[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 51 (Tuesday, March 16, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12323-12324]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-5876]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OECA-2004-0003, FRL-7636-8]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Annual Public Water Systems Compliance Report, EPA ICR 
Number 1812.02; OMB Control Number 2040-0186

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 EPA is planning to submit a 
continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB). This is a request to renew an existing 
approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on September 30, 
2004. 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 May 17, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OECA-
2004-003 to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by email 
to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Enforcement and Compliance 
Assurance Docket (OECA), mail code 2201T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, 
Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Acquanetta Delaney, Compliance 
Assistance and Sector Programs Division (2224A), Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone number: (202) 564-7061; fax number: (202) 564-0009; email 
address; [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number OECA-2004-003, which is available for public 
viewing at the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) 
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 Office of 
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Docket is (202) 566-1752. 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. EPA's policy is that public comments, whether 
submitted electronically or in 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 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,

[[Page 12324]]

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: States, Tribes, and territories that have 
primary enforcement authority and meet the definition of ``state'' 
under the Safe Drinking Water Act (Act).
    Title: Annual Public Water Systems Compliance Report, EPA ICR 
number 1812.02, OMB Control Number 2040-0186. The current ICR expires 
September 30, 2004.
    Abstract: Section 1414 (c)(3)(A) of the Safe Drinking Water Act 
requires that each state that has primary enforcement authority under 
the Act shall prepare, make readily available to the public, and submit 
to the Administrator of EPA, an annual report of violations of national 
primary drinking water regulations in the state. The states' reports 
are to include violations of maximum contaminant levels, treatment 
requirements, variances and exemptions, and monitoring requirements 
determined to be significant by the Administrator after consultation 
with the states. Section 1414(c)(3)(B) of the Safe Drinking Water Act 
requires EPA to prepare and make available to the public an annual 
report that summarizes and evaluates the reports submitted by the 
states pursuant to section 1414(c)(3)(A). EPA's annual national report 
must also provide specified information about implementation of the 
public water system supervision system on Indian reservations and make 
recommendations concerning the resources necessary to improve 
compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. The States have already 
prepared and published seven annual reports. EPA has prepared and 
published six national 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 control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's 
regulations in 40 CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR chapter 
15. In an effort to minimize a state's burden in preparing its annual 
statutorily-required report, EPA issued guidance that explains what 
section 1414(c)(3)(A) requires and provides model language and 
reporting templates. EPA also annually makes available to the states a 
computer query that generates for each state (from information states 
are already required to submit to EPA's national database on a 
quarterly basis) the required violations information in a table 
consistent with the reporting template in EPA's guidance.
    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 recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 208 
hours for annual response. The number of respondents is 54 states, 
commonwealths and territories. The estimated total annual hour burden 
is 11,232 hours. The estimated total annualized cost burden is 
$669,400.
    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.
    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: February 23, 2004.
Lisa Lund,
Acting Director, Office of Compliance.
[FR Doc. 04-5876 Filed 3-15-04; 8:45 am]
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