E6-17875. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; National Estuary Program; EPA ICR No. 1500.06, OMB Control No. 2040-0138

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.

DATES:

Additional comments may be submitted on or before November 24, 2006.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0369, to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by e-mail to [e-mail], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Water Docket—Mail Code 4101T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB by mail to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

Note:

The EPA Docket Center suffered damage due to flooding during the last week of June 2006. The Docket Center is continuing to operate. However, during the cleanup, there will be temporary changes to Docket Center telephone numbers, addresses, and hours of operation for people who wish to make hand deliveries or visit the Public Reading Room to view documents. Consult EPA's Federal Register notice at 71 FR 38147 (July 5, 2006) or the EPA Web site at http://www.epa.gov/​epahome/​dockets.htm for current information on docket operations, locations, and telephone numbers. The Docket Center's mailing address for U.S. mail and the procedure for submitting comments to http://www.regulations.gov are not affected by the flooding and will remain the same.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

John McShane, Oceans and Coastal Protection Division, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, Mail Code 4504T, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: [phone]; fax number [phone]; e-mail address: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12. On May 23, 2006 (71 FR 29619), EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA did not receive any comments. Any additional comments on this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB within 30 days of this notice.

EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0369, which is available for online viewing at http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Water Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is [phone] and the telephone number for the Water Docket is [phone].

Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at http://www.regulations.gov, to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, select “docket search,” then key in the docket ID number identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing at http://www.regulations.gov as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. For further information about the electronic docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov.

Title: National Estuary Program.

ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1500.06, OMB Control No. 2040-0138.

ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on November 30, 2006. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. 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 in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed either by publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.

Abstract: The National Estuary Program (NEP) involves collecting information from the state or local agency or nongovernmental organizations that receive funds under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act. The regulation requiring this information is found at 40 CFR part 35. Prospective grant recipients seek funding to develop or oversee and coordinate implementation of Comprehensive Conservation Management Plans (CCMPs) for estuaries of national significance. In order to receive funds, grantees must submit an annual workplan to EPA. The workplan consists of two parts: (a) Progress on projects funded previously; and (b) new projects proposed with dollar amounts and completion dates. The workplan is reviewed by EPA and also serves as the scope of work for the grant agreement. EPA also uses these workplans to track performance of each of the 28 estuary programs currently in the NEP.

EPA provides funding to NEPs to support long-term implementation of CCMPs if such programs pass an implementation review process. Implementation reviews are used to determine progress each NEP is making in implementing its CCMP and achieving environmental results. In addition to evaluating progress, the results are used to identify areas of weakness each NEP should address for long-term success in protecting and restoring their estuaries. EPA will also compile successful tools and approaches as well as lessons learned from all implementation reviews to transfer to the NEPs and other watershed programs. For this ICR cycle, implementation reviews will be required for seven programs in FY2006, 12 programs in FY2007, and nine programs in 2008.

EPA requests that each of the 28 NEPs receiving Section 320 funds report information that can be used in the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) reporting process. This reporting is done on an annual basis and is used to show environmental results that are being achieved within the overall NEP Program. This information is ultimately submitted to Congress along with GPRA information from other EPA programs.

Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 218 hours per response. 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 which have subsequently changed; 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.

Respondents/Affected Entities: State or local agencies or nongovernmental organizations in the NEP who receive grants under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 28.

Frequency of Response: Annual.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 5,833.

Estimated Total Annual Cost: $409,349, includes $0 annualized capital or O&M costs.

Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 280 hours, which is a result of the information collection process being more streamlined and efficient.

Dated: October 10, 2006.

Oscar Morales,

Director, Collection Strategies Division.