[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 171 (Tuesday, September 4, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44872-44873]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-19142]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2018-0629; FRL-9983-25-OW]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; ``ICR 
Supporting Statement Information Collection Request for National 
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES): Specific Provisions 
Affecting Applications and Program Updates Final Rule''

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), ``ICR Supporting Statement 
Information Collection Request for National Pollutant Discharge 
Elimination System (NPDES): Specific Provisions Affecting Applications 
and Program Updates Final Rule'' (EPA ICR No. 2575.01, OMB Control No. 
2040-NEW) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing 
so, the EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the 
proposed information collection as described below. This is a request 
for approval of a new collection. 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.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before November 5, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2018-0629 online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by 
email to [email protected], or by mail to: The EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460.
    The 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: Janita Aguirre, Water Permits 
Division, Office of Wastewater Management, Mail Code 4203M, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, 
DC 20460; telephone number: 202-566-1149; email address: 
[email protected]; or, Frank Sylvester, Water Permits Division, 
Office of Wastewater Management, Mail Code 4203M, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone number: 202-564-1279; 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, WJC West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional 
information about the EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, the 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. The 
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, the 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: On May 18, 2016, the EPA proposed the National Pollutant 
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES): Applications and Program Updates 
rule (81 FR 31343). The Spring 2018 Regulatory Agenda explained that 
the EPA would be finalizing the proposed rule in two separate but 
related actions. This first final rule will address a subset of the 
revisions proposed in 2016 to modernize the NPDES regulations, clarify 
regulatory requirements, and promote submission of complete permit

[[Page 44873]]

applications. This ICR identifies the types of activities regulated and 
calculates the burden and associated costs of the revisions to be 
included in the first final rule, the National Pollutant Discharge 
Elimination System (NPDES): Specific Provisions Affecting Applications 
and Program Updates (RIN 2040-AF25), and corresponding updated NPDES 
permit application forms.
    Form numbers: OMB. No. 2040-0004; OMB. No. 2040-0086; OMB. No. 
2040-0188; OMB. No. 2040-0211; OMB. No. 2040-0250; OMB. No. 2040-0284; 
OMB. No. 1004-0189; OMB. No. 0596-0082.
    Respondents/affected entities: The respondents affected by this 
collection activity include: The EPA; authorized state, territorial, 
and tribal programs; and the regulated community.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: The collection is required 
pursuant to CWA section 402, as implemented by the revisions to 40 CFR 
parts 122, 124, and 125. Compliance with the updated application 
requirements and corresponding updated application forms is mandatory. 
The opportunity for NPDES permitting authorities to provide public 
notice of NPDES permit actions using the internet in lieu of the 
newspaper is voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 20,663 applicants/permittees; 
20,019 state, territory, and tribal governments; 644 by the EPA (total: 
41,326).
    Frequency of response: The burden would be realized once within a 
five-year period, with the assumption that each permit would be 
reapplied for and renewed once every five years.
    Total estimated burden: A reduction of 19,305 hours (per year). 
Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b)
    Total estimated cost: A savings of $2,524,064 (per year), includes 
a savings of $1,419,673 annualized capital or operation and maintenance 
costs.
    Changes in estimates: There is an overall decrease of 19,305 hours 
in the total estimated respondent burden. This decrease is due to: 
Estimated burden reduction to both permittees and permitting 
authorities resulting from revised application forms that are easier to 
follow and redesigned to reduce confusion and support completion; 
permitting authorities exercising the option to publicly notice 
permitting decisions through public websites rather than through 
publication in newspapers, and; additional minor reductions in burden 
associated with permitting authority review of applications submitted 
by POTWs with pretreatment programs and applications submitted by 
permittees indicating the use of cooling water. These changes are due 
to changes in program requirements, as well as updated and improved 
NPDES permit application forms.

    Dated: August 27, 2018.
Andrew D. Sawyers,
Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 2018-19142 Filed 8-31-18; 8:45 am]
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