[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 3, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 130-132]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-22479]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OECA-2006-0931; FRL-8265-2]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval: Comment Request: National Pollution Discharge 
Elimination System (NPDES). Modification and Variance Requests: EPA ICR 
Number: 0234.09, OMB Control Number: 2080-0021

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to 
submit a request to renew an existing approved Information Collection 
Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is 
scheduled to expire on January 31, 2007. 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.

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DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 5, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID Number: EPA-
HQ-OECA-2006-0931, by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the online instructions 
for submitting comments.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: 202-564-0029.
     Mail: DMR-QA Permittee Data Report Form, EPA Docket 
Center, (EPA/DC) Environmental Protection Agency, Enforcement and 
Compliance Docket and Information Center, Mail Code 2201T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
     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.
    Instruction: Direct your comments to Docket ID No EPA-HQ-OECA-2006-
0931. 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 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: John Helm, Office of Compliance, 
Laboratory Data Integrity Branch, 2225A, Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
number: 202-564-4144; fax number: 202-564-0029; 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 
Number. EPA-HQ-OECA-2006-0931, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in-person viewing at the DMR-QA 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 Docket is 202-566-1692.
    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 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 in the 
subject line on the first page of your response the docket ID number 
assigned to this action. You may also provide the name, date, and 
Federal Register citation.
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
NPDES permitted facilities.
    Abstract: Discharge Monitoring Report-Quality Assurance (DMR-QA) 
participation is mandatory for major and selected minor permit holders 
under the Clean Water Act's National Pollution Discharge Elimination 
System (NPDES), Section 308. The DMR-QA study is designed to evaluate 
the entire process used by permittes to routinely report monitoring 
results in Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs). The study addresses the 
analytic ability of the laboratories that perform chemical, 
microbiological and whole effluent toxicity (WET) analyses required in 
the NPDES permits and the ability to properly report these results in 
the DMRs. Under DMR-QA, the permit holder is responsible for obtaining 
un-graded results of analyses of test samples performed by in-house 
and/or contract laboratories, and submitting these results to the 
appropriate federal or state NPDES regulatory authority and the 
commercial proficiency testing (PT) provider that supplies the test 
samples. Permit holders are responsible for submitting corrective 
action reports to the appropriate regulatory authority.
    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, are displayed either by publication in the Federal 
Register or by other

[[Page 132]]

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.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 4.5 
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, verifying, in processing, maintaining, and 
providing information; 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: 7516.
    Frequency of response: Annual.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 1.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 27,578 hours.
    Number of affected facilities is: 7,516.
    Estimated total annual costs: This includes an estimated burden 
cost of $1,397,649, and an estimated cost of $538,554 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 John 
Helm.

    Dated: December 19, 2006.
Richard Colbert,
Director, Agriculture Division.
[FR Doc. E6-22479 Filed 12-29-06; 8:45 am]
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