[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 230 (Friday, November 29, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71165-71169]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-30262]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7414-8]


Draft Strategy for National Clean Water Industrial Regulations

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability of draft Strategy for National Clean 
Water Industrial Regulations.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Under the Clean Water Act, EPA establishes national 
technology-based regulations, termed ``effluent guidelines,'' to reduce 
pollutant discharges from industrial facilities to surface waters and 
publicly owned treatment works. Today, EPA is announcing the 
availability of its draft Strategy for National Clean Water Industrial 
Regulations. The draft Strategy describes a process to identify 
existing effluent guidelines that EPA should consider revising, and to 
identify any industrial categories for which the Agency should consider 
developing new effluent guidelines. EPA proposes to use this process to 
develop future Effluent Guidelines Program Plans, which EPA is required 
to publish under section 304(m) of the Clean Water Act every two years. 
The Agency welcomes comments on the draft Strategy and recommendations 
on industrial categories to be considered. In addition, EPA is 
announcing an Industrial Wastewater and Best Available Treatment 
Technologies Conference that it is co-sponsoring with Vanderbilt 
University.

DATES: Submit comments on the draft Strategy by February 27, 2003. A 
public meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 15, 2003. In 
addition, the Industrial Wastewater and Best Available Treatment 
Technology Conference will be held February 26-28, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Water Docket, Environmental Protection 
Agency, Mailcode: 4101T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20460, Attention Docket ID No. OW-2002-0020. Comments may also be 
submitted electronically or through hand delivery/courier. Follow the 
detailed instruction as provided in B.
    An informational meeting for interested stakeholders will be held 
in the EPA East Building, Room 1153, 1201 Constitution Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC.
    The Industrial Wastewater and Best Available Treatment Technologies 
Conference will be held at the Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt 
University, at 2555 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN, 37203.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia Harrigan at (202) 566-1666 or 
[email protected], or Jan Matuszko at (202) 566-1035 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

A. How Can I Get Copies of This Document and Other Related Information?

    1. Docket. EPA has established an official public docket for this 
action under Docket ID No. OW-2002-0020. The official public docket is 
the collection of materials that is available for public viewing at the 
Water Docket in the EPA Docket Center, EPA West, Room B102, 1301 
Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public 
Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public 
Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the Water 
Docket is (202) 566-2426. To schedule an appointment to see docket 
materials, please call (202) 566-2426. The EPA public information 
regulation (40 CFR part 2) provides that a reasonable fee may be 
charged for copying.
    2. Electronic Access. An electronic version of the public docket is 
available through EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, 
EPA Dockets. You may use EPA Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/edocket/ to 
submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the 
contents of the official public docket, and to access those documents 
in the public docket that are available electronically. Once in the 
system, select ``search,'' then key in docket identification number, 
OW-2002-0020.
    Certain types of information will not be placed in the EPA Dockets. 
Information claimed as confidential business information (CBI) and 
other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute, which is 
not included in the official public docket, will not be available for 
public viewing in EPA's electronic public docket. EPA's policy is that 
copyrighted material will not be placed in EPA's electronic public 
docket, but will be available only in

[[Page 71166]]

printed, paper form in the official public docket. Although not all 
docket materials may be available electronically, you may still access 
any of the publicly available docket materials through the docket 
facility identified in A.1.
    For public commenters, it is important to note that EPA's policy is 
that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, 
will be made available for public viewing in EPA's electronic public 
docket as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment 
contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a comment 
containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference to that 
material in the version of the comment that is placed in EPA's 
electronic public docket. The entire printed comment, including the 
copyrighted material, will be available in the public docket.
    Public comments submitted on computer disks that are mailed or 
delivered to the docket will be transferred to EPA's electronic public 
docket. Public comments that are mailed or delivered to the Docket will 
be scanned and placed in EPA's electronic public docket. Where 
practical, physical objects will be photographed, and the photograph 
will be placed in EPA's electronic public docket along with a brief 
description written by the docket staff.

