[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 48 (Monday, March 11, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17464-17465]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-05049]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2024-0063; FRL-11805-01-OW]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Clean 
Watersheds Needs Survey (CWNS) (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to 
submit an information collection request (ICR), ``Clean Watersheds 
Needs Survey (CWNS) (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 0318.14, OMB Control No. 
2040-0050) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Before 
doing so, the EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of 
the proposed information collection as described below. This is a 
renewal of the ICR. 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 May 10, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2024-0063, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method) or 
by mail to: 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: Elisabeth Schlaudt, Office of Water, 
State Revolving Fund Branch, (4204M), Environmental Protection Agency, 
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-
564-8934; 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

[[Page 17465]]

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: The Clean Watersheds Needs Survey (CWNS) is required by 
Clean Water Act (CWA) Sections 205(a) and 516. It is a periodic 
inventory of existing and planned publicly owned wastewater conveyance 
and treatment facilities, combined sewer overflow correction, 
stormwater management and other water pollution control facilities in 
the United States, as well as an estimate of how many of these 
facilities need to be built. The CWNS is a joint effort between the EPA 
and the states. The CWNS collects cost and technical data from states 
that is associated with publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) and 
other water pollution control facilities, existing and planned. The 
respondents who provide this information to the EPA are state agencies 
responsible for environmental pollution control and local facility 
contacts who provide documentation to the states. Periodically, the 
states request data or documentation from contacts at the facility or 
local government level. These respondents are referred to as 
facilities.
    No confidential information is used, nor is sensitive information 
protected from release under the Public Information Act. The EPA 
achieves national consistency in the final results through the 
application of uniform guidelines and validation techniques.
    Form numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: States, Territories, and Local 
Facilities.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 56 States and Territories, 10,294 
Local Facilities (total).
    Frequency of response: Every 4 years.
    Total estimated burden: 41,899 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $2,509,754 (per year), includes $0 annualized 
capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in estimates: There is an increase of 32,254 hours and 
$2,004,750 in the total estimated respondent burden compared with the 
ICR previously approved by OMB. This adjustment is based upon an 
increase in facility universe, additional burden associated with 
gathering small community needs, as well as an adjustment in labor 
rates and benefits.

Andrew D. Sawyers,
Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 2024-05049 Filed 3-8-24; 8:45 am]
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