[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 217 (Thursday, November 8, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56557-56558]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-28086]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7100-3]


EPA Science Advisory Board; Notification of Public Advisory 
Committee Meeting

    Action--Notification of a meeting to conduct an EPA Science 
Advisory Board (SAB) review of elements associated with EPA's proposed 
rules on the: (1) Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts 
Rule (S2DBPR) and (2) the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment 
Rule (LT2ESWTR).

Drinking Water Committee Meeting

    Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, 
notice is hereby given that the Drinking Water Committee of the EPA 
Science Advisory Board (SAB) will meet from December 10 through 12, 
2001. The meeting will be held at the Embassy Suites LAX Hotel, 9801 
Airport Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045, telephone: (310) 215-1000. All 
times noted are Pacific Standard Time. The meeting is open to the 
public; however, seating is limited and available on a first come 
basis. Important Notice: Documents that are the subject of SAB reviews 
are normally available from the originating EPA office and are not 
available from the SAB Office--information concerning availability of 
documents from the relevant Program Office is included below.
    Background Information--The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA) Science Advisory Board (SAB) initiated two reviews for the EPA 
Office of Water (OW) in a planning meeting that took place on September 
25 and 26, 2001. As noted in the meeting announcement (July 27, 2001, 
66 FR 39163) this September meeting was originally intended as a two-
day face-to-face meeting to start the deliberative phase of the review. 
However, because of circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 
national tragedies, this meetings were conducted in abbreviated form by 
telephone conference to plan for and to schedule the detailed review 
(see the minutes of this meeting on the EPA SAB Website at www.epa.gov/sab/dwc92501m.pdf).
    In the discussion below, we provide information on the charge that 
has been given to the SAB and a summary of the background for each 
proposal.

1. Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule

    (a) General Information: The Safe Drinking Water Act requires EPA 
to develop National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for contaminants 
which have an adverse effect on the health of persons and where 
regulation provides a meaningful opportunity for public health 
protection. EPA is developing a Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water 
Treatment Rule to provide for increased protection of public water 
systems against microbial pathogens, with a specific focus on 
Cryptosporidium. The intent of the proposed LT2ESWTR is to supplement 
existing surface water treatment rules through establishment of 
targeted treatment requirements for systems with greater vulnerability 
to Cryptosporidium. Such systems include those with high source water 
pathogen levels and those that do not provide filtration. In addition, 
consistent with SDWA requirements for risk balancing, EPA will propose 
and finalize the LT2ESWTR simultaneously with the Stage 2 Disinfectants 
and Disinfection Byproducts Rule. This coordinated approach is designed 
to ensure that systems maintain adequate microbial protection while 
reducing risk from disinfection byproducts. A Federal Stakeholder 
Advisory Committee reached an Agreement in Principle during September 
2000 with recommendations for both rules (65 FR 83015-83024).
    (b) Charge--Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule: EPA 
requested the SAB to comment on the following parts of the Agency's 
LT2ESWTR proposal and supporting documents: (1) The analysis of 
Cryptosporidium occurrence; (2) the pre- and post-LT2ESWTR 
Cryptosporidium risk assessment; and (3) the treatment credits for 
microbial toolbox options.

2. Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproduct Rule Proposal

    (a) General Information: The 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking 
Water Act require EPA to promulgate a Stage 2 Disinfectants and 
Disinfection Byproducts Rule (section 1412(b)(2)(C)) by May 2002. The 
intent of the proposed S2DBPR is to reduce the variability of exposure 
to disinfection byproducts (DBPs) for people served by different points 
in the distribution systems of public water supplies. EPA believes that 
this decreased exposure will result in reduced risk from reproductive 
and developmental health effects and cancer. EPA is required under the 
Safe Drinking Water Act to promulgate the rule as the second part of a 
staged set of regulations addressing DBPs. Consistent with SDWA 
requirements for risk balancing, EPA will propose and finalize the Long 
Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2ESWTR) at the same 
time as the Stage 2 DBP Rule in order to ensure parallel protection 
from microbial and DBP risks. A Federal Stakeholder Advisory Committee 
reached an Agreement in Principle in September 2000 with 
recommendations for both proposed rules (65 FR 83015-83024).
    (b) Charge--Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproduct Rule 
Proposal: EPA requested the SAB to comment on (1) whether the 
locational running annual average (LRAA) standards for total 
trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and haloacetic acids (HAA5), in conjunction 
with the initial distribution system evaluation (IDSE) of the proposed 
Stage 2 DBPR, more effectively achieves public health protection than 
the current running annual average (RAA) standards, given the existing 
knowledge of DBP occurrence and the available health effects data, and 
(2) whether the IDSE is capable of identifying new compliance 
monitoring points that target high TTHM and HAA5 levels and whether it 
is the most appropriate tool available to achieve this objective.
    Process to be followed by the SAB for this Review: (a) As stated 
earlier in this notice, this review was planned during the September 25 
and 26, 2001 telephone conference call meeting. In this meeting, the 
standing Drinking Water Committee of the SAB received introductory 
briefings by EPA representatives on both rules and the Agency charge. 
The DWC members engaged in discussions with EPA representatives that 
clarified the charge and certain of the background materials that were 
earlier delivered by EPA to the Committee.
    During the meeting, the Drinking Water Committee, established five 
subgroups, one to address each of the five agency charge questions. 
They also decided on the expertise needs for each. The makeup of the 
Subgroups and the expertise needs are discussed in the meeting minutes 
cited above in this notice.

