[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 145 (Tuesday, July 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40524-40525]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-19886]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5864-6]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB
Review; Comment Request; Performance Evaluation Studies on Water and
Wastewater Laboratories
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.), this notice announces that the following Information
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Performance Evaluation
Studies on Water and Wastewater Laboratories, OMB #2080-0021, to expire
on October 31, 1997. The ICR describes the nature of the information
collection and its expected burden and cost; where appropriate, it
includes the actual data collection instrument.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 28, 1997.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY CALL: Sandy Farmer at EPA, (202) 260-
2740, and refer to EPA ICR No. 234.06.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Performance Evaluation Studies on Water and Wastewater
Laboratories (OMB Control No. 2080-0021; EPA ICR No. 234.06 ) expiring
10/31/97. This is a request for extension of a currently approved
collection.
Abstract: The U.S.EPA receives analytical results on drinking
waters and wastewaters from a variety of laboratories and must rely on
these data as a primary basis for many of its regulatory decisions. As
a consequence, it has become very important to have an objective
demonstration that the contributing laboratories are capable of
producing valid data. The Laboratory Performance Evaluation Studies are
designed to fulfill this need to document and improve the quality of
analytical data for certain critical analyses within drinking water,
major point-source discharge and ambient water quality samples.
Participation in Water Pollution (WP) studies that relate to wastewater
analyses, and Water Supply (WS) studies that relate to drinking water
analyses, is only mandated by the U.S.EPA for those laboratories that
are receiving federal funds to do such analyses, however successful
participation in these studies is often required by states that certify
laboratories for water and wastewater analyses. Participation in the
Discharge Monitoring Report--Quality Assurance (DMR-QA) studies is
mandatory for those designated wastewater dischargers who are doing
self-monitoring analyses required under a National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) permit. 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. The Federal Register notice required
[[Page 40525]]
under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on this collection of
information was published in 4/28/97 (62 FR 22940); One comment was
received.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to total 124,243
hours/year, as follows:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total
annual
Type of study Studies/ Resp./study Avg. burden respondent
year hours/resp. burden
(hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Water Pollution Studies.................................... 2 3,262.5 6.10 39,802
DMR-QA Studies (chemistry data)............................ 1 6,112 4.37 26,710
DMR-QA Studies (toxicity data)............................. 1 300 66.2 19,860
Water Supply Studies (chemistry data)...................... 2 2,202.5 7.87 34,667
Water Supply Studies (micro. data)......................... 2 300 5.34 3,204
----------------------------------------------------
Total................................................ ........... ............ ........... 124,243
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
Respondents/Affected entities: wastewater labs, NPDES permittees
and toxicity labs, and water chemistry and microbiological labs.
Estimated Number of Respondents (per year): 6,525 wastewater labs,
6,112 permittees, 300 tox labs and 5,005 water labs (chem + micro).
Frequency of Response: two studies per year, except for the annual
DMR-QA (NPDES) study.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 124,243 hours.
Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $5,321,063.
Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the
accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods
for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of
automated collection techniques to the following addresses. Please
refer to EPA ICR number 234.06 and OMB control number 2080-0021 in any
correspondence.
Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, OPPE Regulatory
Information Division (2137), 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC 20460
and
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20503.
Dated: July 23, 1997.
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 97-19886 Filed 7-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
