[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 107 (Monday, June 5, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32344-32345]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-8664]



[[Page 32344]]

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

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0486; FRL-8179-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; 2007 Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey Agency 
Information Collection; EPA ICR No. 2234.01, OMB Control No. 2040.New

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit a request for a new 
Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB). 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 August 4, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2006-0486, by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: 202-564-3757.
     Mail: Water Docket, EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), 
Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 4101T, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: Water Docket, EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), 
EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2006-
0486. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in 
the public docket without change and may be made available online at 
http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you 
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through http://www.regulations.gov or by e-mail. The http://www.regulations.gov Web 
site is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means EPA will not know 
your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body 
of your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without 
going through http://www.regulations.gov, your e-mail address will be 
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is 
placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you 
submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name 
and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any 
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to 
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA 
may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid 
the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of 
any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA's public 
docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Barles, Drinking Water 
Protection Division (Mailcode 4606), Office of Ground Water and 
Drinking Water, U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20460; telephone number: 202-564-3814; fax number: 202-564-3757; e-mail 
address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

How Can I Access the Docket and/or Submit Comments?

    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0486, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Water Docket in 
the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 
8 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.
    Use http://www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft 
collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the 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 in this document.

What Information Is EPA Particularly Interested in?

    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically 
solicits comments and information to enable it 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. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from 
very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of 
specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork 
burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.

What Should I Consider When I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

    You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your 
comments:
    1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific 
examples.
    2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
    3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used 
that support your views.
    4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you 
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
    5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
    6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified 
under DATES.
    7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket 
ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page 
of your response. You may also provide the name, date and Federal 
Register citation.

What Information Collection Activity or ICR Does This Apply to?

    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
those which own, operate or regulate community water systems including, 
but not limited to, owners/operators of community water systems, State 
environmental water quality agencies, and State departments of health.

[[Page 32345]]

    Title: 2007 Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey.
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR 2234.01, OMB Control No. 2040.New.
    ICR status: This ICR is for a new information collection activity. 
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 title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when 
approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, and are displayed either by 
publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such 
as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The 
display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is 
consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    Abstract: The purpose of this information collection is to identify 
the infrastructure needs of community public water systems for the 20-
year period from January 2007 through December 2027. EPA's Office of 
Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW) will collect these data to 
comply with Sections 1452(h) and 1452(i)(4) of the Safe Drinking Water 
Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-12).
    EPA will use a questionnaire to collect capital investment need 
information from large (serving more than 100,000 people) and medium 
(serving more than 3,300 people but less than 100,000) community water 
systems. The questionnaire will also be used by EPA survey teams in 
visits to 400 to 600 statistically-selected small (serving less than 
3,300 people) community water systems to ascertain their infrastructure 
needs. Participation in the survey is voluntary. The data from the 
questionnaires will provide EPA with a basis for estimating the 
nationwide infrastructure needs of community water systems. Also, as 
mandated by section 1452(a)(1)(D)(ii) of the Safe Drinking Water Act, 
EPA uses the results of the latest survey to allocate Drinking Water 
State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) monies to the States. Under the allotment 
formula, each State receives a grant of the annual DWSRF appropriation 
in proportion to its share of the total national need--with the proviso 
that each State receives at least one percent of the total funds 
available.
    Burden Statement: Over the entire survey effort, the annual public 
reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information 
is estimated to average 3.74 hours per response for states and water 
system respondents combined. However, nearly all of the responses from 
water systems will occur in the single year of 2007. 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 which have 
subsequently changed; 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.
    The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate, 
which is only briefly summarized here:
     Estimated total number of potential respondents: 3,470.
     Frequency of response: On occasion.
     Estimated total average number of responses for each 
respondent: 1 per system.
     Estimated total annual burden hours: 12,984 hours.
     Estimated total annual costs: $1,345,677. This includes an 
estimated burden cost of $1,345,677 and an estimated cost of $0.00 for 
capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.

What is the Next Step in the Process for This ICR?

    EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as 
appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for 
review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will 
issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 
1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the 
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any 
questions about this ICR or the approval process, please contact the 
technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Dated: May 26, 2006.
Cynthia Dougherty,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. E6-8664 Filed 6-2-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P