Notice2024-06408
Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; POTW Influent PFAS Study Data Collection
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
March 26, 2024
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an information collection request, "U.S. Environmental Protection Agency POTW Influent PFAS Study Data Collection" (EPA ICR No. 2799.01, OMB Control No. 2040-NEW) to the Office of Management and Budget for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Before doing so, the EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a request for approval of a new collection. This notice allows for 60 days for public comments.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 59 (Tuesday, March 26, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 59 (Tuesday, March 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20962-20964]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-06408]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OW-2023-0580; FRL-11359-01-OW]
Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; POTW
Influent PFAS Study Data Collection
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to
submit an information collection request, ``U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency POTW Influent PFAS Study Data Collection'' (EPA ICR
No. 2799.01, OMB Control No. 2040-NEW) to the Office of Management and
Budget for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act (PRA). Before doing so, the EPA is soliciting public
comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as
described below. This is a request for approval of a new collection.
This notice allows for 60 days for public comments.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 28, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
[[Page 20963]]
OW-2023-0580, 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#3b746c167f5458505e4f7b5e4b5a155c544d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a4ebf389e0cbc7cfc1d0e4c1d4c58ac3cbd2">[email protected]</span></a>, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center,
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460.
The 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: Sean Dempsey, Engineering and Analysis
Division, Office of Science and Technology, (4303T), Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460;
telephone number: 202-564-5088; email address: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#eaae8f879a998f93c4b98f8b84aa8f9a8bc48d859c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="387c5d55484b5d41166b5d5956785d4859165f574e">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a request for approval of a new
collection. 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.
This notice allows 60 days for public comments. 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 the 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, the 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 forms of information technology. The 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, the 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 directs the United States
Environmental Protection Agency to develop national regulations known
as Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards (ELGs) to place limits
on the pollutants that are discharged by categories of industry to
surface waters and publicly owned treatment works (POTWs). In addition,
the EPA conducts National Sewage Sludge Surveys (NSSSs) to collect
national concentration data on contaminants found in sewage sludge and
biosolids (sewage sludge treated to meet the requirements in 40 CFR
part 503 and intended to be applied to land as a soil amendment or
fertilizer), and to help inform future risk assessments and risk
management options. For many decades, industrial facilities have used
and discharged per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances to POTWs. PFAS are a
class of synthetic chemicals of concern to the EPA because of their
widespread use and potential to accumulate in the environment. Certain
PFAS are known to cause adverse ecological and human health effects.
Most POTWs do not operate processes and technologies that effectively
reduce or eliminate PFAS in wastewater; therefore, PFAS are
subsequently discharged into surface waters and/or accumulate in sewage
sludge generated by the POTW which poses a potential risk for further
PFAS release depending on sewage sludge management practices.
As announced in the EPA's Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 15,
published in January 2023, the EPA is conducting a POTW Influent PFAS
Study to collect and analyze nationwide data on industrial discharges
of PFAS to POTWs as well as PFAS in POTW influent, effluent, and sewage
sludge. The EPA will require, through an OMB-approved Information
Collection Request, a subset of large POTWs across the United States to
complete a questionnaire and collect and analyze wastewater and sewage
sludge samples. The data collection activities will produce a robust
data set that will enable the EPA to characterize the type and quantity
of PFAS in wastewater discharges from industrial users to POTWs
(including industrial categories that the EPA has determined
historically or currently use PFAS but for which there is insufficient
PFAS monitoring data available) as well as POTW influent, effluent, and
sewage sludge. The wastewater sampling data will primarily be used to
identify and prioritize industrial point source categories where
additional study or regulations may be warranted to control PFAS
discharges. The sewage sludge sampling will fulfill the EPA's data
needs for the upcoming NSSS by establishing a current national data set
of sewage sludge characteristics which the EPA will subsequently use to
inform upcoming risk assessments and the need for future regulations
and guidance pertaining to the management of sewage sludge.
This collection effort is necessary because there is only very
limited publicly accessible data on PFAS discharges from industrial
categories to POTWs; the relative PFAS contributions from residential,
commercial, and industrial sources to POTWs; and the fate and transport
of PFAS in POTW influent and sewage sludge. This collection effort is
also consistent with the Agency's October 2021 PFAS Strategic Roadmap
commitments to address PFAS through investment in scientific research
to fill gaps in understanding of PFAS and to prevent PFAS from entering
the environment.
As part of the POTW Influent PFAS Study, the EPA estimates that
approximately 400 POTWs with the highest daily flow rates of all POTWs
in the U.S. will complete a mandatory electronic questionnaire. The
objectives of the questionnaire will be to gather POTW-specific
information and data on industrial users discharging to the POTW, known
or suspected sources of PFAS discharges to the POTW, and wastewater and
sewage sludge management practices of the POTW. The EPA plans to use
the information and data collected in the questionnaire to select a
subset of 200 to 300 POTWs to participate in a two-phase sampling
program. Phase 1 will require each selected POTW to collect and analyze
one-time grab samples of industrial user effluent, domestic wastewater
influent, POTW influent, and POTW effluent for forty specific PFAS and
adsorbable organic fluorine (AOF). For each POTW selected, the EPA
intends to specify no more than ten industrial users for which the POTW
must collect and analyze effluent samples. The total number of
industrial users sampled as part of the sampling program is not
expected to exceed 2,000 facilities. Phase 2 will require selected
POTWs to collect and analyze one-time grab samples of sewage sludge for
forty specific PFAS and ancillary parameters.
Form Numbers: None.
Respondents/affected entities: 400 of the largest POTWs in the
nation will receive the questionnaire (400 facilities)
[[Page 20964]]
and a subset of 200-300 facilities will be asked to conduct specific
sampling, conducted in two phases.
Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory (Clean Water Act
Section 308) (citing authority).
Estimated number of respondents: 400 (total).
Frequency of response: One-time data collection.
Total estimated respondent burden: 25,640 hours. Burden is defined
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
Total estimated respondent cost: $5,486,816 one-time cost.
Changes in estimates: This is a new data collection request and is
a one-time temporary increase to the agency's burden.
Deborah G. Nagle,
Director, Office of Science and Technology, Office of Water.
[FR Doc. 2024-06408 Filed 3-25-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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