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OMB Control No:	ICR Reference No: 202410-2040-004
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: EPA/OW	Agency Tracking No: 2801.01
Title: Urban Waters Federal Partnership Program (New)
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 10/15/2024

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved
Responses	935	0
Time Burden (Hours)	6,900	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

Abstract: The Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) is a voluntary program established in 2011. Its primary aim is to reconnect urban communities, particularly those that are overburdened or economically distressed, with their waterways, thereby fostering a sense of stewardship for clean urban waters. The program operates through a diverse network of partners, all working towards a common goal of helping communities restore and protect water quality and revitalize adjacent rural, suburban and urban neighborhoods throughout the watershed. The UWFP program provides a platform for communities to collaborate and work towards holistic environmental and social priorities, thereby enhancing their watersheds. These partnerships are a collective effort, bringing together federal agencies, Tribal governments, state and local agencies, and non-profit and community-led organizations. The program is spearheaded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys Office of Water, in collaboration with fourteen other federal agencies. An organizations decision to participate in UWFP is entirely voluntary. A locations participation in the program generally begins when a group of organizations collaborate to form a local partnership to improve an urban watershed. The partnership consists of state and local government, non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, federal agencies and may include Tribal government. Each partnership must apply to become a designated UWFP location and hire an Ambassador to manage the partnership who serves as the main point-of-contact between partners and the federal agencies. The UWFP designated twenty locations between 2011 and 2015 and one location in 2023. The twenty-one geographically dispersed locations are working to revitalize urban waterways and the surrounding communities, transforming overlooked watersheds into community assets. Each location conducts different activities depending on the needs of its watershed and communities. Ambassadors serve as the lead coordinator for each location and provide data and information to UWFP on a regular basis. Each location has an active partnership Workplan that will be prepared every other year and provided to the UWFP for review. Ambassadors will provide summary information on workplan achievements and collaborative activities during a year by submitting an Annual Reporting Form. The EPA will use the information collected to track the progress of the program at each location and celebrate the locations successes. In addition to quantitative metrics on the programs activities, the UWFP also will collect qualitative data on the impact and health of the partnership at each location. Partnership Evaluation Forms will be completed by the partner organizations at each location to help the UWFP national program understand the degree to which partnership locations are building organizational capacity, connectedness and collaboration between partner organizations. These forms are also used to plan future activities that support healthy and sustainable partnerships.

Authorizing Statute(s): None

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: US Code: 33 USC 1251 Name of Law: Clean Water Act (CWA)

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

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	89 FR 21252	03/27/2024
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	89 FR 83011	10/15/2024
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Change Due to Agency Discretion
Annual Number of Responses	935	935
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	6,900	6,900
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	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 non-rulemaking ICR, and all associated burden is new.

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $197,005

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

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

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

Agency Contact: Tara O'Hare 202 564-8836 ohare.tara@epa.gov

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