[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 83 (Tuesday, April 30, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18277-18278]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-08728]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2015-0613; FRL-9990-76-OEI]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Implementation of Title I of the Marine Protection, Research, and 
Sanctuaries Act (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an 
information collection request (ICR), Implementation of Title I of the 
Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (EPA ICR Number 
0824.07, OMB Control Number 2040-0008) to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is 
currently approved through June 30, 2019. Public comments were 
previously requested via the Federal Register on October 5, 2018 during 
a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days 
for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR is given below, 
including its estimated burden and cost to the public. 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: Additional comments may be submitted on or before May 30, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OW-2015-0613, 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, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB via email to 
[email protected]. Address comments to OMB Desk Officer for 
EPA.
    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: Charles Kovatch, Oceans, Wetlands, and 
Communities Division, mail code 4504T, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and, 
Watersheds, mail code 4501T, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-566-
0399; fax number: 202-566-1147; 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. See in particular EPA's Supporting 
Statement 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 EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Abstract: With limited exceptions, ocean dumping--the 
transportation of any material for the purpose of dumping in ocean 
waters--is prohibited except in compliance with a permit issued under 
the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA). EPA is 
responsible for issuing ocean dumping permits for all materials except 
dredged material. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is 
responsible for issuing ocean dumping permits for dredged material 
using EPA's environmental criteria, though for federal projects, the 
USACE may apply the environmental criteria directly in lieu of the 
permit process. Ocean dumping permits for dredged material are subject 
to EPA review and concurrence. EPA is also responsible for designating 
and managing ocean sites for the disposal of wastes and other materials 
and establishing Site Management and Monitoring Plans for ocean 
disposal sites. EPA collects or sponsors the collection of information 
for the purposes of permit issuance, reporting of emergency dumping to 
safeguard life at sea, and for compliance with permit requirements. EPA 
may issue emergency, research, special and general permits. Examples of 
EPA permits include general permits for burial at sea, for 
transportation and disposal of vessels, and for ocean disposal of 
marine mammal carcasses.
    EPA collects this information to ensure that ocean dumping is

[[Page 18278]]

appropriately regulated and will not harm human health and the marine 
environment, based on applying the Ocean Dumping Criteria. The Ocean 
Dumping Criteria consider, among other things: The environmental impact 
of the dumping; the need for the dumping; the effect of the dumping on 
esthetic, recreational, or economic values; land-based alternatives to 
ocean dumping; and the adverse effects of the dumping on other uses of 
the ocean. The Ocean Dumping Criteria are codified in 40 CFR parts 227-
228. To meet U.S. reporting obligation under the London Convention, an 
international treaty on ocean dumping, EPA also reports some of this 
information in the annual United States Ocean Dumping Report.
    EPA uses ocean dumping information to make decisions regarding 
whether to issue or deny such permits, as well as to impose any 
necessary conditions on permits issued by EPA in order to ensure 
consistency with the Ocean Dumping Criteria. EPA uses monitoring and 
reporting data from permittees to assess compliance with ocean dumping 
permits, including associated monitoring activities.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Any private person, entity, or 
state, local, or foreign governments.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Required to obtain or retain a 
benefit, specifically permit authorization and/or compliance with 
permits required under MPRSA sections 102 and 104, 33 U.S.C. 1402 & 
1404, and implementing regulations at 40 CFR parts 220-229.
    Estimated number of respondents: 2,768 respondents per year 
(total).
    Frequency of response: Varies greatly depending on the respondent/
entities needs to obtain or retain the benefits entailed in 40 CFR 
parts 220-229.
    Total estimated burden: 3,497 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.3(b).
    Total estimated cost: $344,066 (per year), which includes $165,872 
for capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is no significant increase in the 
total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. There is an increase of 290 hours due to an increase 
in the number of responses and updated reporting burden estimates.

Courtney Kerwin,
Director, Regulatory Support Division.
[FR Doc. 2019-08728 Filed 4-29-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P