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[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 39 (Monday, February 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10240-10241]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04087]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9942-41-ORD]

Regional Monitoring Networks (RMNs) To Detect Changing Baselines 
in Freshwater Wadeable Streams

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the 
availability of a document titled, ``Regional Monitoring Networks 
(RMNs) to Detect Changing Baselines in Freshwater Wadeable Streams'' 
(EPA/600/R-15/280). The document was prepared by the National Center 
for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within EPA's Office of Research and 
Development. The document describes the development of the current 
regional monitoring networks (RMNs) for riffle-dominated, freshwater 
wadeable streams.
    The final document is available via the Internet on the NCEA home 
page under the Recent Additions and the Data and Publications menus at 
http://www.epa.gov/risk/ecological-risk-assessment-products-and-publications.

DATES: The document will be available on or around February 29, 2016.

ADDRESSES: The final report, ``Regional Monitoring Networks (RMNs) to 
Detect Changing Baselines,'' is available primarily via the Internet on 
the Ecological Risk Assessment Products and Publications Web page at 
http://www.epa.gov/risk/ecological-risk-assessment-products-and-publications. A limited number of paper copies are available from the 
Information Management Team, NCEA; telephone: 703-347-8561; facsimile: 
703-347-8691. If you are requesting a paper copy, please provide your 
name, mailing address, and the document title.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information, contact 
Britta Bierwagen, NCEA; telephone: 703-347-8613; facsimile: 703-347-
8694; or email: bierwagen.britta@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Information About the Project/Document

    The United States Environmental Protection Agency is working with 
its regional offices, states, tribes, river basin commissions, and 
other entities to establish Regional Monitoring Networks (RMNs) for 
freshwater wadeable streams. RMNs have been established in the 
Northeast, Mid Atlantic, and Southeast, and efforts are expanding into 
other regions. Long term biological, thermal, hydrologic, physical 
habitat, and water chemistry data are being collected at RMN sites to 
document current conditions and detect long term changes. Consistent 
methods are being used to increase the comparability of data, minimize 
biases and variability, and ensure that the data meet data quality 
objectives. RMN surveys build

[[Page 10241]]

on existing state and tribal bioassessment efforts, with the goal of 
collecting comparable data at a limited number of sites that can be 
pooled at a regional level. Pooling data enables more robust regional 
analyses and improves the ability to detect trends over shorter time 
periods. This document describes the development and implementation of 
the RMNs. It includes information on selection of sites, expectations 
for data collection, the rationale for collecting these data, data 
infrastructure, and provides examples of how the RMN data will be used 
and analyzed. The report concludes with a discussion on the status of 
monitoring activities and next steps.

    Dated: February 19, 2016.
Mary A. Ross,
Deputy Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 2016-04087 Filed 2-26-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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