Notice2021-16154
Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program (Renewal)
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
July 29, 2021
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit the "Information Collection Request (ICR) Supporting Statement for The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program (Renewal)" (EPA ICR No. 0229.25, OMB Control No. 2040-0004) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through March 31, 2022. 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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 143 (Thursday, July 29, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 143 (Thursday, July 29, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40823-40825]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16154]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0719; FRL-8774-01-OW]
Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request;
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program (Renewal)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to
submit the ``Information Collection Request (ICR) Supporting Statement
for The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program
(Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 0229.25, OMB Control No. 2040-0004) to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing so, EPA is
soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed
information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension
of the ICR, which is currently approved through March 31, 2022. 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.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before September 27, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
[[Page 40824]]
OW-2008-0719 online using <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> (our preferred method),
by email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bcf3eb91f8d3dfd7d9c8fcd9ccdd92dbd3ca"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="db948cf69fb4b8b0beaf9bbeabbaf5bcb4ad">[email protected]</span></a>, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center,
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460.
EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the
public docket without change including any personal information
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joshua Baehr, National Program Branch,
Water Permits Division, OWM Mail Code: 4203M, Environmental Protection
Agency, 1201 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone
number: (202) 564-2277; email address: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3a785b5f524814705549524f5b7a5f4a5b145d554c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4002212528326e0a2f33283521002530216e272f36">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the
public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West,
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The telephone
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional
information about EPA's public docket, visit <a href="http://www.epa.gov/dockets">http://www.epa.gov/dockets</a>.
Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act
(PRA), EPA is soliciting comments and information to enable it 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. EPA
will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as appropriate.
The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for review and
approval. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice
to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to
submit additional comments to OMB.
Abstract: This consolidated Information Collection Request (ICR)
renews the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
Program ICR. It calculates the information collection burden and costs
associated with the NPDES program, identifies the types of activities
regulated under the NPDES program, describes the roles and
responsibilities of state governments and the Agency, and presents the
program areas that address the various types of regulated activities.
This ICR renewal (Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control no.
2040-0004, EPA ICR no. 0229.24, expiration date 03/31/2022)
consolidates the information collection burden and costs associated
with activities previously reported in 18 of the NPDES program or
NPDES-related ICRs. This renewal documents the addition of the burden
and costs for the four existing NPDES ICRs listed below. Once this
renewal ICR is approved, the following ICRs will be discontinued (each
originally would have been effective for three years).
<bullet> Public Notification Requirements for Combined Sewer Overflows
(CSOs) in the Great Lakes Basin (OMB control no. 2040-0293, EPA ICR
2562.03, expiration date 04/30/2024)
<bullet> Effluent Limitation Guidelines and Standards for the Dental
Category (OMB control no. 2040-0287, EPA ICR no. 2514.03, expiration
03/31/2024)
<bullet> 2020 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Multi-
Sector General Permit (MSGP) for Industrial Stormwater Discharges (OMB
control no. 2040-0300, EPA ICR no. 2612.02, expiration 03/31/2024)
<bullet> NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule--Phase 2 Extension (OMB
Control No.: 2020-0037, EPA ICR No. 2617.02, expiration 12/31/2023)
The Clean Water Act (CWA) provides that NPDES permits are required
for the discharge of pollutants to waters of the United States. The CWA
requires EPA to develop and implement the NPDES permit program. CWA
section 402(b) allows states to acquire authority to administer the
NPDES program, enabling them to issue NPDES permits for discharges
within the state. At present, 47 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands are
authorized to administer the NPDES permit program. In states that do
not have authority for these programs, the Agency administers the
program and issues NPDES permits. Because some permit applications are
processed by states and some by EPA, this ICR calculates government
burden and cost for both authorized states and EPA. See Appendix F.1
for a copy of the authorizing regulation.
Form Numbers: EPA Form l3510-1; EPA Form 3510-2A; EPA Form 3510-2B;
EPA Form 3510-2C; EPA Form 3510-2D; EPA Form 3510-2E; EPA Form 3510-2F;
EPA Form 3510-2S.
Respondents/affected entities: Any point source discharger of
pollutants, including but not limited to publicly owned and privately
owned treatment works (POTWs and PrOTWs), industrial dischargers to
POTWs and PrOTWs, industrial and commercial dischargers to water of the
United States, sewage sludge management and disposal operations, large
vessels, dischargers of stormwater, construction sites, municipalities,
pesticide applicators, local and state governments.
Respondent's obligation to respond: Sections 301, 302, 304, 306,
307, 308, 316(b), 401, 402, 403, 405, and 510 of the CWA; the 1987
Water Quality Act (WQA) revisions to CWA section 402(p); 40 CFR parts
122, 123, 124, and 125 (and parts 501 and 503 for Biosolids); and the
Great Lakes Critical Programs Act (CPA).
Estimated number of respondents: 829,419 (total). (Includes 637
States/Tribes/Territories.)
Frequency of response: The frequency of response varies depending
on the specific response activity and can range from ongoing and
monthly to once every five years.
Total estimated burden: 31,147,981 hours (per year). Burden is
defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
Total estimated cost: $1,732,564,878 (per year), includes
$22,999,181 annualized capital or operation and maintenance costs
(O&M).
Changes in Estimates: The current OMB-approved burden for the
existing NPDES ICR (OMB control no. 2040-0004, EPA ICR no. 0229.24) is
28,221,350 hours. The current combined OMB-approved burden for the
existing NPDES ICR and the four ICRs being consolidated into this ICR
is 28,661,318 hours. The combined burden requested in this ICR renewal
is 31,147,981 hours. Overall, the burden requested in this ICR is
2,486,663 hours (9 percent) more than the combined previously approved
burdens of the component ICRs. The majority of this burden hour
increase occurred as a result of an increase in EPA's estimates of
permittee respondents. The increases in EPA's estimates of the number
of permittee respondents is largely attributed to improvements in the
current NPDES Integrated Compliance Information
[[Page 40825]]
System (ICIS-NPDES) database, implementation of the Electronic
Reporting Rule Phase 1, and refined estimates. Other significant
changes in estimates of burden hours are the result of the following
adjustments:
<bullet> This ICR eliminates the initial permit application and
compliance activities for existing Cooling Water Intake Structure
(CWIS) facilities as these activities have been completed by all
existing CWIS facilities, resulting in a decrease in estimated burden
hours for CWIS facilities.
<bullet> The collection burden associated with compliance with and
administration of small vessels general permit (sVGP) has been removed.
Eliminating the sVGP also decreased the number of vessel respondents
significantly.
<bullet> The estimated number of respondents in some of the
categories (shown in Appendix D of the ICR Supporting Statement) both
increased and decreased per the current NPDES Integrated Compliance
Information System (ICIS-NPDES) database and based on refined EPA
estimates.
<bullet> This ICR accounts for adjustments to inflation to
September 2021 dollars that updated the presumed capital and O&M cost
burden.
<bullet> The burden associated with Electronic Reporting Rule Phase
I implementation activities has been removed. This includes the burden
associated with Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) mailing by
permittees, and all state and federal DMR processing previously
included in the ICR.
Dated: July 22, 2021.
Andrew D. Sawyers,
Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 2021-16154 Filed 7-28-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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