                      Information Collection Request for
                 Water Quality Standards Regulation (Renewal)

	

	
                                     DRAFT
                                  March 2021
                                       






                            EPA ICR Number 0988.14
                         OMB Control Number 2040-0049







                     U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
                                Office of Water
                       Office of Science and Technology
                         1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
                            Washington, D.C. 20460


Contents 

1.	Identification of the Information Collection	3
1.1	Title of the Information Collection	3
1.2	Short Characterization/Abstract	3
2.	Need for and Use of the Collection	5
2.1	Need and Authority for the Collection	5
2.2	Practical Utility/Users of the Data	7
3.	Non-Duplication, Consultations, and Other Collection Criteria	9
3.1	Non-Duplication	9
3.2	Public Notice Required Prior to ICR Submission to OMB	9
3.3	Consultations	9
3.4	Effects of Less Frequent Collection	10
3.5	General Guidelines	11
3.6	Confidentiality and Sensitive Questions	11
4.	The Respondents and the Information Requested	12
4.1	Respondents/NAICS Codes	12
4.2	Information Requested	12
4.3	Respondent Activities	15
5.	The Information Collected  -  Agency Activities, Collection Methodology, and Information Management	16
5.1	Agency Activities	16
5.2	Collection Methodology and Management	16
5.3	Small Entity Flexibility	17
5.4	Collection Schedule	18
6.	Estimating the Burden and Cost of the Collection	19
6.1	Estimating Respondent Burden and Costs	19
6.2	Estimating Agency Burden and Cost	21
6.3	Reasons for Change in Respondent Burden	22
6.4	Burden Statement	22
7.	Summary Tables	24
Table 1:  Total annual burden and cost for states and tribes	24
Table 2:  Total agency burden and cost	25
Table 3:  Change in Respondent Burden 	26
APPENDIX: Estimated Burden per State or Tribe to Administer WQS	27
State and Tribal Burden	27
Agency Burden	30

Identification of the Information Collection
Title of the Information Collection
The title of this Information Collection Request (ICR) is Water Quality Standards Regulation (Renewal).
Short Characterization/Abstract
Water quality standards (WQS) are provisions of state, tribal, or federal law which consist of designated uses for waters of the United States, water quality criteria to protect those uses, and antidegradation requirements. WQS are established to protect public health or welfare, protect and enhance the quality of water, and serve the purposes of the Clean Water Act. Such standards serve the dual purposes of establishing the water quality goals for water bodies and serving as a regulatory basis for establishing water quality-based treatment controls and strategies beyond technology-based treatment required by sections 301 and 306 of the Act.
The WQS regulation at 40 CFR part 131 establishes the framework for states and authorized tribes to adopt standards, and for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to review and approve or disapprove them. This ICR is for information collections required to implement the WQS regulation, required to obtain or retain benefits (e.g., relaxed regulatory requirements) under the regulation, and to collect voluntary program information useful in administering WQS program effectively and efficiently. 
This ICR renews the WQS Regulation ICR, OMB Control Number 2040-0049 with an expiration date of December 31, 2021. 
In this renewal, EPA is eliminating three collections  -  one that is outdated and two that are being consolidated into the ICR of another EPA program, as follows:
 Great Lakes Bioassay Tests because they are no longer performed; and
 Burden hours for the WQS portions of Great Lakes Antidegradation Demonstrations and Great Lakes Regulatory Relief Requests because they are being consolidated with the corresponding portions of the ICR for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Program, OMB control number 2040-0004. 
EPA anticipates the burden associated with the renewed ICR to be 466,242 hours, a decrease of 41,645 hours (8 percent) from the previously approved burden, reflecting the three eliminations above (-47,105 hours), the addition of one authorized tribe with WQS (+4,520 hours), and a rounding adjustment (+940 hours). 
This ICR renewal includes the following information collections: 
   (A) Administering State and Tribal WQS
   (B) Tribal-State Dispute Resolution Requests
   (C) Tribal Applications for TAS
   (D) Voluntary WQS Program Information
  




