[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 244 (Monday, December 21, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70403-70404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-33738]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-6206-4]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB
Review; Comment Request; NPDES Modification and Variance Requests
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 notice 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 (NPDES) Modification and Variance Requests, EPA ICR
No. 0029.07, OMB Control No. 2040-0068, expires February 28, 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 January 20, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY: Contact Sandy Farmer at EPA by phone
at (202) 260-2740, by email at [email protected], or
download off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA
ICR No. 0029.07.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: NPDES Modification and Variance Requests (OMB Control No.
2040-0068; EPA ICR No. 0029.07) expiring 02/28/99. This is a request
for extension of a currently approved collection.
Abstract: This ICR calculates the burden and costs associated with
modifications and variances made to NPDES permits and to the National
Sewage Sludge Management Program permit requirements. The regulations
specified at 40 CFR 122.62 and 122.63 specify information a facility
must report in order for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
to determine whether a permit modification is warranted. A NPDES permit
applicant may request a variance from the conditions that would
normally be imposed on the applicant's discharge. An applicant must
submit information so the permitting authority can assess whether the
facility is eligible for a variance, and what deviation from Clean
Water Act (CWA) provisions is necessary. In general, EPA and authorized
States use the information to determine whether: (1) the conditions or
requirements that would warrant a modification or variance exist, and
2) the progress toward achieving the goals of the (CWA) will continue
if the modification or variance is granted. Other uses for the
information provided include: updating records on permitted facilities,
supporting enforcement actions, and overall program management,
including policy and budget development and responding to Congressional
inquiries. An agency may
[[Page 70404]]
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
Notice required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on this
collection of information was published on 4/30/98 (63 FR 23781); no
comments were received.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 4.16
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: NPDES permit applicants that request
a variance or modification of the NPDES or sewage sludge management
conditions.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 15,594.
Frequency of Response: varies
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 293,323 hours.
Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $0.
Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the
accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods
for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of
automated collection techniques to the following addresses. Please
refer to EPA ICR No. 0029.07 and OMB Control No. 2040-0068 in any
correspondence.
Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, OP 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: December 15, 1998.
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 98-33738 Filed 12-18-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P