[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 9 (Thursday, January 13, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2162-2163]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-848]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-6522-8]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; State Water Quality Program Management Gap Analysis
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit the
following proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB): Information Collection Request for the
State Water Quality Program Management Gap Analysis. Before submitting
the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on
specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described
below.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 13, 2000.
ADDRESSES: Public Comments. All public comments shall be submitted to:
State Water Quality Program Management Gap Analysis ICR Comment Clerk
(Mail Code 4201), Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Wastewater
Management, Resource Management and Evaluation Staff, Ariel Rios
Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20460.
Commentors who want EPA to acknowledge receipt of their comments should
enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope. Comments may also be
submitted electronically to: crow.carol@epa.gov.
Interested persons may obtain a copy of the ICR and supporting
analysis without charge by contacting the individual listed below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol Crow, Telephone: (202) 260-6742,
Facsimile Number: (202) 260-1156, E-mail: crow.carol@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Electronic comments must be submitted as an
ASCII file avoiding the use of special characters and forms of
encryption. Electronic comments must be identified
[[Page 2163]]
by the use of the words ``State Water Quality Program Management Gap
Analysis ICR Comments.'' No confidential business information (CBI)
should be submitted through e-mail. Comments and data will also be
accepted on disks in Corel WordPerfect 8 format or ASCII file format.
Electronic comments on this notice may be filed online at many Federal
Depository Libraries.
The record for this proposed ICR has been established by the Office
of Wastewater Management, Resource Management and Evaluation Staff and
includes supporting documentation as well as printed, paper versions of
electronic comments. It does not include any information claimed as
CBI. The record is available for inspection from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays, at the Environmental
Protection Agency, Office of Wastewater Management, Resource Management
and Evaluation Staff, Northeast Mall Room 2310, 401 M Street, S.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20460. For access to the docket materials, please call
(202)-260-6742 to schedule an appointment.
Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
State governments. Major respondents are State governments.
Title: State Water Quality Program Management Gap Analysis.
Abstract: EPA, in partnership with States, is conducting the State
Water Quality Management Gap Analysis to help enumerate current and
future funding needs and to help identify innovative strategies for
reducing resource gaps. To develop preliminary information in a short
time frame, the Gap Analysis was divided into two phases. Phase I
consisted of the development of a preliminary estimate of the national
resource gap faced by water quality management programs to provide a
general idea of the magnitude of the resource gap based on initial
estimates provided by members of a State/EPA work group.
Phase II of the Gap Analysis involves developing a detailed,
activity-based workload model to provide a common framework for States
and EPA to estimate the resource needs necessary to assess specific
water quality concerns. To complete the model and develop a realistic
estimate, EPA's Office of Wastewater Management needs data on the
resources needed from each individual State for water quality
management activities.
This is a one time collection effort by the Office of Wastewater
Management and responses to this ICR are voluntary. The collection is
necessary to develop a detailed activity-based workload model that will
provide an estimate of the resource gap facing water quality management
programs. EPA will use the collected information to estimate resource
needs for water quality management activities.
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. The OMB control numbers for EPA's
regulations are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR Chapter 15.
EPA would like to solicit comments 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.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting burden for this
collection of information is estimated to average 180.5 hours per State
respondent. Approximately 20 States are expected to respond to this
information collection request, for a total estimated annual burden of
3,602.5 hours and a total estimated cost of $144,100. The total
estimated burden for this information collection activity, including
the Agency, is 4,141 hours nationally; the estimated total cost is
$165,117. There are no record keeping requirements.
Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources
expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or
provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time
needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, install, and utilize
technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and
verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and
disclosing and providing information; adjust the existing ways to
comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements;
train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information;
search data sources; complete and review the collection of information;
and transmit or otherwise disclose the information.
Dated: January 6, 2000.
Michael B. Cook,
Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 00-848 Filed 1-12-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
