Notices. Notice

5,109 words·~23 min read·/register/2005/07/08/05-13488

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BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP05-130-000] Dominion Cove Point LNG, L.P.; Notice of Technical Conference July 1, 2005. On Wednesday, July 27, 2005, at 8:30 a.m. (EDT), staff of the Office of Energy Projects will convene a cryogenic design and technical conference regarding the proposed Cove Point Expansion Project. The cryogenic conference will be held in the Holiday Inn Select, located at 155 Holiday Drive, Solomons, MD 20688. For hotel details call

(410)326-6311. In view of the nature of critical energy infrastructure information and security issues to be explored, the cryogenic conference will not be open to the public. Attendance at this conference will be limited to existing parties to the proceeding (anyone who has specifically requested to intervene as a party) and to representatives of interested Federal, State, and local agencies. Any person planning to attend the July 27th cryogenic conference *must register* by close of business on Monday, July 25, 2005. Registrations may be submitted either online at *http://www.ferc.gov/whats-new/registration/cryo-conf-form.asp* or by faxing a copy of the form (found at the referenced online link) to

(202)208-0353. All attendees must sign a non-disclosure statement prior to entering the conference. Upon arrival at the hotel, check the reader board in the hotel lobby for venue. For additional information regarding the cryogenic conference, please contact Ghanshyam Patel at

(202)502-6431. Magalie R. Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. E5-3605 Filed 7-7-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 2009-048] Virginia Electric and Power Company, dba Dominion Virginia Power/Dominion North Carolina Power; Notice Rejecting Request for Rehearing July 1, 2005. By order issued May 17, 2005, 1 Commission staff approved and modified a dissolved oxygen monitoring plan filed by the licensee for the Roanoke Rapids and Gaston Project No. 2009, located on the Roanoke River in Brunswick and Mecklenburg Counties, Virginia, and in Halifax, Northampton, and Warren Counties, North Carolina. On June 16, 2005, the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (North Carolina DENR) filed a request for rehearing of the order, without an accompanying notice or motion to intervene. 1 111 FERC ¶ 62,170. Under section 313(a) of the Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 825l(a), a request for rehearing may be filed only by a party to the proceeding. While North Carolina DENR was an intervenor in the licensing proceedings for the Roanoke Rapids and Gaston Project, party status is not carried over to post-licensing proceedings. 2 Accordingly, in order for North Carolina DENR, whose water quality division was a consulted agency on the dissolved oxygen monitoring plan, to be a party to this proceeding, it must have filed a motion to intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.214, not later than 30 days after issuance of the May 17, 2005 order (June 16, 2005). 3 As noted above, North Carolina DENR did not file a notice or motion to intervene and therefore, the request for rehearing is hereby rejected. 2 See Joseph M. Keating, 40 FERC ¶ 61,254 (1987). 3 See Pacific Gas and Electric Company, 40 FERC ¶ 61,035 (1987). This notice constitutes final agency action. Request for rehearing by the Commission of this rejection notice must be filed within 30 days of the date of issuance of this notice, pursuant to 18 CFR 385.713. Magalie R. Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. E5-3604 Filed 7-7-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket Nos. ER05-713-000, ER05-713-001, and ER05-713-002] KRK Energy; Notice of Issuance of Order July 1, 2005. KRK Energy

(KRK)filed an application for market-based rate authority, with an accompanying rate tariff. The proposed rate tariff provides for the sales of capacity and energy at market-based rates. KRK also requested waiver of various Commission regulations. In particular, KRK requested that the Commission grant blanket approval under 18 CFR part 34 of all future issuances of securities and assumptions of liability by KRK. On June 29, 2005, pursuant to delegated authority, the Director, Division of Tariffs and Market Development—South, granted the request for blanket approval under part 34. The Director's order also stated that the Commission would publish a separate notice in the **Federal Register** establishing a period of time for the filing of protests. Accordingly, any person desiring to be heard or to protest the blanket approval of issuances of securities or assumptions of liability by KRK should file a motion to intervene or protest with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, in accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure. 18 CFR 385.211, 385.214 (2004). Notice is hereby given that the deadline for filing motions to intervene or protest is July 29, 2005. Absent a request to be heard in opposition by the deadline above, KRK is authorized to issue securities and assume obligations or liabilities as a guarantor, indorser, surety, or otherwise in respect of any security of another person; provided that such issuance or assumption is for some lawful object within the corporate purposes of KRK, compatible with the public interest, and is reasonably necessary or appropriate for such purposes. The Commission reserves the right to require a further showing that neither public nor private interests will be adversely affected by continued approval of KRK's issuances of securities or assumptions of liability. Copies of the full text of the Director's Order are available from the Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. The Order may also be viewed on the Commission's Web site at *http://www.ferc.gov* , using the eLibrary link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number filed to access the document. Comments, protests, and interventions may be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper. See, 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web site under the “e-Filing” link. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings. Magalie R. Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. E5-3607 Filed 7-7-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket Nos. ER05-6-023, EL04-135-025, EL02-111-043, and EL03-212-039] Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc.; Ameren Services Co., et al.; Notice of Filing July 1, 2005. Take notice that on June 24, 2005, PJM Interconnection, L.L.C.

