[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 227 (Friday, November 26, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68898-68899]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-26164]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[RCRA-2004-0013, FRL-7842-4]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request: Facility Ground-Water Monitoring Requirements, 
EPA ICR Number 959.12, OMB Control Number 2050-0033

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 for an existing approved 
collection. This ICR 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 January 25, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number RCRA-
2004-0013 to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail 
to: [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, OSWER Docket (5305T), 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sara Rasmussen, Office of Solid Waste 
(5303W), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC 20460, (703) 308-8399, or by e-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established an official public 
docket for this ICR under Docket ID number RCRA-2004-0013. Documents in 
the official public docket are listed in the index list in EPA's 
electronic public docket and comment system, EDOCKET. Documents may be 
available either electronically or in hard copy. Electronic documents 
may be viewed through EDOCKET. Hard copy documents may be viewed at the 
OSWER 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 OSWER Docket 
is (202) 566-0270. An electronic version of the public docket is 
available through 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.
    Title: Facility Ground-water Monitoring Requirements, OMB Control 
Number 2050-0033, EPA ICR Number 0959.12, expiration date January 31, 
2005.
    Abstract: This ICR examines the ground-water monitoring standards 
for permitted and interim status facilities at 40 CFR parts 264 and 
265, as specified. The ground-water monitoring requirements for 
regulated units follow a tiered approach whereby releases of hazardous 
contaminants are first detected (detection monitoring), then confirmed 
(compliance monitoring), and if necessary, are required to be cleaned 
up (corrective action). Each of these tiers requires collection and 
analysis of ground-water samples. Owners or

[[Page 68899]]

operators that conduct ground-water monitoring are required to report 
information to the oversight agencies on releases of contaminants and 
to maintain records of ground-water monitoring data at their 
facilities. The goal of the ground-water monitoring program is to 
prevent and quickly detect releases of hazardous contaminants to 
groundwater, and to establish a program whereby any contamination is 
expeditiously cleaned up as necessary to protect human health and 
environment. Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act 
of 1976 (RCRA) creates a comprehensive program for the safe management 
of hazardous waste. Section 3004 of RCRA requires owners and operators 
of facilities that treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste to 
comply with standards established by EPA that are intended to protect 
the environment. Section 3005 provides for implementation of these 
standards under permits issued to owners and operators by EPA or 
authorized States. Section 3005 also allows owners and operators of 
facilities in existence when the regulations came into effect to comply 
with applicable notice requirements to operate until a permit is issued 
or denied. This statutory authorization to operate prior to permit 
determination is commonly known as ``interim status.'' Owners and 
operators of interim facilities also must comply with standards set 
under Section 3004.
    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.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 118 
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 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: Entities that operate surface 
impoundments, waste piles, land treatment units, and landfills which 
manage hazardous waste regulated under RCRA.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 824.
    Frequency of Response: Semi annual monitoring; additional sampling 
and monitoring may be required if contaminants are detected.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 96,913.
    Estimated Total Annualized Capital, O&M Cost Burden: $16,737,560.
    Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources 
expended to 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: November 15, 2004.
Maria Parisi Vickers,
Deputy Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 04-26164 Filed 11-24-04; 8:45 am]
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