B. How and To Whom Do I Submit Comments?

    You may submit comments electronically, by mail, or through hand 
delivery/courier. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, identify the 
appropriate docket identification number in the subject line on the 
first page of your comment. Please ensure that your comments are 
submitted within the specified comment period. Comments received after 
the close of the comment period will be marked ``late.'' EPA is not 
required to consider these late comments.
    1. Electronically. If you submit an electronic comment as 
prescribed below, EPA recommends that you include your name, mailing 
address, and an e-mail address or other contact information in the body 
of your comment. Also include this contact information on the outside 
of any disk or CD ROM you submit, and in any cover letter accompanying 
the disk or CD ROM. This ensures that you can be identified as the 
submitter of the comment and allows EPA to contact you in case EPA 
cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties or needs further 
information on the substance of your comment. EPA's policy is that EPA 
will not edit your comment, and any identifying or contact information 
provided in the body of a comment will be included as part of the 
comment that is placed in the official public docket, and made 
available in EPA's electronic public docket. If EPA cannot read your 
comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for 
clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment.
    i. EPA Dockets. Your use of EPA's electronic public docket to 
submit comments to EPA electronically is EPA's preferred method for 
receiving comments. Go directly to EPA Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/edocket, and follow the online instructions for submitting comments. 
Once in the system, select ``search,'' and then key in Docket ID No. 
OW-2002-0020. The system is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means 
EPA will not know your identity, e-mail address, or other contact 
information unless you provide it in the body of your comment.
    ii. E-mail. Comments may be sent by electronic mail (e-mail) to [email protected], Attention Docket ID No. OW-2002-0020. In contrast to 
EPA's electronic public docket, EPA's e-mail system is not an 
``anonymous access'' system. If you send an e-mail comment directly to 
the Docket without going through EPA's electronic public docket, EPA's 
e-mail system automatically captures your e-mail address. E-mail 
addresses that are automatically captured by EPA's e-mail system are 
included as part of the comment that is placed in the official public 
docket, and made available in EPA's electronic public docket.
    iii. Disk or CD ROM. You may submit comments on a disk or CD ROM 
that you mail to the mailing address identified in B.2. These 
electronic submissions will be accepted in WordPerfect or ASCII file 
format. Avoid the use of special characters and any form of encryption.
    2. By Mail. Send an original and three copes of your comments and 
enclosures (including references) to: Water Docket, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mailcode: 4101T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20460, Attention Docket ID No. OW-2002-0020.
    3. By Hand Delivery or Courier. Deliver your comments to: EPA 
Docket Center, EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC, Attention Docket ID No. OW-2002-0020. Such deliveries 
are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation as 
identified in A.1.

C. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

    You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your 
comments:
    1. Explain your views as clearly as possible.
    2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
    3. Provide any technical information and/or data you used that 
support your views.
    4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you 
arrived at your estimate.
    5. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns.
    6. Offer alternatives.
    7. Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period deadline 
identified.
    8. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, identify the appropriate docket 
identification number in the subject line on the first page of your 
response. It would also be helpful if you provided the name, date, and 
Federal Register citation related to your comments.

Outline of This Notice

I. Regulated Entities
II. Legal Authority
III. Background of the Effluent Guidelines Program
IV. A Strategy for National Clean Water Industrial Regulations
V. Solicitation of Stakeholder Recommendations
VI. Public Meeting
VII. Industrial Wastewater and Best Available Treatment Technologies 
Conference

I. Regulated Entities

    Today's draft Strategy for National Clean Water Industrial 
Regulations does not contain regulatory requirements. It presents a 
proposed process that identifies industrial categories for possible 
development or revision of effluent limitations guidelines and 
standards (``effluent guidelines''). A list of the 55 currently 
regulated industries is provided in the draft Strategy at appendix 1, 
which can be found on EPA's Web site at http://www.epa.gov/guide/strategy.

II. Legal Authority

    Today's document is published under the authority of section 
301(d), 304(b), 304(g), 304(m), 306(b), 307(b) and 307(c) of the Clean 
Water Act (CWA), 33 U.S.C. 1311(d), 1314(b), 1314(g), 1314(m), 1316(b), 
1317(b) & 1317(c).

