2019-21467. Public Water System Supervision Program Approval for the State of Minnesota

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice of tentative approval.

SUMMARY:

Notice is hereby given that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has tentatively approved a revision to the state of Minnesota's Public Water System Supervision Program under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) by adopting the Revised Total Coliform Rule. The EPA has determined that this revision is no less stringent than the corresponding federal regulation. Therefore, the EPA intends to approve this revision to the state of Minnesota's Public Water System Supervision Program, thereby giving Minnesota Department of Health primary enforcement responsibility for this regulation. This approval action does not extend to public water systems in Indian Country. By approving this rule, EPA does not intend to affect the rights of federally recognized Indian Tribes in Minnesota, nor does it intend to limit existing rights of the State of Minnesota.

DATES:

Any interested party may request a public hearing on this determination. A request for a public hearing must be submitted by November 1, 2019. The EPA Region 5 Administrator may deny frivolous or insubstantial requests for a hearing. However, if a substantial request for a public hearing is made by November 1, 2019, EPA Region 5 will hold a public hearing, and a notice of such hearing will be published in the Federal Register and a newspaper of general circulation. Any request for a public hearing shall include the following information: the name, address, and telephone number of the individual, organization, or other entity requesting a hearing; a brief statement of the requesting person's interest in the Regional Administrator's determination and a brief statement of the information that the requesting person intends to submit at such hearing; and the signature of the individual making the request, or, if the request is made on behalf of an organization or other entity, the signature of a responsible official of the organization or other entity.

If EPA Region 5 does not receive a timely and appropriate request for a hearing and the Regional Administrator does not elect to hold a hearing on her own motion, this determination shall become final and effective on November 1, 2019 and no further public notice will be issued.

ADDRESSES:

All documents relating to this determination are available for inspection at the following offices between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for official holidays: Minnesota Department of Health, Drinking Water Protection Section, 625 N Robert St., St. Paul, MN 55164; and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5, Ground Water and Drinking Water Branch (WG-15J), 77 W Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Janet Kuefler, EPA Region 5, Ground Water and Drinking Water Branch, at the address given above, by telephone at 312-886-0123, or at [e-mail].

Authority: Section 1413 of the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. 300g-2, and the federal regulations implementing Section 1413 of the Act set forth at 40 CFR part 142.

Dated: September 18, 2019.

Cheryl Newton,

Acting Regional Administrator, Region 5.