75 FR 16 pgs. 4064-4066 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; National Estuary Program (Renewal); EPA ICR No. 1500.07, OMB Control No. 2040-0138
Type: NOTICEVolume: 75Number: 16Pages: 4064 - 4066
Docket number: [EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0369; FRL-9107-1]
FR document: [FR Doc. 2010-1469 Filed 1-25-10; 8:45 am]
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0369; FRL-9107-1]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; National Estuary Program (Renewal); EPA ICR No. 1500.07, OMB Control No. 2040-0138
AGENCY:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION:
Notice.
SUMMARY:
In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. ), this document announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.
DATES:
Additional comments may be submitted on or before February 25, 2010.
ADDRESSES:
Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0369, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by e-mail to ow-docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Water Docket (Mail Code: 28221T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB by mail to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nell Orscheln, Oceans and Coastal Protection Division, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, Mail Code 4504T, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 566-2102; fax number: (202) 566-1336; e-mail address: Orscheln.nell@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12. On October 8, 2009 (74 FR 51849), EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. Any additional comments on this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB within 30 days of this notice.
EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0369, which is available for online viewing at www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Water Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is 202-566-1744, and the telephone number for the Water Docket is 202-566-2426.
Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at www.regulations.gov, to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, select "docket search," then key in the docket ID number identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing at www.regulations.gov as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted material, confidential business information (CBI), or other information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. For further information about the electronic docket, go to www.regulations.gov.
Title: National Estuary Program (Renewal).
ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1500.07, OMB Control No. 2040-0138.
ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on January 31, 2010. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. 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. The OMB control numbers for EPA's regulations in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed either by publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
Abstract:
Annual Workplans: The National Estuary Program (NEP) involves collecting information from the state or local agency or nongovernmental organizations that receive funds under Sec. 320 of the Clean Water Act (CWA). The regulation requiring this information is found at 40 CFR Part 35. Prospective grant recipients seek funding to develop or oversee and coordinate implementation of Comprehensive Conservation Management Plans (CCMPs) for estuaries of national significance. In order to receive funds, grantees must submit an annual workplan to EPA. The workplan consists of two parts: (a) Progress on projects funded previously; and (b) new projects proposed with dollar amounts and completion dates. The workplan is reviewed by EPA and also serves as the scope of work for the grant agreement. EPA also uses these workplans to track performance of each of the 28 estuary programs currently in the NEP.
Program Evaluations: EPA provides funding to NEPs to support long-term implementation of CCMPs if such programs pass a program evaluation process. The primary purpose of the program evaluation process is to help EPA determine whether the 28 programs included in the National Estuary Program (NEP) are making adequate progress implementing their CCMPs and therefore merit continued funding under Sec. 320 of the Clean Water Act. Continued funding for each NEP under Sec. 320 of the CWA is contingent upon Congress appropriating sufficient funds to the EPA for the purpose of implementing the NEP. The program evaluation process also is useful for highlighting environmental results; highlighting strengths and challenges in program management; demonstrating continued stakeholder commitment; assessing the progress of the NEP as a national program; and transferring lessons learned within EPA, among NEPs, and with other watershed programs. For this ICR cycle, program evaluations will be required for nine programs in FY2010, nine programs in FY2011, and ten programs in 2012.
Government Performance Results Act: EPA requests that each of the 28 NEPs receiving Sec. 320 funds report information that can be used in the GPRA reporting process. This reporting is done on an annual basis and is used to show environmental results that are being achieved within the overall NEP Program. This information is ultimately submitted to Congress along with GPRA information from other EPA programs.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 100 hours per response for annual workplans, 250 hours per response for program evaluations, and 25 hours per response for GPRA reporting. 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 which have subsequently changed; 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: States with National Estuary Programs.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 28.
Frequency of Response: Annual.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 5,833.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: $241,558, this includes no annualized capital or O&M costs.
Changes in the Estimates: There is no change in the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR Burdens.
Dated: January 20, 2010.
John Moses,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2010-1469 Filed 1-25-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P