[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 187 (Thursday, September 26, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60679-60680]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-24495]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7383-7]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Reporting Requirements Under EPA's Water Alliances for 
Voluntary Efficiency (WAVE) 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 notice announces that EPA is planning to submit the 
following continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB): Reporting Requirements Under EPA's 
Water Alliances for Voluntary Efficiency (WAVE) Program, EPA ICR Number 
1654.04, OMB Control Number 2040-0164, expiring March 31, 2003. 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 November 25, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Wastewater 
Management, WAVE ICR Docket, Municipal Assistance Branch (Mail Code 
4204M), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. Interested 
persons may obtain a copy of the ICR amendment and supporting analysis 
without charge by contacting the individual listed below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Valerie Martin, Telephone: (202) 564-
0623. Facsimile Number: (202) 501-2396. e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Comments: Comments shall be submitted to WAVE ICR Comment Clerk, 
Mail Code 4204M, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Wastewater 
Management, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. 
Commenters who want EPA to acknowledge receipt of their comments should 
enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope. Comments may also be 
submitted electronically to [email protected].
    Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the 
use of special characters and forms of encryption. Electronic comments 
must be identified by use of the words ``WAVE ICR Comments.'' No 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) should be submitted through e-
mail. Comments and data will also be accepted on disks in Corel 
WordPerfect 9 format or ASCII file format. Electronic comments on this 
notice may be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries. The 
record for this proposed ICR renewal has been established in the Office 
of Wastewater Management, Municipal Assistance Branch and includes 
supporting documentation as well as printed, paper versions of 
electronic comments. It does not include any information claimed as 
CBI. The record is available for inspection from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays, at the Municipal 
Assistance Branch, EPA East Building, Room 7220-C, 1201 Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20004. For access to the docket materials, 
please call (202) 564-0623 to schedule an appointment.
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
commercial businesses, medical facilities, educational institutions, 
state and local governments, and multi-family housing units that 
voluntarily join EPA's WAVE Program. Major respondents are lodging 
establishments, office buildings, educational institutions, medical 
facilities, and state and local governments.
    Title: Reporting Requirements Under EPA's Water Alliances for 
Voluntary Efficiency (WAVE) Program (OMB Control No. 2040-0164; EPA ICR 
No. 1654.04) expiring March 31, 2003.
    Abstract: EPA initially collects facility information and 
thereafter annually collects water, energy, and cost savings 
information from participants in the WAVE program. WAVE Partners are 
commercial businesses or institutions that voluntarily agree to 
implement cost-effective water efficiency measures in their facilities. 
Initially the WAVE Program targeted the lodging industry, but now 
includes office buildings, educational institutions and medical 
facilities. Another type of participant, ``Supporters,'' works with EPA 
to promote water efficiency. Supporters are equipment manufacturers, 
water management companies, utilities, state and local governments, and 
the like.
    The purpose of the WAVE Program is pollution prevention. EPA and 
the Pollution Prevention Act define pollution prevention as ``source 
reduction,'' and other practices that reduce or eliminate the creation 
of pollutants through increased efficiency in the use of raw materials, 
energy, water, or other resources, or through protection of natural 
resources by conservation. By promoting water efficiency, WAVE prevents 
pollution in two basic ways. First, wastewater flows are reduced which 
can increase treatment efficiency at wastewater treatment plants 
resulting in reduced pollutant loads. Second, less water used means 
that less energy will be used to treat, transport, and heat drinking 
water and to transport and treat wastewater. To the extent that the 
reduced energy use so achieved is electrical energy, power plant 
emissions are reduced. Water efficiency also causes less water to be 
withdrawn and helps preserve streamflow to maintain a healthy aquatic 
environment; in addition, less pumping of groundwater lowers the chance 
that pollutants that may be in the groundwater will be drained into a 
water supply well.
    EPA uses the information to maintain a profile of program 
membership and to monitor the success of the program, demonstrate that 
pollution prevention can be accomplished with a non-regulatory 
approach, and to promote the program to potential partners. 
Participation in the WAVE Program is voluntary; however, a participant 
joins the program by signing and submitting a Membership Agreement and 
an annual Results Report to EPA to receive and retain program benefits, 
such as software and publicity. No participant is required to submit 
confidential business information. EPA maintains and distributes a list 
of program participants, and presents aggregated data only in its 
program progress reports. 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

[[Page 60680]]

control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's regulations are 
listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 49 CFR chapter 15.
    The EPA would like to solicit comments 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 annual public reporting and record keeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average three 
hours and three minutes per Membership Agreement response, a one-time 
submission, and five hours and 54 minutes per Results Report response, 
an annual submission. Approximately 136 facilities will be subject to 
this information collection for a total estimated annual burden of 389 
hours, and a total estimated annualized cost burden of $28,974. 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.

    Dated: September 18, 2002.
Richard T. Kuhlman,
Acting Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 02-24495 Filed 9-25-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P