[Federal Register: November 2, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 212)]
[Notices]
[Page 64524-64525]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02no06-40]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-8237-7]
Northern Tug Hill Glacial Aquifer in Jefferson, Lewis, and
Oswego, Counties, NY; Sole Source Aquifer; Final Determination
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that pursuant to Section 1424(e) of the
Safe Drinking Water Act, the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that the Northern Tug Hill
Glacial Aquifer, underlying portions of Jefferson, Lewis, and Oswego
Counties, New York, is the sole or principal source of drinking water
for the Hamlet of Adams Center, Hamlet of Pierrepont Manor, Village of
Adams, Village of Lacona, Village of Mannsville, and Village of Sandy
Creek and that this aquifer, if contaminated would create a significant
hazard to public health. As a result of this action, all Federal
financially assisted projects constructed in the Northern Tug Hill
Glacial Aquifer Area and its stream flow source zone (upstream portions
of the drainage basin) will be subject to EPA review to ensure that
these projects are designed and constructed so they do not create a
significant hazard to public health.
DATES: This determination shall be effective at 1 p.m. eastern time on
November 16, 2006.
ADDRESSES: The data upon which this finding are based are available to
the public and may be inspected during normal business hours at the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region II, Freshwater Protection
Section, Community and Ecosystem Protection Branch, Floor 24, 290
Broadway, New York, New York 10007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lawrence E. Rinaldo, Geologist,
Freshwater Protection Section, Environmental Protection Agency, Region
II, 290 Broadway, Floor 24, New York, New York, 10007, (212) 637-3820.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Section 1424(e) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300h-
3(e), Public Law 93-523 of December 16, 1974 states:
(e) If the Administrator determines, on his own initiative or
upon petition, that an area has an aquifer which is the sole or
principal drinking water source for the area and which, if
contaminated, would create a significant hazard to public health, he
shall publish a notice of the determination in the Federal Register.
After publication of any such notice, no commitment for Federal
financial assistance (through a grant, contract, loan guarantee, or
otherwise) may be entered into for any project which the
Administrator determines may contaminate such aquifer through a
recharge zone so as to create a significant hazard to public health,
but a commitment for Federal financial assistance may, if authorized
under another provision of law, be entered into to plan or design
the project to assure that it will not so contaminate the aquifer.
On September 16, 2003, EPA received a petition from Peggy
Manchester, Mayor, Village of Lacona, New York which petitioned EPA to
designate the Northern Tug Hill Glacial Aquifer as a sole source
aquifer. On July 9, 2006, EPA published a notice in the Watertown Daily
News, which served to announce a public comment period and opportunity
for a public hearing. The public was permitted to submit comments and
information on the petition until August 9, 2006. There was not any
request for a public hearing. Public comments received by EPA were
considered to be in support of the designation.
II. Basis for Determination
Among the factors to be considered by the Regional Administrator in
connection with the designation of an area under Section 1424(e) are:
(1) Whether the Northern Tug Hill Glacial Aquifer is the area's sole or
principal source of drinking water and (2) whether contamination of the
aquifer would create a significant hazard to public health. On the
basis of technical information available to EPA, the Regional
Administrator has made the following findings, which are the basis for
the determination in favor of designating the Northern Tug Hill Glacial
Aquifer as a Sole Source Aquifer:
1. The Northern Tug Hill Glacial Aquifer currently serves as the
``sole source'' of drinking water for approximately 4,970 persons in
the defined service area, which includes the Hamlet of Adams Center,
Hamlet of Pierrepont Manor, Village of Adams, Village of Lacona,
Village of Mannsville, and Village of Sandy Creek.
2. There is no existing alternative drinking water source or
combination of sources which provides fifty percent or more of the
drinking water to the designated area, nor is there any available cost
effective future source capable of supplying the drinking water demands
for the population served by the aquifer service area.
3. The Northern Tug Hill Glacial Aquifer, which consists of a
crescent shaped glacial outwash and stratified drift deposits of sand
and gravel along the west and southwest flanks of the Tug Hill Plateau.
