[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 122 (Wednesday, June 25, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34260-34261]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-16653]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5847-4]
Announcement of stakeholders Meeting on Technologies for Small
Drinking Water Systems
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice of Stakeholders meeting.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has scheduled a
two-day public meeting on EPA's development of the List of Compliance
Technologies for Small Drinking Water Systems. The purpose of this
meeting is to have a dialogue with stakeholders and the public at large
on the process of determining Compliance Technologies for Small
Drinking Water Systems. The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Amendments
of 1996 (1412(b)(4)(E)(v)) required EPA to publish within 1 year a list
of technologies for small systems that meet the Surface Water Treatment
Rule (SWTR). The SDWA Amendments of 1996 (11412(b)(4)(E)(ii)) also
required EPA to identify technologies that are affordable and which can
achieve compliance for categories of systems serving fewer than 10,000
when EPA promulgates new national primary drinking water regulations.
At the upcoming meeting, EPA is seeking input from national, State,
Tribal, municipal, and individual stakeholders and other interested
parties on the list of technologies for the SWTR and on the process of
developing national level affordability criteria. EPA encourages the
full participation of stakeholders throughout this process.
DATES: The stakeholders meeting on Technologies for Small Drinking
Water Systems will be held on July 22-23, 1997. The meeting will run
from 8:30 a.m to 5:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, July 22, and from 8:30 a.m.
to 1:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, July 23.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at RESOLVE, 1255 23rd Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20037. For additional information, please contact the
Safe Drinking Water Hotline, at phone: (800) 426-4791, fax: (703) 285-
1101, or by e-mail at hotline-sdwa@epamail.epa.gov>. Members of the
public wishing to attend the meeting may register by phone by
contacting the Safe Drinking Water Hotline by July 8, 1997. Those
registered for the meeting by July 8 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
register with the Safe Drinking Water Hotline by July 8 as well.
Members of the public who cannot participate via conference call or in
person may submit comments in writing by August 12, 1997 to Tara
Cameron, at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St, SW
(4607), Washington, DC, 20460.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information about the
meeting logistics, please contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline, at
phone: (800) 426-4791, fax: (703) 285-1101, or by e-mail at: sdwa@epamail.epa.gov>. For other information on Technologies for Small
Drinking Water Systems please contact Tara Cameron, at the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Phone: (202) 260-3702, Fax: (202) 260-
3762.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Background
The SDWA, as amended in 1996, states that: Not later than 1 year
after the date of enactment of the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments
of 1996, the Administrator shall publish a Compliance Technology List
for the SWTR for Small Systems. The new Amendments specifically direct
EPA to focus on three small system population size categories: systems
serving 10,000-3,301; 3,300-501; and 500-25. For each size category,
EPA shall list treatment
[[Page 34261]]
technologies that can achieve compliance with the existing regulations.
For future regulations, EPA must determine affordable treatment
technologies that can achieve compliance for each of the size
categories. Within 2 years of the SDWA Amendments of 1996, EPA must
list technologies that achieve compliance with all existing
regulations. The List of Compliance Technologies for Small Drinking
Water Systems to meet the present SWTR is required to be published by
August 1997.
B. Request for Stakeholder Involvement
The upcoming meeting deals specifically with EPA's efforts to
compile the initial list of compliance technologies for the SWTR. EPA
would like to review the initial list of compliance technologies with
stakeholders as well as obtain their inputs on additional technologies
that should be considered when EPA updates this list in a year.
The meeting will be divided into two parts. The first part involves
getting feedback from stakeholders on the EPA proposed list of
Compliance Technologies for the SWTR which will be distributed in the
background materials to those registered for the meeting. The second
part involves getting ideas and insights from stakeholders on
approaches to the national level affordability criteria that will be
used to determine which pathway (compliance technology or a variance) a
system will proceed along and which technologies would be available for
the system. The issues on affordability criteria do not apply to the
first list of technologies for the SWTR; however, they will apply to
future rules and EPA therefore wants to begin to get input on these
issues.
The specific issues for discussion at the meeting will be based on
the above-mentioned material and will include (but may not be limited
to) the following:
1. The compliance technologies for the filtration component of the
SWTR will include some technologies that would fall under the ``other
filtration technologies'' as per Sec. 141.73(d). The pilot testing for
viability would be waived for those technologies on the compliance
technology list. These technologies would be treated like the
filtration technologies in Sec. 141.73(a)-(c). Testing to ensure that
the system is capable of operating the treatment technology may still
be required for these other filtration technologies and the
technologies directly identified in the SWTR. What are the
stakeholder's opinions about this approach for the other filtration
technologies?
2. Are there Point-Of-Entry units available that could be used to
meet the requirements of the Surface Water Treatment Rule? Is it a
manageable option?
3. The primary role of the national-level affordability criteria is
to direct a system either into a compliance technology pathway or a
variance technology pathway. If the national-level affordability
criteria are set very high, then the variance technology pathway will
be limited or eliminated and systems will need to install compliance
technologies. If the national-level affordability are set very low, the
compliance technology pathway will be limited or eliminated and more
systems will operate under small system variances. What components
should be included in the national-level affordability criteria? What
is the best measure of national-level affordability?
4. The initial list of compliance technologies will be similar to
the list of disinfection and filtration technologies in the SWTR. What
level of detail would stakeholders like to see on the compliance
technologies when the list is updated in August, 1998? Is the
compliance technology list the best mechanism to incorporate
applicability ranges?
5. Do stakeholders recommend any specific criteria for
distinguishing treatment applications, in relation to the 3 small
system categories specified under SDWA? Would design, operational and
management capability, chemical reactivity and/or a hazard posed by
some technologies (e.g., chlorine dioxide, chlorine gas) be good
parameters to consider within the <10,000 population="" pws="" categories?="" the="" public="" is="" invited="" to="" provide="" comments="" on="" the="" issues="" listed="" above="" and="" other="" issues="" related="" to="" the="" list="" of="" compliance="" technologies="" for="" small="" drinking="" water="" systems="" and="" the="" affordable="" criteria="" during="" the="" july="" 22-23,="" 1997="" meeting="" or="" in="" writing="" by="" august="" 12,="" 1997.="" dated:="" june="" 19,="" 1997.="" cynthia="" dougherty,="" director,="" office="" of="" ground="" water="" and="" drinking="" water,="" environmental="" protection="" agency.="" [fr="" doc.="" 97-16653="" filed="" 6-24-97;="" 8:45="" am]="" billing="" code="" 6560-50-p="">10,000>