[Federal Register: January 28, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 18)]
[Notices]               
[Page 4250-4251]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28ja98-78]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5954-9]

 
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Clean Water Act State Revolving Fund Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this document announces that the following Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been for-warded to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Clean Water Act 
State Revolving Fund Program, OMB Control Number 2040-0118, and 
expiration date of 02/28/98. The ICR describes the nature of the 
information collection and its expected burden and cost; where 
appropriate, it includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before February 27, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Sandy Farmer at EPA by phone 
at (202) 260-2740, by email at farmer.sandy@epamail.epa.gov, or 
download off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA 
ICR No. 1391.04.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Clean Water Act State Revolving Fund Program; OMB Control 
No. 2040-0118; EPA ICR No. 1391.04; expiring on 02 /28/98. This is a 
request for an extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: The Clean Water Act, as amended by ``The Water Quality 
Act of 1987'' (U.S.C. 1381-1387 et seq.), created a Title VI which 
authorizes grants to States for the establishment of State Water 
Pollution Control Revolving Funds (SRFs). The information activities 
are pursuant to section 606 of the Act, and SRF Interim Final Rule 
(March 1990).
    The 1987 Act declares that water pollution control revolving loan 
funds shall be administered by an instrumentality of the State subject 
to the requirements of the Act. This means that each State has a 
general

[[Page 4251]]

responsibility for administering its revolving fund and must take on 
certain specific responsibilities in carrying out its administrative 
duties. The information collection activities will occur primarily at 
the program level through the Capitalization Grant Application and 
Agreement / Intended Use Plan, Annual Report, State Audit, and 
Financial Assistance Application Review.
    The State must prepare a Capitalization Grant Application and 
Agreement that includes an Intended Use Plan (IUP) outlining in detail 
how it will use the program funds. The agree-ment is an instrument by 
which the State commits to manage its revolving fund program.
    The State must agree to complete and submit an Annual Report on the 
uses of the fund. The report will indicate how activities financed will 
contribute toward meeting the goals and objectives and provides 
information on loan recipients, loan amounts, loan terms and project 
categories of eligible costs.
    The State will conduct or have conducted a financial audit of its 
CWSRF program. The audit report will contain an opinion on the 
financial statements of the CWSRF, a report on its internal controls, 
and a report on whether the compliance requirements have been met.
    Since the States provide assistance to local applicants, the States 
will review completed loan applications and verify that proposed 
projects meet all applicable Federal and State requirements.
    EPA will use the Capitalization Grant Agreement and Application / 
Intended Use Plan, Annual Report, and Annual Audit to conduct its 
oversight responsibilities as mandated by the CWA.
    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 EPA's 
regulations are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR Chapter 15. The 
Federal Register document required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting 
comments on this collection of information was published on 11/21/97 
(FRL-5926-1); no comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record keeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1,915 
hours per State response and 60 hours per local community 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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Fifty states, Puerto Rico, and the 
recipients of assistance in these jurisdictions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,530.
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 186,405 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $3,573,740.
    Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the 
accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods 
for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques to the following addresses. Please 
refer to EPA ICR No. 1391.04 and OMB Control No. 2040-0118 in any 
correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, OPPE Regulatory 
Information Division (2137), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460.
    and
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20503.

    Dated: January 22, 1998.
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 98-2086 Filed 1-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P