Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; National Estuary Program (Renewal)
| Published date | 26 December 2019 |
| Citation | 84 FR 70968 |
| Record Number | 2019-27755 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | Environmental Protection Agency |
Federal Register, Volume 84 Issue 247 (Thursday, December 26, 2019)
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 247 (Thursday, December 26, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 70968]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-27755]
[[Page 70968]]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0369; FRL-10003-41-OW]
Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request;
National Estuary Program (Renewal)
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), ``National Estuary Program
(Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 1500.10, OMB Control No. 2040-0138) 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 September 30, 2020. 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 February 24, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2006-0369, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by
email to [email protected], 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: Vince Bacalan, Oceans, Wetlands, and
Communities Division; Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, (Mail
Code 4504T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave.
NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-566-0930; fax number:
202-566-1336; email address: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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
www.regulations.gov 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 http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting
comments and information to enable it to: (1) 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; (2) 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; (3) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information
to be collected; and (4) 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 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 which are
used to track performance of each of the 28 estuary programs currently
in the NEP. 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. EPA also 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
National Estuary Program. This information is ultimately submitted to
Congress along with GPRA information from other EPA programs.
Form numbers: None.
Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by
this action are those state or local agencies or nongovernmental
organizations in the National Estuary Program (NEP) who receive grants
under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act.
Respondent's obligation to respond: Required to obtain or retain a
benefit (Section 320 of the Clean Water Act).
Estimated number of respondents: 28 (total).
Frequency of response: Annual.
Total estimated burden: 5,600 hours (per year). Burden is defined
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
Total estimated cost: $314,138 (per year), includes $0 annualized
capital or operation & maintenance costs.
Changes in estimates: There is likely a decrease in the total
estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by
OMB. This decrease is due to program evaluations taking place for only
two years, compared to three years in the currently approved ICR. Note
that these estimates will be updated in the final FR Notice.
Dated: December 18, 2019.
Brian Frazer,
Director, Oceans, Wetlands, and Communities Division, Office of Water,
Environmental Protection Agency.
[FR Doc. 2019-27755 Filed 12-23-19; 8:45 am]
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