[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 26, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 81526]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-32847]



[[Page 81526]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6922-3]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Performance Evaluation Studies on Water and 
Wastewater Laboratories

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: Performance Evaluation 
Studies on Water and Wastewater Laboratories, EPA ICR No. 0234.07, OMB 
Control No. 2080-0021: currently expiring December 31, 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 25, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing EPA ICR No. 0234.07 and OMB 
Control No. 2080-0021, to the following addresses: Sandy Farmer, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Collection Strategies Division (Mail 
Code 2822), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, 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 email at 
[email protected], or download off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR No. 0234.07. For technical 
questions about the ICR contact Ray Wesselman at (513) 569-7194.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Performance Evaluation studies on 
Water and Wastewater Laboratories (OMB Control No. 2080-0021; EPA ICR 
No. 0234.07). This is a request for extension of a currently approved 
collection expiring December 31, 2000.
    Abstract: The EPA receives analytical results on drinking waters 
and wastewaters from a variety of laboratories and must rely on these 
data as a primary basis of its regulatory decisions. As a consequence, 
it had become desirable to have an objective demonstration that the 
contributing laboratories are capable of producing valid data. The 
subject Performance Evaluation Studies are designed to fulfill this 
need to document and improve the quality of analytical data from 
certain critical analyses within drinking water, major point-source 
discharge and ambient water quality samples. Participation in Water 
Pollution (WP) studies that relate to wastewater analyses, and Water 
Supply (WS) studies that relate to drinking water analyses, is only 
mandated by the EPA for those laboratories that receive federal funds 
to do such analyses; however successful performance in these studies is 
often required by states that certify laboratories for drinking water 
and wastewater analyses. Participation in the Discharge Monitoring 
Report--Quality Assurance (DMR-QA) studies is mandatory for those 
designed wastewater discharges who are doing self-monitoring analyses 
required under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System 
(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), soliciting 
comments on this collection of information was published on March 29, 
2000 (65 FR 16589); no comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record-keeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 10.3 
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: Wastewater labs, NPDES permittees 
and toxicity labs, and water chemistry microbiological labs.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 23,430.
    Frequency of Response: Annual.
    Estimated Total Annual hour Burden: 241,619 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Capital, O&M 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. 0234.07 and OMB Control No. 2080-0021 in any 
correspondence.

    Dated: December 18, 2000.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 00-32847 Filed 12-22-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P