[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 230 (Thursday, November 29, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 59590]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-29658]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7109-7]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Facility Ground-water Monitoring Requirements

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: ``Reporting and Recordkeeping 
Requirements for Facility Ground-water Monitoring Requirements'': OMB 
Control Number 2050-0033, expiration date November 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 December 31, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing EPA ICR No. 0959.11 and OMB 
Control No. 2050-0033, to the following addresses: Susan Auby, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Collection Strategies Division (Mail 
Code 2822), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; 
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 Susan 
Auby at EPA by phone at (202) 260-4901, by E-Mail at 
[email protected] or download off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR No. 0959.11. For technical 
questions about the ICR contact Sara Rasmussen by phone at 703-308-
8399, by facsimile at (703) 308-8609, by mail at the Office of Solid 
Waste (5303W), United States Environmental Protection Agency, Ariel 
Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Mailcode 5303W, 
Washington, DC 20460 or e-mail at [email protected]. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Facility Ground-water Monitoring 
Requirements, OMB Control Number 2050-0033, EPA ICR Number 0959.11, 
expiration date November 30, 2001. This is a request for extension of a 
currently approved collection.
    Abstract: This ICR examines the ground-water monitoring standards 
for permitted and interim status facilities at 40 CFR parts 264 and 
165, as specified. The ground-water monitoring requirements for 
regulated units follow a tiered approach whereby releases of hazardous 
contaminants are first detected (detection monitoring), then confirmed 
(compliance monitoring), and if necessary, are required to be cleaned 
up (corrective action). Each of these tiers requires collection and 
analysis of ground-water samples. Owners or operators that conduct 
ground-water monitoring are required to report information to the 
oversight agencies on releases of contaminants and to maintain records 
of ground-water monitoring data at their facilities. The goal of the 
ground-water monitoring program is to prevent and quickly detect 
releases of hazardous contaminants to ground-water, and to establish a 
program whereby any contamination is expeditiously cleaned up as 
necessary to protect human health and environment. Subtitle C of the 
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) creates a 
comprehensive program for the safe management of hazardous waste. 
Section 3004 of RCRA requires owners and operators of facilities that 
treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste to comply with standards 
established by EPA that are to protect the environment. Section 3005 
provides for implementation of these standards under permits issued to 
owners and operators by EPA or authorized States. Section 3005 also 
allows owners and operators of facilities in existence when the 
regulations came into effect to comply with applicable notice 
requirements to operate until a permit is issued or denied. This 
statutory authorization to operate prior to permit determination is 
commonly known as ``interim status.'' Owners and operators of interim 
status facilities also must comply with standards set under section 
3004. 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 June 25, 
2001 (66 FR 33579); no comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average118 
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: Entities that operate surface 
impoundments, waste piles, land treatment units, and landfills which 
manage hazardous waste regulated under RCRA.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 824.
    Frequency of Response: Quarterly.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 96,913.
    Estimated Total Annualized Capital, O&M Cost Burden: 16,757,560.
    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. 0959.11 and OMB Control No. 2050-0033 in any 
correspondence.

    Dated: November 20, 2001.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 01-29658 Filed 11-28-01; 8:45 am]
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