Meetings: Drinking water issues— National Drinking Water Contaminant Occurrence Data Base; stakeholders,

[Federal Register: May 25, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 100)]

[Notices]

[Page 28172-28173]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr25my99-76]

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6349-4]

National Drinking Water Contaminant Occurrence Database

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice; announcement of a stakeholders meeting on the National Drinking Water Contaminant Occurrence Data Base.

[[Page 28173]]

SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has scheduled a two-day public meeting on EPA's National Drinking Water Contaminant Occurrence Data Base (NCOD). At the upcoming meeting, EPA is seeking input from stakeholders, including national and state representatives, environmental organizations, industry, the public, and other interested parties. The purpose of the meeting is to demonstrate and obtain input from stakeholders on the alpha version of the National Drinking Water Contaminant Occurrence data base (NCOD). The demonstration and discussion will include database access, use, retrieval, and reporting. During this meeting EPA is also seeking input from stakeholders on the revised database development strategy and data quality documents and issues such as the analytical plan and quality assurance documents. EPA encourages the full participation of stakeholders throughout this process. This will not be a decision-making meeting but an opportunity for stakeholders to provide input to EPA. Such input will assist EPA in developing an effective and efficient database to support the EPA drinking water program.

DATES: The stakeholder meeting on the NCOD will be June 7, 1999 from 10:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. EST and June 8, 1999 from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. EST.

ADDRESSES: Resolve, Inc. (an EPA contractor) will provide logistical support for the stakeholders meeting. The meeting will be held at Resolve, Inc., 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 275, Washington, D.C. 20037.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on meeting logistics or for members of the public wishing to attend the meeting, please contact Sheri Jobe at RESOLVE, Inc., 1255 23rd Street, NW,. Suite 275, Washington, DC 20037, Phone: 202/965-6382, Fax: 202/338- 1264, Email: sjobe@resolv.org. Those registered for the meeting by May 24, 1999 will receive an agenda, logistics sheet, and other information prior to the meeting. A limited number of teleconference lines will be available for those who would like to participate by phone. You may request the teleconference number when you call to register. If you cannot attend the meeting but would like to be on the mailing list to receive further information about the meeting (including agenda and meeting summary), please provide your name, organization, address, phone, fax, and email address.

For other information on the NCOD, please contact Charles Job at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Phone: 202-260-7084, Fax: 202-260-3762, or e-mail at job.charles@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background on the National Drinking Water Contaminant Occurrence Data Base (NCOD)

   The Safe Drinking Water Act, SDWA, as amended in 1996, states that: Not later than three years after the date of enactment of the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996, the Administrator shall assemble and maintain a national drinking water contaminant occurrence data base using information on the occurrence of both regulated and unregulated contaminants in public water systems obtained under section 1445 (a)(1)(A) or section 1445 (a)(2) and reliable information from other public and private sources. The NCOD is required to be developed by August 6, 1999.

2. Request for Stakeholder Involvement

   EPA has convened this public meeting to demonstrate the alpha release of the database and to hear the views of stakeholders on the revised database development strategy, the analytical plan, and the quality assurance documents for the NCOD. The public is invited to provide comments on the issues listed above or other issues related to the NCOD during this meeting.

   Dated: May 17, 1999. Cynthia Dougherty, Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.

   [FR Doc. 99-13196Filed5-24-99; 8:45 am]

   BILLING CODE 6560-50-U