[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 226 (Friday, November 23, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 58693-58694]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-29270]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 136

[FRL-7106-8]


Guidelines Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of 
Pollutants; Whole Effluent Toxicity Test Methods; Extension of Comment 
Period

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is extending 
the comment period for the proposed rule to revise and ratify its 
approval of several analytical test procedures measuring ``whole 
effluent toxicity.'' The proposed rule was published in the Federal 
Register on September 28, 2001 (66 FR 49794), and the comment period 
was scheduled to end on November 27, 2001. The comment period will be 
extended for 45 days and will now end on January 11, 2002.

DATES: Comments must be postmarked, delivered by hand, or 
electronically mailed on or before January 11, 2002. Comments provided 
electronically will be considered timely if they are submitted by 11:59 
p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on January 11, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Send written or electronic comments on the proposed rule (66 
FR 49794) to ``Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Test Method Changes'' 
Comment Clerk (WET-IX); Water Docket (4101); U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency; Ariel Rios Building; 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20460. EPA requests that commenters submit copies of any 
references cited in comments. Commenters also are requested to submit 
an original and three copies of their written comments and enclosures. 
Commenters that want receipt of their comments acknowledged should 
include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. All written comments must 
be postmarked or delivered by hand. No facsimiles (faxes) will be 
accepted. Hand deliveries should be delivered to EPA's Water Docket at 
401 M Street, SW., Room EB 57, Washington, DC 20460.
    Comments may be submitted electronically to: [email protected]. 
Electronic comments must be submitted as a Word Perfect 5/6/7/8 file or 
an ASCII file, avoiding the use of special characters and any form of 
encryption. Comments and data also will be accepted on disks in 
WordPerfect 5/6/7/8 or ASCII file format. Electronic comments may be 
filed online at any Federal Depository Library. All electronic comments 
must be identified by docket number (WET-IX). Electronic comments will 
be transferred into a paper version for the official record. EPA will 
attempt to clarify electronic comments if there is an apparent error in 
transmission.
    A record for the proposed rulemaking (66 FR 49794) has been 
established under docket number WET-IX. A copy of the supporting 
documents cited in the proposed rule is available for review at EPA's 
Water Docket, East Tower Basement (Room EB 57), 401 M Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20460. For access to docket materials, call (202) 260-
3027 on Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays, between 9 
a.m. and 3:30 p.m. EST to schedule an appointment.
    The proposed rule (66 FR 49794) has been placed on the Internet for 
public review and downloading at the following location: http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/. Other documents referenced in the proposed rule 
also are available on the Internet. The final report of EPA's WET 
Interlaboratory Variability Study (Volumes 1 and 2) and the document 
titled, Proposed Changes to Whole Effluent Toxicity Method Manuals are 
available on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/WET.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For regulatory information regarding 
this notice or the proposed rule, contact Marion Kelly, Engineering and 
Analysis Division (4303), Office of Science and Technology, Office of 
Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC 20460 (e-mail: [email protected]) or call (202) 
260-7117. For technical information regarding the proposed rule, 
contact Teresa J. Norberg-King, National Health and Environmental 
Effects Research Laboratory, Mid-Continent Ecology Division, Office of 
Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 6201 
Congdon Boulevard, Duluth, MN 55804 (e-mail: [email protected]) or call (218) 529-5163.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 28, 2001, EPA published in the 
Federal Register (66 FR 49794) a proposed rule to ratify its approval 
of several whole effluent toxicity (WET) test methods, which the Agency 
standardized in an earlier rulemaking (60 FR 53529; October 16, 1995). 
The proposed rule published on September 28, 2001 also would modify the 
WET

[[Page 58694]]

test procedures to update the methods, provide minor corrections and 
clarifications, and address specific stakeholder concerns. The proposed 
changes are intended to improve the performance of WET tests, and thus 
increase confidence in the reliability of the results obtained using 
the test procedures. By proposing to revise and ratify WET test 
methods, EPA satisfied obligations in a settlement agreement designed 
to resolve litigation over the original rulemaking that standardized 
WET test procedures.
    In the September 28, 2001 notice of proposed rulemaking, EPA 
requested public comment on its proposal to revise and ratify WET test 
methods. The 60-day public comment period established for this rule was 
scheduled to end on November 27, 2001. EPA received a request to extend 
the public comment period beyond the November 27, 2001 due date. In 
order to ensure that the public has an adequate opportunity to review 
and comment on the proposed rule, EPA is extending the comment period 
for an additional 45 days to January 11, 2002.

    Dated: November 15, 2001.
G. Tracy Mehan, III,
Assistant Administrator for Water.
[FR Doc. 01-29270 Filed 11-21-01; 8:45 am]
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