2019-19306. Public Water System Supervision Program Revision for the State of Mississippi

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice of intended approval.

SUMMARY:

Notice is hereby given that the State of Mississippi is revising its approved Public Water System Supervision Program. Mississippi has adopted drinking water regulations for the Revised Total Coliform Rule. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that Mississippi's regulations are no less stringent than the federal rule and the revision otherwise meets applicable Safe Drinking Water Act requirements. Therefore, EPA intends to approve this revision to the State of Mississippi's Public Water System Supervision Program.

DATES:

Any interested person may request a public hearing. A request for a public hearing must be submitted by October 7, 2019, to the Regional Administrator at the EPA Region 4 street address shown below. The Regional Administrator may deny frivolous or insubstantial requests for a hearing. However, if a substantial request for a public hearing is made by October 7, 2019, a public hearing will be held. If no timely and appropriate request for a hearing is received and the Regional Administrator does not elect to hold a hearing on her own motion, this determination shall become final and effective on October 7, 2019. 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.

ADDRESSES:

Documents relating to this determination are available for inspection between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (excluding legal holidays) at the following offices: Bureau of Public Water Supply, Mississippi State Department of Health, 570 East Woodrow Wilson Boulevard, Jackson, Mississippi 39215; and the Drinking Water Section, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dale Froneberger, EPA Region 4, Drinking Water Section, by mail at the Atlanta street address given above, by telephone at [phone], or by email at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The State of Mississippi has submitted a request that EPA approve a revision to the State's Safe Drinking Water Act Public Water System Supervision Program to include the authority to implement and enforce the Revised Total Coliform Rule. For the request to be approved, EPA must find the state regulations codified at 15 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 20, Subpt. 72, Ch. 1, to be no less stringent than the federal rule codified at 40 CFR part 141. EPA reviewed Mississippi's application using the federal statutory provisions (Section 1413 of the Safe Drinking Water Act), federal regulations (at 40 CFR parts 141 and 142), state regulations, state policies and procedures for implementing the rule, regulatory crosswalk, and EPA regulatory guidance to determine whether the request for revision is approvable. EPA determined that the Mississippi regulations are no less stringent than the corresponding federal rule and the revision otherwise meets applicable Safe Drinking Water Act requirements. Therefore, EPA intends to approve this revision. If EPA 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 approval shall become final and effective on October 7, 2019.

Authority: Section 1413 of the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended (1996), and 40 CFR part 142.

Dated: August 26, 2019.

Mary S. Walker,

Regional Administrator, Region 4.