[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 176 (Tuesday, September 11, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45929-45931]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-19761]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0439; EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0442; EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0443; FRL-
9983-54-OW]


Proposed Information Collection Requests; Comment Request: 
Microbial Rules Renewal Information Collection Request; Public Water 
System Supervision Program Renewal Information Collection Request; 
Disinfectants/Disinfection Byproducts, Chemical and Radionuclides Rules 
Renewal Information Collection Request

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be 
submitting renewals of information collection requests (ICRs) 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.). The ICRs included in this renewal are the Microbial Rules 
Renewal Information Collection Request, EPA ICR No. 1895.10, OMB 
Control No. 2040-0205, which expires on April 30, 2019; the Public 
Water System Supervision Program Renewal Information Collection 
Request, EPA ICR No. 0270-47, OMB Control No. 2040-0090, which expires 
on March 31, 2019; and the Disinfectants/Disinfection Byproducts, 
Chemical and Radionuclides Rules Renewal Information Collection Request 
(ICR), EPA ICR No. 1896.11, OMB Control No. 2040-0204, which expires on 
August 31, 2019. The EPA is soliciting public comments on specific 
aspects of the proposed information collections as described in this 
renewal notice. 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 November 13, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing the Docket ID numbers 
provided for each item in the text, online using www.regulations.gov 
(our preferred method), by email [email protected], or by mail to: EPA 
Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460.
    The 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 dockets for these ICRs. The dockets 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 the EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, the EPA is soliciting 
comments and information to enable it to: (i) 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; (ii) evaluate the accuracy of 
the Agency's estimate of the

[[Page 45930]]

burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (iii) enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 
(iv) 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. The EPA will consider the comments received 
and amend the ICRs as appropriate. The final ICR packages will then be 
submitted to OMB for review and approval. At that time, the EPA will 
issue another Federal Register document to announce the submission of 
the ICRs to OMB and the opportunity to submit additional comments to 
OMB.

Microbial Rules Renewal Information Collection Request (EPA ICR No. 
1895.10, EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0442)

    Abstract: The Microbial Rules Renewal ICR examines public water 
system 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 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).
    Total estimated burden: 14,683,598 hours (per year). Burden is 
defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $652,507,000 (per year), includes 
$110,017,000 annualized capital or operation and maintenance costs.
    Changes in estimates: There is no estimated increase or decrease of 
hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared to what was 
identified in the ICR currently approved by OMB.

Public Water System Supervision Program Renewal Information Collection 
Request (EPA ICR No. 0270.47, EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0443)

    Abstract: The Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) Program 
Renewal ICR examines the burden to public water systems, primacy 
agencies, and tribal operator certification providers and costs for 
``cross-cutting'' recordkeeping and reporting requirements (i.e., the 
burden and costs for complying with drinking water information 
requirements that are not associated with contaminant-specific 
rulemakings). The following activities have recordkeeping and reporting 
requirements that are mandatory for compliance with 40 CFR parts 141 
and 142: the Consumer Confidence Report Rule (CCRs), the Variance and 
Exemption Rule (V/E Rule), General State Primacy Activities, the Public 
Notification Rule (PN), and Proficiency Testing Studies for Drinking 
Water Laboratories. The information collection activities for both the 
Operator Certification and the Capacity Development Program are driven 
by the grant withholding and reporting provisions under Sections 1419 
and 1420, respectively, of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Although the 
Tribal Operator Certification Program is voluntary, the information 
collection is driven by grant eligibility requirements outlined in the 
Drinking Water Infrastructure Grant Tribal Set-Aside Program Final 
Guidelines and the Tribal Drinking Water Operator Certification Program 
Guidelines.
    Form numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are new and existing public water systems and primacy 
agencies.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory for compliance with 
40 CFR parts 141 and 142.
    Estimated number of respondents: 151,724 (total).
    Frequency of response: Varies by requirement (i.e., on occasion, 
monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, and annually).
    Total estimated burden: 3,769,213 hours (per year). Burden is 
defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $187,603,000 (per year), includes $42,103,000 
annualized capital or operation and maintenance costs.
    Changes in estimates: There is an expected decrease of hours in the 
total estimated respondent burden compared to what was identified in 
the ICR currently approved by OMB, due to use of centralized software 
for data entry and rule compliance calculations. The updated, estimated 
burden will be incorporated into a revised supporting statement (which 
will be available in the docket) and in a second Federal Register 
document (for public comment) at a later date, to be determined, before 
the ICR package is sent to OMB for approval.

The Disinfectants/Disinfection Byproducts, Chemical and Radionuclides 
Rules Renewal Information Collection Request (EPA ICR No. 1896.11, EPA-
HQ-OW-2011-0439)

    Abstract: The Disinfectants/Disinfection Byproducts, Chemical and 
Radionuclides Rules ICR examines burden to public water systems and 
primacy agencies and costs for recordkeeping and reporting requirements 
in support of the chemical drinking water regulations. These 
recordkeeping and reporting requirements are mandatory for compliance 
with 40 CFR parts 141 and 142. The following chemical regulations are 
included: The Stage 1 Disinfectants/Disinfection Byproducts Rule (Stage 
1 DBPR), the Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule 
(Stage 2 DBPR), the Chemical Phase Rules (Phases II/IIB/V), the 
Radionuclides Rule, the Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Rule, Disinfectant 
Residual Monitoring and Associated Activities under the Surface Water 
Treatment Rule (SWTR), the Arsenic Rule, the Lead and Copper Rule 
(LCR), and the Lead and Copper Rule Short Term Revisions Rule. Future 
chemical-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 new and existing public water systems primacy agencies.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory for compliance with 
40 CFR parts 141 and 142.
    Estimated number of respondents: 149,822 (total).
    Frequency of response: Varies by requirement (i.e., on occasion, 
monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, and annually).

[[Page 45931]]

    Total estimated burden: 5,305,696 hours (per year). Burden is 
defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $464,896,000 (per year), includes 
$258,937,000 annualized capital or operation and maintenance costs.
    Changes in estimates: There is no estimated increase or decrease of 
hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared to what was 
identified in the ICR currently approved by OMB.

    Dated: August 31, 2018.
Peter Grevatt,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. 2018-19761 Filed 9-10-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


