[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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