Notice2026-08693
Proposed Information Collection Request; Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Programs; EPA ICR No. 1803.10, OMB Control No. 2040-0185
Primary source
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Published
May 5, 2026
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR) titled "Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Programs" EPA ICR No. 1803.10, OMB Control No. 2040-0185 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 August 31, 2026. 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 91 Issue 86 (Tuesday, May 5, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 5, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24231-24233]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-08693]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OW-2026-1803.10; FRL-13255-01-OW]
Proposed Information Collection Request; Clean Water State
Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Programs; EPA
ICR No. 1803.10, OMB Control No. 2040-0185
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an
information collection request (ICR) titled ``Clean Water State
Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Programs'' EPA
ICR No. 1803.10, OMB Control No. 2040-0185 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 August 31, 2026. 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 July 6, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
[[Page 24232]]
OW-2026-1803.10 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#1d524a3059727e7678695d786d7c337a726b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ffb0a8d2bb909c949a8bbf9a8f9ed1989089">[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: Howard Rubin, Office of Ground Water
and Drinking Water, (4606M), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202 564-
2051; email address: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#691b1c0b00074701061e081b0d0c290c1908470e061f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c3b1b6a1aaadedabacb4a2b1a7a683a6b3a2eda4acb5">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A supporting document titled Supporting
Statement A explains in detail the information that EPA will be
collecting and is 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>.
This notice allows 60 days for public comments. Pursuant to section
3506(c)(2)(A) of the 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: The information collection activities will occur
primarily at the program level through the State Capitalization Grant
Agreement/Intended Use Plan and Annual Report, Annual Report, State
Audit, and reporting through the SRF data system. The information on
the Intended Use Plan (IUP) is needed annually to describe how the
state intends to use available State Revolving Fund (SRF) funds for the
year to meet the objectives of the Clean Water Act (CWA) or Safe
Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and to further the goal of protecting public
health and water quality. The Annual Report is needed to provide
detailed information on how the state program has met its goals and
objectives of the previous one or two fiscal years as stated in the IUP
and grant agreement. The CWA and SDWA require this information to
ensure the national accountability, adequate public review and comment,
fiscal integrity, and consistent management needed to achieve public
health and CWA and SDWA compliance objectives.
Title VI of the CWA of 1987 established the Clean Water State
Revolving Fund (CWSRF) program, which replaced EPA's Construction
Grants Program. As outlined in 40 CFR part 35, subpart K, State Water
Pollution Control Revolving Funds, and EPA guidance, each state and
Puerto Rico has its own CWSRF. The 1996 SDWA Amendments created the
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). Much like the CWSRF, each
state and Puerto Rico has its own DWSRF, outlined in 40 CFR part 35,
subpart L.
A state's CWSRF and DWSRF include funds provided by Federal
capitalization grants, repayments from prior assistance agreements,
interest that has been repaid to the SRF, and investment income. In
some cases, a state SRF secures additional funding though bond
proceeds. Each state designs and operates its own revolving fund to
provide financial assistance to eligible recipients for water pollution
control and drinking water protection activities.
The CWSRF and DWSRF were established as low-interest sources of
funding for a wide range of water infrastructure projects and have the
flexibility to use options beyond low-interest loans. States have the
authority to use the SRFs to issue and refinance loans, purchase or
guarantee local debt, and purchase bond insurance. States may also set
specific terms such as interest rates and repayment periods. The CWSRF
can also issue loan guarantees, and in 2009, Congress authorized states
to provide further financial assistance via the CWSRF program in the
form of grants, principal forgiveness, and negative interest rate
loans. Under the DWSRF, a state may establish disadvantaged community
criteria and offer negative interest rates, principal forgiveness, and/
or an extended repayment term to communities meeting such criteria.
Congress provides EPA annual appropriations for providing
capitalization grants to state SRFs. EPA awards these grants to each
state upon a state's submission of a grant application, which includes
an IUP. While EPA provides oversight that ensures that states'
procedures are consistent with the CWA or SDWA and accompanying
regulations, the CWA and SDWA authorize states to structure and manage
their SRF programs to meet state objectives and address state water
quality and public health priorities. Additional information about the
CWSRF and DWSRF are available at <a href="http://www.epa.gov/cwsrf">www.epa.gov/cwsrf</a> and <a href="http://www.epa.gov/dwsrf">www.epa.gov/dwsrf</a>, respectively.
