[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 80 (Monday, April 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20628-20629]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-11143]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6004-4]


Announcement of Stakeholders Meeting on Treatment Technology 
Lists 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 treatment technology lists 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 and Variance Technologies for Small 
Drinking Water Systems. EPA published a list of small system compliance 
technologies for the Surface Water Treatment Rule (SWTR) in August 
1997. Section 1412(b)(4)(E)(iii) of the amended Safe Drinking Water Act 
(SDWA) requires EPA to publish the list of affordable small system 
compliance technologies for all other regulated contaminants by August 
6, 1998. EPA is also required to publish a list of small system 
variance technologies, for those contaminants where appropriate, by 
August 6, 1998. The first day of the stakeholder meeting will focus on 
the eligibility criteria for variance technologies, including national-
level affordability. The second day will focus on treatment technology 
performance, including an evaluation of Point-Of-Use and Point-Of-Entry 
devices as potential compliance technologies. At the upcoming meeting, 
EPA is seeking input from national, state, Tribal, municipal, and 
individual stakeholders and other interested parties on the lists of 
technologies for small systems.

DATES: The stakeholders meeting on Technologies for Small Drinking 
Water Systems will be held on May 18-19, 1998. The meeting will run 
from 8:30 a.m to 5:00 p.m. EDT on Monday, May 18 and from 8:30 a.m. to 
5:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 19.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at RESOLVE, 1255 23rd Street, N.W., 
Suite 275, 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 <[email protected]>. Members 
of the public wishing to attend the meeting may register by phone by 
contacting the Safe Drinking Water Hotline by May 10, 1998. Those 
registered for the meeting by May 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 May 8 as well. Members 
of the public who cannot participate via conference call or in person 
may submit comments in writing by July 15, 1998, to Tara Cameron, at 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, S.W. (4607), 
Washington, D.C. 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: <hotline-
[email protected]>. For other information on Technologies for Small 
Drinking Water Systems, please contact Jeffrey Kempic, at the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Phone: (202) 260-9567, Fax: (202) 260-
3762.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    The SDWA, as amended in 1996, required that EPA publish a 
Compliance Technology List for Small Systems that meet the SWTR. EPA 
published a Small System Compliance Technology List for the SWTR in 
August 1997 and will be updating this document in August 1998. EPA is 
also required to publish a list of affordable small system compliance 
technologies for all other regulated contaminants by August 6, 1998. 
The 1996 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. EPA is also required to publish a list of small system 
variance technologies, for those contaminants where appropriate, by 
August 6, 1998. When variance technologies are listed, EPA will also 
publish any assumptions used in determining that there were no 
affordable compliance technologies for a particular system size 
category and source water quality combination.

B. Request for Stakeholder Involvement

    The upcoming meeting deals specifically with EPA's efforts to 
compile the lists of compliance and

[[Page 20629]]

variance technologies for the National Primary Drinking Water 
Regulations. The meeting will be divided into two parts. The first 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 second part will focus on treatment technology performance, 
including an evaluation of Point-Of-Use and Point-Of-Entry devices as 
potential compliance technologies.

    Dated: April 22, 1998.
Cynthia C. Dougherty,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. 98-11143 Filed 4-24-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P