Need for and Use of the Collection
Need and Authority for the Collection
This section describes the need and authority for the collections of information described in this ICR. Table 1 summarizes the collections and authorities.
(A) Administering State and Tribal WQS
Authorities: Section 303(c) of the Clean Water Act (CWA or "the Act"), 33 U.S.C. 1313(c); 40 CFR part 131, subparts A, B, and C.
The CWA under section 303(c) and the EPA WQS regulation under 40 CFR part 131 govern the WQS program. They require states and authorized tribes to review and, as appropriate, revise their WQS (or adopt new standards) at least once every three years, and to submit to the Agency the results and WQS revisions or new standards resulting from the reviews. The Agency then reviews each state or tribal submission for approval or disapproval. Once approved by the Agency, the standards become effective for all purposes under the Act.
Specifically, 40 CFR 131.20 establishes the requirement for state or tribal review and revision of WQS; 40 CFR 131.6 establishes the minimum requirements for states and authorized tribes to submit new and revised WQS and supporting materials to the Agency for review and approval or disapproval; and 40 CFR 131.5 prescribes the EPA review of such submissions. The Agency must review these materials to determine: (a) whether the state or tribe has adopted designated water uses which are consistent with the requirements of the Clean Water Act; (b) whether the state or tribe has adopted criteria that protect the designated water uses based on sound scientific rationale consistent with the regulation; (c) whether the state or tribe has adopted an antidegradation policy consistent with the regulation and whether any adopted antidegradation implementation methods are consistent with the regulation; (d) whether any adopted WQS variance is consistent with the regulation; (e) whether any adopted provision authorizing the use of schedules of compliance for water quality-based effluent limits in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits is consistent with the regulation; (f) whether the state or tribe has followed applicable legal procedures for revising or adopting standards; (g) whether state or tribal WQS which do not include the uses specified in section 101(a)(2) of the Act are based on appropriate technical and scientific data and analyses; and (h) whether the state or tribal submission meets the requirements included in §131.6, and, for Great Lakes states or tribes, the requirements of 40 CFR part 132. This information collection will ensure that the Agency has the needed information to review state and tribal WQS as required to make approvals or disapprovals, and to make Administrator determinations that new or revised WQS are necessary.
In 2015, EPA revised 40 CFR part 131 to clarify certain specific requirements of the WQS regulation. In 2018, the Agency consolidated the additional information collections associated with the clarifications into the currently-approved ICR, and is retaining the following ongoing collections in this renewal: 
          Identifying and adopting the highest attainable use (HAU) whenever adopting new or revised WQS based on a required use attainability analysis or use and value demonstration;
          Providing an explanation for not adopting new or revised water quality criteria for parameters with new or updated CWA section 304(a) criteria recommendations; 
          Involving the public when developing or revising antidegradation implementation methods; 
          Involving the public when a state or authorized tribe uses the water body-by-water body approach to identify waters receiving Tier 2 antidegradation protection;
          Including a range of non-degrading and less degrading practicable alternatives when performing or evaluating Tier 2 antidegradation reviews; 
          Performing or evaluating more Tier 2 antidegradation reviews to reflect additional water bodies receiving Tier 2 protection pursuant to EPA's 2015 requirements;  
          Additional documentation when submitting WQS variances; and 
          Reevaluating long-term WQS variances at least every five years. 
The WQS regulation requires these information collections to enable EPA to make required approvals and disapprovals and for the Administrator to determine that new or revised WQS are necessary.
(B) Tribal-State Dispute Resolution Requests
Authorities: CWA section 518(e) and 40 CFR part 131, §131.7.
The WQS regulation (§131.7) establishes a mechanism for resolution of disputes that arise between states and tribes over differing WQS on common bodies of water. Where a state or authorized tribe desires a formal dispute resolution action, a written request is necessary to enable the EPA to fulfill its responsibilities under CWA section 518(e) in a reasonable and timely manner. Such a request constitutes an information collection to obtain a benefit. 
(C) Tribal Applications for TAS
Authorities: CWA section 518(e) and 40 CFR part 131, §131.8.
The WQS regulation (§131.8) specifies requirements for Indian tribes to apply for authority to administer a WQS program. To be found eligible, a tribe must apply to the EPA to be treated in a similar manner as a state (TAS) and demonstrate that it meets certain criteria. The tribal application constitutes an information collection to obtain a benefit. 
(D) Voluntary WQS Program Information
Authorities: CWA section 104(a)(1) (authorizing surveys and studies related to prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution). 
From time to time, the EPA may request states and tribes to provide information voluntarily that would assist in administering state, tribal, regional and national WQS programs effectively and efficiently, and further cooperative federalism. For example, the Agency may request technical information to assist in developing guidance or other materials; technical comments on draft program-related policies and guidance documents; and information concerning program operations to assist in information sharing and improving program efficiency. The Agency may also invite state and tribal participation in program-related work groups. Submission of state or tribal information and participation by states and tribes in workgroups is voluntary.
Practical Utility/Users of the Data
(A) Administering State and Tribal WQS 
The EPA will use the information collected under 2.1(A) above to carry out its oversight responsibilities under the CWA and the WQS regulation. Specifically, §131.21 requires the Agency to review any state or tribal submissions of new or revised WQS, and all supporting materials, and to approve or disapprove the WQS. The decision criteria for approving or disapproving the submitted WQS are specified in the WQS regulation, including §§131.5 and 131.6.
Once approved by the EPA, WQS adopted by states and authorized tribes generally become effective for all CWA purposes.[,] WQS serve as the basis for water quality-based effluent limitations in NPDES permits for point source dischargers (including publicly-owned treatment works and industrial facilities) under sections 301(b)(1)(C) and 402 of the Act. In addition, under CWA section 303(d), states and authorized tribes must identify which waters are not meeting their WQS. For waters identified under section 303(d), WQS serve as the basis for establishing total maximum daily loads. WQS are also used as a basis for water quality certifications of federally issued permits and licenses under section 401 of the Act.  
If new or revised WQS adopted by states or tribes are not approved by the EPA, they do not become effective for CWA purposes. Thus, if the information collection activities in this ICR are not performed, the Agency could not review the WQS, and the state or tribal WQS would likely not go into effect and could not serve as the basis for CWA regulatory actions to restore and maintain water quality.
 Tribal-State Dispute Resolution Requests
The EPA will use information collected under 2.1.1 (B) above to determine whether to initiate the dispute resolution mechanism in §131.7 to resolve disputes between states and authorized tribes that may arise as a result of differing water quality standards on common bodies of water. The Agency could not make such decisions without the information collected.
