Notification of Regional Roundtable Discussions Regarding “Waters of the United States”, 58829-58830 [2021-23039]
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 203 / Monday, October 25, 2021 / Proposed Rules
F. Environment
We have analyzed this rule under
Department of Homeland Security
Management Directive 023–01, Rev.1,
associated implementing instructions,
and Environmental Planning Policy
COMDTINST 5090.1 (series), which
guide the Coast Guard in complying
with the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321–
4370f). The Coast Guard has determined
that this action is one of a category of
actions that do not individually or
cumulatively have a significant effect on
the human environment. This proposed
rule promulgates the operating
regulations or procedures for
drawbridges. Normally such actions are
categorically excluded from further
review, under paragraph L49, of Chapter
3, Table 3–1 of the U.S. Coast Guard
Environmental Planning
Implementation Procedures.
Neither a Record of Environmental
Consideration nor a Memorandum for
the Record are required for this rule. We
seek any comments or information that
may lead to the discovery of a
significant environmental impact from
this proposed rule.
List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 117
Bridges.
For the reasons discussed in the
preamble, the Coast Guard proposes to
amend 33 CFR part 117 as follows:
PART 117—DRAWBRIDGE
OPERATION REGULATIONS
1. The authority citation for part 117
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 33 U.S.C. 499; 33 CFR 1.05–1;
DHS Delegation No. 0170.1.
■
2. Revise § 117.183 to read as follows:
G. Protest Activities
§ 117.183
The Coast Guard respects the First
Amendment rights of protesters.
Protesters are asked to contact the
person listed in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section to
coordinate protest activities so that your
message can be received without
jeopardizing the safety or security of
people, places or vessels.
The draw of the California
Department of Transportation (Route 4)
highway bridge, mile 14.8 between
Victoria Island and Byron Tract, shall
open on signal if at least four hours
notice is given to the drawtender at the
Rio Vista bridge across the Sacramento
River, mile 12.8.
V. Public Participation and Request for
Comments
jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
www.regulations.gov and will include
any personal information you have
provided. For more about privacy and
submissions in response to this
document, see DHS’s eRulemaking
System of Records notice (85 FR 14226,
March 11, 2020).
Documents mentioned in this NPRM
as being available in this docket and all
public comments, will be in our online
docket at https://www.regulations.gov
and can be viewed by following that
website’s instructions. Additionally, if
you go to the online docket and sign up
for email alerts, you will be notified.
We view public participation as
essential to effective rulemaking, and
will consider all comments and material
received during the comment period.
Your comment can help shape the
outcome of this rulemaking. If you
submit a comment, please include the
docket number for this rulemaking,
indicate the specific section of this
document to which each comment
applies, and provide a reason for each
suggestion or recommendation.
We encourage you to submit
comments through the Federal
eRulemaking Portal at https://
www.regulations.gov. If your material
cannot be submitted using https://
www.regulations.gov, contact the person
in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section of this document for
alternate instructions.
We accept anonymous comments. All
comments received will be posted
without change to https://
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:14 Oct 22, 2021
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Old River
Dated: October 18, 2021.
Brian K. Penoyer,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander,
Eleventh Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2021–23060 Filed 10–22–21; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of
Engineers
33 CFR Part 328
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Part 120
Notification of Regional Roundtable
Discussions Regarding ‘‘Waters of the
United States’’
Department of the Army, Corps
of Engineers, Department of Defense;
AGENCY:
Frm 00016
Fmt 4702
and Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA).
ACTION: Notice of events; request for
nominations.
On June 9, 2021, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
and the U.S. Department of the Army
(hereafter, ‘‘the agencies’’) announced
their intent to revise the definition of
‘‘waters of the United States’’ under the
Clean Water Act through two
rulemakings—first, a foundational rule
that will propose to restore longstanding
protections, and a second rulemaking
process that builds on that regulatory
foundation. On July 30, 2021, the
agencies announced stakeholder
engagement opportunities, including the
agencies’ intent to host ten regionally
focused roundtables. EPA and Army are
announcing a process for stakeholders
to submit nomination letters to the
agencies to potentially be selected for
one of these ten geographically focused
roundtables. Each roundtable should
include diverse perspectives and
highlight the experience of individual
participants with the definition of
‘‘waters of the United States.’’ The
agencies intend to livestream each
roundtable to make them available for
public viewing.
