[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 176 (Tuesday, September 11, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55833-55834]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-22344]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2012-0035; FRL-9726-8]


Announcement of Public Meeting on the Consumer Confidence Report 
(CCR) Rule Retrospective Review and Request for Public Comment on 
Potential Approaches to Electronic Delivery of the CCR

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting and request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be holding 
a public meeting on October 1, 2012, to listen to stakeholder comments 
on potential approaches for providing Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR) 
via electronic delivery. EPA plans to discuss its analysis of 
electronic delivery and present potential approaches and considerations 
for stakeholders to evaluate when pursuing electronic delivery of CCRs. 
EPA invites the public to participate in this listening session. EPA 
has posted the draft CCR Electronic Delivery Approaches document for 
public comment on its Web site at http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/sdwa/ccr/. The instructions for registration for the meeting 
are located in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

DATES: The listening session will be held on October 1, 2012, from 1:00 
p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. The 30-day public comment 
period starts September 11, 2012 and will end on October 11, 2012.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the EPA's Potomac Yards North 
(Bldg. 2), 2733 S. Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22202, and will be open 
to the public.
    How to Access Information: Meeting materials, including the draft 
CCR Electronic Delivery Approaches document, will be emailed to 
registrants or they can be accessed through EPA Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OW-2012-0035 and EPA's Web site at http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/sdwa/ccr/; background information (including the CCR and 
Public Notification Rules) is 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:

Public Meeting Registration

    Individuals planning on participating in the public meeting must 
register for the meeting at https://www.horsleywitten.com/ccrretroreview. Registration for this meeting will end on September 26, 
2012, or earlier if the meeting room capacity is reached. If there is 
additional space, on-site registration will be allowed on a first-come, 
first-served basis.

[[Page 55834]]

Meeting Information

    The session will begin with a brief presentation by the EPA Office 
of Ground Water and Drinking Water. Copies of EPA's presentation will 
be available at the meeting and posted on EPA's Web site following the 
meeting at http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/sdwa/ccr/. An oral 
comment session will follow the presentation. Oral comments will be 
limited to three (3) minutes each, and it is preferred that only one 
person present the statement on behalf of a group or organization to 
accommodate as many participants as possible. Registered attendees 
requesting to make an oral presentation will be placed on the 
commenting schedule. Time slots are limited and will be filled on a 
first-come, first-served basis. EPA may ask clarifying questions during 
the oral presentations, but will not respond to the presentations. A 
facilitated participant discussion of the potential CCR Electronic 
Delivery Approaches will follow the oral comment session. You may 
present oral comments during the meeting and/or submit written comments 
and supporting information directly to EPA up until the close of the 
public comment period on October 11, 2012, to provide an opportunity 
for participants to respond to what they heard at the meeting. Written 
statements and supporting information submitted during the comment 
period will be considered in the same manner as any oral comments and 
supporting information presented at the public meeting. Written 
comments may be submitted to [email protected]. If 
participants are finished before 4:00 p.m., the meeting may come to a 
close before the scheduled 4:00 p.m. end time. All attendees must go 
through a metal detector, sign in with the security desk and show 
government-issued photo identification to enter the building.

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 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 44512, August 19, 1998) to 
provide to its customers by July 1 each year. Community Water Systems 
(CWSs) serving more than 10,000 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. CCRs often allow for informed choices and 
increases dialogue between water systems and their customers. 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, EPA finalized its ``Plan for Periodic Retrospective 
Reviews of Existing Regulations.'' 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. EPA 
included the CCR Rule in its retrospective review plan to explore ways 
to promote greater transparency and public participation in protecting 
the nation's drinking water. Through the Agency's CCR retrospective 
review, EPA is evaluating opportunities to improve the effectiveness of 
communicating drinking water information to the public, while lowering 
the burden of CCR requirements for water systems and states. One 
example suggested by water systems is to allow electronic delivery 
through email, thereby reducing mailing charges. As EPA evaluates 
electronic delivery approaches, 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: September 4, 2012.
Nancy K. Stoner,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Water.
[FR Doc. 2012-22344 Filed 9-10-12; 8:45 am]
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