Environmental Protection Agency September 17, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Acting Regional Administrator of EPA Region 3 is hereby granting a project waiver of the Buy American requirements of ARRA Section 1605 under the authority of Section 1605(b)(2) [manufactured goods are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of a satisfactory quality] to the Canaan Valley Public Service District (CVPSD) for the purchase of membrane filtrations cassettes, which are an integral component of the Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) wastewater treatment process, at two of its Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs). CVPSD indicates that the MBR treatment process is necessary to achieve the wastewater treatment levels required by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued for these WWTPs. The membrane filtration equipment under consideration is manufactured by a company located in Canada and no United States manufacturer produces an alternative that meets the CVPSD's technical specifications. This is a project specific waiver and only applies to the use of the specified product for the ARRA funded project being proposed. Any other ARRA project that may wish to use the same product must apply for a separate waiver based on the specific project circumstances. The Acting Regional Administrator is making this determination based on the review and recommendations of the EPA Region III, Water Protection Division, Office of Infrastructure and Assistance. The CVPSD has provided sufficient documentation to support its request.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. The ICR which is abstracted below describes the nature of the collection and the estimated burden and cost.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, EPA gives notice of a public meeting of the Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee (PPDC) on October 14-15, 2009. A draft agenda is under development that will include reports from and discussions about current issues from the following PPDC work groups: Work Group on 21st Century Toxicology/New Integrated Testing Strategies; Work Group on Web-Distributed Labeling; and Work Group on Comparative Safety Statements for Pesticide Product Labeling. Discussion topics will also cover NPDES permit issues regarding pesticides; and current Endangered Species Act issues. Several PPDC work group meetings are scheduled in September and October 2009, and are open to the public. These include the PPDC PRIA Process Improvements Work Group meeting on October 1, 2009, and meetings of each of the above-mentioned three PPDC work groups on October 13, 2009, and other listed dates. A webcast covering NPDES issues in preparation for the PPDC meeting is being scheduled for October 7, 2009. Information about all of these meetings can be found on EPA's website at: https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/ppdc.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the collection and the estimated burden and cost.

This notice announces the intent of EPA to establish a Chesapeake Bay-wide Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for nutrients and sediment for all impaired segments in the tidal portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This action is being taken pursuant to section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act (CWA). To provide information to the public regarding the process, approach and implications of this action, EPA will hold a series of public meetings in late 2009 on dates and in locations to be determined. A second public comment period will be held in the summer of 2010 once a draft Chesapeake Bay TMDL is developed. This TMDL is being developed consistent with the requirements of two Consent Decrees settling the following lawsuits: American Canoe Association, Inc. and the American Littoral Society v. EPA, Civil No. 98-979-A (E.D. Va) and Kingman Park Civic Association, et al. v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, et al., No. 1:98CV00758 (D.D.C.). By this notice, EPA is soliciting preliminary input from the public on its plans for developing this Chesapeake Bay TMDL. EPA requests that the public provide to EPA any water quality related data and information that may be relevant to the development and calculation of the Chesapeake Bay TMDL by December 18, 2009. EPA will review all data and information submitted during the public comment period and will consider them in the development of the TMDL as appropriate.