DATES: Nomination letters for the
roundtables must be received on or
before 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
on November 3, 2021. EPA anticipates
that roundtables will be held in
December 2021 and potentially January
2022. Specific dates will be coordinated
with selected nominees based on
availability. Please refer to the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for
additional information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kate
Balasa, Office of Water, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460;
telephone number: (312) 886–6027;
email address: WOTUS-outreach@
epa.gov, or Stacey Jensen, Office of the
Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil
Works, Department of the Army, 108
Army Pentagon, Washington, DC
20310–0104; telephone number: (703)
459–6026; email address:
usarmy.pentagon.hqda-asa-cw.mbx.asacw-reporting@mail.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
I. General Information
[FRL–6027.4–04–OW]
PO 00000
58829
Sfmt 4702
In the last six years, the agencies have
implemented three different definitions
of ‘‘waters of the United States’’—the
pre-2015 regulatory regime, the 2015
Clean Water Rule, and the 2020
Navigable Waters Protection Rule
(NWPR). The agencies’ experience
E:\FR\FM\25OCP1.SGM
25OCP1
jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
58830
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 203 / Monday, October 25, 2021 / Proposed Rules
implementing these previous definitions
of ‘‘waters of the United States’’
(WOTUS) has highlighted the regional
variability of water resources and the
importance of close engagement with
stakeholders to understand key
implementation issues under varying
definitions of WOTUS.
On June 9, 2021, EPA and the U.S.
Department of the Army (hereafter, ‘‘the
agencies’’) announced their intent to
revise the definition of WOTUS under
the Clean Water Act through two
rulemakings—first, a foundational rule
that will propose to restore longstanding
protections, and a second rulemaking
process that builds on that regulatory
foundation. On July 30, 2021, the
agencies announced stakeholder
engagement opportunities, including the
agencies’ intent to host ten regionally
focused roundtables. EPA and Army are
announcing a process for stakeholders
to submit nomination letters to the
agencies to potentially be selected for
one of these ten geographically focused
roundtables.
The intent for each regional
roundtable is to engage individuals
representing diverse perspectives in
meaningful dialogue on the definition of
WOTUS. The roundtables will provide
opportunities to discuss geographic
similarities and differences, particular
water resources that are characteristic of
or unique to each region, and sitespecific feedback about implementation
of WOTUS.
The goals of the regional roundtables
are to obtain robust and diverse public
input on WOTUS. The agencies are
seeking input on a durable definition of
WOTUS, not limited to the scope of the
regulatory processes announced on June
9, 2021. EPA and Army are seeking to
understand perspectives:
• Highlighting how different regions
are affected by the various WOTUS
definitions (i.e., the pre-2015 regulatory
regime, the 2015 Clean Water Rule, and
the 2020 Navigable Waters Protection
Rule).
• Learning about stakeholder
experiences, challenges, and
opportunities under different regulatory
regimes.
• Facilitating engagement across
diverse perspectives to inform the
development of a durable and workable
definition of WOTUS.
The agencies are committed to
learning from the past regulatory
approaches—the pre-2015 regulations
and guidance, the 2015 Clean Water
Rule, and the 2020 Navigable Waters
Protection Rule—while engaging with
stakeholders to develop an enduring
definition of WOTUS.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:14 Oct 22, 2021
Jkt 256001
The roundtables will take place in
December 2021 and potentially January
2022. These stakeholder engagements
are complementary of previous and
future opportunities for public input,
including:
• A notice of public meeting dates
and solicitation of written pre-proposal
feedback from August 4, 2021 to
September 3, 2021;
• Public meetings that were held on
August 18, August 23, August 25,
August 26, August 31, and September 2,
2021;
• State meetings and engagement
with Tribes and Alaska Native Villages;
and
• Future public comment periods on
upcoming regulatory actions.
II. Public Participation
A. Submitting a Nomination To Be
Selected for Stakeholder/Community
Roundtable
The agencies intend to host ten virtual
roundtables during which stakeholders
can participate in a discussion on
‘‘waters of the United States’’ and
provide their unique perspectives to
EPA and the Army. These regionally
focused roundtables will allow
stakeholders with a range of
perspectives to engage and discuss their
experiences with definitions of WOTUS,
including challenges and opportunities
within their geographic areas. The
roundtables will also provide an
opportunity for the participants to
discuss geographic similarities and
differences, particular water resources
that are characteristic of or unique to
each region, and site-specific feedback
about implementation.
