[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 194 (Friday, October 5, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51033-51034]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-25003]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7074-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Public Water System Supervision Program

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: Public Water System 
Supervision Program, OMB Control No. 2040-0090 expiring September 30, 
2001. 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 November 5, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing EPA ICR No. 02740. and OMB 
Control No. 2040-0090, 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 E-mail at 
[email protected], or download off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR No. 0270.40. For technical 
questions about the ICR contact Lisa Christ at (202) 260-3967 of the 
Office of Ground Water Drinking Water.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Public Water System Supervision Program (OMB Control No. 
2040-0090; EPA ICR No. 0270.40) expiring September 30, 2001. This is a 
request for extension of a currently approved ICR.
    Abstract: The 2001 PWSS Program ICR is the result of a 
consolidation of some rules and activities covered in the 1993 PWSS ICR 
and activities and rules previously covered in other OGWDW standalone 
ICRs. The 2001 PWSS Program ICR will include: General State and Indian 
Primacy activities, Variance & Exemptions Rule (EPA ICR Number 
0270.39), Primacy Regulations Activities (Administrative Penalty 
Authority) (EPA ICR Number 1836.01; OMB Control Number 2040-0195), 
Capacity Development Program, Operator Certification Guidelines and 
Expense Grant Reimbursement Program (EPA ICR Number 1955.01), and 
Consumer Confidence Reports (OMB Control Number 2040-0201, EPA ICR 
Number 1832.02). Rules and activities previously covered in the 1993 
PWSS Program ICR, and not addressed in this one, have administratively 
moved to other OGWDW ICRs as appropriate. This ICR contains 
recordkeeping and reporting requirements that are mandatory for 
compliance with 40 CFR parts 141 and 142. Sections 1401 and 1412 of the 
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), as amended, require EPA to establish 
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs) for contaminants 
that may have an adverse human health effect. The Act further requires 
EPA to monitor and enforce these regulations to ensure a supply of 
drinking water, which dependably complies with the maximum contaminant 
levels (MCLs) set forth in 40 CFR part 141, subpart B. Section 1445 of 
SDWA stipulates that every supplier of water shall conduct monitoring, 
maintain records, and provide such information as is needed for the 
Agency to carry out its monitoring and enforcement responsibilities 
with respect to SDWA. Implementation of these monitoring requirements 
is principally a responsibility of the States, particularly those 
States that have assumed primary enforcement responsibility (primacy) 
for public water systems under SDWA section 1413. EPA has chosen to 
require the least frequent collection that remains consistent with 
overall public health preservation objectives. Data collected allow 
States to identify in a timely fashion significant contaminant 
concentrations which might threaten the health and safety of drinking 
water consumers. The information collected in this ICR is used to aid 
in understanding the quality of drinking water, make regulatory 
enforcement decisions, oversee State programs, and make decisions 
regarding EPA grants. Primary users of the data collected under this 
ICR are Office of Ground Water Drinking Water (OGWDW), Office of 
Enforcement & Compliance Assurance (OECA), Public Water System managers 
and primacy agencies, which include State regulators, Indian Tribes and 
occasionally Regional Administrators. An agency may not conduct or 
sponsor,

[[Page 51034]]

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 May 2, 2001 and one comment was received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 6.9 
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: New and Existing Public Water 
Systems and Primacy agencies.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 168,302.
    Frequency of Response: varies by requirement (e.g. monthly, 
quarterly, annually)
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 1,864,559 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Capital, O&M Cost Burden: $64,106,000.
    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. 0270.40 and OMB Control NO. 2040-0090 in any 
correspondence.

    Dated: September 26, 2001.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 01-25003 Filed 10-3-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-M