Program Requirement Revisions Related to the Public Water System Supervision Programs for the State of Connecticut and the State of New Hampshire, 37869-37870 [2019-16575]

Agencies

• ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 149 (Friday, August 2, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37869-37870]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-16575]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-R01-OW-2019-0376; FRL-9997-55-Region 1]


Program Requirement Revisions Related to the Public Water System 
Supervision Programs for 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 State of Connecticut and the 
State of New Hampshire are in the process of 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 3, 2019 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 3, 2019.
    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:

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 State of Connecticut has adopted a 
drinking water regulation for the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water 
Treatment Rule (71 FR 654) promulgated on January 5, 2006. After review 
of the submitted documentation, the Environmental

[[Page 37870]]

Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that the State of Connecticut's 
Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule is no less stringent 
than the corresponding federal regulations, with the understanding that 
the state regulation includes three typographical errors that the state 
has agreed to correct. EPA considers these issues to be minor and 
should not preclude granting the State of Connecticut primacy for 
reasons detailed below.
    Connecticut regulation Section 19-13-B102(i)(4)(A)(ii). Under the 
federal regulation, water systems must collect at least three samples 
for Cryptosporidium analysis. Failure to do so is referred to as a 
``Tier 2 violation,'' and the water system must notify the public of 
this violation. The State regulation inadvertently does not include 
this language due to an erroneous reference. However, the federal 
requirement sets a specific timeframe for water systems to collect 
these samples, and as this deadline has passed, this requirement is no 
longer relevant, and all Connecticut water systems have already 
complied with the sampling requirement. Therefore, the State's omission 
of this language does not affect how the water is being treated or how 
the public is being notified.
    Connecticut regulation Section 19-13-B102 (j)(13)(E)(i). The State 
regulation includes a typographical error, where the term ``2 log'' is 
indicated rather than ``2.0 log.'' There is no mathematical difference 
between these two values, and as water systems use a pre-determined 
table in the federal regulations to calculate disinfection 
requirements, the difference between the State and federal regulations 
is not relevant.
    Connecticut regulation Section 19-13-B102 (j)(13)(E)(ii)(II)(5). 
This State provision has a typographical error, where the formula LRV = 
LOG10(Cf) x LOG10(Cp) should instead be LRV = 
LOG10(Cf)-LOG10(Cp). The 
federal regulation includes this formula to explain how disinfection 
requirements are calculated. However, water systems do not use this 
calculation, as they instead rely on tables in the federal regulation 
to determine disinfection requirements.
    These typographical changes are only required to ensure consistency 
with the federal regulation; however, they do not, in any realistically 
substantive manner, affect the stringency of, enforceability of, or 
liability obligations contained in the state rule and required by the 
corresponding federal regulation. Therefore, EPA intends to approve 
Connecticut's PWSS program revision for this rule.
    The State of New Hampshire has adopted drinking water regulations 
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, the Long Term 1 
Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (67 FR 1812) promulgated on 
January 14, 2002, the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule 
(71 FR 654) promulgated on January 5, 2006, and the Radionuclides Rule 
(66 FR 76708) promulgated on December 7, 2000. After review of the 
submitted documentation, EPA has determined that the state of New 
Hampshire's Rules is no less stringent than the corresponding federal 
regulations. In addition, EPA's primary enforcement responsibility 
regulations require states that accept electronic documents to have 
adopted regulations consistent with 40 CFR part 3 (Electronic 
reporting). New Hampshire accepts electronic documents and is in the 
process of adopting additional regulations 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 these five rules.

    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 23, 2019.
Deborah A. Szaro,
Acting Regional Administrator, EPA Region 1--New England.
[FR Doc. 2019-16575 Filed 8-1-19; 8:45 am]
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