82 FR 28657 - Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; National Estuary Program (Renewal)

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 120 (June 23, 2017)

The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted an information collection request (ICR), National Estuary Program (Renewal) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through June 30, 2017. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on January 23, 2017 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR is given below, 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 82, Number 120 (Friday, June 23, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 28657]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-13148]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0369; FRL-9963-17-OEI]


Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and 
Approval; Comment Request; National Estuary Program (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted an 
information collection request (ICR), National Estuary Program 
(Renewal) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a 
proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through June 
30, 2017. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal 
Register on January 23, 2017 during a 60-day comment period. This 
notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller 
description of the ICR is given below, 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 July 24, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OW-2006-0369, 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: Vince Bacalan, Oceans and Coastal 
Protection Division, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, 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 for the National 
Estuary Program ICR (EPA ICR No. 1500.08, OMB Control No. 2040-0138), 
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 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 work plan 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 the Estimates: There is an increase of 700 hours in the 
total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This increase is due to the fact that respondents are 
required to submit program evaluation packages in the next three years 
and also due to a change in GPRA reporting application platform in 
FY2016 that require additional effort.

Courtney Kerwin,
Director, Regulatory Support Division.
[FR Doc. 2017-13148 Filed 6-22-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P