 Tribal Applications for TAS
The EPA will use information collected under 2.1.1 (C) above to determine whether to find an applicant tribe eligible for TAS to administer the WQS program under §131.8. The Agency could not make such decisions without the information collected.
 Voluntary WQS Program Information
The EPA will use WQS technical program information provided voluntarily by states and authorized tribes to advance cooperative federalism. This includes information to help EPA make program-related policies and guidance documents useful and technically accurate; to facilitate sharing of information; and to improve program efficiency.
Non-Duplication, Consultations, and Other Collection Criteria
Non-Duplication
The information collection requirements described in this ICR do not duplicate the information collection requirements described in other EPA ICRs. 
Public Notice Required Prior to ICR Submission to OMB
The EPA is publishing a Federal Register notice to solicit comments and information to enable it to: (1) evaluate whether the proposed collection of information in the proposed ICR is necessary and will have practical utility; (2) evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden and the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond. The Agency will consider the comments received and amend this draft ICR supporting statement as appropriate. See section 6.4 for instructions on providing comments on this ICR.
Consultations
For this renewal, EPA consulted with managers responsible for administering WQS in the environmental agencies of three states and two tribes  regarding the reporting and recordkeeping burden imposed on them by EPA's WQS regulation. As part of the consultations, EPA asked participants about the accuracy of EPA's burden estimates in the currently approved ICR, solicited their views on ways to reduce the burden, and asked for any other comments they had to offer on the paperwork process.
All three state respondents said that EPA's burden estimates are in the right general range. One state added that while the state's burden this year might be lower than the EPA estimate, it will likely be higher in a future year when the state conducts its triennial review. Another state added that EPA's estimates are low for the state's work on variances but may be offset by high estimates for information required during triennial reviews, and that the overall EPA burden estimate is reasonable considering that much staff time is spent on state-required paperwork. 
One tribal respondent felt that EPA's estimate for TAS applications was too low considering the extra work required to document the tribe's land grant history. The other tribe believed that EPA's estimate was in the right general range. 
Both state and tribal respondents supported EPA's recent work to provide templates and other tools to simplify developing WQS and TAS applications and suggested that EPA continue and expand such efforts. One tribe commented that the overall TAS process has improved dramatically in the past 15 years.
As a result of these consultations, EPA is generally maintaining its burden estimates from the currently approved ICR in this renewal. In addition, the consultations indicated that while the overall burdens appear to be in the right range, the individual components of the burden fluctuate from state to state and from year to year depending on specific adoption and review issues and actions that arise. Consistent with that observation, EPA has consolidated the component collections within Collection (A) Administering State and Tribal WQS. See section 9.1(A) below and the Appendix to this statement. 
EPA welcomes the positive feedback received on its recent development of templates and tools to assist states and tribes. The Agency plans further similar work over the next few years.
Additionally, some of the burden estimates retained in this renewal from prior approved ICRs are based, in whole or in part, on the following prior consultations: 
 In 2014, EPA consulted with seven states to gather input to help develop burden estimates for amendments to the WQS regulation that were finalized in 2015. 
 Also in 2014, the EPA consulted with eight tribes with experience in applying for TAS for the WQS program regarding anticipated burden reductions under the interpretive rule, Revised Interpretation of Clean Water Act Tribal Provision, that were finalized in 2016. 
 In the 1980s, EPA consulted with 11 states to develop burden estimates for the WQS regulation that was finalized in 1983. 
Aside from the above consultations specifically on ICR issues, EPA continues its practice of consulting with states and tribes. For many years, EPA has had regular monthly or bimonthly meetings with the WQS Managers Association (WQSMA), a group of state and EPA managers responsible for WQS programs at the state, regional, and national level; the Monitoring, Standards, and Assessments Committee of the Association of Clean Water Administrators; and the National Tribal Water Council. These groups discuss a variety of policy and program issues, including information collection. For example, EPA and WQSMA discussed various options for minimizing reporting and recordkeeping burden to assist in developing the 2015 revisions to the WQS regulation. 
Effects of Less Frequent Collection
For Collection (A) Administering State and Tribal WQS, the WQS regulation specifies reporting frequency in only two places. First, §131.20 requires state and tribal reviews of WQS every three years. That is, states and authorized tribes must hold public hearings from time to time (but at least once every three-year period) for the purpose of reviewing applicable WQS, and, as appropriate, modifying and adopting standards. Results of such reviews must be made available to the Administrator. Because these requirements come directly from section 303(c) of the Clean Water Act, EPA does not have discretion to adjust the reporting frequency. States and authorized tribes may schedule more frequent WQS reviews at their discretion.
Second, the regulation at §131.14(b)(1)(v) requires states and authorized tribes to reevaluate WQS variances with a term greater than five years, and obtain public input on the reevaluation, at least once every five years. The preamble to the final rule provides an explanation of these requirements. State respondents did not raise concerns about this provision during consultations on this ICR (see section 3.3 above). 
For (D) Voluntary WQS Program Information, EPA issues requests on an ad hoc basis and limits the number of such requests to as few as possible. Such requests are generally cleared by senior managers before being initiated. The Agency often coordinates in advance with state and tribal associations to determine the nature and timing of such requests. In all cases, states' and tribes' submission of program information and participation in workgroups is voluntary. 
General Guidelines
The EPA reviewed this ICR for compliance with OMB information collection guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2) and concludes it is in compliance.
Confidentiality and Sensitive Questions
State and authorized tribal submissions to the EPA under this ICR will contain no confidential or sensitive information. 
The Respondents and the Information Requested
This section describes the respondents for this ICR and the information that the EPA will collect.
Respondents/NAICS Codes
The following describes the universe of potential respondents. The actual numbers estimated to submit information annually are described in section 6.
"States" described as respondents in this ICR refers to the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five territories (i.e., 56 "states").
"States and authorized tribes" in this ICR refers to the 101 entities with WQS: the 56 states defined above and any federally-recognized Indian tribes that have EPA approved WQS. As of February 2021, there were 45 such tribes. 
Any of over 230 federally recognized tribes with a reservation could potentially apply for TAS to administer a WQS program under collection (B)(2) Tribal Applications for TAS. EPA estimates that 18 of these tribes will apply in the next three years.  
