Extension without change of a currently approved collection
No
Regular
10/31/2024
Requested
Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved
10/31/2024
10,350
5,405
13,342
9,645
0
0
The Clean Watersheds Needs Survey
(CWNS) is required by Clean Water Act (CWA) Sections 205(a) and
516. It is a periodic inventory of existing and planned publicly
owned wastewater conveyance and treatment facilities, combined
sewer overflow correction, stormwater management and other water
pollution control facilities in the United States, as well as an
estimate of how many of these facilities need to be built. The CWNS
is a joint effort between EPA and the states. The CWNS collects
cost and technical data from states that are associated with
publicly owned treatment works and other water pollution control
facilities, existing and planned. The respondents who provide this
information to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) are
state agencies responsible for environmental pollution control and
local facility contacts who provide documentation to the states.
Periodically, the states request data or documentation from
contacts at the facility or local government level. These
respondents are referred to as facilities. No confidential
information is used, nor is sensitive information protected from
release under the Public Information Act. EPA achieves national
consistency in the final results through the application of uniform
guidelines and validation techniques.
The prior burden approved by
OMB (0318.13) was an annual burden of 9,645 hours and an annual
cost of $505,004 for non-Agency respondents. This ICR estimates an
annual burden increase of 3,698 hours and $294,204 in costs, for a
total of 13,342 hours and $799,208 in cost. This adjustment is
based upon an increase in facility universe (likely due to the
higher response rate in the previous survey), as well as an
adjustment in labor rates and benefits. The prior ICR estimated
that states would submit only half of their facilities (16,048).
The majority of the states submitted most of their facilities in
2022 (30,881), almost doubling the estimated facility
universe.
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.