The purpose of this ICR is to calculate the burden and costs associated with the data requirements necessary for a permitting authority (either an authorized State or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)) to determine whether an existing NPDES or sewage sludge permittee is in compliance with the conditions of its permit.
A permitting authority collects information necessary to determine a permittee's compliance with specific permit requirements during the effective term of a given permit. Compliance assessment reporting requirements include routine submittals (e.g., annual certifications and reports submitted when a compliance schedule milestone is reached) and non-routine submittals (e.g., required when certain conditions occur, such as an unanticipated bypass). NPDES staff may use this information to determine if follow-up activities are necessary.
This ICR includes burden hours and costs associated with noncompliance reports for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) not accounted for in the NPDES Regulation and Effluent Limitation Guidelines and Standards for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations ICR (EPA ICR No. 1989.04; OMB No. 2040-0250).
Five additional effluent limitations guidelines development ICRs are set to expire in the next three years prior to the next renewal of this Compliance Assessment/Certification ICR. The burden associated with those five ICRs has been incorporated into the Compliance Assessment/Certification ICR as part of this renewal process. The five ICRs include:
1. Milestone Plans for the Bleached Papergrade Kraft and Soda Subcategory of the Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Point Source Category (40 CFR part 430), EPA ICR No. 1877.03, OMB Control No. 2040-0202;
2. Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Bleached Papergrade Kraft and Soda Subcategory and the Papergrade Kraft Sulfite Subcategory of the Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Point Source Category (40 CFR part 430), EPA ICR No. 1829.03, OMB Control No. 2040-0207; 3. Baseline Standards and Best Management Practices for the Coal Mining Point Source Category (40 CFR part 434) Coal Remining Subcategory and Western Alkaline Coal Mining Subcategory, EPA ICR No. 1944.03, OMB Control No. 2040-0239;
4. Certification in Lieu of Chloroform Minimum Monitoring Requirements for Direct and Indirect Discharging Mills in the Bleached Papergrade Kraft and Soda Subcategory of the Pulp, Paper and Paperboard Manufacturing Category (40 CFR part 430), EPA ICR No. 2015.02, OMB Control No. 2040-0242; and
5. Minimum Monitoring Requirements for Direct and Indirect Discharging Mills in the Bleached Papergrade Kraft and Soda Subcategory and the Papergrade Sulfite Subcategory of the Pulp, Paper and Paperboard Manufacturing Category (40 CFR part 430), EPA ICR No. 1878.02, OMB Control No. 2040-0243.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.