[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 80 (Tuesday, April 26, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24603-24604]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-09579]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9944-14-OEI]


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

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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

DATES: EPA's approval is effective May 26, 2016 for the State of Rhode 
Island'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: 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, 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

[[Page 24604]]

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. Once an authorized 
program has EPA's approval to accept electronic documents under certain 
programs, CROMERR Sec.  3.1000(a)(4) requires that the program keep EPA 
apprised of any changes to laws, policies, or the electronic document 
receiving systems that have the potential to affect the program's 
compliance with CROMERR Sec.  3.2000.
    On March 16, 2016, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RI DOH) 
submitted an amended application titled Compliance Monitoring Data 
Portal for revision to its EPA-approved drinking water program under 
title 40 CFR to allow new electronic reporting. EPA reviewed RI DOH'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/modification set out in 40 CFR part 3, 
subpart D. In accordance with 40 CFR 3.1000(d), this notice of EPA's 
decision to approve Rhode Island's request to revise its Part 142--
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations Implementation program to 
allow electronic reporting under 40 CFR part 141 is being published in 
the Federal Register.
    RI DOH 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 Rhode Island'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 Rhode Island'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).

Matthew Leopard,
Director, Office of Information Collection.
[FR Doc. 2016-09579 Filed 4-25-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P