For the purposes of these roundtable
discussions, geographic regions are
identified as follows:
• Northeast (ME, MA, RI, CT, NH, VT,
NY, PA, NJ, DE, MD)
• Southeast (WV, VA, KY, TN, NC, SC,
GA, AL, MS, AR, LA, FL)
• Midwest (OH, IN, MI, IL, MO, WI,
MN, IA, KS, NE, SD, ND)
• West (WY, MT, ID, WA, OR, NV, CA,
AK, HI)
• Southwest (TX, OK, NM, AZ, UT, CO)
The agencies are inviting stakeholders
to organize interested parties and
regional participants that comprise up
to 15 representatives for these
roundtables. Each nomination for a
roundtable must include a proposed
slate of participants representing
perspectives of: Agriculture;
conservation groups; developers;
drinking water/wastewater
management; environmental
organizations; environmental justice
communities; industry; and other key
interests in that region.
PO 00000
Frm 00017
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 9990
The agencies request that organizers
that would like to be considered for a
roundtable submit their self-nomination
letter via email to WOTUS-outreach@
epa.gov no later than November 3, 2021.
Nomination letters should include the
following information:
• Organizer primary point of contact
and contact information (name, title,
affiliation, email, phone number);
• Name, affiliation, email, phone
number, and address information of
proposed participants for the
roundtable;
• Confirmation that the number of
stakeholders, including the organizer
and participants, does not exceed 15
individuals;
• The region the roundtable is
representing, with a paragraph
description of the region;
• The perspectives that are
represented in the roundtable;
• A brief description of key topics
related to WOTUS implementation in
the region. For consideration, the
agencies have described topics in the
August 4, 2021 Federal Register
publication (86 FR 41911) that we
believe are key to understanding
regional variability.
After reviewing the nomination
letters, EPA and Army will select ten of
the self-nominated groups to participate
in a regional roundtable discussion on
WOTUS, hosted by the agencies. Please
note that because of current CDC
recommendations, as well as state and
local orders for social distancing to limit
the spread of COVID–19, EPA cannot
hold in-person public meetings at this
time. The agencies will host these
roundtables virtually. The agencies
anticipate coordinating with elected
officials that represent the location of
selected roundtables. The agencies also
intend to livestream each roundtable to
make them available for public viewing.
Jaime A. Pinkham,
Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil
Works), Department of the Army.
Radhika Fox,
Assistant Administrator, Environmental
Protection Agency.
[FR Doc. 2021–23039 Filed 10–22–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 203 (Monday, October 25, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 58829-58830]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-23039]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
33 CFR Part 328
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 120
[FRL-6027.4-04-OW]
Notification of Regional Roundtable Discussions Regarding
``Waters of the United States''
AGENCY: Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, Department of
Defense; and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of events; request for nominations.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On June 9, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) and the U.S. Department of the Army (hereafter, ``the agencies'')
announced their intent to revise the definition of ``waters of the
United States'' under the Clean Water Act through two rulemakings--
first, a foundational rule that will propose to restore longstanding
protections, and a second rulemaking process that builds on that
regulatory foundation. On July 30, 2021, the agencies announced
stakeholder engagement opportunities, including the agencies' intent to
host ten regionally focused roundtables. EPA and Army are announcing a
process for stakeholders to submit nomination letters to the agencies
to potentially be selected for one of these ten geographically focused
roundtables. Each roundtable should include diverse perspectives and
highlight the experience of individual participants with the definition
of ``waters of the United States.'' The agencies intend to livestream
each roundtable to make them available for public viewing.
DATES: Nomination letters for the roundtables must be received on or
before 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on November 3, 2021. EPA
anticipates that roundtables will be held in December 2021 and
potentially January 2022. Specific dates will be coordinated with
selected nominees based on availability. Please refer to the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for additional information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kate Balasa, Office of Water,
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (312) 886-6027; email address:
[email protected], or Stacey Jensen, Office of the Assistant
Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Department of the Army, 108 Army
Pentagon, Washington, DC 20310-0104; telephone number: (703) 459-6026;
email address: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
In the last six years, the agencies have implemented three
different definitions of ``waters of the United States''--the pre-2015
regulatory regime, the 2015 Clean Water Rule, and the 2020 Navigable
Waters Protection Rule (NWPR). The agencies' experience
[[Page 58830]]
implementing these previous definitions of ``waters of the United
States'' (WOTUS) has highlighted the regional variability of water
resources and the importance of close engagement with stakeholders to
understand key implementation issues under varying definitions of
WOTUS.
On June 9, 2021, EPA and the U.S. Department of the Army
(hereafter, ``the agencies'') announced their intent to revise the
definition of WOTUS under the Clean Water Act through two rulemakings--
first, a foundational rule that will propose to restore longstanding
protections, and a second rulemaking process that builds on that
regulatory foundation. On July 30, 2021, the agencies announced
stakeholder engagement opportunities, including the agencies' intent to
host ten regionally focused roundtables. EPA and Army are announcing a
process for stakeholders to submit nomination letters to the agencies
to potentially be selected for one of these ten geographically focused
roundtables.