The state and tribal respondents affected by this collection activity are in NAICS code 92411 "Administration of Air and Water Resources and Solid Waste Management Programs." 
Information Requested
(A) Administering State and Tribal WQS
The WQS regulation at §§131.6 and 131.20 requires that whenever a state or authorized tribe adopts new or revised WQS, it must submit the WQS and supporting material to EPA for review and approval. The information includes:
 The new or revised WQS, including, for example, designated uses, water quality criteria to protect the uses, and an antidegradation policy.
 Methods used and analyses conducted to support WQS revisions; 
 Certification by the state or tribal Attorney General or other appropriate legal authority within the state or tribe that the WQS were duly adopted pursuant to state or tribal law; and
 General information that will aid the EPA in determining the adequacy of the scientific basis of the standards which do not include the uses specified in section 101(a)(2) of the Act as well as information on general policies applicable to state standards which may affect their application and implementation.
The WQS regulation at §131.20 requires states and authorized tribes to review applicable WQS  -  those adopted into state or tribal law pursuant to the WQS regulation as well as federally promulgated WQS  -  at least once every three years and submit the following information to the EPA:
 The results of the review;
 Any supporting analysis for the use attainability analysis;
 The methodologies used for site-specific criteria development;
 Any general policies applicable to WQS;
 Any revisions of the WQS; and 
 An explanation for not adopting new or revised criteria for certain parameters (see (A)(3) Criteria Explanations below). 
The WQS regulation at §131.10 requires states and authorized tribes to identify, adopt, and document the HAU whenever adopting new or revised WQS based on a required use attainability analysis (UAA), and, in some cases, for certain use removals that do not require a UAA. 
The WQS regulation at §131.20 requires states and authorized tribes to provide an explanation as part of a triennial review if they are not adopting new or revised water quality criteria for parameters for which the EPA published new or updated CWA section 304(a) national recommended water quality criteria.
The WQS regulation at §131.12 requires states and authorized tribes not to exclude water bodies from Tier 2 antidegradation protection solely because water quality does not exceed levels necessary to support all of the uses specified in CWA section 101(a)(2). The regulation also provides that before allowing a lowering of high water quality, states and authorized tribes must evaluate a range of non-degrading and less degrading practicable alternatives. Furthermore, the regulation specifies that, where states and authorized tribes identify waters to receive Tier 2 protection on a water body-by-water body basis, states and authorized tribes must involve the public on any decisions pertaining to where they will provide Tier 2 protection, and the factors considered in such decisions. Finally, the regulation requires states' and authorized tribes' antidegradation implementation methods to be consistent with these requirements, and to provide an opportunity for public involvement during the development and any subsequent revisions of antidegradation implementation methods. These requirements result in information collection associated with the following activities:
 Involving the public when developing or revising antidegradation implementation methods;
 Involving the public when a state or authorized tribe uses the water body-by-water body approach to identify waters receiving Tier 2 antidegradation protection; and
 Performing/evaluating Tier 2 antidegradation reviews, including evaluating a range of non-degrading and less degrading practicable alternatives.
The WQS regulation at §131.14 specifies requirements for the development, use, and documentation of WQS variances. States and authorized tribes must submit the variances and documentation to the EPA when requesting Agency review and approval. For WQS variances with a term longer than five years, states and authorized tribes must reevaluate the variances, obtain public input on the reevaluation, and submit the results of the reevaluations to EPA. 
(B) Tribal-State Dispute Resolution Requests 
The WQS regulation at 40 CFR 131.7 specifies that an authorized tribe or state interested in having the EPA initiate a formal dispute resolution action must submit a written request to the lead Regional Administrator. Information that a state or tribe must submit with the request includes: 
 A concise statement of unreasonable consequences that are alleged to have arisen because of differing WQS; 
 A concise description of the actions which have been taken to resolve the dispute without EPA involvement; 
 A concise indication of the state/tribal WQS provision which has resulted in the unreasonable consequences;
 Factual data to support the alleged unreasonable consequences; and
 A statement of the relief sought from the alleged unreasonable consequences. 
(C) Tribal Applications for TAS
The WQS regulation at 40 CFR 131.8(b) specifies the information a tribe must provide in its program application for TAS. Specifically, an interested tribe must submit:
 A statement that the tribe is recognized by the Secretary of the Interior; 
 A descriptive statement demonstrating that the tribal governing body is currently carrying out substantial governmental duties and powers over a defined area; 
 A descriptive statement of the Indian tribal authority to regulate water quality, and an identification of the surface waters for which the tribe proposes to establish WQS; 
 A narrative statement describing the capability of the Indian tribe to administer an effective WQS program; and 
 Any additional documentation required by the Regional Administrator, which in the judgment of the Regional Administrator, is necessary to support the application. 
Where a tribe has previously qualified for TAS under another program, the tribe need only provide the required information which has not been submitted in a previous application.
(D) Voluntary WQS Program Information
From time to time, the EPA may request technical information from states and tribes in support of its effective and efficient administration of regional and national WQS program. Such information would relate directly to a state or tribe's program and would likely consist of technical information to assist in developing guidance or other materials; technical input used by EPA in developing program-related policies and guidance; information concerning program operations to assist in information sharing and improving program efficiency; and information provided when participating in program-related EPA work groups. Submission of state or tribal information and participation in EPA work groups is voluntary.
Respondent Activities
The EPA identified the following activities respondents may need to undertake under this ICR:
 Reviewing instructions, guidance, and regulations necessary for each collection; 
 Planning of information collection activities, including identifying required analyses, gathering and analyzing existing water quality data, effluent data, and waterbody use information as needed; 
 Generating, gathering, and organizing information needed for each collection; 
 Planning for and conducting required public hearings for triennial reviews and/or proposing and adopting new or revised WQS; 
 Conducting public outreach and obtaining public input where appropriate. Includes issuing public notices, managing information for the public on websites, soliciting comments, and documenting, reviewing, and responding to comments;
 Preparing submissions to the EPA, including assembling all materials and, where required, obtaining attorney general certifications that WQS have been adopted according to state or tribal law and the Agency requirements;
 Organizing and implementing recordkeeping as required; and
 Providing voluntary information in response to requests, providing voluntary technical input to EPA policies, guidance documents, and workgroups. 

