[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 147 (Wednesday, July 31, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46332-46333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-18159]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0369; FRL-9840-2]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
National Estuary Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an 
information collection request (ICR), ``National Estuary Program'' (EPA 
ICR No. 1500.08, OMB Control No. 2040-0138 to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the 
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Before doing so, EPA 
is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed 
information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension 
of the ICR, which is currently approved through January 31, 2014. 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.

[[Page 46333]]


DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before September 30, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2006-0369, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by 
email to: [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John McShane, Oceans and Coastal 
Protection Division, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, Mail 
Code 4504T, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. 
NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 566-1381; fax 
number: (202) 566-1336; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail 
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the 
public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at 
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, EPA West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional 
information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting 
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. 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. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice 
to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to 
submit additional comments to OMB.
    Abstract: The National Estuary Program (NEP) involves collecting 
information from the state or local agency or nongovernmental 
organizations that receive funds under Sec. 320 of the Clean Water Act 
(CWA). The regulation requiring this information is found at 40 CFR 
Part 35. Prospective grant recipients seek funding to develop or 
oversee and coordinate implementation of Comprehensive Conservation 
Management Plans (CCMPs) for estuaries of national significance. In 
order to receive funds, grantees must submit an annual workplan to EPA 
which are used to track performance of each of the 28 estuary programs 
currently in the NEP.
    EPA provides funding to NEPs to support long-term implementation of 
CCMPs if such programs pass a program evaluation process. The primary 
purpose of the program evaluation process is to help EPA determine 
whether the 28 programs included in the National Estuary Program (NEP) 
are making adequate progress implementing their CCMPs and therefore 
merit continued funding under Sec. 320 of the Clean Water Act. EPA also 
requests that each of the 28 NEPs receiving Sec. 320 funds report 
information that can be used in the GPRA reporting process. This 
reporting is done on an annual basis and is used to show environmental 
results that are being achieved within the overall NEP Program. This 
information is ultimately submitted to Congress along with GPRA 
information from other EPA programs.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are those state or local agencies or nongovernmental 
organizations in the National Estuary Program (NEP) who receive grants 
under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act.
    Respondent's Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain a 
benefit (Section 320 of the Clean Water Act).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 28.
    Frequency of Response: Annual.
    Total Estimated Burden: 6,113 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.3(b).
    Total Estimated Cost: $409,349 (per year), includes $0 annualized 
capital or operation and & maintenance costs.
    Changes in Estimates: There will likely be a decrease in the total 
estimated respondent burden hours compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This decrease is due to changing the program 
evaluations from every three years to every five years. Note that these 
numbers will be updated in the final FR Notice.

    Dated: July 22, 2013.
Paul Cough,
Director, Oceans and Coastal Protection Division.
[FR Doc. 2013-18159 Filed 7-30-13; 8:45 am]
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