The intent for each regional roundtable is to engage individuals
representing diverse perspectives in meaningful dialogue on the
definition of WOTUS. The roundtables will provide opportunities to
discuss geographic similarities and differences, particular water
resources that are characteristic of or unique to each region, and
site-specific feedback about implementation of WOTUS.
The goals of the regional roundtables are to obtain robust and
diverse public input on WOTUS. The agencies are seeking input on a
durable definition of WOTUS, not limited to the scope of the regulatory
processes announced on June 9, 2021. EPA and Army are seeking to
understand perspectives:
Highlighting how different regions are affected by the
various WOTUS definitions (i.e., the pre-2015 regulatory regime, the
2015 Clean Water Rule, and the 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule).
Learning about stakeholder experiences, challenges, and
opportunities under different regulatory regimes.
Facilitating engagement across diverse perspectives to
inform the development of a durable and workable definition of WOTUS.
The agencies are committed to learning from the past regulatory
approaches--the pre-2015 regulations and guidance, the 2015 Clean Water
Rule, and the 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule--while engaging
with stakeholders to develop an enduring definition of WOTUS.
The roundtables will take place in December 2021 and potentially
January 2022. These stakeholder engagements are complementary of
previous and future opportunities for public input, including:
A notice of public meeting dates and solicitation of
written pre-proposal feedback from August 4, 2021 to September 3, 2021;
Public meetings that were held on August 18, August 23,
August 25, August 26, August 31, and September 2, 2021;
State meetings and engagement with Tribes and Alaska
Native Villages; and
Future public comment periods on upcoming regulatory
actions.
II. Public Participation
A. Submitting a Nomination To Be Selected for Stakeholder/Community
Roundtable
The agencies intend to host ten virtual roundtables during which
stakeholders can participate in a discussion on ``waters of the United
States'' and provide their unique perspectives to EPA and the Army.
These regionally focused roundtables will allow stakeholders with a
range of perspectives to engage and discuss their experiences with
definitions of WOTUS, including challenges and opportunities within
their geographic areas. The roundtables will also provide an
opportunity for the participants to discuss geographic similarities and
differences, particular water resources that are characteristic of or
unique to each region, and site-specific feedback about implementation.
For the purposes of these roundtable discussions, geographic
regions are identified as follows:
Northeast (ME, MA, RI, CT, NH, VT, NY, PA, NJ, DE, MD)
Southeast (WV, VA, KY, TN, NC, SC, GA, AL, MS, AR, LA, FL)
Midwest (OH, IN, MI, IL, MO, WI, MN, IA, KS, NE, SD, ND)
West (WY, MT, ID, WA, OR, NV, CA, AK, HI)
Southwest (TX, OK, NM, AZ, UT, CO)
The agencies are inviting stakeholders to organize interested
parties and regional participants that comprise up to 15
representatives for these roundtables. Each nomination for a roundtable
must include a proposed slate of participants representing perspectives
of: Agriculture; conservation groups; developers; drinking water/
wastewater management; environmental organizations; environmental
justice communities; industry; and other key interests in that region.
The agencies request that organizers that would like to be
considered for a roundtable submit their self-nomination letter via
email to [email protected] no later than November 3, 2021.
Nomination letters should include the following information:
Organizer primary point of contact and contact information
(name, title, affiliation, email, phone number);
Name, affiliation, email, phone number, and address
information of proposed participants for the roundtable;
Confirmation that the number of stakeholders, including
the organizer and participants, does not exceed 15 individuals;
The region the roundtable is representing, with a
paragraph description of the region;
The perspectives that are represented in the roundtable;
A brief description of key topics related to WOTUS
implementation in the region. For consideration, the agencies have
described topics in the August 4, 2021 Federal Register publication (86
FR 41911) that we believe are key to understanding regional
variability.
After reviewing the nomination letters, EPA and Army will select
ten of the self-nominated groups to participate in a regional
roundtable discussion on WOTUS, hosted by the agencies. Please note
that because of current CDC recommendations, as well as state and local
orders for social distancing to limit the spread of COVID-19, EPA
cannot hold in-person public meetings at this time. The agencies will
host these roundtables virtually. The agencies anticipate coordinating
with elected officials that represent the location of selected
roundtables. The agencies also intend to livestream each roundtable to
make them available for public viewing.
Jaime A. Pinkham,
Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), Department of the
Army.
Radhika Fox,
Assistant Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency.
[FR Doc. 2021-23039 Filed 10-22-21; 8:45 am]
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