[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 140 (Tuesday, July 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43353-43355]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-18613]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OW-2003-0014; FRL-7534-3]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Surveys To Determine the 
Effectiveness of No-Discharge Zones (NDZ) for Vessel Sewage and Marine 
Sanitation Devices, EPA ICR Number 2107.01

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 an Information Collection 
Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and approval. This is a request for a new collection. 
This ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its 
estimated burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before August 21, 
2003.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OW-2003-
0014, to (1) EPA at: online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by 
email to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Water Docket, EPA West, 4101T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB at: 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: James Woodley, Oceans and Coastal 
Protection Division, Office of Water, Environmental Protection Agency, 
4504T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
number: (202) 566-1287; fax number: (202) 566-1546; e-mail address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB 
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 
1320.12. On March 27, 2003, (68 FR 14975), EPA sought comments on this 
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received 20 sets of comments and 
addressed them in a separate document entitled, ``Response to Comments 
on the March 27, 2003 Proposed Information Collection Request: Surveys 
to Determine the Effectiveness of No-Discharge Zones for Vessel Sewage 
and Marine Sanitation Devices.'' A copy of this document can be viewed 
or obtained from the public docket. Information pertaining to accessing 
the materials in the docket is explained below. None of the comments 
suggested that EPA not conduct the proposed surveys. The comments were 
from States, a U.S. Territory, non governmental organizations, trade 
associations, a marine sanitation device (MSD) manufacturer, a 
laboratory, and private citizens. The vast majority of the comments 
provided information regarding the potential questions that the surveys 
should ask. Some provided information regarding the perception of the 
effectiveness of the current no-discharge zones (NDZs) and MSDs, and 
additional comments provided recommendations on how EPA should modify 
the current Vessel Sewage Discharge Program. Lastly, some of the 
respondents offered their assistance in this effort.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. OW-2003-0014, 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 submit or view public comments, access the index listing 
of the contents of the public docket, and to access those documents in 
the public

[[Page 43354]]

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 and OMB 
within 30 days of this notice. 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, confidential business 
information (CBI), or other information whose 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.
    Title: Surveys to Determine the Effectiveness of No-Discharge Zones 
for Vessel Sewage and Marine Sanitation Devices.
    Abstract: This ICR is for a series of surveys to be conducted to 
determine the effectiveness of NDZs for vessel sewage and MSDs in 
removing harmful pollutants from the waste stream of the device. This 
ICR requests approval to collect information from boat owners and 
operators, marina owners and operators, and State and local government 
officials regarding the effectiveness of NDZs. It also requests 
approval to collect information regarding the effectiveness of MSDs in 
removing harmful pollutants from the waste stream of the device. This 
information will be gathered from MSD manufacturers and U.S. Coast 
Guard accepted independent laboratories.
    A survey will be developed for boat owners and operators to address 
the boater's experience with using pump-out or dump facilities in NDZs. 
The survey will collect general information regarding the respondent's 
boating activity and will seek information on whether the pump-out or 
dump facilities were working. It will address whether the boater would 
use the facilities if they were available, and how often the boaters 
actually use the facilities. It will also seek information on the 
boater's knowledge about NDZs. Respondents will be selected from North-
Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic States, South-Atlantic States, 
California, and the Great Lakes that contain NDZs. Approximately 1,400 
respondents from the geographical regions will be selected for 
response. EPA predicts that completed surveys from about 1,200 boat 
owners and operators will be received. The information collection will 
be voluntary and will not include CBI.
    A survey will be developed for marina owners and operators located 
in a particular NDZ to seek general information on the pump-out and 
dump facilities operations, to address the downtime of these 
facilities, and their use by boaters. It will seek information 
regarding the marina owner/operator's knowledge of NDZs. Respondents 
will be selected from North-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic States, 
South-Atlantic States, California, and the Great Lakes that contain 
NDZs. Approximately 100 marina owners or operators from the 
geographical regions will be selected for response. EPA predicts that 
completed surveys from about 75 marina owners and operators will be 
received. The information collection will be voluntary and will not 
include CBI.
    A survey will also be developed for State and local government 
officials to determine if the designation of NDZs has been effective in 
addressing water quality issues of the particular water body, if 
boaters were in compliance with NDZ requirements, and the roles and 
responsibilities associated with the NDZ. Respondents will be selected 
from North-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic States, South-Atlantic States, 
California, and the Great Lakes that contain NDZs. Approximately 80 
respondents from the geographical regions will be selected for 
response. EPA predicts that about 54 State and local government 
officials will complete the survey. The information collection will be 
voluntary and will not include CBI. The information collected from 
these surveys will be used to assess the overall effectiveness of NDZs 
for vessel sewage established under Clean Water Act section 312(f)(3) 
to help determine if modifications to the program are needed.
    An additional survey will be developed to review current MSD 
technology. The information on MSDs that will be requested includes 
effluent constituents and their concentrations; bacteria eradication 
processes and suspended solids removal; cost; and installation. This 
information will be used to help determine the effectiveness of current 
MSD technologies and will be used to collect information to assist EPA 
in promulgating regulations implementing Title XIV: Certain Alaskan 
Cruise Ship Operations. Approximately 60 MSD manufacturers and 8 U.S. 
Coast Guard accepted independent laboratories will be selected for 
response. EPA predicts that about 30 MSD manufacturers and 7 U.S. Coast 
Guard accepted independent laboratories will complete the survey. 
Responding to the collection of information will be voluntary. 
Information collected from these entities that may be CBI and is 
covered by a CBI claim will be treated in accordance with the 
procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2, subpart B.
    EPA estimates that the respondent total burden and cost associated 
with this ICR is 474 hours, reflecting $13,053. The Agency burden and 
cost is estimated at 6,672 hours, reflecting $282,642.
    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 in 40 CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and are identified on 
the form and/or instrument, if applicable.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record keeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 21 
minutes per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, 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: Boat owners and operators, Marina 
owners and operations, State and local government officials, Marine 
Sanitation Device manufacturers, U.S. Coast Guard accepted independent 
laboratories.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,366.
    Frequency of Response: one-time collection.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 474.

[[Page 43355]]

    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $13,053, includes $0 annualized 
capital or O&M costs.

    Dated: July 2, 2003.
Doreen Sterling,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 03-18613 Filed 7-21-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P