[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 149 (Monday, August 3, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46620-46621]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-16726]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[R01-OW-2020; FRL-10012-96-Region 1]


Program Requirement Revisions Related to the Public Water System 
Supervision Programs for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the State 
of Connecticut and the State of New Hampshire

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 
the State of Connecticut and the State of New Hampshire are revising 
their respective approved Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) 
programs to meet the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act 
(SDWA).

DATES: All interested parties may request a public hearing for any of 
the above EPA determinations. A request for a public hearing must be 
submitted by September 2, 2020, to the Regional Administrator at the 
address shown below. Frivolous or insubstantial requests for a hearing 
may be denied by the Regional Administrator.
    However, if a substantial request for a public hearing is made by 
this date, a public hearing will be held. If no timely and appropriate 
request for a hearing is received, and the Regional Administrator does 
not elect to hold a hearing on his/her own motion, this determination 
shall become final and effective September 2, 2020.
    Any request for a public hearing shall 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 the Regional 
Administrator's determination; (3) information that the requesting 
person intends to submit at such hearing; and (4) 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.

ADDRESSES: All documents relating to this determination are available 
for inspection between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, at the following office(s): U.S. Environmental 
Protection, Water Division, 5 Post Office Square, Suite 100, Boston, MA 
02109-3912.
    For state-specific documents:

Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Drinking Water, One Winter Street, 
Boston, MA 02108

[[Page 46621]]

Connecticut Department of Public Health, Drinking Water Section, 410 
Capital Avenue, Hartford, CT 06134
New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, Drinking Water and 
Groundwater Bureau, 29 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03302-0095

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeri Weiss, U.S. EPA-New England, 
Water Division, telephone (617) 918-1568.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has 
adopted a drinking water regulation for the Arsenic Rule (66 FR 6976) 
promulgated on January 22, 2001. After review of documentation 
submitted by the Commonwealth, the Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA) has determined that the Commonwealth's Arsenic Rule is no less 
stringent than the corresponding federal regulation, with the 
understanding that the Commonwealth's regulation includes a 
typographical error that the Commonwealth has agreed to correct. EPA 
considers this issue to be minor and believes it should not preclude 
granting the Commonwealth primacy for the reasons detailed below.
    The Commonwealth of Massachusetts revised its Drinking Water 
Regulations for Arsenic promulgated at 310 CMR 22.06, 310 CMR 22.07A, 
and 310 CMR 22.07B effective December 6, 2002. Under federal 
regulations, the arsenic Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) is 0.01 mg/l. 
The Commonwealth's regulation contains the correct value for the 
arsenic MCL. However, there is a typographical error in the 
Commonwealth's public notice requirements at 310 CMR 22.16 Table 7.C., 
Standard Health Effects Language for Public Notification. In that 
table, the Commonwealth erroneously lists the MCL for arsenic as 0.05 
mg/l when it should read 0.01 mg/l. MCL. Despite the typographical 
error, the Commonwealth issues reports based on exceedances of the 
correct value for the arsenic MCL. The Commonwealth has indicated that 
it will correct the typographical error in its upcoming regulatory 
revision later this year. Therefore, EPA intends to approve the 
Commonwealth's PWSS program revision for its Arsenic rule.
    The State of Connecticut has adopted a drinking water regulation 
for the Consumer Confidence Report Rule (63 FR 44511) promulgated on 
August 19, 1998, the Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (63 
FR 69478-69521) promulgated on December 16, 1998, and the Long Term 1 
Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (67 FR 1812) promulgated on 
January 14, 2002. After review of the documentation submitted by the 
State, EPA has determined that the State of Connecticut's regulation 
for these three drinking water rules is no less stringent than the 
corresponding federal regulations. EPA intends to approve Connecticut's 
PWSS program revision for these three rules.
    The State of New Hampshire has adopted a drinking water regulation 
for the Arsenic Rule (66 FR 6976) promulgated on January 22, 2001. 
After review of the documentation submitted by the State, EPA has 
determined that the state of New Hampshire's rule is no less stringent 
than the corresponding federal regulation. EPA's primary enforcement 
responsibility regulations require states that accept electronic 
documents from public water systems to have adopted regulations 
consistent with 40 CFR part 3 (electronic reporting). New Hampshire 
accepts electronic documents and is in the process of completing 
elements of its electronic reporting program that will supplement the 
State's already existing legal authority under the State's Uniform 
Electronic Transactions Act. Therefore, EPA intends to approve New 
Hampshire's PWSS program revision for its Arsenic rule.

(Authority: Section 1401 (42 U.S.C 300f) and Section 1413 (42 U.S.C 
300g-2) of the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended (1996), and (40 
CFR 142.10) of the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations)

    Dated: July 27, 2020.
Dennis Deziel,
Regional Administrator, EPA Region 1--New England.
[FR Doc. 2020-16726 Filed 7-31-20; 8:45 am]
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