The Information Collected  -  Agency Activities, Collection Methodology, and Information Management
Agency Activities
The EPA conducts a full range of activities associated with this ICR, including the following:
 Assembling relevant information to conduct the Agency review of new or revised WQS submitted by states and authorized tribes;
 Reviewing new or revised WQS standards for consistency with the CWA and the WQS regulation; 
 Preparing and sending a letter to the state or tribe conveying the EPA approval or disapproval decision(s);
 Making any Administrator determinations that federal WQS are necessary;
 Proposing, seeking comment on, and promulgating federal standards where state or tribal WQS are disapproved or where the Administrator has determined that federal WQS are necessary;
 Proposing, seeking comment on, and finalizing the withdrawal of federal standards when a state or tribe adopts corresponding WQS that the Agency has approved;
 Notifying appropriate governmental entities and others, where appropriate, that a tribe has applied for TAS, and providing an opportunity for them to comment on the tribal assertion of authority; 
 Evaluating the tribal TAS application and relevant comments to determine whether the tribe meets statutory and regulatory criteria for TAS eligibility, and notifying the tribe if the application is approved; and
 Reviewing requests for EPA assistance to resolve disputes regarding differing state and tribal WQS on common bodies of water. 
See also section 2.2, Practical Utility/Users of the Data. 
Activities related to, but not included in, this ICR include revising the WQS regulation as needed; developing policies, guidance, and technical resources for states and tribes; developing national recommended water quality criteria; assisting states and tribes in interpreting and implementing regulations, policies and initiatives; providing training to WQS practitioners; and coordinating activities related to standards with other CWA programs and with other federal agencies. The Agency website, Water Quality Standards: Regulations and Resources, provides more information. See https://www.epa.gov/wqs-tech.
Collection Methodology and Management
States and authorized tribes submit their new and revised WQS to the appropriate EPA regional office. Likewise, tribes applying for TAS, and states or tribes requesting dispute resolution, submit their requests to the regional office. Responsibility for Agency decisions on WQS, TAS applications, and dispute resolution requests has been delegated to Regional Administrators or designees. 
The WQS staffs in EPA regional offices work closely with states and authorized tribes on WQS issues and are available to review and offer comments on draft proposed and final WQS submissions. Headquarters provides support to the regional offices in the review of these submissions. 
The EPA posts approved WQS adopted by states and authorized tribes, and federally promulgated WQS on its website. See https://www.epa.gov/wqs-tech/state-specific-water-quality-standards-effective-under-clean-water-act-cwa. 
The WQS regulation does not specify the form  -  hardcopy or electronic  -  for submitting responses under this ICR. The EPA is committed to reducing reporting burden through electronic means where feasible. Hardcopy reporting and emailed submission of electronically signed submissions are generally used for the submission of information described in section 4 above. Emailed submissions are generally used for responses to periodic EPA requests for voluntary WQS program information from states and authorized tribes.
Small Entity Flexibility
The reporting requirements discussed in this ICR do not place an unreasonable burden on small entities. 
Indian Tribes
The EPA has long recognized that tribes require special considerations considering their generally small size and their unique status as sovereign entities. For the WQS program, the Agency has provided special guidance, training, and technical assistance tailored to the unique needs of tribes to help build their capacity to apply for and administer the WQS program. In addition, the Agency provides substantial funding to tribes through the Indian General Assistance Program (GAP) and tribal allocations of CWA section 106 Water Pollution Control Program grants that tribes can use to develop WQS capabilities and administer WQS programs.
In 1994, the Agency established a "simplification rule" (59 FR 64339) to make it easier for tribes to obtain Agency approval for TAS to administer CWA regulatory programs. This rule enabled tribal applications to be combined with other administrative steps, simplified certain showings that a tribe needs to make, simplified jurisdictional analyses, and gave more flexibility to determining whether a tribe has program capability. Each of these steps helped minimize information to be collected. 
In 2016, the EPA further simplified the process of applying for TAS. It issued a final interpretive rule, Revised Interpretation of Clean Water Act Tribal Provision, 81 FR 30183, May 16, 2016. The rule concluded that CWA section 518 includes an express delegation of authority by Congress to Indian tribes to administer regulatory programs over their entire reservations, subject to the eligibility requirements in section 518. This eliminated the need for applicant tribes to demonstrate inherent authority, which was found to be burdensome for many applicants. Further, the Agency provided customizable templates for tribes to prepare TAS applications and draft WQS for adoption. See https://www.epa.gov/wqs-tech/tribes-and-water-quality-standards. 
Small Dischargers
The WQS regulation at 40 CFR part 131 applies only to states and authorized tribes and not to dischargers. 
Collection Schedule
The CWA and the WQS regulation require state and authorized tribes to conduct reviews of applicable WQS at least once every three years. For WQS long-term variances, the WQS regulation requires reevaluations of the variances no less frequently than every five years. Neither of these collections occur on a fixed national schedule, but rather as determined by each state or authorized tribe. See section 3.4 for a more detailed discussion of collection frequencies in this ICR.
Estimating the Burden and Cost of the Collection
Estimating Respondent Burden and Costs
In this section, the EPA calculates respondent burden and costs. 
 The respondent burden for each collection is generally based on estimates of the number of responses expected multiplied by estimates of the burden hours for each response. 
 The respondent labor cost for each collection is based on the burden hours calculated above multiplied by estimated personnel compensation rates for each class of respondent. These rates are estimated as follows:
 Labor costs for state or tribal employees were estimated using the hourly rate of a GS-9, Step 10 federal employee, of $28.70. Overhead costs are expected to be 60 percent, or $17.22 per hour, yielding a total hourly rate of $45.92; and 
 Labor costs for federal employee rates are discussed in section 6.2
 The respondent Operations and Maintenance (O&M) expenses are estimated separately. Only one information collection  -  (C) Tribal Applications for TAS, discussed below  -  entails such expenses.
There are no Capital Expenses in this ICR.
In developing burden estimates, this ICR generally uses conservative assumptions (i.e., assumptions designed to avoid underestimating the burden). 
Burden and Costs by Information Collection
  (A) Administering State and Tribal WQS
State and tribal burden: EPA has estimated the respondent burden for all aspects of administering WQS described in section 4.2(A) above, including WQS adoption, review, and revision, and specific requirements of the WQS regulation involving establishing and revising designated uses, keeping water quality criteria up to date, implementing antidegradation provisions of the regulation, and issuing WQS variances. See the Appendix: Estimating the Burden for State and Tribal Administration of WQS at the end of this Supporting Statement. Based on the Appendix, EPA estimates that the annual burden on the average state or authorized tribe for these actions is 4,500 hours. Based on a total of 101 such entities, the total estimated burden hours are thus (101 respondents) * (4,500 hours) = 454,500 hours.
State and tribal costs: Total estimated annual costs are (454,500 hours) * ($45.92 per hour) = $20,870,640.
(B) Tribal-State Dispute Resolution Requests 
