[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 17 (Wednesday, January 26, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-1623]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: January 26, 1994]


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Part V





Environmental Protection Agency





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Ambient Water Quality Criteria; Aniline and 2,4-Dimethylphenol; Notice
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-4828-9]

 
Ambient Water Quality Criteria; Aniline and 2,4-Dimethylphenol

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of Availability and Request for Comments on Proposed 
Ambient Water Quality Criteria Documents for the Protection of Aquatic 
Life; Extension of Comment Period and Correction to Table.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to extend the comment period for 
and make corrections to the table in 58 FR 61910 entitled ``Ambient 
Water Quality Criteria Aniline and 2,4-Dimethylphenol.''

DATES: Written comments should be submitted on or before March 28, 1994 
and should be addressed as indicated below.

ADDRESSES: Requests for documents should be sent to: Aniline and 2,4-
Dimethylphenol Proposal Water Resource Center, (RC-4100) U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street SW., Washington, DC 
20460.
    Send written comments on the draft documents to: Aniline and 2,4-
Dimethylphenol Proposal, Comment Clerk; Water Docket (MC-4101), U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street SW., Washington, DC 
20460.
    Commenters are requested to submit any references cited in their 
comments. Commenters are also requested to submit an original and 3 
copies of their written comments and enclosures. Commenters who want 
receipt of their comments acknowledged should include a self-addressed, 
stamped envelope. No facsimiles (faxes) will be accepted.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Call Ecological Risk Assessment Branch 
at (202)260-0658.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background Information

    Section 304(a)(1) of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1314(a)(1)), 
directs EPA to develop and publish criteria reflecting the latest 
scientific knowledge on the identifiable effects of pollutants on 
public health and welfare, aquatic life and recreation.
    The draft criteria announced in 58 FR 61910 are intended to protect 
aquatic life and were derived using the 1985 ``Guidelines for Deriving 
Numerical National Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Aquatic 
Organisms and Their Uses'' (50 FR 30784). All of the criteria developed 
by EPA using this methodology are summarized in Quality Criteria for 
Water 1986 (1986 ``Gold Book'') (which is updated periodically.)
    EPA's criteria documents provide a comprehensive aquatic 
toxicological evaluation of each chemical. For toxic pollutants, the 
documents tabulate the relevant acute and chronic toxicity information 
for aquatic life and derive the criteria maximum concentrations (acute 
criteria) and criteria continuous concentrations (chronic criteria) 
which the Agency recommends to protect aquatic life resources. The 
proposed criteria announced today are not intended to protect human 
health and do not address human health concerns.

Correction of Table

    This notice corrects a table in the Federal Register notice on the 
availability of draft documents proposing Ambient Water Quality 
Criteria for the protection of aquatic life for two chemicals which 
appeared at 58 FR 61910. In the table on page 61911, the column headed 
Proposed FW acute criterion for the entry Aniline is corrected to read 
28 g/L and the column headed Proposed FW chronic criterion for 
the entry Aniline is corrected to read 14 g/L. The table as 
corrected is shown below: 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             CWA 307(a)    Proposed FW   Proposed SW   Proposed FW   Proposed SW
                 Pollutant                    priority        acute         acute        chronic       chronic  
                                              pollutant     criterion     criterion    criterion     criterion  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aniline...................................  No            28 g/L         m>g/L         m>g/L         m>g/L      
2,4-Dimethylphenol........................  Yes           1,300 g/L         m>g/L         m>g/L         m>g/L      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Request for Comments

    EPA is soliciting comments on the proposed criteria documents and 
extending the comment period for an additional 60 days to March 25, 
1994. If issued in final form, the proposed documents would supersede 
material specific to the aquatic life toxicity of these chemicals as 
published in any previous ambient water quality criteria documents. 
Specifically, Acute and Chronic Criteria for the protection of aquatic 
life within proposed ``Ambient Aquatic Life Water Quality Criteria for 
2,4-DIMETHYLPHENOL'' would, upon finalization, supersede guidance given 
in the previous Ambient Water Quality Criteria for 2,4-dimethylphenol 
(USEPA, 1980). The proposed criteria were derived using improved 
procedures and additional information.
    The Agency is soliciting additional toxicological data on the 
pollutants covered by today's notice. Data suitable (as specified in 
the Agency's guidelines for developing aquatic life criteria) for 
determining the bioconcentration of Aniline in freshwater (FW) or 
saltwater (SW) organisms is of particular interest. The Agency is also 
soliciting comments on the scientific basis for the criteria values, 
the appropriate analytical techniques for measuring attainment of 
criteria, and the allowable duration and frequency for exceeding the 
criteria. The proposed criteria announced today, if published in final 
form, would serve as guidance to the States in developing water quality 
standards pursuant to 40 CFR part 131.

    Dated: January 18, 1994.
Martha G. Prothro,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Water.
[FR Doc. 94-1623 Filed 1-25-94; 8:45 am]
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