[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 226 (Wednesday, November 24, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68346-68347]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-26077]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OW-2004-0015; FRL-7841-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Clean Water Act State Revolving 
Fund Program (Renewal), EPA ICR Number 1391.07, OMB Control Number 
2040-0118

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 to renew an existing 
approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on 11/30/2004. 
Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor 
the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. 
This ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its 
estimated burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before December 27, 
2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OW-2004-
0015, to (1) 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, Mail Code 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: Clifford Yee, Office of Wastewater 
Management, Mail Code 4204M, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-
564-0598; fax number: 202-501-2403; 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 August 5, 2004 (69 FR 47432), EPA sought comments on this 
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. OW-2004-0015, 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 docket that are available electronically.

[[Page 68347]]

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 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.
    Title: Clean Water Act State Revolving Fund Program (Renewal).
    Abstract: The Clean Water Act, as amended by ``The Water Quality 
Act of 1987'' (U.S.C. 1381-1387 et. seq.), created a Title VI which 
authorizes grants to States for the establishment of State Water 
Pollution Control Revolving Funds (SRFs). The information collection 
activities will occur primarily at the program level through the State 
``Intended Use Plan'' and ``Annual Report.'' The information is needed 
annually to implement section 606 of the Clean Water Act (CWA).
    The 1987 Act declares that water pollution control revolving funds 
shall be administered by an instrumentality of the State subject to the 
requirements of the act. This means that each State has a general 
responsibility for administering its revolving fund and must take on 
certain specific responsibilities in carrying out its administrative 
duties. The information collection activities will occur primarily at 
the program level through the State Intended Use Plan and Annual 
Report. The information is needed annually to implement section 606 of 
the Clean Water Act (CWA). The Act requires the information to ensure 
national accountability, adequate public comment and review, fiscal 
integrity and consistent management directed to achieve environmental 
benefits and results. The individual information collections are: (1) 
Capitalization Grant Application and Agreement/State Intended Use Plan, 
(2) Annual Report, (3) State Annual Audit, and (4) Application for SRF 
Financial Assistance.
    (1) Capitalization Grant Application and Agreement/State Intended 
Use Plan: The State will prepare a Capitalization Grant application 
that includes an Intended Use Plan (IUP) outlining in detail how it 
will use all the funds available to the fund. The grant agreement 
contains or incorporates by reference the IUP, application materials, 
payment schedule, and required assurances. The bulk of the information 
is provided in the IUP, the legal agreement which commits the State and 
EPA to execute their responsibilities under the Act.
    (2) Annual Report: The State must agree to complete and submit an 
Annual Report that indicates how the State has met the goals and 
objectives of the previous fiscal year as stated in the IUP and grant 
agreement. The report provides information on loan recipients, loan 
amounts, loan terms, project categories, and similar data on other 
forms of assistance. The report describes the extent to which the 
existing SRF financial operating policies, alone or in combination with 
other State financial assistance programs, will provide for the long 
term fiscal health of the Fund and carry out other provisions specified 
in the grant operating agreement.
    (3) Annual Audit: Most States have agreed to conduct or have 
conducted a separate financial audit of the Capitalization Grant which 
will provide opinions on the financial statements, and a report on the 
internal controls and compliance with program requirements. The 
remaining States will be covered by audits conducted under the 
requirements of the Single Audit Act and by EPA's Office of Inspector 
General.
    (4) Application for SRF Financial Assistance: Local communities and 
other eligible entities have to prepare and submit applications for SRF 
assistance to their respective State Agency which manages the SRF 
program. The State reviews the completed loan applications, and 
verifies that the proposed projects will comply with applicable Federal 
and State requirements.
    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 recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 111 
hours per response. 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/Affected Entities: 3,009.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,060.
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 339,405.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $6,155,700, includes $0 annual 
capital/startup and O&M costs and $6,155,700 annual labor costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 76,500 hours in 
the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of 
Approved ICR Burdens. This increase is due to the increase in the 
number of participants in the program, the individual burden still 
remains the same.

    Dated: November 17, 2004.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 04-26077 Filed 11-23-04; 8:45 am]
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