98-7009. Federal Register Notice of Stakeholders Meeting on Chemical Monitoring Revisions and Alternative Monitoring Guidelines for Public Water Systems

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 52 (Wednesday, March 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13245-13246]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-7009]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5980-4]


Federal Register Notice of Stakeholders Meeting on Chemical 
Monitoring Revisions and Alternative Monitoring Guidelines for Public 
Water Systems

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Announcement of stakeholders meetings.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a 
public meeting on April 16, 1998 in Washington, DC. The purpose of this 
meeting will be to collect opinions regarding the appropriate course of 
action to take with the Agency's effort to revise the monitoring 
requirements for certain chemicals in drinking water. On July 3, 1996, 
EPA issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rule Making (ANPRM) for 
Chemical Monitoring Reform (CMR) and Permanent Monitoring Relief (PMR). 
This ANPRM suggested regulatory changes in chemical monitoring 
requirements that EPA was considering in order to better focus 
monitoring on systems at risk of contamination and on the contaminants 
posing such risk. When finalized, the monitoring revisions were 
intended to meet Section 1445(a)(1)(D) of the Safe Drinking Water Act, 
which states that the Administrator shall, by August 6, 1998 
``....after consultation with public health experts,

[[Page 13246]]

representatives of the general public, and officials of State and local 
governments, review the monitoring requirements for not fewer than 
twelve contaminants identified by the Administrator, and promulgate any 
necessary modifications.'' The regulatory changes suggested in the 
ANPRM covered 64 chronic contaminants including inorganic chemicals 
(IOCs), synthetic organic chemicals (SOCs) and volatile organic 
chemicals (VOCs).
    The monitoring changes suggested in the ANPRM were developed, in 
part, considering the occurrence data that were available at that time. 
Recognizing that this data was limited, we solicited additional data 
that could be used in developing the proposed rule. In response to this 
solicitation and as part of additional information gathering, EPA 
received a tremendous amount of new occurrence data. The Agency has 
completed a preliminary assessment of some of the data and intends to 
present these findings to stakeholders in order to gather opinions from 
interested stakeholders on whether EPA should proceed with its 
suggested revisions as presented in the ANPRM, or consider other 
approaches and modifications. We will consider the comments and views 
expressed in developing the proposed regulation, and encourage the full 
participation of all stakeholders throughout this process.

DATES: The stakeholder meeting regarding Chemical Monitoring Reform and 
Permanent Monitoring Relief will be held on:
    1. April 16, 1998, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST in Washington, DC.

ADDRESSES: To register for the meeting, please contact the EPA Safe 
Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791, or Ed Thomas of EPA's Office 
of Ground Water and Drinking Water at [phone]. Interested 
parties who cannot attend the meeting in person may participate via 
conference call and should register with the Safe Drinking Water 
Hotline. Conference lines will be allocated on the basis of first-
reserved, first served.
    The stakeholder meeting will be held at the following location:
    1. Washington Information Center, 401 M Street, S.W., Room 17, 
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 information on the activities related to this rulemaking, 
contact: Ed Thomas, U.S. EPA at [phone] or E-mail to 
[e-mail].
Elizabeth Fellows,
Acting Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency.
[FR Doc. 98-7009 Filed 3-17-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P