[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 97 (Tuesday, May 20, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27555-27556]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-12617]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OW-2003-0013, FRL-7501-2]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Title IV of the Public 
Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002: 
Drinking Water Security and Safety (Act); Comment Request

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

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 EPA is planning to submit the 
following continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB): Title IV of the Public Health Security 
and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002: Drinking Water 
Security and Safety (Act), hereinafter referred to as the Bioterrorism 
Act; ICR No. 2103.02; OMB Control No. 2040-0253; expiration date 
September 30, 2003. Before submitting this continuing 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 July 21, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Follow the detailed instructions in SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Dolgin, Water Protection Task 
Force, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, 4601M, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone number: (202) 564-9895; fax number: (202) 564-3753; e-mail 
address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number OW-2003-0013, which is available for public 
viewing at the Water Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA 
West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA 
Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number 
for the Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for 
the Water Docket is (202) 566-2426. An electronic version of the public 
docket is available through EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket. Use EDOCKET to obtain a copy of the draft 
collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the public docket, and to access those 
documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Once 
in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the docket ID number 
identified above.
    Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA within 
60 days of this notice, and according to the following detailed 
instructions: (1) Submit your comments to EPA online using EDOCKET (our 
preferred method), (2) by email to [email protected], or (3) by mail 
to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Water Docket 
(mail code 4101T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted 
electronically or on paper, will be made available for public viewing 
in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment 
contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information for which 
public disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a 
comment containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference 
to that material in the version of the comment that is placed in 
EDOCKET. The entire printed comment, including the copyrighted 
material, will be available in the public docket. Although identified 
as an item in the official docket, information claimed as CBI, or whose 
disclosure is otherwise restricted by statute, is not included in the 
official public docket, and will not be available for public viewing in 
EDOCKET. For further information about the electronic docket, see EPA's 
Federal Register notice describing the electronic docket at 67 FR 38102 
(May 31, 2002), or go to http://www.epa.gov./edocket.
    Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
community water systems serving more than 3,300 people.
    Title: Title IV of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism 
Preparedness and Response Act of 2002: Drinking Water Security and 
Safety (Act); OMB Control Number 2040-0253; EPA ICR Number 2103.02; 
expiring September 30, 2003.
    Abstract: The Bioterrorism Act requires each community water system 
serving a population of more than 3,300 people to conduct a 
vulnerability assessment of its water system and to prepare or revise 
an emergency response plan that incorporates the results of the 
vulnerability assessment. These requirements are mandatory under the 
statute. EPA will use the information collected under this ICR to 
determine whether community water systems have conducted vulnerability 
assessments and prepared or revised emergency response plans in 
compliance with that Act. EPA is required to protect all vulnerability 
assessments and all information derived from them from disclosure to 
unauthorized parties and has established an Information Protection 
Protocol describing how that will be accomplished.
    This Notice provides the opportunity to comment on EPA's request to 
renew this ICR, which was approved by the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) on an emergency basis for 180 days, beginning March 31, 
2003. During the 10-day comment period that was provided during that 
action, the following comments were raised:
    i. EPA should reassess its burden estimates for developing 
emergency response plans;
    ii. EPA should present total burden estimates in a clearer format;
    iii. EPA should explain more clearly what is meant by a 
``compliance review;''
    iv. EPA should clarify the statutory deadlines for submitting 
emergency response plan certifications.
    EPA has changed the information document that supports this Notice 
to explain more clearly what is meant by a vulnerability assessment 
``compliance review'' and also to clarify the statutory deadlines for 
submitting emergency response plan certifications to EPA.
    At this time, 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 (especially pertaining to the 
development of emergency response plans), 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 the use of appropriate automated 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological

[[Page 27556]]

collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    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.
    Burden Statement: 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 or Affected Entities: Community water systems serving 
populations greater than 3,300 persons.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 8,487 systems.
    Average Annual Reporting Burden: 2,652,393 hours/year over a three-
year period. This includes the burden required for all affected 
community water systems to conduct vulnerability assessments, prepare 
or update emergency response plans, and submit the required items to 
EPA. The total burden for these systems is 7,957,179 hours, which is 
largely concentrated in calendar years 2003 and 2004.
    Average burden per response: 117.9 hours/response. This figure is 
an average that was calculated from burden estimates applicable to 
systems ranging in size from the smallest (serving 3,301 persons) up to 
the very largest (serving millions of persons). The burden hours vary 
widely, then, depending on system size, and the average burden figure 
should not be interpreted as applicable to all systems.
    Frequency of Response: Varies based on statutory schedule and 
system size.
    Average Annual Cost: $156,540,365; includes $82,211 O&M costs and 
$0 capital and startup costs.

    Dated: May 13, 2003.
Cynthia C. Dougherty,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. 03-12617 Filed 5-19-03; 8:45 am]
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