(PJM)amended its May 17, 2005 filing in the above-captioned dockets. The May 17, 2005 filing revised Schedule 12 of the PJM open access transmission tariff. Specifically, on May 17 PJM filed two tariff sheets designated as “Fourth Revised Sheet No. 270A.” By the June 24 amendment, PJM seeks to designate the second “Fourth Revised Sheet No. 270A,” as “Original Sheet No. 270A.01.” PJM requests an effective date of June 1, 2005. PJM states that copies of this filing have been served on all PJM members and the utility regulatory commissions in the PJM region. Any person desiring to intervene or to protest in any of the above proceedings must file in accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and 385.214) on or before 5 p.m. eastern time on the specified comment date. It is not necessary to separately intervene again in a subdocket related to a compliance filing if you have previously intervened in the same docket. Protests will be considered by the Commission in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but will not serve to make protestants parties to the proceeding. Anyone filing a motion to intervene or protest must serve a copy of that document on the Applicant. In reference to filings initiating a new proceeding, interventions or protests submitted on or before the comment deadline need not be served on persons other than the applicant. The Commission encourages electronic submission of protests and interventions in lieu of paper, using the FERC Online links at *http://www.ferc.gov.* To facilitate electronic service, persons with Internet access who will eFile a document and/or be listed as a contact for an intervenor must create and validate an eRegistration account using the eRegistration link. Select the eFiling link to log on and submit the intervention or protests. Persons unable to file electronically should submit an original and 14 copies of the intervention or protest to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. The filing in the above proceeding is accessible in the Commission's eLibrary system. It is also available for review in the Commission's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. There is an eSubscription link on the Web site that enables subscribers to receive e-mail notification when a document is added to a subscribed docket(s). For assistance with any FERC Online service, please e-mail *FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov* or call

(866)208-3676 (toll free). For TTY, call

(202)502-8659. *Comment Date:* 5 p.m. on July 11, 2005. Magalie R. Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. E5-3606 Filed 7-7-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket Nos. CP04-413-000, CP04-414-000, and CP04-415-000] Entrega Gas Pipeline Inc.; Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Entrega Pipeline Project July 1, 2005. The environmental staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) has prepared a final Environmental Impact Statement

(EIS)on the interstate natural gas pipeline transmission facilities proposed by Entrega Gas Pipeline Inc. (Entrega) in the above-referenced dockets. The final EIS was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Its purpose is to inform the Commission, the public, and other permitting agencies about the potential adverse and beneficial environmental impacts associated with the proposed project and its alternatives, and to recommend practical, reasonable, and appropriate mitigation measures which would avoid or reduce any significant adverse impacts to the maximum extent practicable and, where feasible, to less than significant levels. The final EIS concludes that approval of the proposed project, with appropriate mitigating measures as recommended, would have limited adverse environmental impact. The Entrega Pipeline Project involves the construction and operation of a new interstate natural gas pipeline system that would extend between a proposed Meeker Hub in Rio Blanco County, Colorado; to Wamsutter, in Sweetwater County, Wyoming; and continuing on to the Cheyenne Hub in Weld County, Colorado. The final EIS assesses the potential environmental effects of the construction and operation of the following facilities in Colorado and Wyoming: • About 328.1 miles of new pipeline of 36- and 42-inch-diameter pipeline— —136.3 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline, with 86.1 miles in Colorado (Rio Blanco and Moffat Counties) and 50.2 miles in Wyoming (Sweetwater County); and —191.8 miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline, with 183.1 miles in Wyoming (Sweetwater, Carbon, Albany, and Laramie Counties) and 8.7 miles in Colorado (Larimer and Weld Counties); • Three new compressor stations (the Meeker Hub and Bighole Compressor Stations in Colorado, the Wamsutter Compressor Station in Wyoming); • Seven meter stations at interconnections with other pipeline systems (three associated with the new compressor stations, one of which would be constructed by Wyoming Interstate Company), four at the new Cheyenne Hub Metering Station in Wyoming; • Four pig launchers and four pig receivers (six associated with compressor and metering stations, one launcher and one receiver at the new Arlington Pigging Station in Wyoming); • 22 mainline valves (5 valves at compressor and metering stations, 17 valves along the pipeline ROW); and • Other associated facilities, such as access roads and powerlines. The proposed project would be capable of transporting up to 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day from the Meeker Hub Compressor Station to interconnections at: • Wamsutter, Wyoming with the Colorado Interstate Gas Company

