Notice2022-15371
Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; National Water Quality Inventory Reports (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 19, 2022
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), "National Water Quality Inventory Reports (Renewal)" (EPA ICR No. 1560.11, OMB Control No. 2040-0071) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed 3-year extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through March 31, 2023. 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 87 Issue 137 (Tuesday, July 19, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 137 (Tuesday, July 19, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43029-43030]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-15371]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OW-2003-0026; FRL-9959-01-OW]
Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request;
National Water Quality Inventory Reports (Renewal)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to
submit an information collection request (ICR), ``National Water
Quality Inventory Reports (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 1560.11, OMB Control
No. 2040-0071) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review
and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA).
Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects
of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a
proposed 3-year extension of the ICR, which is currently approved
through March 31, 2023. 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 19, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-2003-
0026, 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#98d7cfb5dcf7fbf3fdecd8fde8f9b6fff7ee"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f9b6aed4bd969a929c8db99c8998d79e968f">[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: Edward Laird, Watershed Restoration,
Assessment and Protection Division (WRAPD), Office of Wetlands, Oceans,
and Watersheds, Mail Code: 4503T, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-566-
2848; fax number: 202-566-1437; email address: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bad6dbd3c8de94dfdecddbc8defadfcadb94ddd5cc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="99f5f8f0ebfdb7fcfdeef8ebfdd9fce9f8b7fef6ef">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents that explain in detail
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the
public docket for this ICR (Docket ID EPA-HQ-OW-2003-0026). 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 PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501 et
seq.), 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: The Clean Water Act Section 305(b) reports contain
information on whether waters assessed by a state meet the state's
water quality standards, and, when waters are impaired, the pollutants
and potential sources affecting water quality. This information helps
states and the public track progress in addressing water pollution.
Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act requires states to identify and
rank waters that cannot meet water quality standards (WQS) following
the implementation of technology-based controls. Under Section 303(d),
states are also required to establish total maximum daily loads (TMDLs)
for listed waters not meeting standards because of pollutant
discharges. In developing the Section 303(d) lists, states are required
to consider various sources of water quality related data and
information, including the Section 305(b) state water quality reports.
Section 106(e) requires that states annually update monitoring data and
use it in their Section 305(b) report. Section 314(a) requires states
to report on the condition of their publicly owned lakes within the
Section 305(b) report.
Pursuant to the Clean Water Act and its implementing regulations,
EPA reviews and approves or disapproves state Section 303(d) lists and
TMDLs from 56 respondents (the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and
the five Territories). Section 303(d) specifically requires states to
develop lists and TMDLs, and EPA is to review and approve or disapprove
the lists and the TMDLs. EPA also collects state 305(b) reports from 59
respondents (the 50 States, the District of Columbia, five Territories,
and 3 River Basin Commissions).
Tribes are not required to submit Section 305(b) reports. However,
to meet the needs of Tribes at all levels of development, EPA has
prepared guidance that presents the basic steps a Tribe should take to
collect the water quality information it needs to make effective
decisions about its program, its goals, and its future directions.
Tribal water quality monitoring and reporting activities are covered
under the Section 106 Tribal Grants Program and are not included in the
burden estimates for this ICR. In addition, ICR number 2553.02
``Treatment of Indian Tribes in a Similar Manner as States for Purposes
of Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act (Final Rule)'' addresses the
tribes' CWA Section 303(d) Impaired Water Listing and TMDL TAS
application and 303(d) Program implementation burden, as well as EPA's
burden for reviewing the tribes' applications and 303(d) Program
submittals.
During the period covered by this ICR renewal, respondents will:
complete their 2024 Section 305(b) reports and 2024 Section 303(d)
lists; complete their 2026 Section 305(b) reports and 2026 Section
303(d) lists; transmit annual electronic updates of ambient monitoring
data via the Water Quality Exchange; and continue to develop TMDLs
according to their established schedules. EPA will prepare biennial
updates on assessed and impaired waters for Congress and the public for
the 2024 reporting cycle and for the
[[Page 43030]]
2026 cycle, and EPA will review 303(d) list and TMDL submissions from
respondents.
The burdens of specific activities that states undertake as part of
their Section 305(b) and 303(d) programs are derived from a project
among EPA, states, and other interested stakeholders to develop a tool
for estimating the states' resource needs for state water quality
management programs. This project has developed the State Water Quality
Management Workload Model (SWQMWM), which estimates and sums the
workload involved in more than one hundred activities or tasks
comprising a state water quality management program. Over twenty states
contributed information about their activities that became the basis
for the model. According to the SWQMWM, to meet Section 305(b) and
303(d) reporting requirements the states will conduct: watershed
monitoring and characterization; modeling and analysis; development of
Section 303(d) lists and TMDLs for public review; public outreach;
formal public participation; tracking; planning; legal support; etc. In
general, respondents have conducted each of these reporting and record
keeping activities for past Section 305(b) and 303(d) reporting cycles
and thus have staff and procedures in place to continue their Section
305(b) and 303(d) reporting programs. The burden associated with these
tasks is estimated in this ICR to include the total number of TMDLs
that may be submitted during the period covered by this ICR.
Form Numbers: None.
Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by
this action are States, Territories and Tribes with Clean Water Act
(CWA) responsibilities.
Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory: Integrated Water
Quality Inventory Reports. (Clean Water Act Sections 305(b), 303(d),
314(a), and 106(e)).
Estimated number of respondents: 59 (total).
Frequency of response: Biennial.
Total estimated burden: 3,696,243 hours (per year). Burden is
defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
Total estimated cost: $243,597,191 (per year), includes $0
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
Changes in Estimates: There is a decrease of 10,944 hours in the
total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently
approved by OMB. This decrease is due to efficiencies gained from the
use of EPA's modernized Assessment and Total Maximum Daily Load
Tracking and Implementation System (ATTAINS) database and the
integration of EPA's data and information systems to better support
reporting, tracking water quality protection, and restoration actions.
These efficiencies streamlined water quality assessment and reporting
by reducing paper copy transactions and improving electronic data
exchange.
John Goodin,
Director, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds.
[FR Doc. 2022-15371 Filed 7-18-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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