[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 43 (Friday, March 5, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 10596-10597]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5493]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 136
[FRL-6307-3]
Guidelines Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of
Pollutants; Measurement of Mercury in Water; Notice of Data
Availability and Request for Comment
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of data availability and request for comment.
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SUMMARY: On May 26, 1998 (63 FR 28867), EPA proposed to amend the
Guidelines Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants
under section 304(h) of the Clean Water Act by adding EPA Method 1631:
Mercury in Water by Oxidation, Purge and Trap, and Cold Vapor Atomic
Fluorescence. EPA Method 1631 measures mercury reliably at the low
levels associated with ambient water quality criteria for mercury. The
comment period on the proposal closed on July 29, 1998. EPA obtained
additional effluent and environmental data after the close of the
comment period and intends to consider these data in its final
rulemaking concerning the use of EPA Method 1631. Therefore, EPA is
making these additional data available for public review and comment.
DATES: Written comments on this notice must be submitted on or before
April 5, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Written or electronic comments on this notice may be
submitted. Written comments on this notice may be sent to ``EPA Method
1631-Notice of Data Availability,'' Comment Clerk, Water Docket MC-
4101, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, S.W., Washington,
D.C.
[[Page 10597]]
20460. Commenters are requested to submit any references cited in their
comments. Commenters also are requested to submit an original and three
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.
Electronic comments should be addressed to the E-mail address: ow-
[email protected]. Electronic comments must be submitted as an
ASCII file and avoid use of special characters and any form of
encryption, or may be submitted in WordPerfect 5.1 or 6.1. Electronic
comments must be identified as ``EPA Method 1631-Notice of Data
Availability.'' Electronic comments on this notice may be filed online
at many Federal Depository Libraries. Electronic comments will be
transferred into a paper version for the official record. EPA will
attempt to clarify electronic comments if there is an apparent error in
transmission.
A copy of the supporting documents and data received by the Agency
during and pursuant to the comment period for the proposed rule are
available for review at EPA's Water Docket, Room EB57, 401 M Street,
S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460. For access to the Docket materials, call
(202) 260-3027 between 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time for an
appointment.
The complete text of this Federal Register notice and EPA Method
1631 may be viewed or downloaded on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/
ost/rules.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Maria Gomez-Taylor,U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Science and Technology,
Engineering and Analysis Division (4303), 401 M Street, S.W.,
Washington, D.C., 20460, or call (202) 260-1639.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
On May 26, 1998 (63 FR 28867), EPA proposed to add EPA Method 1631:
Mercury in Water by Oxidation, Purge and Trap, and Cold Vapor Atomic
Fluorescence to 40 CFR Part 136 for National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) data gathering and compliance monitoring
under the Clean Water Act (CWA). Mercury is a toxic pollutant as
defined in Section 307(a)(1) of the CWA and at 40 CFR 401.16 and is a
priority pollutant as listed in 40 CFR Part 423, Appendix A. EPA Method
1631 was proposed under the authority of Sections 301, 304(h), and
501(a) of the CWA. The Agency developed EPA Method 1631 in order to
measure mercury reliably at the low levels associated with ambient
water quality criteria (WQC) for mercury included in the National
Toxics Rule (40 CFR 131.36) and Water Quality Guidance for the Great
Lakes System (60 FR 15366). A further description of the development
and validation of EPA Method 1631 is provided in the proposed rule.
Following the close of the comment period, the Agency obtained
additional analytical data pertinent to EPA Method 1631. The additional
data consist of results from laboratory studies and municipal and
industrial effluent analyses conducted using EPA Method 1631. This
notice makes available for public review and comment these analytical
data. Generally, the data supplements existing data by demonstrating
the applicability of EPA Method 1631 to a variety of municipal and
industrial effluents. The Agency intends to consider these additional
data in formulating the final rule for the use of EPA Method 1631.
Today's notice solicits comments only on the new data which confirm
or refute the Agency's findings about the acceptability of EPA Method
1631 for the determination of mercury at the low levels associated with
Water Quality Criteria. Specifically, the Agency seeks comment on the
use of EPA Method 1631 to accurately measure mercury at low levels in a
variety of water matrices based on the new data. The Agency does not
intend to reopen the comment period on the entire proposed rule.
Therefore, there is no need to submit comments on other aspects of the
proposal.
The Agency does not interpret the new data as warranting any
modification of the proposed rule nor do they indicate a reason to
change the Agency's rationale for proposing EPA Method 1631. The Agency
believes that these data support the Agency's conclusion that EPA
Method 1631 is applicable to a variety of water effluents including
municipal and industrial effluents.
Dated: March 1, 1999.
J. Charles Fox,
Assistant Administrator for Water.
[FR Doc. 99-5493 Filed 3-4-99; 8:45 am]
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