(CIG)and Wyoming Interstate Company transmission systems that serve markets east and west of Wamsutter; and • The Cheyenne Hub (Weld County, Colorado) with CIG, Cheyenne Plains Gas Pipeline Company, Trailblazer Pipeline Company, and Public Service Company of Colorado. These systems would transport gas to markets in the Midwest and Central U.S. and the Eastern Slope south of the Cheyenne Hub. The purpose of the Entrega Pipeline Project is to transport natural gas from supply basins in the central Rocky Mountains to interstate pipelines at Wamsutter and the Cheyenne Hub. From these points, the gas could be transported to markets in the West, the Midwest, or the Central United States, depending on the delivery location specified by the shipper. The need for the project arises from the current and projected increase of natural gas production in the Rocky Mountain region, which is occurring without a concurrent increase in pipeline capacity to transport this gas out from the production basins and into the interstate pipeline network. The final EIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and is available for distribution and public inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Public Reference Room, 888 First Street, NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426,

(202)502-8371. A limited number of copies are available from the FERC's Public Reference Room identified above. In addition, copies of the final EIS have been mailed to Federal, State, and local agencies; public interest groups; individuals and affected landowners who have requested the draft EIS; libraries and newspapers in the project area; and parties to this proceeding. In accordance with Council on Environmental Quality

(CEQ)regulations implementing NEPA, no agency decision on a proposed action may be made until 30 days after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA)publishes a Notice of Availability of the final EIS in the **Federal Register** . However, the CEQ regulations provide an exception to this rule when an agency decision is subject to a formal internal appeal process which allows other agencies or the public to make their views known. In such cases, the agency decision may be made at the same time the notice of the final EIS is published by the EPA, allowing both periods to run concurrently. The Commission's decision for this proposed action is subject to a 30-day rehearing period. Additional information about the proposed project is available from the Commission's Office of External Affairs, at 1-866-208-FERC or on the FERC Internet Web site ( *http://www.ferc.gov* ) using the “eLibrary” link. Click on the eLibrary link, click on “General Search” and enter the docket number excluding the last three digits ( *i.e.* , CP04-413) in the Docket Number field. Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at *FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov* or toll free at 1-866-208-3676; or for TTY, contact

(202)502-8659. The eLibrary link on the FERC Internet Web site also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings. Magalie R. Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. E5-3609 Filed 7-7-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 12484-000] Metro Hydroelectric Company; Notice of Intent To File License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document, Commencement of Licensing Proceeding, Scoping Meetings and Study Request Workshop, Solicitation of Comments on the Pad and Scoping Document, and Identification of Issues and Associated Study Requests July 1, 2005. a. *Type of Filing:* Notice of Intent To File License Application for an Original License and Pre-Application Document; Commencing Licensing Proceeding. b. *Project No.:* 12484-000. c. *Date Filed:* May 5, 2005. d. *Submitted by:* Metro Hydroelectric Company (MHC). e. *Name of Project:* Metro Hydroelectric Project. f. *Location:* The proposed Metro Hydroelectric Project would be located on the Cuyahoga River in Summit County, Ohio. The project would not affect Federal lands. g. *Filed Pursuant to:* 18 CFR part 5 of the Commission's Regulations. h. *Potential Applicant Contact:* M. Clifford Phillips, Metro Hydroelectric Company, LLC, 150 North Miller Road, Suite 450 C, Fairlawn, Ohio 44333,

(330)869-8451. i. *FERC Contact:* Timothy Konnert

(202)502-6359 or via e-mail at *timothy.konnert@ferc.gov.* j. We are asking Federal, State, local, and tribal agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to environmental issues to cooperate with us in the preparation of the environmental document. Agencies who would like to request cooperating status should follow the instructions for filing comments described in paragraph o below. Cooperating agencies should note the Commission's policy that agencies that cooperate in the preparation of the environmental document cannot also intervene. *See,* 94 FERC ¶ 61,076 (2001). k. With this notice, we are initiating informal consultation with:

(a)The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and/or NOAA Fisheries under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and the joint agency regulations thereunder at 50 CFR part 402 and

