[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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