National Drinking Water Advisory Council's Climate Ready Water Utilities Working Group Meeting Announcement, 60261 [E9-27940]

Agencies

• ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 223 (Friday, November 20, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 60261]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-27940]



[[Page 60261]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8983-8]


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 in-person meeting of the Climate Ready Water 
Utilities (CRWU) Working Group of the National Drinking Water Advisory 
Council (NDWAC). The purpose of this meeting is for the Working Group 
to begin addressing its charge, including defining the attributes of 
climate ready water utilities.

DATES: The first in-person CRWU Working Group meeting will take place 
on December 3, 2009, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern Standard Time 
(EST) and on December 4, 2009, from 8:30 am to 1:30 p.m., EST.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at the Marriott Washington, 
which is located at 1221 22nd Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037.

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 wisniewski.lauren@epa.gov or call 202-564-2918 to receive 
additional details.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Public Participation: There will be an opportunity for public 
comment during the CRWU Working Group meeting. Oral statements will be 
limited to five 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 
meeting, including wheelchair access, should contact the Designated 
Federal Officer 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) 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. The 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 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 16, 2009.
Cynthia C. Dougherty,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. E9-27940 Filed 11-19-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P