80 FR 51805 - Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Microbial Rules (Renewal)

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 165 (August 26, 2015)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an information collection request (ICR) for the Microbial Rules (EPA ICR No. 1895.09, OMB Control No. 2040-0205) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA; 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through August 31, 2015. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register (80 FR 17040) on March 31, 2015, during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR is provided in this renewal notice, including its estimated burden and cost to the public. 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.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 165 (Wednesday, August 26, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51805-51806]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-21135]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0442; FRL 9932-00-OEI]


Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and 
Approval; Comment Request; Microbial Rules (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted 
an information collection request (ICR) for the Microbial Rules (EPA 
ICR No. 1895.09, OMB Control No. 2040-0205) to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the 
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA; 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). This is a 
proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through 
August 31, 2015. Public comments were previously requested via the 
Federal Register (80 FR 17040) on March 31, 2015, during a 60-day 
comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public 
comments. A fuller description of the ICR is provided in this renewal 
notice, including its estimated burden and cost to the public. 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: Additional comments may be submitted on or before September 25, 
2015.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OW-2011-0442, to (1) EPA 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, and (2) OMB via email to 
[email protected]. Address comments to OMB Desk Officer for 
EPA.
    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: Kevin Roland, Drinking Water 
Protection Division, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, 
(4606M), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-564-4588: fax number: 202-
564-3755; 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.
    Abstract: The Microbial Rules Renewal ICR examines public water 
system, air carrier and primacy agency burden and costs for 
recordkeeping and reporting requirements in support of the microbial 
drinking water regulations. These recordkeeping and reporting 
requirements are mandatory for compliance with 40 CFR parts 141 and 
142. The following microbial regulations are included: the Surface 
Water Treatment Rule (SWTR), the Total Coliform Rule (TCR), the Revised 
Total Coliform Rule (RTCR), the Interim Enhanced Surface Water 
Treatment Rule (IESWTR), the Filter Backwash Recycling Rule (FBRR), the 
Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT1ESWTR), the Long 
Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2ESWTR), the Ground 
Water Rule (GWR) and the Aircraft Drinking Water Rule (ADWR). Future 
microbial-related rulemakings will be added to this consolidated ICR 
after the regulations are promulgated and the initial, rule-specific, 
ICRs are due to expire.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are public water systems, air carriers and primacy 
agencies.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory for compliance with 
40 CFR parts 141 and 142.
    Estimated number of respondents: 149,864 (total).
    Frequency of response: Varies by requirement (i.e., on occasion, 
monthly, quarterly, semi-annually and annually).

[[Page 51806]]

    Total estimated burden: 14,683,598 hours (per year). Burden is 
defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    TTotal estimated cost: $652,507,000 (per year), includes 
$21,982,000 annualized capital and $88,035,000 operation & maintenance 
costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 913,658 hours in 
the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This increase is a result of inclusion of the RTCR 
burden (839,526 hours) and expanded implementation requirements for the 
GWR and LT2ESWTR; updating relevant baseline information for each rule 
with the most current and accurate information available (e.g., Public 
Water System inventories); and, updating burden to incorporate the 
results of consultation with stakeholders. Where appropriate and 
available, estimated violation, waiver and other associated rates have 
also been updated to reflect current information on rule compliance.

Courtney Kerwin,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2015-21135 Filed 8-25-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P