Class V Underground Injection Control Study

[ttweed@wildrockies.org (Tony Tweedale)]

  for those involved in the issue of deep injection of haz waste on the
  presumption of no migration:
  ---
  
  [Federal Register: December 18, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 243)]
  [Notices]
  [Page 66366-66367]
  >From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
  [DOCID:fr18de97-66]
  
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  ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
  
  [FRL-5936-9]
  
  
  Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
  Comment Request; Class V Underground Injection Control Study
  
  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 EPA is planning to submit the
  following proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office
  of Management and Budget (OMB): Class V Underground Injection Control
  Study, EPA ICR #1834.01. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review
  and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the
  proposed information collection as described below.
  
  DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before February 17, 1998.
  
  ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the ICR without charge please contact
  the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, EPA Headquarters, 401 M
  Street SW, Washington, DC 20460 or contact the persons listed below.
  
  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Safe Drinking Water Hotline, (800)
  426-4791, e-mail: hotline-sdwa-group@epamail.epa.gov; or Anhar
  Karimjee, (202) 260-3862, fax (202) 260-0732, e-mail:
  karimjee.anhar@epamail.epa.gov.
  
  SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
  
      Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
  those which own, operate or use Class V underground injection wells, or
  collect, record, or know of information on their existence and/or their
  location including, but not limited to: State Environmental Water
  Quality Agencies, State Oil and Gas Divisions, State Energy Divisions,
  State Departments of Health, State Agricultural Agencies, State Coastal
  Commissions or Oceanic Divisions, State Mining and Minerals Divisions,
  and State Hazardous Waste Divisions.
      Title: Class V Underground Injection Control Study, EPA ICR
  #1834.01.
      Abstract: The purpose of this information collection is to gather
  data on Class V underground injection wells. The collection will be
  conducted by EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW) as
  required by section 2c of the EPA's modified consent decree with the
  Sierra Club (Sierra Club v. Carol M. Browner, Civil Action No. 93-2644
  NHJ, 1997) in order to comply with section 1421 of the Safe Drinking
  Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300h). These wells may pose a risk to underground
  sources of drinking water (USDWs) and therefore EPA is collecting
  information necessary to determine whether a national regulation is
  appropriate.
      The collection will involve two components. First, a small number
  of initial site visits for agricultural drainage wells, storm water
  drainage wells, large capacity septic systems, and certain industrial
  wells will be conducted to count the number of those well types in
  certain geologic settings. This data will then be used to create a
  mathematical model that will eventually be used to estimate the number
  of wells in existence on a national scale. Once the model is created,
  additional site visits will be conducted to calibrate the model.
      The second component of the collection, for fourteen other well
  subclasses (electric power return flow wells, direct heat return flow
  wells, heat pump/AC return flow wells, aquaculture wells, wastewater
  treatment effluent, aquifer recharge wells, aquifer storage and
  recovery wells, saltwater intrusion barrier wells, subsidence control
  wells, mining, sand and other backfill wells, spent brine recovery
  wells, solution mining wells, in-situ fossil fuel recovery wells and
  aquifer remediation wells), involves general data collection from State
  and local agencies on the number of wells in existence and their
  location on a county level. EPA may also, for some well subclasses in
  some States, ask for additional information such as permitting
  requirements, contamination incidents and injectate constituents. The
  site visits and the data collection component will provide EPA with an
  estimation of the number of wells, which will provide, in part, the
  basis for determining whether national regulations for the well
  subclasses are necessary, and if so, the extent of the regulations.
      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 EPA would like to solicit comments to:
      (i) evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
  necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
  including whether the information will have practical utility;
      (ii) evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden
  of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of
  the methodology and assumptions used;
      (iii) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information
  to be collected; and
      (iv) minimize the burden of the collection of information on those
  who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated
  electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
  other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic
  submission of responses.
      Burden Statement: It is estimated that this information collection
  will involve a total cost burden to the Respondents of $72,073 and a
  total hour burden to the Respondents of 2,019 hours. There will be no
  capital, start-up or operation and maintenance costs but the collection
  will involve a one time response, from 2,369 respondents, of
  approximately 0.85 hours. 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
  
  [[Page 66367]]
  
  information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the information.
  
      Dated: December 12, 1997.
  Elizabeth A. Fellows,
  Acting Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
  [FR Doc. 97-33081 Filed 12-17-97; 8:45 am]
  BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
  
  
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