[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 146 (Friday, July 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46457-46458]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-19116]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6842-7]


Whole Effluent Toxicity Test Methods Guidance; Notice of 
Availability

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: Today, EPA is announcing the availability of a document 
titled, ``Method Guidance and Recommendations for Whole Effluent 
Toxicity (WET) Testing (40 CFR Part 136).'' This guidance document 
updates recommendations and suggestions (with additional technical 
clarification) regarding WET test methods published by EPA and 
incorporated by reference into regulations. The document includes 
specific technical guidance on nominal error rate adjustments, 
confidence intervals, concentration-response relationships, dilutions 
series selection, and dilution water.

DATES: This notice will become effective July 28, 2000.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the guidance document and supporting materials are 
available for review at the EPA Water Docket at EPA Headquarters at 
Waterside Mall, Room EB57, 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20460. 
For access to the Water Docket, call (202) 260-3027 between 9:00 a.m. 
and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time for an appointment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marion Kelly at the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Office of Water, Engineering and Analysis Division 
(4303), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Ariel Rios Building, Washington, 
DC 20460, call (202) 260-7117, or E-mail [email protected]; or 
John Fox at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, 
Engineering and Analysis Division (4303), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, 
Ariel Rios Building, Washington, DC 20460, call (202) 260-9889, or E-
mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1995, EPA amended the ``Guidelines 
Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants,'' at 40 
CFR part 136, to add WET test methods to the list of Agency approved 
methods in Tables IA and II, for CWA data gathering and compliance 
monitoring programs (60 FR 53529, October 16, 1995). Known as the ``WET 
Methods rule,'' the 1995 action amended 40 CFR 136.3 by standardizing 
analytical methods that employ freshwater, marine, and estuarine 
vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants to directly measure the acute 
and short-term chronic toxicity of effluents and receiving waters. The 
WET Methods rule incorporated the following three technical documents 
by reference: Methods for Measuring the Acute Toxicity of Effluents and 
Receiving Water to Freshwater and Marine Organisms; Fourth Edition, 
August 1993 (EPA/600/4-90/027F); Short-Term

[[Page 46458]]

Methods for Estimating the Chronic Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving 
Water to Freshwater Organisms, Third Edition, July 1994 (EPA/600/4-91/
002); and Short-Term Methods for Estimating the Chronic Toxicity of 
Effluents and Receiving Water to Marine and Estuarine Organisms, Second 
Edition, July 1994 (EPA/600/4-91/003). In 1999, EPA promulgated 
technical corrections that incorporated an errata document into the WET 
Methods rule. EPA intended that the errata document correct minor 
errors and omissions, provide clarification, and establish consistency 
among the WET rule and test manuals (64 FR 4975, February 2, 1999).
    Today's notice announces the availability of an additional 
document, ``Method Guidance and Recommendations for Whole Effluent 
Toxicity (WET) Testing (40 CFR Part 136),'' EPA/821/B-00/004. This 
guidance document provides clarification and recommendations to EPA 
Regional, State, Tribal and local regulatory authorities; regulated 
entities; and environmental laboratories regarding specific recommended 
and/or suggested technical elements of the WET test methods. The 
document provides specific guidance on nominal error rate assumption 
adjustments, confidence intervals, concentration-response 
relationships, dilution series selection, and dilution water. EPA 
prepared the document as part of a settlement agreement to resolve 
litigation challenging the rulemaking that standardized the testing 
procedures. The complete text of this Federal Register notice and the 
subject guidance document may be viewed or downloaded on the Internet 
at http://www.epa.gov/OST/WET/.

    Dated: July 24, 2000.
Linda B. Wilbur,
Acting Director, Office of Science and Technology.
[FR Doc. 00-19116 Filed 7-27-00; 8:45 am]
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