[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 84 (Friday, April 30, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23743-23744]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-9869]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OW-2004-0007, FRL7655-8]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Public Water System Supervision Program (Renewal), EPA 
ICR Number 0270.42, OMB Control Number 2040-0090

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 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 November 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 June 29, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OW-2004-
0007, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by email to 
[email protected], or by mail to: Water Docket, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mail Code 4101T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460, Attention Docket ID No. OW-2004-0007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard P. Naylor, Office of Ground 
Water and Drinking Water, (4606M), Environmental Protection Agency, 
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 
202.564.3847; fax number: 202.564.3755; email address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number OW-2004-0007, 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. 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, 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 www.epa.gov/edocket.
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
new and existing public water systems (PWS), primacy agencies, EPA, and 
tribal operator certification providers.
    Title: Public Water System Supervision Program (Renewal).
    Abstract: The Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) Program ICR 
examines PWS, primacy agency, EPA and tribal operator certification 
provider burden and costs for ``cross-cutting'' recordkeeping and 
reporting requirements (i.e., the burden and costs for complying with 
drinking water information requirements that are not associated with 
contaminant-specific rulemakings). These activities which have 
recordkeeping and reporting requirements that are mandatory for 
compliance with 40 CFR parts 141 and 142 include the following: 
Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs), Primacy Regulation Activities, 
Variance and Exemption Rule (V/E Rule), General State Primacy 
Activities, and Public Notification (PN). The information collection 
activities for both the Operator Certification/Expense Reimbursement 
Program and the Capacity Development Program are driven by the grant 
withholding and reporting provisions under Sec.  1419 and Sec.  1420, 
respectively, of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Although the Tribal 
Operator Certification Program is voluntary, the information collection 
is driven by grant eligibility requirements outlined in the Drinking 
Water Infrastructure Grant Tribal Set-Aside Program Final Guidelines 
and the Tribal Drinking Water Operator Certification Program 
Guidelines. 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.
    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 estimated annual burden hours for the Public 
Water System Supervision Program ICR are 3,172,183 hours. The estimated 
average burden hours per response is 7.2 hours. The proposed frequency 
of response varies by requirement (e.g., monthly, quarterly, annually). 
The estimated average number of responses per respondent is 2.71. The 
estimated number of likely respondents annually is 161,682. The total 
annualized capital/startup costs are $0.0 million. The estimated annual 
cost for operation and maintenance is $19.65 million. 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,

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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: April 23, 2004.
Cynthia C. Dougherty,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. 04-9869 Filed 4-29-04; 8:45 am]
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