State or Tribal burden: The WQS regulation specifies that when a state or authorized tribe wants EPA to initiate a formal resolution process for a state-tribal dispute over differing WQS on a common body of water. action, the tribe or state must submit a written request to the Agency. The Agency estimates that up to three tribes/states will submit such a request over the next three years (one request per year). To date, there have been no such formal requests since the regulation went into effect in 1991. The estimated burden to a tribe or state to develop a dispute resolution request is 80 hours. Thus, the total estimated annual burden hours are (1 application per year) * (80 hours/application) = 80 hours.
State or Tribal costs: Total estimated annual labor costs are (80 hours) * ($45.92 per hour) = $3,674. 
(C) Tribal Applications for TAS
Tribal burden: EPA estimates that up to six tribes per year will apply to administer the WQS program. Based on information from eight tribes with experience in developing TAS applications for CWA regulatory programs, the Agency estimates that developing a TAS application requires 1,607 tribal staff hours and an additional $43,920 for contract costs to assist tribes. This results in a total estimated burden of (6 tribes) * (1,607 hours) = 9,642 hours 
Tribal labor costs: Total annual labor costs = (9,642 hours) * ($45.92/hour) = $442,761.
Tribal Operations and Maintenance (O&M) costs: Total estimated annual tribal costs to cover contractual support are (6 tribes) * ($43,920) = $263,520.
(D) Voluntary WQS Program Information
State or Tribal burden: The program information in this collection includes: technical information to assist in developing guidance or other materials; technical comments on draft program-related policies and guidance documents; information concerning program operations to assist in information sharing and improving program efficiency; and state and tribal technical materials prepared for program-related work groups. Submission of state or tribal information or participation by state and tribes in workgroups is voluntary. The EPA estimates that it will make 10 requests for supporting WQS program information from states and authorized tribes per year. Thus, the total number of responses is (10 requests per state or tribe) * (101 entities) = 1,010 requests annually for voluntary information from states and tribes. The Agency estimates that responding to an individual request will average two hours. The total estimated annual burden hours are (1,010 responses) * (2 hours/response) = 2,020 hours.
State or Tribal costs: Total estimated annual labor costs are (2,020 hours) * ($45.92 per hour) = $92,758.
Total Burden and Cost 
The annual number of estimated responses to information requests for all collections listed above in this ICR is 1,118. The estimated annual burden for states and tribes to respond to these requests is 466,242 hours. The total estimated annual labor costs to respond to these requests are $21,409,833. The total estimated annual O&M costs to respond to these requests is $263,520. These figures are summarized for each collection in Table 1 in section 7. 
Estimating Agency Burden and Cost 
The EPA analysis of annual burden and costs to the federal government are detailed in this section. Agency employee costs were estimated assuming a GS-13 Step 5 federal employee earning $56.31 per hour. Overhead costs for federal employees are expected to be 60 percent, or $33.79 per hour, yielding a total hourly rate of $90.10. 
Agency Burden and Cost by Information Collection
(A) Administering State and Tribal WQS
The EPA estimates that its reviews of state and tribal WQS submissions and other information provided to EPA in administering their WQS entail 380 staff hours annually per state or authorized tribe, See the Appendix: Estimating the Burden for State and Tribal Administration of WQS at the end of this Supporting Statement. The total estimated agency burden is thus (101 respondents) * (380 hours/respondent) = 38,380 hours. Estimated agency labor costs are (38,380 hours) * ($90.10/hour) = $3,458,038.
(B) Tribal-State Dispute Resolution Requests
The EPA estimates that each review of a state or tribal request will require 20 hours. The estimated agency burden is thus (1 request/year) * (20 hours/request) = 20 hours. The estimated agency labor costs are (20 hours) * ($90.10/hour) = $1,802.
(C) Tribal Applications for TAS 
The EPA estimates that each review of a tribal TAS program application will require 205 hours. The total agency burden is thus (6 applications/year) * (205 hours/application) = 1,230 hours. The estimated agency labor costs are (1,230 hours/year) * ($90.10/hour) = $110,823.
(D) Voluntary WQS Program Information
The EPA estimates it will make 10 requests annually for voluntary WQS program information from states and authorized tribes. The Agency estimates that each request will average 6 hours to develop the request and to compile and analyze the results. Thus, the total estimated agency burden is (10 requests/year) * (6 hours/request) = 60 hours. Estimated agency labor costs are (60 hours/year) * ($90.10/hour) = $5,406. 
Total Agency Burden and Cost 
In summary, the estimated total annual burden to the EPA in the collections listed above is 39,690 hours. The total estimated annual labor costs to the Agency are (39,690 hours) * ($90.10/hour) = $3,576,069. These figures are summarized for each collection in Table 2 in section 7.  
Reasons for Change in Respondent Burden
The current OMB approved burden for the existing WQS Regulation ICR (OMB Control Number 2040-0049) is 507,887. This renewal reflects a net decrease of 41,645 burden hours, resulting in a total of 466,242 burden hours. The net decrease comprises the following changes:
 The 2018 collection, "Great Lakes Bioassay Tests," conducted by dischargers and reviewed by state and tribes, is being terminated. EPA has confirmed that Great Lakes states, tribes, and dischargers have not conducted such tests or reviews for over ten years. (-37,678 burden hours)
 The burden for the 2018 collection, "Great Lakes Antidegradation Demonstrations," was shared equally between the 2018 WQS ICR and the ICR for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) (OMB No. 2040-0004). At the suggestion of the Office of Management and Budget, EPA is removing the WQS program's 50% share from this ICR and consolidating it with the 50% share for the NPDES program into the NPDES ICR at its next renewal in 2022, now in progress. (-1,117 burden hours) 
 Similarly, the burden for the 2018 collection, "Great Lakes Regulatory Relief Requests," was shared equally between the WQS and NPDES ICRs. As above, EPA is removing the WQS program's 50% share from this ICR and consolidating it into the NPDES ICR at its next renewal, now in progress. (-8,310 burden hours) 
 The collection (A) Administering State and Tribal WQS increased to reflect the addition of one tribe with WQS and a rounding adjustment. (+5,460) 
The changes in burden for each collection are provided in Table 3 in section 7.
Burden Statement
The annual public reporting and record keeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 4,500 hours per state or authorized tribe for administering WQS, 80 hours per dispute resolution request, 1,607 hours per tribal request for authority to administer WQS, and 2 hours per voluntary WQS program information response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a federal agency. This includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements; train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information; search data sources; complete and review the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the information. 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. The OMB control numbers for the EPA regulations are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR chapter 15.
To comment on the Agency need for this information, the accuracy of the provided burden estimates and any suggested methods for minimizing respondent burden, including the use of automated collection techniques, the Agency has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0465, which is available for online viewing at www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Office of Water Docket Center (EPA/DC), WJC West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is (202) 566-1744. An electronic version of the public docket is available online for viewing at http://www.regulations.gov. Use http://www.regulations.gov to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the public docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are available electronically. When in the system, select "search," then key in the Docket ID Number identified above. Also, you can send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20503, Attention: Desk Office for the EPA. Please include EPA Docket ID (EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0465) and OMB Control Number (2040-0049) in any correspondence.

