[Federal Register: March 21, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 53)]
[Notices]
[Page 13499-13500]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21mr05-69]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7887-3]


National Drinking Water Advisory Council's Water Security Working
Group Teleconference Announcement

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces the second
public teleconference of the Water Security Working Group (WSWG) of the
National Drinking Water Advisory Council (NDWAC), which was established
under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The purpose of this teleconference
call is to provide an opportunity for the WSWG members to continue
deliberations on their draft report and recommendations on features of
active and effective security programs for the water sector (drinking
water and wastewater utilities), including incentives to encourage
broad adoption of active and effective security programs and measures
to track the performance of water security programs. The teleconference
will be open to the public by advance registration; an opportunity for
public comment will be provided during that time. WSWG findings and
recommendations will be provided to the NDWAC for their consideration.
The WSWG anticipates providing findings and recommendations to the
NDWAC in spring 2005. The WSWG has met in-person four times and had one
previous public teleconference. One additional in-person meeting of the
WSWG and one additional public teleconference are planned and will be
announced in the near future.

DATES: The second WSWG teleconference will take place from 1:30 p.m. to
3:30 p.m., eastern standard time, on Thursday, April 7, 2005.

ADDRESSES: The teleconference will be held in the EPA East Building,
which is located at 1201 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC
20004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Interested participants from the
public should contact Marc Santora, Designated Federal Officer, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Ground Water and Drinking
Water, Water Security Division (Mail Code 4601-M), 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. Please contact Marc Santora at 
santora.marc@epa.gov or call (202) 564-1597 to register and receive

pertinent details such as the telephone number and extension to
participate in the teleconference.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The WSWG charge is to: (1) Identify, compile, and characterize best
security practices and policies for drinking water and wastewater
utilities and provide an approach for considering and adopting these
practices and policies at a utility level; (2) consider mechanisms to
provide recognition and incentives that facilitate a broad and
receptive response among the water sector to implement these best
security practices and policies and make recommendations as
appropriate; and (3) consider mechanisms to measure the extent of
implementation of these best security practices and policies, identify
the impediments to their implementation, and make recommendations as
appropriate. The Group is comprised of sixteen members from water and
wastewater utilities, public health, academia, state regulators, and
environmental and community interests. It is supported by technical
experts from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of
Homeland Security, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and
the Department of Defense.

Obtaining Teleconference Information

    Teleconference lines are available on a first-come, first-served
basis. The Designated Federal Officer will reserve a limited amount of
teleconference lines for members of the public that are outside of the
Washington, DC metropolitan commuting area and are unable to attend in
person. Any interested person who wishes to obtain the teleconference
information must contact the Designated Federal Officer at the phone
number or e-mail address listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section of this notice. Contact must be made at least twenty-four hours
in advance of the scheduled start of the teleconference to obtain the
call information.

[[Page 13500]]

Public Comment

    An opportunity for public comment will take place during the WSWG
teleconference. Oral statements will be limited to five minutes, and it
is preferred that only one person present a statement on behalf of a
group or organization. Written comments may be provided before, during,
or after the meeting and may also be sent by e-mail to Marc Santora,
Designated Federal Officer for the WSWG, at the e-mail address listed
in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice.
    Special Accommodations: Any person needing special accommodations
at this meeting, including wheelchair access, should contact Marc
Santora, Designated Federal Officer, at the number or e-mail address
listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice.
Requests for special accommodations should be made at least five
business days in advance of the WSWG teleconference.

    Dated: March 15, 2005.
Cynthia C. Dougherty,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. 05-5519 Filed 3-18-05; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P