[Federal Register: May 7, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 87)]
[Notices]
[Page 21363-21364]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07my09-55]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-8902-4]
Small Drinking Water System Variances and Other Approaches for
the Equitable Consideration of Small System Customers Stakeholder
Meeting
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is giving notice of a
public meeting to discuss policies to assure equitable treatment of
small drinking water system customers. These policies include small
drinking water system variance methodologies and alternative
strategies. This meeting is open to the public and will provide a forum
for public discussion on potential changes to EPA's existing small
drinking water system variance determination methodology as well as to
discuss alternative compliance strategies (e.g., capacity development
and utilization of provisions of the Drinking Water State Revolving
Fund such as disadvantaged community loan subsidies) that could be
considered.
DATES: The public meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 20, 2009, from
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Attendees should register for the meeting by
contacting Rebecca Allen of EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking
Water at (202) 564-4689 or by e-mail at allen.rebeccak@epa.gov no later
than May 14, 2009.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Washington Plaza Hotel, 10
Thomas Circle, NW., Washington, DC 20005.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For administrative or technical
meeting information, contact Rebecca Allen, Office of Water, Office of
Ground Water and Drinking Water, Standards and Risk Management
Division, Targeting and Analysis Branch, U.S. EPA, 1201 Constitution
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460 at (202) 564-4689 or by e-mail at
allen.rebeccak@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: The 2010 Budget states that EPA is to ``* * * work with
State and local governments to address Federal drinking water policy in
order to provide equitable consideration of small system customers.''
One approach is to revise the Agency's small system variance
affordability methodology. Other approaches include capacity
development and utilization of provisions of the Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund such as disadvantaged community loan subsidies.
The 1996 amendments of the Safe Drinking Water Act provide States
the authority to grant variances to small public water systems that
cannot afford to comply with a National Primary Drinking Water
Standard. More specifically, States may issue such variances if EPA
determines that affordable compliance technologies are not available;
and EPA determines variance technologies are available that both
achieve the maximum reduction that is affordable and are protective of
public health. When issued by the State, a small system variance would
allow a system to install and maintain a variance technology in lieu of
technology that can achieve compliance with the regulation. Variances
are not available for microbial contaminants.
EPA's current methodology to determine affordable compliance
technologies for small systems compares the current household cost of
water plus the estimated additional cost to comply with a new rule to
an affordability ``threshold'' of 2.5 percent of the median household
income. This methodology is described in EPA's 1998 Announcement of
Small System Compliance Technology Lists for Existing National Primary
Drinking Water Regulations and Findings Concerning Variance
Technologies (63 FR 42032, August 6, 1998).
EPA is considering revisions to this methodology to provide
equitable consideration of small system customers. EPA believes it is
important to consider public health and compliance costs. EPA also
intends to
[[Page 21364]]
consider other approaches, such as targeted use of funding to
disadvantaged water systems. EPA plans to further consult with the
National Drinking Water Advisory Council and to review the many public
comments we received on an earlier proposal to revise the existing
methodology.
Special Accommodations
For information on access or accommodations for individuals with
disabilities, please contact Rebecca Allen at (202) 564-4689 or by e-
mail at allen.rebeccak@epa.gov. Please allow at least 10 days prior to
the meeting to give EPA time to process your request.
Dated: May 4, 2009.
Cynthia C. Dougherty,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. E9-10644 Filed 5-6-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P