[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 157 (Wednesday, August 16, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 55693]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-17551]



[[Page 55693]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0369; FRL-11290-01-OMS]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; National Estuary Program (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), ``National Estuary Program 
(Renewal)'' (EPA ICR Number 1500.11, OMB Control Number 2040-0138) 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 September 30, 
2023. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal 
Register on January 4, 2023 during a 60-day comment period. This notice 
allows for an additional 30 days for public comments.

DATES: Comments may be submitted on or before September 15, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OW-2006-0369, to 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.
    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.
    Submit written comments and recommendations to OMB for the proposed 
information collection within 30 days of publication of this notice to 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information 
collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for 
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Vince Bacalan, Oceans, Wetlands and 
Communities Division; Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds; Mail 
Code 4504T, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-566-0930; fax number: 202-
566-1336; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a proposed extension of the ICR, 
which is currently approved through September 30, 2023. 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.
    Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register 
on January 4, 2023 during a 60-day comment period (88 FR 352). This 
notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. 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 EPA's public docket, visit 
http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Abstract: The National Estuary Program (NEP) involves collecting 
information from the state or local entity or nongovernmental 
organization that receives funds under section 320 of the Clean Water 
Act (CWA). The regulation requiring this information is found in 40 CFR 
part 35.
    Prospective grant recipients seek funding to develop and coordinate 
the implementation of Comprehensive Conservation Management Plans 
(CCMPs) for estuaries of national significance. To receive funds, 
grantees must submit annual work plans to EPA, which are used to track 
performance of each of the 28 estuary program locations currently in 
the NEP. EPA provides funding to the 28 NEPs to support long-term 
implementation of CCMPs in the form of assistance agreements, and each 
NEP is evaluated on its progress every five years. The primary purpose 
of the program evaluation process is to help EPA determine whether the 
28 programs included in the NEP are making adequate progress 
implementing their CCMPs. EPA also requests that each of the 28 NEPs 
receiving section 320 funds report annually on performance measures 
that allow EPA to maintain effective program management, execute its 
fiduciary responsibility to the program, and summarize environmental 
results achieved within the overall NEP. Information gathered may be 
included in agency reports along with other EPA program measures.
    The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also 
known as Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), on November 15, 2021, 
enhances the work of the NEPs with additional funding to accelerate and 
more extensively implement CCMPs, ensure that benefits reach 
disadvantaged communities, and build the adaptive capacity of 
ecosystems and communities. As part of this expanded investment, the 
NEP is also required to track certain investments and benefits under 
the Justice40 Initiative (part II section 223 of 86 FR 7619), which 
will be informed by equity strategies submitted on a one-time basis by 
each of the 28 NEPs. These additional requirements under BIL and 
Justice40 contribute to the significant increase in the overall burden 
estimates for this renewal.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are those state or local entities or nongovernmental 
organizations in the NEP that receive assistance agreements 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 (total).
    Frequency of response: Annual.
    Total estimated burden: 11,872 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $763,844 (per year), which includes $0 
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is increase of 6,512 hours in the 
total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This increase is due to (1) year-end reporting of 
activities and accomplishments in Work Plans; (2) Program Evaluations 
taking place in the next three years compared to two years in the 
currently approved ICR; (3) expanded reporting of existing information 
collection (Work Plans, Program Evaluation Packages, Performance 
Measures) under BIL; and (4) requirement to develop Equity Strategies 
designed to meet expectations under the Justice40 Initiative, as well 
as to waive the remaining NEP non-federal match/cost-share requirements 
for BIL funds in FY2024-FY2026.

Courtney Kerwin,
Director, Regulatory Support Division.
[FR Doc. 2023-17551 Filed 8-15-23; 8:45 am]
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