[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 159 (Wednesday, August 18, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51284-51285]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-19006]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7803-2]


National Drinking Water Advisory Council's Water Security Working 
Group Meeting Announcement

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hereby announcing 
a meeting of the Water Security Working Group (WSWG) of the National 
Drinking Water Advisory Council (NDWAC), established under the Safe 
Drinking Water Act. The purpose of this meeting is to provide an 
opportunity for the WSWG members to finalize the working group ground 
rules, operating procedures, and project plan; to discuss coordination 
with other on-going efforts; and to begin deliberation on an approach 
to complete the WSWG charge. The WSWG members are meeting to analyze 
relevant issues and facts pursuant to the charge to develop 
recommendations for best security practices and policies for drinking 
water and wastewater facilities for NDWAC's consideration.

DATES: The first WSWG public meeting will take place on August 31, 
2004, from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., Pacific Standard Time (PST) and 
September 2, 2004, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., PST. The meeting on 
September 1, 2004, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., PST, will be closed to the 
public.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at the Hotel Monaco Seattle, 
which is located at 1101 4th Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98101.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Interested participants from the 
public should contact Marc Santora, Designated Federal Officer, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Ground Water and Drinking 
Water, Water Security Division (Mail Code 4601-M), 1200 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. Please contact Marc Santora at 
[email protected] or call (202) 564-1597 to receive additional 
details.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The August 31 and September 2, 2004, meeting 
is open to the public. Statements from the public will be taken if time 
permits on both days. Oral statements will be limited to five minutes, 
and it is preferred that only one person present the statement on 
behalf of a group or organization.
    The September 1, 2004, meeting will be closed to the public, as the

[[Page 51285]]

discussion will involve the disclosure of sensitive information 
relating to specific water sector vulnerabilities. Since the WSWG, as a 
working group to the NDWAC, is not a Federal advisory committee, it is 
not subject to the same public disclosure laws that govern NDWAC, which 
is a Federal advisory committee. Until the working group agrees on the 
protocol to be used to close any portion of future meetings, one day of 
this meeting (September 1, 2004) will only be open to WSWG members, 
Federal resource personnel, facilitation support contractors, and 
outside experts identified by the facilitation support contractors.
    Any person needing special accommodations at this meeting, 
including wheelchair access, should contact Marc Santora, Designated 
Federal Officer, at the number or e-mail under the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section, at least five business days in advance.

Background

    The WSWG charge is to: (1) Identify, compile, and characterize best 
security practices and policies for drinking water and wastewater 
utilities and provide an approach for considering and adopting these 
practices and policies at a utility level; (2) consider mechanisms to 
provide recognition and incentives that facilitate a broad and 
receptive response among the water sector to implement these best 
security practices and policies and make recommendations as 
appropriate; (3) consider mechanisms to measure the extent of 
implementation of these best security practices and policies, identify 
the impediments to their implementation, and make recommendations as 
appropriate.

    Dated: August 13, 2004.
Cynthia C. Dougherty,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. 04-19006 Filed 8-17-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P