[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 215 (Monday, November 9, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57676-57677]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-26962]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8978-9]


National Drinking Water Advisory Council's Climate Ready Water 
Utilities Working Group Meeting Announcement

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is 
announcing the first teleconference meeting of the Climate Ready Water 
Utilities (CRWU) Working Group of the National Drinking Water Advisory 
Council (NDWAC). The purpose of this conference call is to provide a 
forum for the CRWU Working Group members to introduce themselves, to 
discuss the ground rules and standard operating procedures, and to 
develop an estimated time frame and approach to complete the Working 
Group charge. Any interested person or organization may attend or dial 
into the conference call (see the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
section and the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice for 
more information).

DATES: The first CRWU Working Group conference call will take place 
from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, on November 23, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Interested participants from the 
public should contact Lauren Wisniewski, Designated Federal Officer, 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Ground Water and 
Drinking Water, Water Security Division (Mail Code 4608T), 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. Please contact Lauren 
Wisniewski at [email protected] or call 202-564-2918 to 
register and receive pertinent details such as the telephone number and 
extension to participate in the conference call.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Public Participation: The CRWU Working Group encourages public 
participation and a limited number of phone lines have been reserved 
for the public. The Designated Federal Officer (DFO) will provide 
available teleconferencing lines on a first-come, first-serve basis. To 
ensure adequate time for public involvement, oral statements will be 
limited to two minutes, and it is preferred that only one person 
present the statement on behalf of a group or organization. Any person 
who wishes to file a written statement can do so before or after the 
CRWU Working Group meeting. Written statements received prior to the 
meeting will be distributed to all members of the Working Group before 
any final discussion or vote is completed. Any statements received 
after the meeting will become part of the permanent meeting file and 
will be forwarded to the CRWU Working Group members for their 
information. Any person needing special accommodations for this 
teleconference should contact the DFO, at the number or e-mail listed 
under the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section, at least five 
business days before the meeting so that appropriate arrangements can 
be made.
    Background: The Agency's National Water Program Strategy: Response 
to Climate Change (2008) document identified the need to provide 
drinking water and wastewater utilities with easy-to-use resources to 
assess the risk associated with climate change and to identify 
potential adaptation strategies. NDWAC, established under the Safe 
Drinking Water Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 300f et seq.), provides 
practical and independent advice, consultation and recommendations to 
the Agency on the activities, functions and policies related to the 
implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act. On May 28, 2009, the 
NDWAC voted on and approved the formation of the CRWU

[[Page 57677]]

Working Group. EPA anticipates that the Working Group will have five 
face-to-face meetings over the course of the next year in addition to 
conference calls and/or video conferencing on an as needed basis. After 
the Working Group completes its charge, it will make recommendations to 
the full NDWAC. The full NDWAC will, in turn, make appropriate 
recommendations to the EPA.
    Working Group Charge: The charge for the CRWU Working Group is to 
evaluate the concept of ``Climate Ready Water Utilities'' and provide 
recommendations to the full NDWAC on the development of an effective 
program for drinking water and wastewater utilities, including 
recommendations to: (1) Define and develop a baseline understanding of 
how to use available information to develop climate change adaptation 
and mitigation strategies, including ways to integrate this information 
into existing complementary programs such as the Effective Utility 
Management and Climate Ready Estuaries Program; (2) identify climate 
change-related tools, training, and products that address short-term 
and long-term needs of water and wastewater utility managers, decision 
makers, and engineers, including ways to integrate these tools and 
training into existing programs; and (3) incorporate mechanisms to 
provide recognition or incentives that facilitate broad adoption of 
climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies by the water sector 
into existing EPA Office of Water recognition and awards programs or 
new recognition programs.

    Dated: November 3, 2009.
Nanci E. Gelb,
Acting Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. E9-26962 Filed 11-6-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P