[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 62 (Tuesday, March 31, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17874-17875]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06590]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OECA-2013-0547; FRL--10006-22-OMS]


Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and 
Approval; Comment Request; Performance Evaluation Studies on Wastewater 
Laboratories (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an 
information collection request (ICR), Performance Evaluation Studies on 
Wastewater Laboratories (EPA ICR Number 0234.13, OMB Control Number 
2080-0021) 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 May 
31, 2020. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal 
Register on October 9, 2019 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 April 30, 
2020.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OECA-2013-0547, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our 
preferred method), by email to docket.oeca@epa.gov, 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 
oira_submission@omb.eop.gov. 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: Gregory Savitske, Monitoring, 
Assistance, and Media Programs Division, Office of Compliance, Mail 
Code 2227A, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-2601; fax number: 
(202) 564-0050; email address: savitske.gregory@epa.gov.

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: Discharge Monitoring Report-Quality Assurance (DMR-QA) 
study program participation is mandatory for major and selected minor 
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit holders 
in accordance with Clean Water Act Section 308. The DMR-QA study 
program is designed to evaluate the analytic ability of laboratories 
that perform chemical, microbiological and whole effluent toxicity 
(WET) analyses required in NPDES permits for reporting results in the 
Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMR). Under DMR-QA, the permit holder is 
responsible for having their in-house and/or contract laboratories 
analyze performance evaluation samples and submit results to 
proficiency testing (PT) providers for grading. Graded results are 
transmitted by either the permit holder or PT provider to the 
appropriate federal or state NPDES permitting authority. Permit holders 
are responsible for submitting corrective action reports to the 
appropriate permitting authority.
    Form Numbers: EPA Form 6400-01.

[[Page 17875]]

    Respondents/affected entities: Major and selected minor permit 
holders under the Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge 
Elimination System (NPDES).
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory under Clean Water Act 
Section 308(a).
    Estimated number of respondents: 5,500 (total).
    Frequency of response: Annually, On occasion.
    Total estimated burden: 36,300 hours (per year) hours (per year). 
Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b)
    Total estimated cost: $5,368,055 (per year), includes $3,375,790 
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 1,320 hours in the 
total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This decrease is due to a slight decrease of NPDES 
major permit holders over the last three years. Non-labor costs for 
obtaining performance evaluation samples increased.

Courtney Kerwin,
Director, Regulatory Support Division.
[FR Doc. 2020-06590 Filed 3-30-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


