[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 205 (Monday, October 25, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62267-62268]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-23838]



[[Page 62267]]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OW-2003-0017, FRL-7830-2]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program; EPA ICR 
No. 0370.18; OMB Control No. 2040-0042

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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): Underground Injection Control Program, 
EPA ICR No. 0370.18, OMB No. 2040-0042 which is scheduled to expire on 
January 31, 2005. 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 December 27, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OW-2003-
0017, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to 
[email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Water Docket, MC 4101T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert E. Smith, Office of Ground 
Water and Drinking Water's Drinking Water Protection Division/
Underground Injection Control Program, Environmental Protection Agency, 
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; Telephone: 202-
564-3895, fax number: 202-564-3756, e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number OW-2003-0017, 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 http://www.epa.gov/edocket.
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
owners and operators of underground injection wells, State Underground 
Injection Control (UIC) primacy Agencies, and, in some instances, U.S. 
EPA Regional Offices and Staff.
    Title: Underground Injection Control Program (OMB Control No. 2040-
0042; EPA ICR No. 0370.18.)
    Abstract: The Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program under the 
Safe Drinking Water Act established a Federal and State regulatory 
system to protect underground sources of drinking water (USDWs) from 
contamination by injected fluids. Owners/operators of underground 
injection wells must obtain permits, conduct environmental monitoring, 
maintain records, and report results to EPA or the State UIC primacy 
agency. States must report to EPA on permittee compliance and related 
information. The mandatory information is reported using standardized 
forms, and the regulations are codified at 40 CFR Parts 144 through 
148. The data are used to ensure the protection of underground sources 
of drinking water from UIC authorities.
    EPA expects that the total burden for the continuing Program ICR 
for the period 2005-2007 will exceed the reporting burden estimated in 
the previous ICR. EPA estimates that the total annual burden will 
increase by 100,566 hours, and the total cost will increase by $16.8 
million. The projected increase over the approved ICR period is 
primarily due to the following factors: (1) There will be a significant 
increase in activities related to the 1999 Class V Rule as the 
regulatory deadlines related to closure of large-capacity cesspools or 
closure/permitting of motor vehicle waste disposal wells will occur; 
(2) There will be increased cost to operators associated with quarterly 
wastewater testing and annual sludge sampling required under the Class 
V Rule; and (3) The labor rates for all well classes reflect Bureau of 
Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics for 2003, which are 
higher than labor estimates for 2001. The Agency has continued to 
explore burden and cost reduction as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995. Specifically, EPA is examining how the UIC 
program could reduce the reporting burden on the States via electronic 
reporting forms. The Agency will continue work with States on this 
effort as we finalize the 2005-2007 ICR renewal. Any recommendations 
from the underground injection control regulated community and the 
general public on this issue will also be given consideration by the 
Agency. 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.
    EPA would like to solicit comments to:
    (i) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for 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 automatic 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of

[[Page 62268]]

information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of 
responses.
    Burden Statement: The public reporting and record-keeping burden 
for this collection of information is estimated to average 2.90 hours, 
or $203.50 per response annually.
    Estimated Number of Likely Respondents: 41,141.
    Frequency of Response: Varies.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 1,192,512 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $83,678,101.
    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: October 18, 2004.
Cynthia C. Dougherty,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. 04-23838 Filed 10-22-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P