[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 228 (Monday, November 28, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72918-72919]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-30557]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2004-0015; FRL-9496-7]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Clean Water Act State Revolving 
Fund Program (Renewal)

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 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. The ICR, which is abstracted below, 
describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated 
burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before December 28, 
2011.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2004-0015, to: (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our 
preferred method), by email to: [email protected], or by mail to: EPA 
Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water Docket, 
Mail Code: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460, 
and (2) OMB by mail to: 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; email 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 July 11, 2011 (76 FR 40723), EPA sought comments on this 
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments during the 
comment period. Any additional comments on this ICR should be submitted 
to EPA and OMB within 30 days of this notice.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OW-2004-0015, 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 3334, 1301 Constitution 
Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC 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.
    Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at http://www.regulations.gov, to submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those 
documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the 
system, select ``docket search,'' then key in the docket ID number 
identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public 
comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made 
available for public viewing at http://www.regulations.gov as EPA 
receives them and without change, unless the comment contains 
copyrighted material, confidential business information (CBI), or other 
information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. For 
further information about the electronic docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov.
    Title: Clean Water Act State Revolving Fund Program (Renewal).
    ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 1391.10, OMB Control No. 2040-0118.
    ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2011. 
Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor 
the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. 
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, 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 Clean Water Act (CWA), as amended by ``The Water 
Quality Act

[[Page 72919]]

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 (SRF). The American Recovery and 
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) established a matching State Water 
Pollution Control Revolving Fund Program with funds that had to be 
obligated in one year. The information collection activities will occur 
primarily at the program level through the State ``Intended Use Plan'' 
(IUP) and ``Annual Report''. The information is needed annually to 
implement Section 606 of the 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 IUP and Annual Report. The 
information is needed annually to implement section 606 of the Clean 
Water Act. 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 IUP: The 
State will prepare a Capitalization Grant application that includes a 
State IUP outlining in detail how it will use all of 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, environmental benefits 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 application and verifies 
that the proposed projects will comply with applicable Federal and 
State requirements.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 108 
hours per response for the base program and 97.5 hours per response for 
the ARRA program. 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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: State and Local governments; local 
communities and tribes.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: Base Program: 8,262; ARRA Program: 
4,669.
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: Base Program: 441,405; ARRA 
Program: 364,442.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: Base Program: $12,916,260. This 
includes an estimated burden cost of $6,389,280 State, and $6,526,980 
Local. ARRA Program: $10,902,487. This includes an estimated burden 
cost of $6,805,440 State, and $4,097,047 Local.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 4,437 responses 
and decrease of 65,376 hours in the total estimated burden currently 
identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR Burdens. This increase 
reflects EPA's acceptance of additional loan applicants for the State 
SRF loan program. The decrease in burden hours is the time needed to 
process and report on these loans on an annual basis.

    Dated: November 21, 2011.
John Moses,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2011-30557 Filed 11-25-11; 8:45 am]
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