[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 13, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1683-1684]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-469]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8761-6]


Total Coliform Rule / Distribution Systems Advisory Committee 
Agreement In Principle

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of agreement in principle.

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SUMMARY: In September 2008, the Total Coliform Rule/Distribution 
Systems Advisory Committee (Committee) signed an Agreement in 
Principle, making recommendations to the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency on revisions to the Total Coliform Rule 
and research/information needs to better inform distribution system 
issues. The purpose of this notice is to make available to the public 
the Agreement in Principle, which includes the full recommendations of 
the Committee. The Agreement in Principle can be found on EPA's Office 
of Water, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water's Web site.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Agreement in Principle (AIP) can 
be accessed on the Agency's Web site at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/disinfection/tcr/regulation_revisions.html. If accessing the AIP 
through EPA's Web site is not possible or for general information, 
contact the Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 or go to the 
Internet Web site http://www.epa.gov/safewater/disinfection/tcr/regulation_revisions_tcrdsac.html. For technical inquiries, contact 
Karl Anderson, Standards and Risk Management Division, Office of Ground 
Water and Drinking Water (MC 4607M), Environmental Protection Agency, 
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 
(202) 564-2833; fax number: (202) 564-3767; e-mail address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Total Coliform Rule (TCR) is a National 
Primary Drinking Water Regulation, originally promulgated in 1989 by 
EPA under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), 42 U.S.C. 300f et seq., 
which sets both health goals (MCLGs) and legal limits (MCLs) for the 
presence of microbial indicators, such as total coliform, in drinking 
water. The rule also details the type and frequency of testing public 
water systems must undertake. EPA announced its intent to revise the 
rule in 2003.
    In June 2007, EPA established the Total Coliform Rule/Distribution 
System Advisory Committee (Committee, TCRDSAC) in accordance with the 
provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C. 
App.2, 9 (c). The purpose of the TCRDSAC was to advise and make 
recommendations to the Agency on revisions to the TCR, and on what 
information about distribution systems is needed to better understand 
the public health impact from the degradation of drinking water quality 
in distribution systems. The Committee's activities included efforts to 
utilize available information, analyze options for revisions to the TCR 
and to consider research and information needed to better understand 
and address public health risks from contamination of distribution 
systems.
    The Committee consisted of organizational members representing EPA, 
public interest groups, State and local public health and regulatory 
agencies, local elected officials, Indian tribes, and drinking water 
suppliers. The Committee met on 13 occasions between July 2007 and 
September 2008.
    All Committee members signed a final AIP in September 2008. The AIP 
contains recommendations on which all

[[Page 1684]]

members of the Committee agreed. The recommendations can be divided 
into two main topics. The first topic is recommendations on how EPA 
should revise the TCR while maintaining or improving public health 
protection. The second topic concerns what data should be collected, 
research conducted, and/or risk management strategies evaluated to 
better inform distribution system contaminant occurrence and associated 
public health risks.
    Today's notice, in addition to its posting on the EPA's TCR Web 
page, provides additional notification to the public regarding the 
availability of the AIP. In accordance with its usual rule development 
process, the Agency will provide a public comment period for the 
proposed Revised Total Coliform Rule when it is published and will 
address those comments in completing the final rule.
    The Agreement in Principle (AIP) is the result of a tremendous 
collaborative effort and EPA would like to express its appreciation to 
all members of the Committee, as well as to members of the Technical 
Workgroup that supported the Committee.

    Dated: January 7, 2009.
Cynthia C. Dougherty,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. E9-469 Filed 1-12-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P