[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 146 (Monday, July 30, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 44562]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-18525]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Parts 141 and 142

[FRL-9708-1]


Public Meeting: Potential Regulatory Implications of the 
Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act of 2011

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting a 
public meeting on August 16, 2012, to discuss and solicit input from 
States, manufacturers, drinking water systems, other interested groups 
and consumers on the implementation of the Reduction of Lead in 
Drinking Water Act of 2011 (``the Act''). The Act was signed on January 
4, 2011, and will be effective on January 4, 2014. The Act amended 
Section 1417 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), which prohibits the 
use of certain plumbing products that are not ``lead free'' (as defined 
by SDWA), and makes it unlawful to introduce into commerce products 
that are not ``lead free.''

DATES: The public meeting will be held at the Environmental Protection 
Agency Conference Center (lobby level-room 1204). One Potomac Yard 
(South Building) 2777 S. Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22202 on 
Thursday, August 16, 2012, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Eastern 
Daylight Time (EDT). All attendees must go through a metal detector, 
sign in with the security desk, and show government issued photo 
identification to enter the building. Teleconference and webcast 
attendance will be available. Instructions for registration for the 
meeting are located in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this 
notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information about this 
meeting, contact Lameka Smith, Standards and Risk Management Division, 
Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water; by phone (202) 564-1629 or 
by email [email protected]:. For the full text of the 
Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act of 2011, please visit: 
www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW.../pdf/PLAW-111publ380.pdf. For additional 
information about the Lead and Copper Rule, please visit: http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/sdwa/lcr/index.cfm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Registration: Individuals planning to attend in person, by 
teleconference, or via webcast must register for the meeting by 
contacting Junie Percy of IntelliTech at (937) 427-4148 ext. 210, or by 
email [email protected] no later than August 15, 2012. There 
is no charge for attending this public meeting, but seats and phone 
lines are limited, so please register as soon as possible.
    Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act: The Act made several key 
changes to Section 1417: First, the Act changed the definition of 
``lead-free'' under SDWA by reducing the lead content to a weighted 
average of not more than 0.25% in the wetted surface material. Second, 
the Act also amended the definition of ``lead free'' by adding a 
specific formula for calculating lead content. Third, the Act created 
two separate exemptions to the prohibitions on the use and introduction 
into commerce of products that are not ``lead-free.'' Some of the 
changes the Act makes to SDWA Section 1417 raise implementation 
challenges and issues that may warrant regulatory changes beyond 
codification of the statutory changes into the Code of Federal 
Regulations. EPA would make any needed regulatory changes as part of 
the Lead and Copper Rule long-term revisions (LCR-LTR). However, 
because the final LCR-LTR will be published after the effective date of 
the Act, EPA intends to provide information to assist plumbing 
manufacturers, States, water systems, plumbing retailers and other 
affected parties in implementing the provisions of the Act starting in 
2014. Information from this stakeholder meeting will help inform 
regulatory revisions that will be included in the LCR-LTR.
    Special Accommodations: For information on access or to request 
special accommodations for individuals with disabilities, please 
contact Lameka Smith, Standards and Risk Management Division, Office of 
Ground Water and Drinking Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; 
by telephone (202) 564-1629 or email [email protected]:. 
Please allow at least five business days prior to the meeting to 
provide EPA with time to process your request.

    Dated: July 24, 2012.
Pamela S. Barr,
Acting Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. 2012-18525 Filed 7-27-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P