(b)the State Historic Preservation Officer, as required by section 106, National Historical Preservation Act, and the implementing regulations of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation at 36 CFR 800.2. l. With this notice, we are designating Metro Hydroelectric Company as the Commission's non-federal representative for carrying out informal consultation, pursuant to section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. m. Metro Hydroelectric Company filed a Pre-Application Document (PAD), including a proposed process plan and schedule with the Commission, pursuant to 18 CFR 5.6 of the Commission's regulations. The Commission issued Scoping Document 1 on July 1, 2005. n. Copies of the PAD and Scoping Document 1

(SD1)are available for review at the Commission in the Public Reference Room or may be viewed on the Commission's Web site ( *http://www.ferc.gov* ), using the “eLibrary” link. Enter the docket number, excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support at *FERCONlineSupport@ferc.gov* or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY,

(202)502-8659. A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in paragraph h. Register online at *http://ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm* to be notified via e-mail of new filing and issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support. o. With this notice, we are soliciting comments on the PAD and SD1 as well as study requests. All comments on the PAD and SD1, and study requests should be sent to the address above in paragraph h. In addition, all comments on the PAD and SD1, study requests, requests for cooperating agency status, and all communications to Commission staff related to the merits of the potential application (original and eight copies) must be filed with the Commission at the following address: Magalie R. Salas, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. All filings with the Commission must include on the first page, the project name (Metro Hydroelectric Project) and number (P-12484-000), and bear the heading “Comments on Pre-Application Document,” “Study Requests,” “Comments on Scoping Document 1,” “Request for Cooperating Agency Status,” or “Communications to and from Commission Staff.” Any individual or entity interested in submitting study requests, commenting on the PAD or SD1, and any agency requesting cooperating status must do so by August 27, 2005. Comments on the PAD and SD1, study requests, requests for cooperating agency status, and other permissible forms of communications with the Commission may be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web site ( *http://www.ferc.gov* ) under the “e-filing” link. p. At this time, Commission staff intends to prepare a single Environmental Assessment for the project, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. Scoping Meetings We will hold two scoping meetings at the times and places noted below. The daytime meeting will focus on resource agency, Indian tribes, and non-governmental organization concerns, while the evening meeting is primarily for receiving input from the public. We invite all interested individuals, organizations, and agencies to attend one or both of the meetings, and to assist staff in identifying particular study needs, as well as the scope of environmental issues to be addressed in the environmental document. The times and locations of these meetings are as follows: Daytime Scoping Meeting Date and Time: Wednesday, July 27, 2005, 9:30 a.m. (EST). Location: Sheraton Suites Akron/Cuyahoga Falls, 1989 Front Street, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Evening Scoping Meeting Date and Time: Wednesday, July 27, 2005, 6:30 p.m. (EST). Location: Sheraton Suites Akron/Cuyahoga Falls, 1989 Front Street, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. For Directions: Please call Clifford Phillips at

(330)869-8451. Scoping Document 1 (SD1), which outlines the subject areas to be addressed in the environmental document, has been mailed to the individuals and entities on the Commission's mailing list. Copies of SD1 will be available at the scoping meetings, or may be viewed on the Web at *http://www.ferc.gov,* using the “eLibrary” link. Follow the directions for accessing information in paragraph n. Depending on the extent of comments received, a Scoping Document 2

(SD2)may or may not be issued. Site Visit MHC will conduct a tour of the proposed project on Tuesday, July 26, 2005, starting at 1:30 p.m. All participants interested in attending should meet at the north parking lot for the Gorge Metro Park on Front Street. Anyone in need of directions should contact Mr. Clifford Phillips of MHC at

(330)869-8451. Scoping Meeting Objectives At the scoping meetings, staff will:

(1)Present a proposed list of issues to be addressed in the EA;

(2)review and discuss existing conditions and resource agency management objectives;

(3)review and discuss existing information and identify preliminary information and study needs;

(4)review and discuss the process plan and schedule for pre-filing activity that incorporates the time frames provided for in Part 5 of the Commission's regulations and, to the extent possible, maximizes coordination of Federal, State, and tribal permitting and certification processes; and

(5)discuss requests by any Federal or State agency or Indian tribe acting as a cooperating agency for development of an environmental document. Meeting participants should come prepared to discuss their issues and/or concerns. Please review the Pre-Application Document in preparation for the scoping meetings. Directions on how to obtain a copy of the PAD and SD1 are included in item n. of this document. Scoping Meeting Procedures The scoping meetings will be recorded by a stenographer and will become part of the formal Commission record on the project. Study Request and Process Plan Workshop To assist parties in the development of their study requests (pertaining to format and the study criteria outlined in the Commission's regulation 18 CFR 5.8), and further development of the project's process plan, MHC will be hosting a workshop on July 26, 2005, at the Sheraton Suites Akron/Cuyahoga Falls, 1989 Front Street, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The workshop will begin at 9 a.m. (EST). For directions, please contact Clifford Phillips of MHC at

