[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 215 (Monday, November 9, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57676-57677]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-26962]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-8978-9]
National Drinking Water Advisory Council's Climate Ready Water
Utilities Working Group Meeting Announcement
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is
announcing the first teleconference meeting of the Climate Ready Water
Utilities (CRWU) Working Group of the National Drinking Water Advisory
Council (NDWAC). The purpose of this conference call is to provide a
forum for the CRWU Working Group members to introduce themselves, to
discuss the ground rules and standard operating procedures, and to
develop an estimated time frame and approach to complete the Working
Group charge. Any interested person or organization may attend or dial
into the conference call (see the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section and the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice for
more information).
DATES: The first CRWU Working Group conference call will take place
from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, on November 23, 2009.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Interested participants from the
public should contact Lauren Wisniewski, Designated Federal Officer,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Ground Water and
Drinking Water, Water Security Division (Mail Code 4608T), 1200
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. Please contact Lauren
Wisniewski at [email protected] or call 202-564-2918 to
register and receive pertinent details such as the telephone number and
extension to participate in the conference call.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Participation: The CRWU Working Group encourages public
participation and a limited number of phone lines have been reserved
for the public. The Designated Federal Officer (DFO) will provide
available teleconferencing lines on a first-come, first-serve basis. To
ensure adequate time for public involvement, oral statements will be
limited to two minutes, and it is preferred that only one person
present the statement on behalf of a group or organization. Any person
who wishes to file a written statement can do so before or after the
CRWU Working Group meeting. Written statements received prior to the
meeting will be distributed to all members of the Working Group before
any final discussion or vote is completed. Any statements received
after the meeting will become part of the permanent meeting file and
will be forwarded to the CRWU Working Group members for their
information. Any person needing special accommodations for this
teleconference should contact the DFO, at the number or e-mail listed
under the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section, at least five
business days before the meeting so that appropriate arrangements can
be made.
Background: The Agency's National Water Program Strategy: Response
to Climate Change (2008) document identified the need to provide
drinking water and wastewater utilities with easy-to-use resources to
assess the risk associated with climate change and to identify
potential adaptation strategies. NDWAC, established under the Safe
Drinking Water Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 300f et seq.), provides
practical and independent advice, consultation and recommendations to
the Agency on the activities, functions and policies related to the
implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act. On May 28, 2009, the
NDWAC voted on and approved the formation of the CRWU
[[Page 57677]]
Working Group. EPA anticipates that the Working Group will have five
face-to-face meetings over the course of the next year in addition to
conference calls and/or video conferencing on an as needed basis. After
the Working Group completes its charge, it will make recommendations to
the full NDWAC. The full NDWAC will, in turn, make appropriate
recommendations to the EPA.
Working Group Charge: The charge for the CRWU Working Group is to
evaluate the concept of ``Climate Ready Water Utilities'' and provide
recommendations to the full NDWAC on the development of an effective
program for drinking water and wastewater utilities, including
recommendations to: (1) Define and develop a baseline understanding of
how to use available information to develop climate change adaptation
and mitigation strategies, including ways to integrate this information
into existing complementary programs such as the Effective Utility
Management and Climate Ready Estuaries Program; (2) identify climate
change-related tools, training, and products that address short-term
and long-term needs of water and wastewater utility managers, decision
makers, and engineers, including ways to integrate these tools and
training into existing programs; and (3) incorporate mechanisms to
provide recognition or incentives that facilitate broad adoption of
climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies by the water sector
into existing EPA Office of Water recognition and awards programs or
new recognition programs.
Dated: November 3, 2009.
Nanci E. Gelb,
Acting Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. E9-26962 Filed 11-6-09; 8:45 am]
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