As a result of its highly permeable soil characteristics, the aquifer
is susceptible to contamination through its recharge zone as the top of
the aquifer is at land surface. The primary land use activity in the
Northern Tug Hill Glacial Aquifer area is agriculture, with
agricultural land being fertilized, either with commercial fertilizer
or manure, and in some areas excess nitrogen from the fertilizer is
carried to the aquifer. Other sources of nitrogen contamination are
septic systems and barnyard runoff. Since ground water contamination
can be difficult or sometimes impossible to reverse and since the
communities noted above rely on the Northern Tug Hill Glacial Aquifer
for drinking water purposes, contamination of the aquifer would pose a
significant public health hazard.
[[Page 64525]]
III. Description of the Northern Tug Hill Glacial Aquifer, Sole Source
Aquifer of the Jefferson, Lewis and Oswego Counties Area, Their
Recharge Zone and Their Streamflow Source Zone
The Northern Tug Hill Glacial Aquifer is delineated by the crescent
shaped glacial outwash and stratified drift deposits of sand and gravel
along the west and southwest flanks of the Tug Hill Plateau, which
covers approximately 21 miles from the Town of Adams in Jefferson
County south into the Town in Richland in Oswego County, New York. The
area in which Federal financially assisted projects will be subject to
review is the portion of the Northern Tug Hill Glacial Aquifer in
Jefferson, Lewis and Oswego Counties area, the recharge zone and the
streamflow source zone.
For purposes of this designation, the Northern Tug Hill Glacial
Aquifer is considered to include portions of eight towns in Jefferson
County (Adams, Champion, Ellisburg, Lorraine, Rodman, Rutland,
Watertown, and Worth), portions of towns in Lewis County (Denmark,
Montague, and Pinckney), and portions of four towns in Oswego County
(Boylston, Redfield, Richland, and Sandy Creek). The recharge zone is
considered to be very permeable portions of the aquifer within
Jefferson, and Oswego Counties. The streamflow source zone is that
portion of the drainage basin composing the upstream headwaters area or
watershed area for the losing streams that cross the Northern Tug Hill
Glacial Aquifer for Jefferson, Lewis and Oswego Counties area.
IV. Information Utilized in Determination
The information utilized in this determination included the
petition, various U.S. Geological Survey reports, information contained
in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency files, and written and
verbal comments from public. These materials are available to the
public and may be inspected during normal business house at the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Region II, Freshwater Protection
Section, 290 Broadway, New York, New York 10007.
V. Project Review
Publication of this determination requires that EPA review proposed
projects with Federal financial assistance in order to ensure that such
projects do not have the potential to contaminate the Northern Tug Hill
Glacial Aquifer through its aquifer and streamflow source areas as to
create a significant hazard to public health. In many cases, those
projects may also be analyzed in an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C.
4332(2)(c). All EISs, as well as any other proposed Federal actions
affecting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency program, are
required by Federal law (under the ``NEPA/309'' process) to be reviewed
and commented upon by the EPA Administrator.
In order to streamline the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
reviews of the possible environmental impacts on designated sole source
aquifers, when an action is to be analyzed in an EIS, the two reviews
will be consolidated and both authorities cited. The EPA review under
Section 1424(e) will be therefore included in the EPA review of the EIS
(under NEPA).
VI. Summary
Today's action affects the Northern Tug Hill Glacial Aquifer system
located in Jefferson, Lewis and Oswego Counties, New York. Projects
with Federal financial assistance proposed for portions within the
Northern Tug Hill Glacial Aquifer will be reviewed to ensure that their
activities will not endanger public health through contamination of the
aquifer. A public notice was published in the Watertown Daily News on
Sunday, July 9, 2006, one comment was received which is considered in
support of the designation of the Northern Tug Hill Glacial Aquifer.
Dated: October 25, 2006.
Alan J. Steinberg,
Regional Administrator, Region II.
[FR Doc. E6-18487 Filed 11-1-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P