(330)869-8451. Magalie R. Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. E5-3608 Filed 7-7-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [OA-2005-0001, FRL-7926-8] Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Economic Valuation of Avoiding Exposure to Arsenic in Drinking Water, EPA ICR Number 2191.01 AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 *et seq.* ), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a proposed Information Collection Request

(ICR)to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This is a request for a new collection. 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 September 6, 2005. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OA-2005-0001, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to oei.docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Information Docket, Mail Code 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Kelly Maguire, Office of Policy, Economics and Innovation, National Center for Environmental Economics, Mail Code 1809T, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number:

(202)566-2273; fax number:

(202)566-2339; e-mail address: *maguire.kelly@epa.gov.* SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID number OA-2005-0001, which is available for public viewing at the Office of Environmental Information Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 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 Office of Environmental Information Docket is

(202)566-1752. An electronic version of the public docket is available through EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at *http://www.epa.gov/edocket.* Use EDOCKET to obtain a copy of the draft collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the public docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, select Asearch,” then key in the docket ID number identified above. Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA within 60 days of this notice. EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a comment containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference to that material in the version of the comment that is placed in EDOCKET. The entire printed comment, including the copyrighted material, will be available in the public docket. Although identified as an item in the official docket, information claimed as CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise restricted by statute, is not included in the official public docket, and will not be available for public viewing in EDOCKET. For further information about the electronic docket, see EPA's **Federal Register** notice describing the electronic docket at 67 FR 38102 (May 31, 2002), or go to *http://www.epa.gov./edocket.* *Affected entities:* Entities potentially affected by this action are households in the State of Maine. *Title:* Economic Valuation of Avoiding Exposure to Arsenic in Drinking Water. *Abstract:* The purpose of this information collection request is to conduct 4 focus groups of no more than nine individuals and to conduct a survey of 2,000 households in the State of Maine regarding their willingness to pay to avoid exposure to arsenic in drinking water. Groundwater is an important source of drinking water in the United States. In Maine about half of the population depends on private wells for drinking water and about three-quarters of these wells are drilled into bedrock where arsenic may occur naturally. Recent testing of well water indicates that about 10 percent of the private wells in Maine have arsenic concentrations above the Federal drinking water standard of 0.10 mg/l. Although people on public water supplies are protected from elevated levels of arsenic in their tap water, households with private wells are not afforded such protection. Chronic exposure to low concentrations of arsenic through drinking water causes cancer, and arsenic is the only carcinogen with a demonstrated causal link between drinking-water exposure and bladder cancer. Households with elevated levels of arsenic in their well water can undertake a variety of actions to avoid exposure. They can purchase bottled water to drink or install point-of-use ( *e.g.* , kitchen sink) or point-of-entry ( *e.g.* , complete household) systems. This study will scrutinize the behavioral response of households to information regarding levels of arsenic in drinking water from private wells. To fully assess behavioral responses to exposure to arsenic in drinking water, this study will combine the results of three analyses: a hedonic property-value study, an averting behavior study, and a conjoint analysis. One survey instrument, with two versions, will be used to collect data for the averting behavior and conjoint studies. This instrument is the subject of this information collection request. The survey will focus on public support for government programs aimed at reducing arsenic levels in drinking water and household decisions to avoid risks associated with arsenic in drinking water. The results of this research will facilitate the estimate of value of statistical life and value of statistical cancer estimates which will assist in assessing the value households place on programs aimed at reducing such exposure. Responses to both the focus groups and full survey are voluntary and will be kept confidential. This project is being conducted in conjunction with the University of Maine via a cooperative agreement. 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 40 CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9. 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:* The public reporting burden for this information collection request is estimated to average 2 hours per response for the focus groups and 24 minutes per response for the full survey. *Estimated Number of Focus Group Respondents:* 36. *Estimated Reporting Burden for Focus Group Respondents:* 2 hours. *Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent:* 1. *Estimated Total Annual Burden on Focus Group Respondents:* 72 hours. *Estimated Number of Survey Respondents:* 2000. *Estimated Reporting Burden for Survey Respondents:* 0.4 hours. *Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent:* 1. *Estimated Total Annual Burden on Survey Respondents:* 800 hours. *Estimated Total Reporting Burden:* 872 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 information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the information. Dated: June 30, 2005. Al McGartland, Director, National Center for Environmental Economics, Office of Policy, Economics and Innovation. [FR Doc. 05-13488 Filed 7-7-05; 8:45 am]

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