[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 235 (Wednesday, December 7, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76405-76406]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-31401]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0465; FRL-9500-6]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Water Quality Standards 
Regulations (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 January 6, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2011-0465, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred 
method), by email to [email protected] or by mail to: EPA Docket 
Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Water Docket, Mailcode 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: Beth LeaMond, Standards and Health 
Protection Division, Office of Science and Technology (4305T), 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 566-0444; fax number: 
(202) 566-0409; 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 June 30, 2011 (76 FR 38384), EPA sought comments on this 
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. 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-2011-0465, which is available for online viewing at 
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 
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 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: Water Quality Standards Regulation (Renewal).
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 0988.11, OMB Control No. 2040-0049.
    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: Water quality standards are provisions of State, Tribal, 
and Federal law that consist of designated uses for waters of the 
United States, water quality criteria to protect the designated uses, 
and an antidegradation policy. Section 303(c) of the Clean Water Act 
requires States and authorized Tribes to establish water quality 
standards, and to review and, if appropriate, revise their

[[Page 76406]]

water quality standards once every three years. The Act also requires 
EPA to review and either approve or disapprove the new or revised 
standards, and to promulgate replacement Federal standards if 
necessary. Section 118(c)(2) of the Act specifies additional water 
quality standards requirements for waters of the Great Lakes system.
    The Water Quality Standards Regulation (40 CFR part 131 and 
portions of part 132) governs national implementation of the water 
quality standards program. The Regulation describes requirements and 
procedures for States and authorized Tribes to develop, review, and 
revise their water quality standards, and EPA procedures for reviewing 
and approving the water quality standards.
    The Regulation establishes specific additional requirements for 
water quality standards and their implementation in the waters of the 
Great Lakes system, contained in the Water Quality Guidance for the 
Great Lakes System (40 CFR part 132).
    Burden Statement: The public reporting and recordkeeping burden for 
this collection of information is estimated to average 1,099 hours per 
response annually. 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: States, Territories and certain 
authorized Indian tribes that adopt water quality standards under the 
Clean Water Act; and water dischargers subject to certain requirements 
related to water quality standards in the Great Lakes system.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,415 (56 States and Territories, 
36 Tribes; 2,323 Great Lakes dischargers).
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 276,981 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $12,614,040 with no annualized capital 
or O&M cost.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 16,233 hours in 
the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of 
Approved ICR Burdens. This decrease is due to adjustments in EPA's 
estimates of burden hours to reflect a change in the number of tribes 
with EPA-approved water quality standards, a change in the estimated 
number of tribes applying annually to administer standards programs, a 
revised estimate of the number of Great Lakes dischargers, and updated 
burden estimates for certain activities required by the Water Quality 
Guidance for the Great Lakes System.

    Dated: November 30, 2011.
John Moses,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2011-31401 Filed 12-6-11; 8:45 a.m.]
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