E9-11520. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Laboratory Quality Assurance Evaluation Program for Analysis of Cryptosporidium Under the Safe Drinking Water Act (Renewal); EPA ICR No. ...

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

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 June 17, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2002-0011, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Water Docket, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Carrie Miller, EPA, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, Technical Support Center, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive (MS-140), Cincinnati, Ohio 45268; 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 February 25, 2009 (74 FR 8529), EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received three comments during the comment period, which are addressed in the ICR. 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-2002-0011, which is available for online viewing at www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Water Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is 202-566-1744, and the telephone number for the Water Docket is 202-566-2426.

Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at 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 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 www.regulations.gov as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted material, confidential business information (CBI), or other information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. For further information about the electronic docket, go to www.regulations.gov.

Title: Laboratory Quality Assurance Evaluation Program for Analysis of Cryptosporidium under the Safe Drinking Water Act (Renewal).

ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2067.04, OMB Control No. 2040-0246.

ICR Status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on May 31, 2009. 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: Under the Laboratory Quality Assurance Evaluation Program for Analysis of Cryptosporidium (“Lab QA Program”), EPA has approved voluntary laboratories that have demonstrated, and continue to demonstrate, proficient detection and enumeration of Cryptosporidium in surface water sources for public water systems. Approved laboratories that do not continue to meet the criteria for the Lab QA Program, including successful participation in tri-annual proficiency tests, may have their status downgraded to “provisional” or have their approval suspended.

Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 74.5 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: Public and private water testing laboratories.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 65.

Frequency of Response: Annual.

Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 4,843.

Estimated Total Annual Cost: $411,729.40, includes $141,929.00 annualized capital or O&M costs.

Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 863 hours in the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR Burdens. Changes in burden have occurred due to re-evaluation of hours for tasks, improved demonstration of capability and growth in the respondent universe. Inflation has increased all operation and maintenance and labor costs accordingly. EPA's original estimates for hours to participate and maintain the Lab QA Program were made before the program began. Because the program has matured and several years of QC data have been collected, the burden has changed for performing improved and refined procedures. The burden for some tasks has been estimated and will be re-evaluated as the program progresses.

Dated: May 12, 2009.

John Moses,

Director, Collection Strategies Division.