This proposed ICR renewal provides updated estimates of the
reporting burden associated with the information collection activities
for both the DWSRF and CWSRF. As further noted below and in Supporting
Statement A, the estimated reporting burden hours for this proposed ICR
is lower than under the currently approved ICR. The individual
information collections covered under this ICR are briefly described
below.
Though the CWSRF and DWSRF information collection activities
closely mirror each other, there are several key differences.
Specifically, under the SDWA, the DWSRF program includes several set-
aside programs that are funded through DWSRF capitalization grants.
These set-aside programs cover activities that are separate from the
funding provided by the DWSRFs for eligible water infrastructure
projects. The use of the set-aside funds must be tracked through the
various DWSRF information collection activities, including the IUPs and
Annual Reports. The CWA does not provide similar set-aside programs for
the CWSRFs.
(1) Capitalization Grant Agreement/Intended Use Plan
The Capitalization Grant Agreement is the principal instrument by
which the state commits to manage its revolving fund program in
conformity with the requirements of the CWA or SDWA. The grant
agreement contains or
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incorporates by reference the IUP, application materials, payment
schedule, required certifications, Operating Agreement (if used), and
other documentation required by the EPA Regional Administrator.
Information on how an SRF program intends to use its funds for the
upcoming year to meet the objectives of the CWA or SDWA can be found in
the IUP. The agreement is a general instrument to legally commit the
state and EPA to execute their responsibilities under the CWA or SDWA.
(2) Annual Report
The Annual Report indicates how the state has met its goals and
objectives of the past fiscal year as stated in the grant agreement and
the IUP. The Report provides information on loan recipients, loan
amounts, loan terms, project categories of eligible costs, and similar
data on other forms of assistance. The Report also describes the extent
to which the existing CWSRF or DWSRF financial operating policies,
alone or in combination with other state financial assistance programs,
will provide for the long-term fiscal health of the Fund and carry out
other key provisions of the CWA or SDWA. Financial information from the
Annual Report may be entered into the SRF Data System, which is further
described in (4) below.
(3) State Audit
A state must comply with the provisions of the Single Audit Act
Amendments of 1996. The Audit must contain an opinion on the financial
condition of the SRF programs, a report on its internal controls, and a
report on compliance with applicable laws and the CWA or SDWA. The EPA
also recommends, that each state conduct an annual independent audit of
its SRF programs, consistent with best management practices.
(4) Financial and Project Data
To meet the CWA and SDWA objectives of ``promoting the efficient
use of fund resources,'' states must enter financial data, including
project commitments and disbursements, into the SRF Data System on an
annual basis. These data, also available to the public, are used by EPA
to assess compliance with the Program's mandate to use all funds in an
``expeditious and timely'' manner and achieve maximum public health and
environmental benefits from the Fund. Project-level data are collected
on a quarterly basis via the SRF Data System to ensure CWA and SDWA
eligibility and to highlight environmental and health benefits from SRF
projects.
(5) SRF Public Awareness Requirements and Activities
Per EPA Grants Policy Issuance (GPI) 14-02: Enhancing Public
Awareness of EPA Assistance Agreements, SRF borrowers must publicize
EPA's involvement in project funding up to the funding amount in each
year's capitalization grant. The SRFs have various options to meet this
requirement.
The SRFs will collect information from states to provide examples
for case studies, fact sheets, and recognition programs. With the
exception of some public awareness requirements, the respondents are
the state agencies responsible for operating the SRFs.
Form Numbers: None.
Respondents/affected entities: Entities affected by this action are
states and local governments.
Respondent's obligation to respond: Required to obtain or retain a
benefit per the Clean Water Act Title VI and the Safe Drinking Water
Act Section 1452.
Estimated number of respondents: 1,440.
Frequency of response: Varies by requirement (i.e., quarterly,
semi-annually, annually).
Total estimated burden: 93,553 hours (per year).
Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
Total estimated cost: $12,892,005 (per year), includes $100,000
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
Changes in Estimates: There is a decrease of 14,966 hours in the
total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently
approved by OMB. This decrease is driven by the end of capitalization
grants appropriated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
(IIJA) to both SRF programs after Fiscal Year 2026 although reporting
associated with these IIJA funds will continue. However, there is an
increase in overall burden of $313,055, driven primarily by an overall
increase in hourly wages.
Jennifer L. McLain,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. 2026-08693 Filed 5-4-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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