[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 62 (Thursday, March 30, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 16917]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-7629]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6566-4]


Notice of Availability of the Tribal Drinking Water Operator 
Certification Program Draft Guidelines

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking 
comments from Tribes and other parties who will be affected by or are 
otherwise interested in the Tribal Drinking Water Operator 
Certification Program Draft Guidelines. EPA will consider the comments 
received when developing the final guidelines. There will be a 90-day 
comment period starting from the publication date of this notice of 
availability.

DATES: Comments should be postmarked or received via email by June 27, 
2000.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Attn: Staci Gatica (MC: 4606), 
Environmental Protection Agency, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave. NW, Washington DC 20460. Comments can also be sent via email to 
[email protected]. Typed comments are preferred.

AVAILABILITY: Please contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-
426-4791 to receive a copy of the Tribal Drinking Water Operator 
Certification Program Draft Guidelines. The draft guidelines are also 
available on the EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water website 
at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/tribal.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Safe Drinking Water Hotline, toll 
free (800) 426-4791, can be contacted for general information about and 
copies of this document. For technical inquiries, contact Staci Gatica, 
Implementation and Assistance Division, Office of Ground Water and 
Drinking Water (4606), Environmental Protection Agency, Ariel Rios 
Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington DC 20460. The telephone 
number is (202) 260-3967 and the e-mail address is 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) 
Amendments of 1996 direct the EPA, in cooperation with the States, to 
develop guidelines specifying minimum standards for certification and 
recertification of operators of State community and nontransient 
noncommunity public water systems. The requirements pertaining to 
States do not apply to Tribes but because having a certified operator 
is a key factor in public health protection, EPA is developing, in 
cooperation with Tribes, a voluntary Tribal Drinking Water Operator 
Certification Program. This program is intended to protect public 
health by providing Tribes with additional opportunities to become 
trained and certified, by developing base standards for non-State 
organizations certifying operators of tribal systems and by 
establishing a consistent method of assessing, tracking, and addressing 
certification and training needs on tribal lands.

Cynthia C. Dougherty,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency.
[FR Doc. 00-7629 Filed 3-29-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P