[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 99 (Thursday, May 22, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 27991-27992]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-13323]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Chapter I

[FRL-5828-2]


Announcement of Stakeholders Meeting on National Primary Drinking 
Water Regulation for Radon-222

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of stakeholders meeting.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will be holding a 
one-day public meeting on June 26, 1997. The purpose of this meeting is 
to present information on EPA plans for activities to develop a 
proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for radon-
222, and solicit public input on major technical and implementation 
issues, and on preferred approaches for continued public involvement. 
This meeting is a continuation of stakeholder 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 state drinking water and radon programs, the regulated 
community (public water systems), public health and safety 
organizations, environmental and public interest groups, and other 
stakeholders on a number of issues related to developing the NPDWR for 
radon. EPA encourages the full participation of stakeholders throughout 
this process.

DATES: The stakeholder meeting on the NPDWR for radon will be held on 
June 26, 1997 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: To register for the meeting, please contact the Safe 
Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 by June 12,

[[Page 27992]]

1997. Those registered for the meeting 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 as well. Members of the 
public who cannot participate via conference call or in person may 
submit comments in writing by July 10, 1997 to Sylvia Malm, at the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW (4607), Washington, DC, 
20460. The meeting will be held in Washington, DC. The address of the 
meeting site will be included with the background materials.

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 developing the NPDWR 
for radon and other EPA activities under the Safe Drinking Water Act, 
contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791. For 
information on radon in indoor air, contact the National Safety 
Council's National Radon Hotline at 1-800-SOS-RADON.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    On July 18, 1991 (56 FR 33050), EPA proposed a Maximum Contaminant 
Level Goal (MCLG) and National Primary Drinking Water Regulation 
(NPDWR) for radon and other radionuclides in public water supplies. EPA 
proposed to regulate radon at 300 pCi/L. Commenters on the 1991 
proposed NPDWR for radon raised several concerns, including cost of 
implementation, especially for small systems, and the larger risk to 
public health from radon in indoor air from soil under buildings.
    On August 6, 1996, 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 amendments [Sec. 1412(b)(13)] direct EPA to develop 
an MCLG and NPDWR for radon. EPA is required to (1) Withdraw the 1991 
proposed MCLG and NPDWR for radon-222; (2) arrange for the National 
Academy of Sciences (NAS) to conduct an independent risk assessment for 
radon in drinking water and an independent assessment of risk reduction 
benefits from various mitigation measures to reduce radon in indoor 
air; (3) publish a radon health risk reduction and cost analysis for 
possible radon Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for public comment by 
February, 1999; (4) propose an MCLG and NPDWR for radon by August, 
1999; (5) publish a final MCLG and NPDWR for radon by August, 2000.
    If the MCL is ``more stringent than necessary to reduce the 
contribution to radon in indoor air from drinking water to a 
concentration that is equivalent to the national average concentration 
of radon in outdoor air,'' EPA is also required to promulgate an 
alternative MCL and publish guidelines for state multimedia mitigation 
programs to mitigate radon levels in air. The alternative MCL would 
``reduce the contribution from radon in water to radon in indoor air to 
a concentration that is equivalent to the national average 
concentration of radon in air.'' States may develop and submit to EPA 
for approval a multimedia mitigation program to mitigate radon levels 
in indoor air. EPA shall approve State multimedia mitigation programs 
if they are expected to achieve equivalent or greater health risk 
reduction benefits than compliance with the MCL. If EPA approves a 
State multimedia mitigation program, public water supply systems within 
the State may comply with the alternative MCL. If EPA does not approve 
a State program, or the State does not propose a program, public water 
supply systems may propose multimedia mitigation programs to EPA, under 
the same procedures outlined for States.

B. Request for Stakeholder Involvement

    EPA is committed to proposing a timely NPDWR for radon that 
incorporates the best available science, treatment technologies, 
occurrence data, cost/benefit analyses, and stakeholder input on 
technical and implementation issues. EPA has evaluated comments on the 
1991 proposed NPDWR for radon and will be considering those comments in 
developing the regulation.
    The meeting will cover a broad range of issues including: (1) Radon 
in drinking water MCL development (treatment technologies, occurrence, 
analytical methods); (2) multimedia mitigation program; and (3) 
stakeholder involvement processes. Background materials on radon in 
drinking water issues will be sent to all registered participants in 
advance of the meeting. Issues for discussion and stakeholder input 
will be based on the materials provided and include (but may not be 
limited to) the following:
    (1) Any new information or data;
    (2) Issues and concerns related to rule development;
    (3) Issues and concerns related to implementing a multimedia 
mitigation program from the perspective of your state, water systems, 
public health and safety organizations, environmental and public 
interest groups, and the public; and
    (4) Recommendations on the most beneficial points in the process 
for stakeholder input and preferred approaches for stakeholder input.
    EPA has announced this public meeting to hear the views of 
stakeholders on EPA's plans for activities to develop a NPDWR for 
radon. The public is invited to provide comments on the issues listed 
above and other issues related to the radon in drinking water 
regulation during the June 26, 1997 meeting or in writing by July 10, 
1997.

    Dated: May 15, 1997.
Richard Kuhlman,
Acting Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, 
Environmental Protection Agency.
[FR Doc. 97-13323 Filed 5-21-97; 8:45 am]
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