[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 32 (Thursday, February 15, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 10498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-3870]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6945-2]


Announcement of a Stakeholder Meeting on Draft Information 
Strategy for the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water

AGENCY: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of a stakeholder meeting.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has scheduled a 
two-day public meeting to obtain stakeholder input on issues, options 
and directions affecting the future of the national drinking water and 
source water information systems and related activities supporting the 
protection of public health.

DATES: The stakeholder meeting on the draft Information Strategy will 
be held on March 8-9, 2001, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EST.

ADDRESSES: Resolve, Inc. (an EPA contractor) will provide logistical 
support for the stakeholders meeting. The meeting will be held at 
Resolve, Inc., 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 275, Washington, D.C. 20037.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information about the 
meeting, please contact Mr. Jeff Citrin at Resolve, Inc., 1255 23rd 
Street, NW, Suite 275, Washington, D.C. 20037; phone: (202) 965-6388; 
fax: (202)338-1264, or e-mail at [email protected]. For other 
information on the Information Strategy, please contact Jeffrey Bryan, 
at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Phone: (202) 260-4934, 
Fax: (202) 401-3041, E-mail: [email protected]. Members of the 
public wishing to attend the meeting may register by phone by 
contacting Mr. Jeff Citrin by Feb. 20. Those registered by Feb. 20 will 
receive background materials prior to the meeting. There will be a 
limited number of teleconference lines available for those who are 
unable to attend in person. Information about how to access these lines 
will accompany the pre-meeting materials that will be mailed out to 
those who register.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background on the Draft Information Strategy and Request for Input

    Information is critical to the management of national programs and 
shapes responses to rapidly changing events in the public health arena. 
Sound science and the best available data are the foundation of 
decisions that the EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water 
(OGWDW) make to protect public health and the environment. Information 
technology has improved, and the process for developing drinking water 
standards has changed significantly since OGWDW developed its most 
recent Information Strategic Plan in 1992. EPA must implement a 
strategy that responds to new technology and regulatory needs, 
maximizes efficiency and minimizes cost of data transactions, meets 
national water program needs, and links efficiently to relevant data 
sources. The strategy must be business-driven, incorporating the needs 
of stakeholders both inside and outside of EPA.
    EPA encourages public input into questions that will allow OGWDW to 
make more informed decisions regarding its information systems and 
processes. Once implemented, the strategy will help OGWDW to better 
focus on essential business data, minimize reporting burden, obtain 
early involvement in information requirements for regulators, 
streamline the federal Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS-
FED) to reduce reporting errors, continue to support the state Safe 
Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS-STATE), and provide an 
information framework for source water protection. Questions for 
discussion include:
    1. How will OGWDW ensure that it has the data it needs to implement 
its programs, address gaps (e.g., source water protection and 
underground injection control), and coordinate with other EPA programs?
    2. What essential data does the primary enforcement authority need 
to track?
    3. How should EPA obtain parametric (sampling) drinking water data 
to address future information requirements?
    4. What changes should EPA make to minimize reporting burden for 
existing and upcoming rules?
    5. What improvements to SDWIS should EPA make to allow for easier 
data entry by states?
    6. How can OGWDW improve the performance of its information 
systems, given that any improvements would require states to make near-
term adjustments to achieve long-term reporting benefits?
    7. What steps should EPA take to improve data quality?
    8. EPA primarily uses data for program tracking, policy 
development, rulemaking and enforcement, and public access. Are there 
other priority uses EPA should consider?
    9. How will public access to drinking water data be improved?
    10. What steps should be taken to make OGWDW information systems 
more economically efficient?
    The public is invited to provide comments on the issues listed 
above or other issues related to the draft Information Strategy during 
the March 8-9, 2001 meeting.

    Dated: February 9, 2001.
Cynthia Dougherty,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. 01-3870 Filed 2-14-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P