollutant Discharge Elimination 
System (NPDES) Compliance Assessment/Certification Information

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 Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: National Pollutant Discharge 
Elimination System (NPDES) Compliance Assessment/Certification 
Information (OMB Control Number 2040-0110; EPA Number 1427.06; expiring 
on September 30, 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 October 23, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing EPA ICR No. 1427.06 and OMB 
Control No. 2040-0110, to the following addresses: Sandy Farmer, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Collection Strategies Division (Mail 
Code 2822), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW., Washington DC 20460; and to 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For a copy of the ICR contact Sandy 
Farmer at EPA by phone at (202) 260-2740, by e-mail at farmer.sandy@ 
epamail.epa.gov, or download off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr 
and refer to EPA ICR No.1427.06. For technical questions about the ICR 
contact Betty West, at (202) 260-8486.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) 
Compliance Assessment/Certification Assessment/Certification 
Information (OMB Control No.2040-0110; EPA ICR No. 1427.06) expiring on 
September 30, 2000. This is a request for extension of a currently 
approved collection.
    Abstract: This ICR updates the burden and costs associated with the 
data

[[Page 57185]]

requirements necessary for a permitting authority to determine whether 
an existing NPDES or sewage sludge permittee is in compliance with the 
conditions of its permit for the discharge of pollutants to waters of 
the United States or for the use or disposal of sewage sludge. Most 
compliance assessment data is generated by permittees and submitted to 
the appropriate permitting authority. The permitting authority uses the 
information to determine compliance with permit conditions and if any 
noncompliance poses a threat to human health or the environment. If 
noncompliance is detected, the permitting authority will take the 
appropriate enforcement action based on the frequency and the degree of 
seriousness of the violation.
    This ICR calculates the burden associated with compliance 
assessment information (other than discharge monitoring reports) 
required by parts 122 and 501 and certification or alternative 
requirements contained in the effluent limitations guidelines and 
standards regulations for various point source categories. These 
requirements include routine submittals, such as annual certifications 
and reports submitted when a compliance schedule milestone is reached; 
non-routine submittals, such as an unanticipated bypass; and 
certifications for exemptions of monitoring requirements for certain 
industrial categories.
    Where information submitted contains trade secrets or similar 
confidential business information, the respondent has the authority to 
request that this information be treated as confidential business 
information. All data so designated will be handled pursuant to 40 CFR 
part 2. Pursuant to section 308(b) of the Clean Water Act, effluent 
data may not be treated as confidential.
    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 03/23 /00 
(65 FR 15633); two comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 2.15 
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: state and local governments, tribes, 
private industry, public and private entities
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 16,532.
    Frequency of Response: varies.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 1,026,264 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Capital and Operating & Maintenance Cost 
Burden: $0.
    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 addresses listed above. Please 
refer to EPA ICR No. 1427.06 in any correspondence.

    Dated: September 13, 2000.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 00-24314 Filed 9-20-00; 8:45 am]
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