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Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Proficiency Testing Studies for Drinking Water Laboratories, EPA ICR No. 2264.01, OMB Control No. 2040- New 


[Federal Register: July 26, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 143)]
[Notices]
[Page 41072-41073]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26jy07-46]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OW-2007-0266; FRL-8445-8]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review 
and Approval; Comment Request; Proficiency Testing Studies for Drinking 
Water Laboratories, EPA ICR No. 2264.01, OMB Control No. 2040-New

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)(44 U.S.C.
3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection
Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for review and approval. This is a request for a new collection.
The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the
information collection and its estimated burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before August 27, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2007-0266, to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our preferred 
method), by e-mail to OW-Docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket
Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Water Docket, Mail Code 2822T,
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460, Attention Docket
ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2007-0266, and (2) OMB by mail to: Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: 
Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David J. Munch, Technical Support
Center, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, United States
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, 26 West Martin Luther
King Drive (MS 140), Cincinnati, OH 45268; telephone (513) 569-7843; e-
mail address munch.dave@epa.gov. For general information, contact the
Safe Drinking Water Hotline. Callers within the United States may reach
the Hotline at (800) 426-4791. The Hotline is open Monday through Friday, 
excluding legal holidays, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Eastern Time.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR
1320.12. On May 3, 2007 (72 FR 24582), EPA sought comments on this ICR
pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments during the
comment period. Any additional comments on this ICR should be submitted
to EPA and OMB within 30 days of this notice.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID
No. EPA-HQ-OW-2007-0266, which is available for online viewing at
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Water Docket in
the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution
Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays.
The telephone number for the Reading Room is 202-566-1744, and the
telephone number for the Water Docket is 202-566-2426.
    Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at 
http://www.regulations.gov, to submit or view public comments, access 
the index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those
documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the
system, select ``docket search,'' then key in the docket ID number
identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public
comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made
available for public viewing at http://www.regulations.gov as EPA
receives them and without change, unless the comment contains
copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose public disclosure
is restricted by statute. For further information about the electronic
docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov.

    Title: Proficiency Testing Studies for Drinking Water Laboratories.
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2264.01, OMB Control No. 2040-New.
    ICR Status: This ICR is for a new information collection activity.
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
in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when
approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed either by
publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such
as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The
display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is
consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    Abstract: Proficiency Testing (PT) studies provide an objective
demonstration that participating laboratories are capable of producing
valid data for monitored pollutants. PT studies that relate to drinking
water analyses are mandated under 40 CFR 141.23(k)(3), 141.24(f)(17)
and 141.131(b)(2). EPA initiated these studies and originally
administered them as part of the Agency's mandate to assure the quality
of environmental monitoring data. Subsequently, all of these studies
were privatized. PT vendors manufacture and distribute samples to the
participating laboratories who then submit their analytical results to
these vendors for evaluation. The PT

[[Page 41073]]

vendors then send evaluations of the submitted data to the laboratory
and any other designated certifying/accrediting authority.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 7.32
hours per 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 which have subsequently changed; 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: Drinking Water Laboratories.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,363.
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 17,291.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $1,803,343, which includes $908,055
annualized capital or O&M costs and $895,288 in labor costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: Since this is a new information
collection request, there is no currently-approved burden. However, as
this collection does exist under another expiring ICR (Performance
Evaluation Studies of Water and Wastewater Laboratories (OMB Control
No. 2080-0021, EPA ICR No. 0234.08)), the requested burden under this
ICR effectively offsets the decrease in burden in the currently-
approved ICR from which it is being removed.

    Dated: July 19, 2007.
Sara Hisel-McCoy,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E7-14482 Filed 7-25-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P

 
 

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