[[Page 71167]]

III. Background of the Effluent Guidelines Program

    The CWA directs EPA to promulgate effluent limitations guidelines 
and standards for categories or subcategories of industrial point 
sources that, for most pollutants, reflect the level of pollutant 
control attained by the best available technologies economically 
achievable. See CWA sections 301(b)(2), 304(b), 306, 307(b), and 
307(c). For point sources that introduce pollutants directly into the 
Nation's waters (i.e., direct dischargers), the limitations promulgated 
by EPA are implemented through National Pollutant Discharge Elimination 
System (NPDES) permits. See CWA sections 301(a), 301(b), and 402. For 
sources that discharge to publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) (i.e., 
indirect dischargers), EPA promulgates pretreatment standards that 
apply directly to those sources and are enforced by POTWs, which are 
backed by State and Federal authorities. See CWA sections 307(b) and 
(c). EPA has issued effluent guidelines for more than 50 industrial 
categories.
    Section 304(m) of the CWA requires EPA to publish a plan every two 
years that consists of three elements. First, under section 
304(m)(1)(A), EPA is required to establish a schedule for the annual 
review and revision of existing effluent guidelines in accordance with 
section 304(b). Section 304(b) specifies factors EPA must consider when 
promulgating effluent limitations guidelines for direct dischargers and 
directs EPA to revise such regulations as appropriate. Second, under 
section 304(m)(1)(B), EPA must identify categories of sources 
discharging toxic or nonconventional pollutants for which EPA has not 
published effluent limitations guidelines under section 304(b)(2) or 
new source performance standards (NSPS) under section 306. Finally, 
under section 304(m)(1)(C), EPA must establish a schedule for the 
promulgation of effluent limitations guidelines under section 304(b)(2) 
and NSPS for the categories identified under the second element (i.e. 
subparagraph (B)) not later than three years after being identified in 
the section 304(m) plan. Section 304(m) does not apply to pretreatment 
standards for indirect dischargers, which EPA promulgates pursuant to 
sections 307(b) and 307(c) of the CWA.
    On October 30, 1989, Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., and 
Public Citizen, Inc., filed an action against EPA in which they 
alleged, among other things, that EPA had failed to comply with CWA 
section 304(m). The Plaintiffs and EPA agreed to a settlement of that 
action in a Consent Decree entered on January 31, 1992. The Consent 
Decree, as modified, established a schedule by which EPA would propose 
and take final action for eleven point source categories identified by 
name in the Decree, and for eight other point source categories 
identified only as new or revised rules, numbered 5 through 12. See 
Consent Decree pars. 2(a), 4(a), and 5(a). The Decree also established 
deadlines for EPA to complete studies of eleven point source 
categories. See Consent Decree, par. 3(a). The Consent Decree provides 
that the foregoing requirements shall be set forth in EPA's section 
304(m) plans. See Consent Decree, pars. 3(a), 4(a), 5(a). The Consent 
Decree also provides that section 304(m) plans issued under the Decree 
that are consistent with its terms shall satisfy EPA's obligations 
under section 304(m) with respect to the publication of such plans. See 
Consent Decree, par. 7(b). The last date for EPA action under the 
Decree, as modified, is June 2004. EPA is currently on track to meet 
this last obligation, which will lead to the termination of the Consent 
Decree.

IV. A Strategy for National Clean Water Industrial Regulations

    The prospective end of the Consent Decree in 2004 offers EPA and 
interested stakeholders an excellent opportunity to evaluate the 
effluent guidelines program and to consider how national industrial 
regulations can best achieve the Nation's clean water goals and the 
requirements of the Clean Water Act in the years ahead. The draft 
Strategy outlines a process for developing a biennial plan that is 
designed to meet both the statutory requirements in section 304(m) of 
the Clean Water Act and the water quality challenges of the 21st 
century. The draft Strategy aims to reduce risk to human health and the 
environment, using the most effective tools available. It is intended 
to ensure that EPA's process for setting priorities in its effluent 
guidelines program is transparent. EPA is looking for ways that its 
Strategy can help spur the development of innovative technologies, 
promote multi-media pollution prevention, and expand the use of market-
based incentives to improve the quality of our nation's waters. The 
draft Strategy is posted for review on EPA's web site at http://www.epa.gov/guide/plan.html. Section V of this notice solicits 
stakeholder comment on several key features of the strategy as well as 
the role of effluent guidelines in the national clean water program.
    The draft Strategy was initially discussed in the notice for the 
Effluent Guidelines Program Plan for 2002/2003. See 67 FR 55012, 55013-
14 (Aug. 27, 2002) (final plan); and 67 FR 41418-9, (June 18, 2002) 
(proposed plan). Several commenters supported EPA's goal to develop a 
strategy for future planning of the effluent guidelines program, and 
encouraged EPA to engage a broad range of stakeholders in the planning 
process.

