[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 248 (Thursday, December 26, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 78802]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-32566]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7429-1]


Report to Congress on the Impacts and Control of Combined Sewer 
Overflows and Sanitary Sewer Overflows; Availability of Public Health 
Experts Workshop Summary (EPA 833-R-02-002)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: Pub. L. 106-554 required EPA to provide to Congress a report 
on the impacts and control of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and 
sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs). In evaluating the extent of human 
health impacts caused by municipal CSOs and SSOs, EPA invited a group 
of public health experts to participate in a facilitated discussion of 
this issue on August 14 and 15, 2003, in Arlington, Virginia. EPA has 
published a summary of this meeting under publication number EPA 833-R-
02-002.

ADDRESSES: To obtain paper copies of the summary, contact Kevin DeBell, 
EPA Office of Wastewater Management, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Mail 
Code 4203M, Washington, DC 20460; telephone (202) 564-0040; e-mail 
[email protected]; fax (202) 564-6392. To obtain an electronic copy 
of the summary, visit EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination 
System Web site at http://www.epa.gov/npdes/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin DeBell, EPA Office of Wastewater 
Management, telephone (202) 564-0040, e-mail [email protected], fax 
(202) 564-6392.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Consolidated Appropriations Act for 
Fiscal Year 2001, Pub. L. 106-554 (also referred to as the ``Wet 
Weather Water Quality Act of 2000''), required EPA to provide two 
Reports to Congress. The first report, ``Implementation and Enforcement 
of the Combined Sewer Overflow Control Policy (EPA 833-R-01-003),'' was 
delivered on January 29, 2002. The second report, due to Congress on 
December 15, 2003, must summarize:
    (A) The extent of the human health and environmental impacts caused 
by municipal CSOs and SSOs, including the location of discharges 
causing such impacts, the volume of pollutants discharged, and the 
constituents discharged;
    (B) The resources spent by municipalities to address these impacts; 
and
    (C) An evaluation of the technologies used by municipalities to 
address these impacts.
    In assessing the human health impact of CSOs and SSOs, initial 
research revealed that relatively little data were available. Factors 
complicating data collection in this area include public perception of 
reporting overflows in recreational areas; difficulty in separating 
sewer overflow loadings of pathogens from other sources; multiple 
pathways for illness; underreporting of waterborne illnesses; and a 
lack of comprehensive tracking for such illnesses.
    In response to these challenges, EPA held a Public Health Impacts 
Experts Workshop on August 14 and 15, 2002. A group of nine external 
and EPA experts in public health, epidemiology, and wastewater 
treatment attended the workshop. Observers included representatives of 
stakeholder organizations and EPA personnel. The workshop intended to 
elucidate issues associated with sewer overflow health impacts; to 
review and supplement data sources; and to critique the proposed 
methodology for this effort. The workshop solicited individual opinions 
and provided a forum for information exchange.
    The summary of this workshop includes background information, 
remarks of the presenters and participants, summaries of discussion 
sessions, an attendee list, an agenda, and additional information.

    (Authority: Division B, Title I, Sec. 112, Pub. L. 106-554, 114 
Stat. 2763A-224.)

Linda Boornazian,
Director, Water Permits Division, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 02-32566 Filed 12-24-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6561-12-P