[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 201 (Monday, October 19, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55861-55862]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27928]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6178-4]


Announcement of Stakeholders Meeting on the New Regulatory Impact 
Analysis Framework for Implementing the Safe Drinking Water Act 
Amendments of 1996

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of stakeholders meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be holding 
a two day public meeting on November 12 and 13, 1998. The purpose of 
this meeting is to have a dialogue with stakeholders and the public at 
large on EPA's progress in developing a new regulatory impact analysis 
framework for proposed drinking water regulations. The Safe Drinking 
Water Act Amendments of 1996 require that whenever EPA proposes a 
national primary drinking water regulation, EPA must publish a cost-
benefit analysis. EPA would like to have a dialogue with stakeholders 
and the public at large on the various components of this analysis, 
including treatment design, unit treatment costs and national costs, 
model systems development, baseline estimates, and benefits analysis. 
EPA is seeking input from national, state, Tribal, municipal, and 
individual stakeholders and other interested parties. This meeting is a 
continuation

[[Page 55862]]

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, Tribes, local governments, and the public. At the 
upcoming meeting, EPA is seeking input from state and Tribal drinking 
water programs, the regulated community (public water systems), public 
health organizations, academia, environmental and public interest 
groups, engineering firms, and other stakeholders on a number of issues 
related to developing the new regulatory impact analysis framework. EPA 
encourages the full participation of stakeholders throughout this 
process.

DATES: The stakeholder meeting on the new regulatory impact analysis 
framework for drinking water regulations will be held on Thursday, 
November 12, 1998, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST and Friday, November 
13, 1998, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST.

ADDRESSES: To register for the meeting, please contact the Safe 
Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 between 9:00 am and 5:30 pm 
EST. Those registered for the meeting by Tuesday, November 3, 1998, 
will receive an agenda, logistics sheet, and 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. Conference lines will be allocated on the 
basis of first reserved, first served. Members of the public who cannot 
participate but want to submit comments must do so in writing by 
December 13, 1998, in order for their comments to be included in the 
meeting summary. Submit comments to Ben Smith, at the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW (4607), Washington, 
DC, 20460 or [email protected]. The stakeholders meeting will 
be held in Suite 275, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on meeting 
logistics, or for information on the activities related to developing 
the regulatory impact analysis framework and other EPA activities under 
the Safe Drinking Water Act, please contact the Safe Drinking Water 
Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    Under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Amendments of 1996, EPA 
must provide a thorough cost-benefit analysis, as well as 
comprehensive, informative, and understandable information to the 
public. The 1996 SDWA Amendments require new regulations be developed 
so as to ensure that they represent a meaningful opportunity for health 
risk reduction. Also required is a detailed analysis of the 
relationship between new regulations and health impacts, including 
those to sensitive subgroups; impacts of other contaminants; treatment 
objectives; and incremental impacts above a baseline that considers 
current regulations, uncertainty, and affordability. EPA must also 
consider the impact on the technical, financial, and managerial 
capacity of water systems. In so doing, EPA must also use the best 
available, peer reviewed science and methods. The Amendments provide 
EPA with flexibility to identify and incorporate new benefits, 
including willingness to pay. In addition, EPA has expanded 
information-gathering authority, and must consider point-of-use and 
point-of-entry devices. After first defining a maximum contaminant 
level (MCL), or treatment technique standard based on affordable 
technology, EPA must determine whether the costs of that standard would 
be justified by the benefits. If not, EPA may adjust an MCL to a level 
that maximizes health risk reduction benefits at a cost that is 
justified by the benefits. The authority to adjust the MCL has limits 
that also require evaluation. In addition to the Safe Drinking Water 
Act, the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and the Small Business Regulatory 
Enforcement Fairness Act impose additional analytical and consultative 
requirements in connection with new rules.
    The upcoming meeting will deal with the following topics: benefits-
related projects of the Health Effects and Criteria Division (part of 
EPA's Office of Science and Technology); the National Drinking Water 
Advisory Council benefits working group; the Children's Health Guidance 
Project; model systems and industry subcategorization; barriers to 
migration towards life-cycle based technology costing; inter-rule 
impacts; cost-benefit analysis integration for upcoming and longer term 
goals; specific draft reports (Baseline, Phase I Treatment Costs, Cost 
of Capital); and, of course, time for stakeholder input and comments.

B. Request for Stakeholder Involvement

    EPA has announced this public meeting to hear the views of 
stakeholders on EPA's emerging framework for regulatory impact 
analysis. The public is invited to provide comments on the issues 
listed above and other issues related to the framework for regulatory 
impact analysis during the November 12 and 13, 1998, meeting or in 
writing by December 13, 1998.

    Dated: October 13, 1998.
William R. Diamond,
Acting Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, 
Environmental Protection Agency.
[FR Doc. 98-27928 Filed 10-16-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P