[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 157 (Wednesday, August 14, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49510-49511]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-19750]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9900-04-OEI]


Cross-Media Electronic Reporting: Authorized Program Revision 
Approval, State of Montana

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces EPA's approval of the State of Montana's 
request to revise its National Primary Drinking Water Regulations 
Implementation EPA-authorized program to allow electronic reporting.

DATES: EPA's approval is effective September 13, 2013 for the State of 
Montana's National Primary Drinking Water Regulations Implementation 
program, if no timely request for a public hearing is received and 
accepted by the Agency.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Evi Huffer, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Information, Mail Stop 
2823T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460, (202) 566-
1697, [email protected], or Karen Seeh, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, Office of Environmental Information, Mail Stop 2823T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460, (202) 566-1175, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 13, 2005, the final Cross-Media 
Electronic Reporting Rule (CROMERR) was published in the Federal 
Register (70 FR 59848) and codified as part 3 of title 40 of the CFR. 
CROMERR establishes electronic reporting as an acceptable regulatory 
alternative to paper reporting and establishes requirements to assure 
that electronic documents are as legally dependable as their paper 
counterparts. Subpart D of CROMERR requires that state, tribal or local 
government agencies that receive,

[[Page 49511]]

or wish to begin receiving, electronic reports under their EPA-
authorized programs must apply to EPA for a revision or modification of 
those programs and obtain EPA approval. Subpart D provides standards 
for such approvals based on consideration of the electronic document 
receiving systems that the state, tribe, or local government will use 
to implement the electronic reporting. Additionally, Sec.  3.1000(b) 
through (e) of 40 CFR part 3, subpart D provides special procedures for 
program revisions and modifications to allow electronic reporting, to 
be used at the option of the state, tribe or local government in place 
of procedures available under existing program-specific authorization 
regulations. An application submitted under the subpart D procedures 
must show that the state, tribe or local government has sufficient 
legal authority to implement the electronic reporting components of the 
programs covered by the application and will use electronic document 
receiving systems that meet the applicable subpart D requirements.
    On July 12, 2012 the Montana Department of Environmental Quality 
(MT DEQ) submitted an application titled ``Safe Drinking Water 
Information System Lab to State'' for revision of its EPA-authorized 
Part 142 program under title 40 CFR. EPA reviewed MT DEQ's request to 
revise its EPA-authorized program and, based on this review, EPA 
determined that the application met the standards for approval of 
authorized program revision set out in 40 CFR part 3, subpart D, for 
electronic reporting of drinking water data that does not require 
signature or include an electronic signature. In accordance with 40 CFR 
3.1000(d), this notice of EPA's decision to approve Montana's request 
to revise its Part 142--National Primary Drinking Water Regulations 
Implementation program, to allow electronic reporting of drinking water 
data that does not require signature or include an electronic 
signature, is being published in the Federal Register.
    MT DEQ was notified of EPA's determination to approve its 
application with respect to the authorized program listed above.
    Also, in today's notice, EPA is informing interested persons that 
they may request a public hearing on EPA's action to approve the State 
of Montana's request to revise its authorized public water system 
program under 40 CFR part 142, in accordance with 40 CFR 3.1000(f). 
Requests for a hearing must be submitted to EPA within 30 days of 
publication of today's Federal Register notice. Such requests should 
include the following information:
    (1) The name, address and telephone number of the individual, 
organization or other entity requesting a hearing;
    (2) A brief statement of the requesting person's interest in EPA's 
determination, a brief explanation as to why EPA should hold a hearing, 
and any other information that the requesting person wants EPA to 
consider when determining whether to grant the request;
    (3) The signature of the individual making the request, or, if the 
request is made on behalf of an organization or other entity, the 
signature of a responsible official of the organization or other 
entity.
    In the event a hearing is requested and granted, EPA will provide 
notice of the hearing in the Federal Register not less than 15 days 
prior to the scheduled hearing date. Frivolous or insubstantial 
requests for hearing may be denied by EPA. Following such a public 
hearing, EPA will review the record of the hearing and issue an order 
either affirming today's determination or rescinding such 
determination. If no timely request for a hearing is received and 
granted, EPA's approval of the State of Montana's request to revise its 
part 142--National Primary Drinking Water Regulations Implementation 
program to allow electronic reporting will become effective 30 days 
after today's notice is published, pursuant to CROMERR section 
3.1000(f)(4).

    Dated: August 8, 2013.
Andrew Battin,
Director, Office of Information Collection.
[FR Doc. 2013-19750 Filed 8-13-13; 8:45 am]
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