[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 23 (Friday, February 3, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 5471-5472]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-2025]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OW-2012-0035; FRL-9624-9]
40 CFR Parts 141 and 142
Announcement of Public Meeting on the Consumer Confidence Report
(CCR) Rule Retrospective Review
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be holding a
public meeting via the Internet on February 23, 2012, to obtain
stakeholder input on the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) Rule as part
of the agency's Retrospective Review of Existing Regulations. EPA plans
to discuss electronic delivery of CCRs, resource implications for
implementing CCR delivery certification, use of CCRs to meet Tier 3
Public Notification requirements, and how contaminant levels are
reported in the CCR. EPA invites the public to participate in this
information exchange on the CCR rule. The instructions for registration
for the meeting are located in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of
this notice.
DATES: The webinar will be held on February 23, 2012, from 2 p.m. to 4
p.m., Eastern Standard Time. The web dialogue will be available from
February 23, 2012, to March 9, 2012.
How To Access Information: EPA has established a docket for this
activity under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2012-0035; background
information (including the CCR and Public Notification rules) are
available in this docket. Comments received on the Preliminary Plan for
Periodic Retrospective Reviews of Existing Regulations are available
for viewing in EPA's Docket No. EPA-HQ-OA-2011-0154. Publicly available
docket materials are available either electronically through
www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the Water Docket, EPA/DC, EPA
West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The Public
Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public
Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the Water
Docket is (202) 566-2426.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adrienne Harris, Drinking Water
Protection Division, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
(MC4606M), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.,
Washington, DC 20460 at (202) 250-8793 or
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Listening Session Registration: Individuals planning on
participating in the Listening Session must register for the meeting at
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/396514342.
Web Dialogue Registration: Individuals planning on participating in
the web dialogue discussions must join the community at http://CCRRetrospectiveReview.ideascale.com.
The web dialogue will be available from February 23, 2012, to March
9, 2012, for the public to share and post comments on the dialogue.
Special Accommodations: For information on access or accommodations
for individuals with disabilities, please contact Adrienne Harris at
(202) 250-8793 or by email at [email protected]. Please
allow at least five business days prior to the meeting to give EPA time
to process your request.
Background: Consumer Confidence Reports are a key part of the
public's right-to-know as established in the 1996 Amendments to the
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA, section 1414(c)). The Consumer
Confidence Report, or CCR, is an annual water quality report that a
community water system is required by Federal regulations (63 FR 44511,
August 19, 1998) to provide to its customers each year. Community water
systems (CWSs) serving 10,000 or more persons are required to mail or
otherwise directly deliver these reports. States may allow CWSs serving
fewer than 10,000 persons to provide these reports by other means. The
report lists the regulated contaminants found in the drinking water, as
well as health effects information related to violations of the
drinking water standards. More information on CCRs can be accessed on
EPA's Web site at http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/sdwa/ccr/index.cfm.
In August 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized
its Improving Our Regulations: Final Plan for Periodic Retrospective
Reviews of Existing Regulations in response to E.O. 13563. Since 1998,
when the CCR rule was finalized, the communication of information and
the speed with which information can be shared have greatly expanded,
along with a corresponding increase in the diversity of communication
tools. The EPA included the CCR rule in its retrospective review plan
to explore ways to promote greater transparency
[[Page 5472]]
and public participation in protecting the nation's drinking water. The
agency's CCR retrospective review will look for opportunities to
improve the effectiveness of communicating drinking water information
to the public, while lowering the burden on water systems and States.
One example suggested by water systems is to allow electronic delivery
through email, thereby reducing mailing charges. As EPA evaluates
alternative delivery options and other opportunities to improve
communication with consumers, the agency will consider impacts on
consumer burden, environmental justice, and State implementation. By
improving communication, customers are better prepared to make informed
decisions and the readership of CCRs also may increase.
Dated: January 25, 2012.
Cynthia C. Dougherty,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. 2012-2025 Filed 2-2-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P