[[Page 56558]]

    (b) Panel Development: The SAB Panel for this review can be viewed 
at the SAB's Website at www.epa.gov/sab. The Panel consists of the 
membership of the DWC, augmented by experts in a number of disciplinary 
areas (e.g., public health management, drinking water treatment and 
monitoring, statistical techniques, risk assessment, etc.). The 
original Federal Register notice (July 27, 2001, 66 FR 39163) solicited 
public comments on the composition and balance of the panel and/or 
suggestions on persons to be added to the Panel for the second meeting. 
No formal comments were received as a result of this solicitation. 
Agency staff and SAB Members/Staff have provided suggestions for 
persons who can provide the needed expertise. These suggestions were 
considered in the SAB's decision on the final makeup of the review 
Panel for the December meeting.
    For Further Information--Any member of the public wishing further 
information concerning this meeting should contact Mr. Thomas O. 
Miller, Designated Federal Officer, SAB Drinking Water Committee 
(1400A), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC, 20460; by email 
at [email protected], or by Fax at (202) 501-0582. For a copy of the 
draft meeting agenda, please contact Ms. Wanda Fields, Management 
Assistant at (202) 564-4539, FAX at (202) 501-0582, or email at: 
[email protected].
    Materials that are the subject of this review are available as 
follows: (a) Stage 2 DBPs, Ms. Mary Manibusan, US EPA Office of Water 
(OW) (MS 4607), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, 
Phone: (202) 260-3688 or via email at [email protected]; and (b) 
LT2, Mr. Dan Schmelling, US EPA Office of Water (OW) (MS 4607), 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, Phone: (202) 260-1439 or 
via email at [email protected].

Providing Oral or Written Comments at SAB Meetings

    It is the policy of the EPA Science Advisory Board to accept 
written public comments of any length, and to accommodate oral public 
comments whenever possible. The EPA Science Advisory Board expects that 
public statements presented at its meetings will not be repetitive of 
previously submitted oral or written statements.
    Oral Comments: In general, each individual or group wishing to make 
a brief oral presentation to the Panel must contact Mr. Thomas Miller, 
DFO for the DWC, no later than noon Eastern Time, Monday, December 3, 
2001 in order to be included on the agenda. The request should identify 
the name of the individual who will make the presentation, the 
organization (if any) the will represent, and any requirements for 
audio visual equipment (e.g., overhead projector, 35 mm projector, 
chalkboard, etc.). Presentations at face-to-face meeting will be 
limited to a total time of five minutes per speaker. For teleconference 
meetings, opportunities for oral comment will usually be limited to no 
more than three minutes per speaker and no more than fifteen minutes 
total for all speakers together. Speakers should provide to the SAB 
Staff Office, at least one week prior to the meeting date, (a) one 
signed hard copy of the comments for the file and (b) an electronic 
version of the comments [acceptable file format: WordPerfect, Word, or 
Rich Text files (in IBM-PC/Windows 95/98 format)]. In addition, the 
speaker should bring to the meeting at least 35 copies of their 
comments and presentation slides for distribution to the reviewers and 
public at the meeting.
    Written Comments: Although the SAB accepts written comments until 
the date of the meeting (unless otherwise stated), written comments 
should be received in the SAB Staff Office at least one week prior to 
the meeting date so that the comments may be made available to the 
committee for their consideration. Comments should be supplied to Mr. 
Miller (see contact information above) in the following formats: one 
hard copy with original signature, and one electronic copy via e-mail 
(acceptable file format: WordPerfect, Word, or Rich Text files (in IBM-
PC/Windows 95/98 format)). Those providing written comments and who 
attend the meeting are also asked to bring 35 copies of their comments 
for public distribution.
    Meeting Access--Individuals requiring special accommodation at 
these meetings, including wheelchair access to the conference room, 
should contact Mr. Miller at least five business days prior to the 
relevant meeting so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

    Dated: October 31, 2001.
John R. Fowle, III,
Acting Staff Director, EPA Science Advisory Board.
[FR Doc. 01-28086 Filed 11-7-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P