SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This is a proposed renewal of the ICR, which is currently approved through July 31, 2026. 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.

Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on April 21, 2026 during a 60-day comment period (91 FR 21287). This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. 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 https://www.epa.gov/​dockets.

Abstract: This Information Collection Request (ICR) renews the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Program ICR. It calculates the information collection burden and costs associated with the NPDES program, identifies the types of activities regulated under the NPDES program, describes the roles and responsibilities of state governments and the Agency, and presents the program areas that address the various types of regulated activities. This ICR renewal covers information collection burden and costs associated with activities previously reported in 22 NPDES program or NPDES-related ICRs. The Clean Water Act (CWA) provides that NPDES permits are required for the discharge of pollutants to waters of the United States. The CWA requires that EPA develop and implement the NPDES permit program. CWA section 402(b) allows states to acquire authority to administer the NPDES program, enabling them to issue NPDES permits for discharges within the state. At present, 47 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands are authorized to administer the ( printed page 48103) NPDES permit program. In states that do not have authority for these programs, the Agency administers the program and issues NPDES permits. Because some permit applications are processed by states and some by EPA, this ICR calculates government burden and cost for both authorized states and EPA.

Form Numbers: EPA Form 3510-1; EPA Form 3510-2A; EPA Form 3510-2B; EPA Form 3510-2C; EPA Form 3510-2D; EPA Form 3510-2E; EPA Form 3510-2F; EPA Form 3510-2S;

Respondents/affected entities: Any point source discharger of pollutants, including but not limited to publicly owned and privately owned treatment works (POTWs and PrOTWs), industrial dischargers to POTWs and PrOTWs, industrial and commercial dischargers to waters of the United States, sewage sludge management and disposal operations, dischargers of stormwater, construction sites, municipalities, pesticide applicators, local and state governments.

Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory, pursuant to sections 204, 208, 301, 302, 304, 306, 307, 308, 309, 316(a), 316(b), 401, 402, 403, 405, 501(a), and 510 of the Clean Water Act; the 1987 Water Quality Act (WQA) revisions to Clean Water Act section 402(p); 40 CFR parts 122, 123, 124, 125, 127, 129, 132, parts 501 and 503 for biosolids, part 403 for pretreatment; and the Great Lakes Critical Programs Act.

Estimated number of respondents: 853,912 (total).

Frequency of response: The frequency of response varies depending on the specific response activity and can range from ongoing and monthly to once every five years.

Total estimated burden: 33,335,582 hours (per year). Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).

Total estimated cost: $2,301,814,621 (per year), which includes $38,342,314 annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.

Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 2,192,078 hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB. This increase is due to due to improved electronic data collection, leading to EPA's estimates of permittee respondents increasing from 9,310,277 in the current ICR to 10,836,245 in this ICR, a 16% increase. In addition, capital and O&M cost burden increased due to inflation which impacted factors such as laboratory analytic and labor costs.

91 FR 48102