V. Solicitation of Stakeholder Recommendations

    EPA requests comments about several specific issues discussed in 
the Strategy.
    Key Factors for Evaluating Existing Effluent Guidelines: EPA 
identified four major factors, derived from sections 301(b)(2) and 
304(b) of the CWA, that could lead EPA to conclude that a revision of 
an existing effluent guideline would be appropriate: (1) The extent to 
which the industry category is discharging pollutants that pose a risk 
to human health or the environment; (2) the identification of an 
applicable and demonstrated technology, process change, or pollution 
prevention approach that would substantially reduce the remaining risk; 
(3) the cost, performance, and affordability of the technology, process 
change, or pollution prevention approach that would substantially 
reduce that risk; and (4) implementation and efficiency considerations, 
such as whether revising a guideline is the most effective approach for 
reducing the risk. In addition, section 304(b) authorizes EPA to 
consider other factors as the Administrator deems appropriate. EPA 
requests comments on its proposed use of these factors, and invites the 
public to suggest additional or different factors.
    The Agency is also interested to receive comments on whether each 
of the four factors identified above should be ranked, and if so, 
whether different weights should be applied to each. EPA also requests 
suggestions as to the information the Agency should use to prioritize 
industrial categories that pass both the primary and secondary 
screening reviews described in the draft Strategy.
    Key Factors for Developing New Effluent Guidelines: EPA identified 
four major factors that could lead EPA to conclude that new national 
effluent guidelines regulations would be necessary and appropriate for 
industrial categories. These factors are identical to the factors 
discussed above with respect to the revision of existing effluent 
guidelines, and are derived from the same statutory bases. (The main 
difference is than an industry category with no existing guideline in 
place may

[[Page 71168]]

