[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 218 (Wednesday, November 12, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 60710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-29736]
[[Page 60710]]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5920-1]
Announcement of Stakeholders Meeting Regarding the Use of
Screening Procedures for Drinking Water Compliance Monitoring
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of stakeholders meeting.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency will be holding a public
meeting on Thursday, December 4, 1997. The purpose of this meeting is
to present information regarding EPA's plans for the approval of
screening procedures for the compliance monitoring of drinking water
contaminants, to solicit public input on the potential uses of
screening procedures, and to seek the preferences of the public
regarding approaches for continued public involvement. This meeting is
a continuation of public meetings that started in 1995 to obtain input
on the Agency's Drinking Water Program. These meetings were initiated
as part of the Drinking Water Program Redirection efforts to help
refocus EPA's drinking water priorities and to support strong, flexible
partnerships among EPA, states, local governments, and the public. At
the upcoming meeting, EPA is seeking input from the regulated community
(public water systems), method developers/vendors, analytical
laboratories, research and regulatory personnel, environmental and
public interest groups, and other stakeholders. Input is requested
regarding the current and potential applications of screening
procedures for drinking water compliance monitoring, their anticipated
availability and costs, the development of a framework for the approval
and use of screening procedures and of a screening procedure validation
protocol, and other considerations that may shape future EPA action
regarding contaminant analysis. EPA encourages the full participation
of the public throughout this process.
DATES: The stakeholders meeting on Screening Procedures will be held on
December 4, 1997 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at RESOLVE, 1255 23rd Street, NW.
(Suite 275), Washington, DC 20037. For additional information, please
contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline, at phone: (800) 426-4791 or
FAX: (703) 285-1101. Members of the public wishing to attend the
meeting may register by telephone through the Safe Drinking Water
Hotline by November 21, 1997. Those registered for the meeting by
November 21, 1997 will receive background materials prior to the
meeting. Members of the public who cannot attend the meeting in person
may participate via conference call and should also register with the
Safe Drinking Water Hotline by November 21, 1997. Members of the public
who cannot participate via conference call or in person may submit
comments in writing by December 19, 1997 to: William Labiosa, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW. (4607), Washington,
DC 20460.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on meeting
logistics, please contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-
4791. For other information on activities related to the approval of
screening procedures, please contact William Labiosa at U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Phone: 202-260-4835, Fax: 202-260-
3762.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Background
On August 6, 1996, the Congress passed amendments to the Safe
Drinking Water Act (SDWA), which establishes a new charter for the
nation's public water systems, states, and EPA in protecting the safety
of drinking water. The amended SDWA requires EPA to review ``new
analytical methods to screen for regulated contaminants.'' After this
review, EPA ``may approve such methods as are more accurate or cost-
effective than established reference methods for use in compliance
monitoring'' [SDWA, Section 1445(i)]. EPA is also exploring the use of
screening procedures for use in the monitoring of unregulated
contaminants with monitoring requirements. These methods are expected
to provide flexibility to PWSs in compliance monitoring and are
expected to be ``better and/or cheaper and/or faster'' than existing
analytical methods.
B. Request for Stakeholder Involvement
EPA has announced this public meeting to obtain stakeholder input
to the development of a framework for the identification, approval,
use, and validation of screening procedures for the monitoring of
drinking water contaminants. Approval and method validation processes
based on the Streamlining protocol that was proposed on March 28, 1997
[62 FR 14975] will be discussed. EPA is also seeking input regarding
the types of monitoring and contaminants for which screening procedures
may be most amenable.
The public is invited to provide comments on the issues listed
above and other issues related to screening procedures during the
December 4, 1997, meeting or in writing by December 19, 1997.
Dated: November 5, 1997.
Elizabeth Fellows,
Acting Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. 97-29736 Filed 11-10-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