Summary Tables
  Table 1:  Total annual burden and cost for states and tribes 
                                  Collection
                        Respondents in Next Three Years
                              Responses per year
                           Burden Hours per Response
                              Annual Burden Hours
                               Annual Labor Cost
                              Annual O&M Cost
(A) Administering State and Tribal WQS
                                      101
                                      101
                                     4,500
                                    454,500
                                  $20,870,640
                                     None
(B) Tribal-State Dispute Resolution Requests 
                                Included in (A)
                                       1
                                      80
                                      80
                                    $3,674
                                     None
(C) Tribal Applications for TAS
                                      18
                                       6
                                     1,607
                                     9,642
                                   $442,761
                                   $263,520
(D) Voluntary WQS Program Information
                                Included in (A)
                                     1,010
                                       2
                                     2,020
                                    $92,758
                                     None
                                              Total State and Tribal Responses 
                                      119
                                     1,118
                                varies as above
                                    466,242
                                  $21,409,833
                                   $263,520


  Table 2:  Total agency burden and cost 
                                  Collection
                            No. Responses per Year
                           Burden Hours per Response
                              Annual Burden Hours
                               Annual Labor Cost
                              Annual O&M Cost
(A) Administering State and Tribal WQS
                                      101
                                      380
                                    38,380
                                  $3,458,038
                                     None
(B) Tribal-State Dispute Resolution Requests
                                       1
                                      20
                                      20
                                    $1,802
                                     None
(C) Tribal Applications for TAS
                                       6
                                      205
                                     1,230
                                   $110,823
                                     None
(D) Voluntary WQS Program Information
                                      10
                                       6
                                      60
                                    $5,406
                                     None
                                                                          Total
                                       
