Questionnaire for Steam Electric Power Generating Effluent Guidelines (New)

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
ICR-memo-to-OMB _steam electric_ _17 May 2010_.pdf Supplementary Document	2010-05-19
Part B_SS_022310.pdf Supporting Statement B	2010-02-24
Comment Summary Table_022210.pdf Supplementary Document	2010-02-24
2368ss01.doc Supporting Statement A	2010-03-03

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
192208	Private Sector Other-Excel Version Survey - Part I	New

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 2040-0281	ICR Reference No: 201003-2040-001
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: EPA/OW	Agency Tracking No: 2368.01
Title: Questionnaire for Steam Electric Power Generating Effluent Guidelines (New)
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved with change	Conclusion Date: 05/20/2010
	Date Received in OIRA: 03/09/2010
Terms of Clearance:

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	05/31/2013	36 Months From Approved
Responses	245	0	0
Time Burden (Hours)	41,049	0	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	405,683	0	0

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Abstract: The Clean Water Act (CWA) directs EPA to develop regulations, called effluent guidelines, to limit the amount of pollutants that are discharged to surface waters or to sewage treatment plants. The effluent guidelines for the steam electric power generating point source category apply to steam electric generating units at establishments that are primarily engaged in the generation of electricity for distribution and sale, resulting primarily from a process using nuclear or fossil-type fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas. EPA first identified the industry during its 2005 annual review of discharges from categories with existing effluent guidelines regulations, when publicly available data indicated that this industry ranked high in discharges of toxic and nonconventional pollutants. Because of these findings, EPA initiated a more detailed study of the industry and collected data through site visits, wastewater sampling, a limited data request, and secondary sources of data. EPA determined that steam electric power plants are responsible for a significant amount of the toxic pollutant loadings discharged to surface waters by point sources. Further information regarding these conclusions can be found in EPA's study, Steam Electric Power Generating Point Source Category: Final Detailed Study Report (EPA 821-R-09-008). This ICR will support the review and revision of the Steam Electric ELGs. EPA is requesting the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to review and approve the ICR for Steam Electric Power Generating Effluent Guidelines. The ICR will aid in the collection of information from a wide range of steam electric power generating industry operations to characterize waste streams, understand the processes that generate the wastes, gather environmental data, and assess the availability and affordability of treatment technologies. These data will be used to perform detailed technical and economic analyses that will support EPA's rulemaking. EPA has identified approximately 1,200 fossil- and nuclear-fueled steam electric power plants that are potentially within scope of the data collection objectives of the questionnaire. To reduce burden on the industry, EPA intends to distribute the questionnaire to a statistically-sampled subset of these facilities. After addressing comments provided during the first FRN publication comment period, which ended on December 28, 2009, EPA estimates that approximately 734 fossil- or nuclear-fueled steam electric plants will be required to complete Parts A and I of the questionnaire. This is a decrease in the number of respondents, from 760 to 734. The questionnaire consists of multiple sections which have been tailored to address specific processes, specific data needs, or types of power plants. Parts A and I of the questionnaire will be sent to all questionnaire recipients (734 plants); the remaining sections will be sent to discrete subpopulations of questionnaire recipients. Overall, EPA estimates a reduction of 11,640 hours in respondent burden as a result of the revisions of the questionnaire. The questionnaire will collect general plant information and selected technical information about the plant processes and the electric generating units. The information that will be collected includes economic data and technical information about flue gas desulfurization (FGD) wastewater, ash handling, process equipment cleaning operations, wastewater treatment, surface impoundment and landfill operations, and nuclear operations. The questionnaire will also require certain power plants to collect and analyze samples of leachate from surface impoundments and landfills containing coal combustion residues. More details about information requested in each section of the questionnaire are provided in the ICR supporting statement.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 33 USC 1318 Name of Law: Clean Water Act
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	74 FR 55838	10/29/2009
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	75 FR 10792	03/09/2010
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Private Sector

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	245	0	0	245	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	41,049	0	0	41,049	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	405,683	0	0	405,683	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: This is a new collection that is necessary prior to proposed rulemaking.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $837,925

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? Yes Part B of Supporting Statement

Is the Supporting Statement intended to be a Privacy Impact Assessment required by the E-Government Act of 2002? No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? Uncollected

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? Uncollected

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? Uncollected

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Common Form ICR:  No

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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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 03/09/2010

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