[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 175 (Friday, September 10, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49181-49182]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23586]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-6435-7]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB
Review; Comment Request; National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System and Sewage Sludge Management State Programs
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 the following Information
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System and Sewage Sludge Management State Programs, OMB
Control Number 2040-0057, which expires on November 30, 1999. 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 October 12, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandy Farmer at EPA, (202) 260-2740,
by email at farmer.sandy@epa.gov, or download a copy of the ICR off the
internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR No. 0168.07.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) and Sewage Sludge Management State Programs
(OMB Control No. 2040-0057; EPA ICR No. 0168.07) which expires on 11/
30/99. This is a request for extension of a currently approved
collection.
Abstract: Under the NPDES program, States, Federally Recognized
Indian Tribes, and U.S. Territories, hereafter referred to as States,
may acquire the authority to issue permits. These governments have the
option of acquiring authority to issue general permits (permits that
cover a category or categories of similar discharges). States with
existing NPDES programs must submit requests for program modifications
to add Federal facilities, or general permit authority. In addition, as
federal statutes and regulations are modified, States must submit
program modifications to ensure that their program continues to meet
Federal requirements.
States have the option of obtaining a sludge management program.
This program may be a component of a State NPDES Program, or it may be
administered as a separate program. To obtain a NPDES or sludge
program, a State must submit an application that includes a program
description, an Attorney General's Statement, draft Memorandum of
Agreement (MOA) with the EPA Region, and copies of the State's statutes
and regulations.
Once a State obtains authority for an NPDES or sludge program, it
becomes responsible for implementing the program in that jurisdiction.
The State must retain records on the permittees and perform
inspections. In addition, when a State obtains NPDES or sludge
authority, EPA must oversee the program. Thus, States must submit
permit information and compliance reports to the EPA.
When EPA issues a permit in an unauthorized State, that State must
certify that the permit requirements comply with State water laws.
According to the Clean Water Act (CWA) (section 510), States may adopt
discharge requirements that are equal to or more stringent than
requirements in the CWA or Federal regulations.
There are three categories of reporting requirements that are
covered by this ICR. The first category, ``State Program Requests,''
includes the activities States must complete to request a new NPDES or
sludge program, or to modify an existing program. The second category,
``State Program Implementation,'' includes the activities that approved
States must complete to implement an existing program, such as
certification of EPA-issued permits by non-NPDES States. The third
category, ``State Program Oversight,'' includes activities required of
NPDES States so that EPA may satisfy its statutory requirements for
state program oversight.
The information collected by EPA is used to evaluate the adequacy
of a State's NPDES or sludge program and to provide EPA with the
information necessary to fulfill its statutory oversight functions over
State program performance and individual permit actions. EPA will use
this information to evaluate State requests for full or partial program
approval and program modifications. In order to evaluate the adequacy
of a State's proposed program, appropriate information must be provided
to ensure that proper procedures, regulations, and statutes are in
place and consistent with the CWA requirements.
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 document required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting
comments on this collection of information was published on 6/9/98 (63
FR 31461); no comments were received.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information ranges from 4 to 2,080 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; 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: states, tribes, territories.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 613.
Frequency of Response: varies.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 1,140,794 hours.
Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden (non-labor): $0.
Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the
accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods
for minimizing
[[Page 49182]]
respondent burden, including through the use of automated collection
techniques to the following addresses. Please refer to EPA ICR No.
0168.07 and OMB Control No. 2040-0057 in any correspondence.
Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of
Policy, 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: September 3, 1999.
Richard T. Westlund,
Acting Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 99-23586 Filed 9-9-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-U
