[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 82 (Thursday, April 29, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23069-23070]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10731]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-6332-7]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Reporting Requirements Under EPA's Water Alliances for
Voluntary Efficiency (WAVE) Program
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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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 continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB): Reporting Requirements Under EPA's
Water Alliances for Voluntary Efficiency (WAVE) Program, EPA ICR Number
1654.02, OMB Control Number 2040-0164, expiring October 31, 1999.
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 June 28, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Wastewater
Management, WAVE ICR Docket, Municipal Assistance Branch (Mail Code
4204), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460. Interested persons may
obtain a copy of the ICR amendment and supporting analysis without
charge by contacting the individual listed below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Valerie Martin, Telephone: (202) 260-
7259. Facsimile Number: (202) 260-1827. E-mail: martin.valerie@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments
Comments shall be submitted to WAVE ICR Comment Clerk, Mail Code
4204, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Wastewater Management,
401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460. Commenters who want EPA to
acknowledge receipt of their comments should enclose a self-addressed
stamped
[[Page 23070]]
envelope. Comments may also be submitted electronically to
martin.valerie@epa.gov.
Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the
use of special characters and forms of encryption. Electronic comments
must be identified by the use of words ``WAVE 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 renewal has been established in the Office
of Wastewater Management, Municipal Assistance Branch 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 am to 4 pm, Monday
through Friday, excluding legal holidays, at the Municipal Assistance
Branch, Northeast Mall Room 2606-46, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC
20460. For access to the docket materials, please call (202) 260-5856
to schedule an appointment.
Affected Entities
Entities potentially affected by this action are commercial
businesses, medical facilities, educational institutions, state and
local governments, and multi-family housing units that voluntarily join
EPA's WAVE Program. Major respondents are lodging establishments,
office buildings, educational institutions, medical facilities, and
state and local governments.
Title
Reporting Requirements Under EPA's Water Alliances for Voluntary
Efficiency (WAVE) Program (OMB Control No. 2040-0164; EPA ICR No.
1654.02) expiring October 31, 1999.
Abstract
EPA initially collects facility information and thereafter annually
collects water, energy, and cost savings information from participants
in the WAVE program. WAVE Partners are commercial businesses or
institutions that voluntarily agree to implement cost-effective water
efficiency measures in their facilities. Initially the WAVE Program
targeted the lodging industry, but is expanding to include office
buildings, educational institutions and medical facilities. Another
type of participant, ``Supporters,'' will work with EPA to promote
water efficiency. Supporters are equipment manufacturers, water
management companies, utilities, state and local governments, or the
like.
The purpose of the WAVE Program is pollution prevention. As defined
by EPA, pollution prevention means ``source reduction'' as defined
under the Pollution Prevention Act, and other practices that reduce or
eliminate the creation of pollutants through increased efficiency in
the use of raw materials, energy, water, or other resources, or through
protection of natural resources by conservation. By promoting water
efficiency, WAVE prevents pollution in two basic ways. First,
wastewater flows are reduced which can increase treatment efficiency at
wastewater treatment plants resulting in reduced pollutant loads.
Second, less water used means that less energy will be used to treat,
transport, and heat drinking water and to transport and treat
wastewater. To the extent that the reduced energy use so achieved is
electrical energy, power plant emissions are reduced. Water efficiency
also causes less water to be withdrawn and helps preserve streamflow to
maintain a healthy aquatic environment; in addition, less pumping of
groundwater lowers the chance that pollutants that may be in the
groundwater will be drained into a water supply well.
EPA uses the information to maintain a profile of program
membership and to monitor the success of the program, demonstrate that
pollution prevention can be accomplished with a non-regulatory
approach, and to promote the program to potential partners.
Participation in the WAVE Program is voluntary; however, a participant
joins the program by signing and submitting a Membership Agreement and
an annual Results Report to EPA to receive and retain program benefits,
such as software and publicity. No participant is required to submit
confidential business information. EPA maintains and distributes a list
of program participants, and presents aggregated data only in its
program progress reports. 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
49 CFR Chapter 15.
The 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 and record keeping burden for this
collection of information is estimated to average three hours and three
minutes per Membership Agreement response, and five hours and 54
minutes per Results Report response. Approximately 870 facilities will
be subject to this information collection for an estimated annual
burden of 2,556 hours. The total estimated burden for this information
collection activity, including the Agency, is 3,037 hours nationally;
the estimated total annualized cost burden is $187,282. 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: April 23, 1999.
Michael B. Cook,
Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 99-10731 Filed 4-28-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