have greater variation in current discharges and pollutant reduction 
technologies in place. This depends on what technology-based limits 
permit writers have established using best professional judgment and 
what limits they have established to protect water quality.) These 
factors reflect Congress' expectation that EPA will address 
``significant amounts'' of toxic pollutant discharges through national 
technology-based regulations. S. Rep. No. 50, 99th Cong., 1st Sess. 24-
25 (1985). EPA requests comments on its proposed use of these factors 
and invites the public to identify other or different factors for EPA's 
consideration.
    The Agency is also interested to receive comments on whether each 
of these factors should be ranked, and if so, whether different weights 
should be applied to each. EPA also requests suggestions as to the 
information the Agency should use to prioritize industrial categories 
that pass both the primary and secondary screening reviews described in 
the draft Strategy.
    Sources of Water Quality Impairments: An impaired water is one that 
does not achieve the water quality standards adopted by a State, Tribe, 
or EPA under CWA section 303(c). Building on ongoing work by EPA, 
States, Tribes, and others, the Agency is working to identify links 
between industrial sources of pollutants with pollutants identified as 
the causes of impairments in impaired waters. This effort links the 
categories of facilities discharging pollutants as identified in 
Agency's Permit Compliance System (PCS) database with types of 
impairments of water bodies identified using the U.S. Geological 
Survey's National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) and State and Tribal 
reported data from the reports generated under CWA sections 303(d) and 
305(b). (Section 303(d) requires States to develop lists of waterbodies 
for which technology-based limitations and other requirements are not 
sufficient to ensure attainment of water quality standards. Section 
305(b) requires States to report to EPA every other year on the quality 
of their waters.) EPA requests suggestions on other sources of relevant 
information, particularly data relating to facilities that discharge to 
publicly owned treatment works (POTWs).
    Voluntary Loading Reductions: EPA is considering incentives for 
industrial categories to reduce pollutant loadings through voluntary 
programs. For example, EPA might determine to not develop new or 
revised effluent guidelines for source categories that demonstrate 
continual or substantial reduction of pollutants through voluntary 
effluent reductions. Voluntary efforts should be encouraged and 
rewarded, so EPA is considering whether source categories that have 
accomplished voluntary pollutant discharge reductions should be given a 
lower priority for new or revised effluent guidelines.
    EPA is also considering whether to indicate a quantitative 
voluntary reduction goal that source categories seeking a deferral of 
consideration for new or revised guidelines should try to achieve. EPA 
is considering a goal, suggested by a stakeholder, of a 10 percent 
reduction in total load, or in toxic-equivalent load over a five-year 
period (the standard permit term). EPA emphasizes that the goal would 
not be binding on either the Agency or the industry; EPA would retain 
the discretion to decide whether to develop an effluent guideline. EPA 
would consider voluntary load reductions on an industry-by-industry 
basis in making its planning decisions (and may make decisions 
irrespective of the general, non-binding goal). The Agency requests 
comment on this entire issue. EPA also invites comment on whether a 
different general goal, such as a 25 percent reduction in total or 
toxic-equivalent load, would be more appropriate.
    EPA proposes to use information in the PCS system to identify 
categories for which loadings have decreased over the past 5 years, but 
requests suggestions on alternative sources of this information. EPA 
also invites comment on how it might assess voluntary pollutant 
reductions in industrial categories with increased production over five 
years. Finally, EPA invites comment on ways to evaluate claims of 
decreases in water loadings of toxicity relative to possible increases 
in release of these emissions to other environmental media, for example 
volatilization to air or land disposal of sludge.
    Technology Innovation, Market-based Incentives, and Multi-media 
Pollutant Reduction: In addition to the above discussion of voluntary 
loading reductions, EPA seeks comment on others ways the Agency might 
structure the effluent guidelines program to encourage and reward 
technology innovation. EPA invites stakeholders to suggest industry 
categories for which development or revision of an effluent guideline 
may provide an opportunity for multi-media pollutant reduction. EPA 
also seeks comment on the role of market-based incentives, including 
pollutant trading, in the effluent guidelines program.
    In addition, EPA encourages comments on the extent to which the 
Agency should consider multi-media pollutant reduction opportunities in 
deciding which guidelines to develop or revise. For example, should the 
Agency assign greater weight to revising a guideline that has the 
opportunity to reduce the loading of 100 million pounds of nutrients 
into surface waters impaired by nutrient pollution, or one that might 
reduce nutrient loading by 80 million pounds but also reduce noxious 
odors and emissions of greenhouse gases?
    Level of Effort Devoted to Effluent Guidelines: Since Congress 
passed the 1972 Clean Water Act, EPA has promulgated effluent 
guidelines that address over 50 industry categories. These regulations 
apply to between 35,000 and 45,000 facilities that discharge directly 
to the nation's waters, as well as another 12,000 facilities that 
discharge into publicly owned treatment works. These regulations are 
responsible for preventing the discharge of almost 700 billion pounds 
of pollutants each year.
    In addition to the technology-based effluent guidelines program, 
EPA and the States implement a wide range of water-quality based 
programs also designed to protect and restore the Nation's waters. For 
example, the water quality standards adopted by all States, Territories 
and 20 authorized Tribes are the regulatory and scientific foundation 
for the Nation's water quality-based programs. Water quality standards 
are used to assess impairments in U.S. waters, to establish targets and 
load reductions needed in impaired waters through total maximum daily 
loads (TMDLs), and to set limits on pollutants through enforceable 
NPDES permits where technology-based limits are insufficient to protect 
water quality.
    Under EPA and State permit programs, industrial discharge 
restrictions--in the form of technology-based and water-quality based 
effluent limitations--have controlled over 48,000 individual industrial 
facilities through the issuance of individual NPDES permits, and 
controlled thousands more through general permits. Fish are coming 
back, habitats are recovering, and many miles of formerly contaminated 
beaches are now safe for swimmers. However, we have not achieved water 
quality objectives in many water bodies. Many of the remaining 
pollutants come from sources that are not related to industrial 
discharges, such as non-point source runoff from agricultural lands, 
stormwater flows from cities, seepage into ground water from nonpoint 
sources, and loss of critical habitats such as wetlands.

