[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 22, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 3723]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-999]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8518-1]


Determination of Sole Source Aquifer Petition

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of Sole Source Aquifer Petition Determination.

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SUMMARY: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today 
provides notice that it approves the petition to designate the 
Espa[ntilde]ola Basin Aquifer System a Sole Source Aquifer. The aquifer 
is eligible for designation because it is the principal source of 
drinking water for the area covered by the petition.

ADDRESSES: The administrative record underlying today's decision was 
available for inspection at the EPA Region 6, 1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, 
Texas 75202. EPA had also posted a fact sheet, summary of public 
comments and responses, and a decision support document on its Web site 
at http://www.epa.gov/earth1r6/6wq/swp/ssa.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Bechdol, Environmental 
Scientist, Source Water Protection Branch (6WQ-SG), EPA Region 6, 1445 
Ross Ave., Dallas, TX 75202-2733, phone (214) 665-7133, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Section 1424(e) of the Safe 
Drinking Water Act (SDWA), 42 U.S.C. 300h-3(e), EPA may designate an 
aquifer a ``sole source aquifer'' if it serves as the sole or principal 
drinking water source for an area and contamination of that aquifer 
would create a significant hazard to public health. EPA may essentially 
``veto'' financial assistance proposed by Federal agencies for projects 
it finds may contaminate such a designated aquifer. To date, EPA has 
designated 75 sole source aquifers.
    On June 2, 2006, EPA received a petition for sole source aquifer 
designation from the La Cienega Valley Citizens for Environmental 
Safeguards. The petition sought designation for the Espa[ntilde]ola 
Basin Aquifer System, which covers approximately 3,000 sq miles which 
includes the cities of Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Espa[ntilde]ola. The 
area also includes the Pueblos of San Juan, Santa Clara, Pojoaque, San 
Ildefonso, Nambe, Tesuque, Picuris, and Cochiti. The U.S. census for 
2000 shows a population in the petitioned area of approximately 
172,750, including around 70,000 in the City of Santa Fe. To show the 
aquifer was the primary source of drinking water for the area, the 
petitioner relied on documentation of water rights allocated to water 
users by the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer and by U.S. 
Geological Survey's 1990 generalized estimates of water use in New 
Mexico.
    EPA published notice of the petition in the Santa Fe New Mexican 
and requested comments thereon. It received a number of comments and 
carefully considered them in reaching today's decision. EPA also 
performed an independent review of the hydrology and water use in the 
area covered by the petition. The Agency concludes that approximately 
85% of the drinking water used in the area covered by the petition is 
derived from wells in the aquifer. EPA thus approves the 
Espa[ntilde]ola Basin Aquifer System petition.

    Dated: January 10, 2008.
Richard E. Greene,
Regional Administrator, Region 6.
 [FR Doc. E8-999 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am]
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