[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 5 (Friday, January 8, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 1499]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-322]
Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 5 / Friday, January 8, 1999 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 1499]]
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 141
[FRL-6217-3]
Suspension of Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Requirements for
Small Public Water Systems
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: EPA is taking direct final action on the Unregulated
Contaminant Monitoring Regulation (UCMR) for public water systems. The
UCMR requires all public water systems to monitor for unregulated
contaminants during one year every five years. The direct final rule
concerns the suspension of monitoring by small and medium systems for
monitoring scheduled to begin after December 31, 1998. EPA is issuing
these revisions since the revised UCMR program, required by the 1996
Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments, is projected to begin during this
third round of monitoring. This will allow systems serving 10,000 or
fewer persons to save the cost of monitoring under the existing
regulation, which if performed as scheduled would overlap with
monitoring under the revised UCMR program.
In the ``Rules and Regulations'' section of the Federal Register,
EPA is approving the modification to the Unregulated Contaminant
Monitoring Regulation suspending monitoring by systems serving 10,000
or fewer persons as a direct final rule without prior proposal because
EPA views this as a noncontroversial revision and anticipate no adverse
comment. EPA has explained our reasons for this approval in the
preamble to the direct final rule. If EPA receives no adverse comment,
it will not take further action on this proposed rule. If EPA receives
adverse comment, the Agency will withdraw the direct final rule and it
will not take effect. EPA would then address all public comments in a
subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. EPA will not
institute a second comment period on this action. Any parties
interested in commenting must do so at this time.
DATES: Comments must be received in writing by February 8, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to the Comment Clerk, docket number W-
98-29, Water Docket (MC 4101), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460. Please submit an original and
three copies of your comments and enclosures (including references).
The full record for this rulemaking has been established under
docket number W-98-29 and includes supporting documentation as well as
printed, paper versions of electronic comments. The full record is
available for inspection from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday,
excluding legal holidays at the Water Docket, East Tower Basement,
USEPA, 401 M Street, SW, Washington DC. For access to docket materials,
please call 202-260-3027 to schedule an appointment.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles Job, Standards and Risk
Management Division, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (MC-
4607), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW,
Washington, DC 20460, (202) 260-7084 or Rachel Sakata, Standards and
Risk Management Division, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
(MC-4607), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW,
Washington, DC 20460, (202) 260-2527. Information may also be obtained
from the EPA 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 Federal holidays, from 9:00 a.m. to
5:30 p.m. EST.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To ensure that EPA can read, understand and
therefore properly respond to comments, the Agency would prefer that
commenters cite, where possible, the paragraph(s) or sections in the
notice or supporting documents to which each comment refers. Commenters
should use a separate paragraph for each issue discussed.
Commenters who want EPA to acknowledge receipt of their comments
should enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope. No facsimiles
(faxes) will be accepted. Comments may also be submitted electronically
to ow-docket@epamail.epa.gov. Electronic comments must be submitted as
an ASCII file avoiding the use of special characters and any form of
encryption. Electronic comments must be identified by the docket number
W-98-29. Comments and data will also be accepted on disks in
WordPerfect in 5.1 format or ASCII file format. Electronic comments on
this document may be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries.
This document concerns the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring
Regulation. For further information, please see the information
provided in the direct final action that is located in the ``Rules and
Regulations'' section of this Federal Register publication.
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 141
Environmental protection, Indians--lands, Intergovernmental
relations, Radiation protection, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Water supply.
Dated: December 31, 1998.
Carol M. Browner,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 99-322 Filed 1-7-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