[[Page 71169]]

    One facet of EPA's overall approach to resolving the remaining 
water quality problems is the continued implementation of the national 
effluent guidelines program to address water quality problems 
associated with industrial dischargers. As EPA moves forward to address 
the remaining water quality problems, EPA invites comment on whether it 
should devote the same, less, or greater resources to the effluent 
guidelines program as it has in the past.

VI. Public Meeting

    An important first step in the planning process is to consult with 
authorized States and Tribes, pretreatment control authorities, and 
professional associations to obtain their recommendations on revising 
existing effluent guidelines and identifying industries for new 
guidelines. These stakeholders can help identify water quality concerns 
related to industrial categories as well as changes in industries which 
affect the administration and effectiveness of existing regulations. 
EPA recognizes that there are other stakeholders who also may have 
concerns or data indicating the need for new or revised regulations, or 
revisions to EPA's draft Strategy.
    Therefore, the Agency will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, 
January 15 from 9 a.m. to noon, to discuss the goals and the elements 
of the draft Strategy. This informational meeting will be held in the 
EPA East Building, Room 1153, 1201 Constitution Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC. No registration is required for this meeting. If you 
need special accommodations at this meeting, please contact Pat 
Harrigan at (202) 566-1666 or [email protected] at least five 
business days before the meeting so that appropriate arrangements can 
be made.
    For security reasons, we request that you bring photo 
identification with you to the meeting. Also, if you let us know in 
advance of your plans to attend, it will expedite the process of 
signing in. Seating will be provided on a first-come, first-served 
basis. Please note that parking is very limited in downtown Washington, 
and use of public transit is recommended. The EPA Headquarters complex 
is located near the Federal Triangle Metro station. Upon exiting the 
Metro station, walk east to 12th Street. On 12th Street, walk south to 
Constitution Avenue. At the corner, turn right onto Constitution Avenue 
and proceed to the EPA East Building entrance.
    During the meeting, EPA will present an overview of the draft 
Strategy, including the factors the Agency expects to consider and the 
cycle of steps involved in its application. EPA will also allow time 
for questions and answers during these sessions. The Agency also 
encourages participants to identify and provide supporting data and/or 
rationales on existing effluent guidelines that EPA should consider 
revising, or on any industrial categories for which the Agency should 
consider developing new effluent guidelines. This meeting is not a 
public hearing for the purpose of obtaining comment on the draft 
Strategy. EPA will not generate a transcript of the meeting. The public 
may submit written comments as described in the ``How to Submit 
Comments'' section above.

VII. Industrial Wastewater and Best Available Treatment Technologies 
Conference

    EPA has established effluent limitation guidelines and pretreatment 
standards for more than 50 industries. (A list of the currently 
regulated industries is provided in the draft Strategy at appendix 1, 
which can be found on EPA's Web site at http://www.epa.gov/guide/strategy.) Over the last 30 years, these industries have accumulated 
much expertise and experience in wastewater treatment process design 
and operation to comply with these regulations. Vanderbilt University 
and the U.S. EPA are co-sponsoring a technical conference to provide a 
forum to share experiences with process design and regulatory 
compliance.
    Representatives of academia, government, and industry are invited 
to convene to examine and discuss industry trends and technology 
advances as they affect regulatory compliance and sustainable growth. 
Participants will have the opportunity to both provide and obtain 
information on state of the art techniques for addressing their water 
pollution control activities. These may include improvements to 
traditional wastewater treatment processes as well as process changes 
and best management practices that lead to reductions in pollutant 
generation.
    The BAT conference will be held from February 26 through February 
28, 2003 at the Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt University, located at 
2555 West End Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee, 37203. Registration is 
required. More information, including registration and specific topics, 
is available at http://frontweb.vuse.vanderbilt.edu/bat/, or contact 
Jan Matuszko at (202) 566-1035 or e-mail her at [email protected].

    Dated: November 22, 2002.
G. Tracy Mehan, III,
Assistant Administrator for Water.
[FR Doc. 02-30262 Filed 11-27-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P