[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 16, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 3526-3527]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-179]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Parts 136, 141, and 143

[FRL-6918-1]
RIN 2040-AD59


Guidelines Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of 
Pollutants Under the Clean Water Act; National Primary Drinking Water 
Regulations; and National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations; Methods 
Update

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: EPA is proposing action on a methods update rule that approves 
revised versions of test procedures (i.e., analytical methods) for the 
determination of chemical, radiological, and microbiological pollutants 
and contaminants in wastewater and drinking water. The revisions 
concern methods published by one or more of the following 
organizations: American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM), United 
States Geological Survey (USGS), United States Department of Energy 
(DOE), American Public Health Association (APHA), American Water Works 
Association (AWWA), and Water Environment Federation (WEF). Previously 
approved versions of the methods remain approved. This rule will give 
the analytical community a larger selection of analytical methods. 
Today's action also corrects typographical errors and updates 
references where appropriate.

[[Page 3527]]


DATES: Written comments must be received by March 19, 2001.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments either by mail or 
electronically. Send comments to the Methods Update Comment Clerk (W-
99-21), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Water Docket, MC-4101, 
Ariel Rios Bldg., 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460. 
Submit electronic comments to [email protected]. Please submit copies 
of any references cited in your comments. EPA would appreciate an 
original and 3 copies of your comments and enclosures (including 
references).
    This Federal Register document is also available on the Internet 
at: http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr. The record for this rulemaking has 
been established under docket number W-99-21. Supporting documents 
(including references and methods cited in this notice) are available 
for review at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Water Docket, 
East Tower Basement, Room EB57, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20460. For access to the docket materials, call 202/260-3027 on Monday 
through Friday, excluding Federal holidays, between 9 a.m. and 3:30 
p.m. Eastern Daylight Standard Time for an appointment.
    Copies of final methods published by ASTM are available for a 
nominal cost through American Society for Testing and Materials, 100 
Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. Copies of final 
methods published by USGS are available for a nominal cost through the 
United States Geological Survey, U.S. Geological Survey Information 
Services, Box 25286, Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225-0425. Copies of 
final methods published by DOE are available for a nominal cost through 
the Environmental Measurements Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, 
376 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014-3621. Copies of Standard Methods 
are available for a nominal cost from the American Public Health 
Association, 1015 Fifteenth Street NW., Washington, DC 20005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding wastewater 
methods contact Dr. Maria Gomez-Taylor, Engineering and Analysis 
Division (4303), USEPA Office of Science and Technology, Ariel Rios 
Bldg., 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460 (e-mail: 
[email protected]). For information regarding drinking water 
methods contact Dr. Richard Reding, Office of Ground Water and Drinking 
Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268 (e-
mail: [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We are proposing to approve revisions to the 
Guidelines Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants 
Under the Clean Water Act; National Primary Drinking Water Regulations; 
and National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations; Methods Update. 
Elsewhere in today's Federal Register, the Agency is promulgating this 
rule as a direct final rule without prior proposal because we view 
these as non-controversial revisions and do not expect adverse 
comments. We want to allow immediate use of the methods for compliance 
monitoring, and believe that it is in the public interest to do so. For 
further information, please see the information provided in the direct 
final rule which is located in the ``Rules and Regulations'' section of 
this Federal Register publication.
    If EPA does not receive adverse comment, we will not take further 
action on this proposal. If we receive adverse comment, we will 
withdraw the direct final rule (or the distinct amendment, paragraph, 
or section to which comments apply) and it (they) will not take effect. 
We will address all public comments in a subsequent final rule based on 
the proposed rule. We will not institute a second comment period on 
this action. Any parties interested in making comments must do so at 
this time. For the various statutes and executive orders that require 
findings for rulemaking, EPA incorporates the findings from the direct 
final rulemaking into this companion notice for the purpose of 
providing public notice and opportunity for comment.

List of Subjects

40 CFR Part 136

    Environmental protection, Analytical methods, Incorporation by 
reference, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Water pollution 
control.

40 CFR Part 141

    Environmental protection, Chemicals, Incorporation by reference, 
Indian-lands, Intergovernmental relations, Radiation protection, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Water supply.

40 CFR Part 143

    Environmental protection, Chemicals, Incorporation by reference, 
Indian-lands, Water supply.

    Dated: December 11, 2000.
Carol M. Browner,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 01-179 Filed 1-12-01; 8:45 am]
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