                                       
                                    39,690
                                  $3,576,069
                                     None


  Table 3:  Change in Respondent Burden 	
      (Negative numbers are in parentheses)
                                  Collection
                       Previously Approved Burden Hours
                           Burden Hours in This ICR
                                  Difference
                                    (hours)
                                   Comments
(A) Administering State and Tribal WQS
                                    449,060
                                    454,500
                                    +4,500
                                     +940
                          Addition of one tribe and 
                              Rounding adjustment
(B) Tribal-State Dispute Resolution Requests
                                      80
                                      80
                                       0
                                       
(B) Tribal Applications for TAS
                                     9,642
                                     9,642
                                       0
                                       
(D) Voluntary WQS Program Information
                                     2,000
                                     2,020
                                      +20
                             Addition of one tribe
Great Lakes Bioassay Tests 
                                    37,678
                                    removed
                                   (37,678)
                              Completion of work
Great Lakes Antidegradation Demonstrations
                                     1,117
                                    removed
                                    (1,117)
                             Transfer to NPDES ICR
Great Lakes Regulatory Relief Requests
                                     8,310
                                    removed
                                    (8,310)
                             Transfer to NPDES ICR
                                                                          TOTAL
                                    507,887
                                    466,242
                                   (41,645)
                                       
      
        APPENDIX: Estimated Burden per State or Tribe to Administer WQS 
The purpose of this Appendix is to estimate the average annual paperwork burden per state or tribe for states, authorized tribes, and EPA to administer water quality standards (WQS) under the Clean Water Act (CWA). These estimates are based on EPA's estimates made in 2018 for the currently approved ICR which expires December 31, 2021. The 2018 estimates were validated by EPA's consultations with state respondents in 2020 as described in section 3.3 of the Supporting Statement.
  State and Tribal Burden 
To estimate the state and tribal burden in the 2018 ICR, EPA considered the ten individual information collections listed below. Based on the 2020 state consultations, EPA believes that the ten estimates below, when aggregated and apportioned to the average state or tribe, are a fair representation of the overall burden that continues to be borne not only by each of the 100 states and tribes for which the 2018 estimates were made, but also by tribes added after the estimates were made.
In this Appendix, EPA uses two steps. First, EPA estimates the total national burden for each collection in sections (1) through (10) below. Second, EPA calculates the combined burden per state or tribe in the final section below. 
 WQS Adoption, Review, and Revision
The CWA and the WQS regulation require a WQS review and associated information collection at least once every three years from states and authorized tribes with WQS. In the consultation with states in the 1980s described in section 3.3 of the Supporting Statement, the Agency asked the states to quantify the reporting and recordkeeping burden of the WQS program as a whole to meet the statutory requirements, including reviewing the WQS at least once every three years. The state representatives provided aggregate annualized burden estimates for conducting WQS adoptions, reviews, and revisions. Based on this input, EPA estimated the average burden per state or tribe as 2,500 hours per year over a triennial cycle. Based on subsequent consultations, described in section 3.3 of the ICR Supporting Statement, the Agency believes that the estimate is still valid. Based on 100 states and tribes with WQS in 2018, the total estimated annual burden hours were (100 respondents) * (2,500 hours) = 250,000 hours.
 Rulemaking
When issuing the final 2015 WQS Program Revisions, the EPA estimated that each state or authorized tribe would need to perform a one-time WQS rulemaking as described in this ICR within the first three years. For the currently approved ICR, the Agency estimated that half of these rulemakings, or (100 entities with WQS) * 50% = 50, were completed while the other half had been delayed and would occur in the next three years, at a rate of 16.33 (rounded to 17) per year. Based on the consultation described in section 3.3 of the supporting statement, the Agency estimated that 1,000 hours were required for each rulemaking. The total estimated annual burden hours were thus (17 rulemakings) * (1,000 hours per rulemaking) = 17,000 hours.
 identifying the Highest Attainable Use
Based on the 2014 consultation described in section 3.3, EPA estimated that 15 UAAs are conducted per year that need additional work to identify the HAU. The Agency estimated that identifying the HAU for a UAA requires 300 hours. The total estimated annual burden hours are thus (15 responses) * (300 hours per response) = 4,500 hours.
 Criteria Explanations
Between 1972 and 2018, EPA issued a total of 468 new or updated national water quality criteria recommendations under CWA section 304(a). Recognizing that the issuance rate fluctuates from year to year, the Agency conservatively estimated that the rate of 10 such recommendations per year will continue. As discussed in section 4.2 of the Supporting Statement, the WQS regulation requires states and authorized tribes to adopt new or revised water quality criteria into their WQS for all parameters for which such recommendations have been issued, or to provide an explanation for why they have not done so. The Agency estimated that states and authorized tribes adopt half of such criteria; this work is covered under collection (1) WQS Adoption, Review, and Revision above. For the remainder, the Agency estimated that each of the 100 entities with WQS in 2018 would need to provide an average of 5 criteria explanations per year, or 500 responses nationally. Based on experience and the 2014 consultation described in section 3.3, the Agency estimated 50 burden hours per explanation. The total estimated annual burden hours were thus (500 responses) * (50 hours per response) = 25,000 hours.
 Antidegradation Implementation Methods
As discussed in section 4.2 of the Supporting Statement, the WQS regulation requires states and authorized tribes to provide an opportunity for public involvement when developing or revising antidegradation implementation methods (AIMs). EPA estimated that about five (5) states and tribes will revise their AIMs each year to ensure that their methods remain in compliance with the antidegradation requirements and to make other adjustments at their discretion. 
To revise AIMs, the EPA assumed conservatively that states and tribes would need to conduct public involvement activities, such as notification, documentation, and recordkeeping, that were not covered completely by (1) WQS Adoption, Review, and Revision above. Based on stakeholder input, the Agency estimated that 300 hours were needed per state and tribe for such activities. The total estimated annual burden hours were thus (5 responses) * (300 hours per response) = 1,500 hours.
 Tier 2 Waters Designations
As discussed in section 4.2 of the Supporting Statement, the WQS regulation requires states and authorized tribes to provide an opportunity for public involvement when a state or authorized tribe uses the water body-by-water body approach to identify waters receiving Tier 2 antidegradation protection. The Agency conservatively assumed that 45% of states and tribes were using the water body-by-water body approach, and that they would be taking action to revise their Tier 2 waters lists about once every six years. This resulted in 45% * (100 states and tribes with WQS) divided by 6 resulting in 7.6 (rounded to 8) such actions per year. Based on stakeholder input, EPA estimated that 300 hours are required for each public involvement process. The total estimated annual burden hours were thus (8 processes) * (300 hours per process) = 2,400 hours.
 Tier 2 Alternatives Analyses
As discussed in section 4.2 of the Supporting Statement, the WQS regulation requires states and tribes with WQS to evaluate a range of non-degrading and less degrading practicable alternatives when performing or evaluating Tier 2 antidegradation reviews. Such reviews occur most frequently when a state or tribe participates in the issuance of a new or revised NPDES individual permit to high quality waters, as defined in the WQS regulation. EPA estimated that about 2% of NPDES individual permits were issued each year that require a Tier 2 antidegradation review. EPA estimated that about 46% of such reviews may require additional work to conduct alternatives analyses than was covered under (1) WQS Adoptions, Reviews, and Revisions above. Thus, EPA estimated that (50,302 individual NPDES permits nationally) * (2% per year) * (46%) = 461 Tier 2 antidegradation reviews each year would require such additional work for alternatives analyses. The Agency estimated that 90 hours were required per review. The total estimated annual burden hours were thus (461 responses) * (90 hours per response) = 41,490 hours.
 Additional Tier 2 Reviews
The WQS regulation's provisions at §131.12(a)(2)(i) which limit where waters can be excluded from Tier 2 protection may result in states and tribes conducting more Tier 2 reviews than were covered by (1) WQS Adoptions, Reviews, and Revisions above. Specifically, EPA estimated that about 0.512% of NPDES permits requiring Tier 2 antidegradation reviews per year may not be so covered.   Thus, the Agency estimated that (50,302 individual NPDES permits nationally) * (0.512%) = 258 would require such additional work. The Agency estimated that the additional work needed for one Tier 2 review would require 390 hours. The total estimated annual burden hours are thus (258 responses) * (390 hours per response) = 100,620 hours.
 WQS Variance Submissions
The WQS regulation incudes requirements for states and tribes to document variances when submitting them for EPA review. Some of the documentation may not be covered in (1) WQS Adoptions, Reviews, and Revisions above. EPA estimated that states and tribes would develop up to 150 WQS variances during the coming three years, 2019-2021, or 50 per year. EPA estimated that the submission requirements would result in 75 additional burden hours per variance.  The total estimated annual burden hours are thus (50 responses) * (75 hours per response) = 3,750 hours.
    WQS Variance Reevaluations
The WQS regulation provides that variances with terms longer than five years must be reevaluated at least every five years. Under the conservative assumptions that (a) all variances issued since the previous renewal of the ICR would have terms longer than five years, and (b) all states and tribes would choose to conduct their reevaluations on a three-year cycle, the EPA estimated that this requirement would result in reevaluations in 2019-2021 of each of the estimated 150 variances issued in 2016-2018 (see (8) above), or 50 estimated reevaluations per year. EPA estimated that the increased reevaluation provisions would require 56 hours per variance reevaluated. The total estimated annual burden hours were thus (50 responses) * (56 hours per response) = 2,800 hours.
    Combined Burden per State or Tribe
The combined annual burden on the 100 state and tribal entities for the above ten collections in 2018 was 449,060 hours. Thus, the average annual burden was (449,060 hours) divided by (100 entities) = 4,490.6 hours. 
For the purposes of this renewal ICR, EPA is rounding the estimate conservatively to 4,500 hours per state or authorized tribe. 
  Agency Burden
The 2018 ICR estimated that reviews of each state's or tribe's submissions of new or revised WQS under (1) above would require 168 hours per year in the average year. The total estimated agency burden was thus (100 respondents) * (168 hours/respondent) = 16,800 hours. The Agency estimated that an additional 20,951 EPA staff hours would be needed to review the information provided for collections (2) through (10) described under State and Tribal Burden above. Thus, the average annual EPA burden hours to review state and tribal WQS and related information was (16,800 hours) + (20,951 hours) = (37,751 hours), divided by (100 entities), equaling 377.51 hours.
For the purposes of this renewal ICR, EPA is rounding the estimate conservatively to 380 hours per state or authorized tribe.
