51658 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 191 / Thursday, October 2, 1997 / Notices

systems, and the larger risk to public

health from radon in indoor air from

soil under buildings.

On August 6, 1996, amendments to

the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)

were enacted, which establish a new

charter for the nation’s public water

systems, States, and EPA in protecting

the safety of drinking water. The

amendments [section 1412(b)(13)] direct

EPA to develop an MCLG and NPDWR

for radon. EPA is required to (1)

withdraw the 1991 proposed MCLG and

NPDWR for radon-222 (the proposed

rule for radon was withdrawn on

August 6, 1997; 62 FR 42221); (2)

arrange for the National Academy of

Sciences (NAS) to conduct an

independent risk assessment for radon

in drinking water and an independent

assessment of risk reduction benefits

from various mitigation measures to

reduce radon in indoor air; (3) publish

a radon health risk reduction and cost

analysis for possible radon Maximum

Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for public

comment by February 1999; (4) propose

an MCLG and NPDWR for radon by

August 1999; and (5) publish a final

MCLG and NPDWR for radon by August

2000.

If the MCL is ‘‘more stringent than

necessary to reduce the contribution to

radon in indoor air from drinking water

to a concentration that is equivalent to

the national average concentration of

radon in outdoor air,’’ EPA is also

required to promulgate an alternative

MCL and publish guidelines for state

multimedia mitigation programs to

mitigate radon levels in indoor air. The

alternative MCL would ‘‘result in a

contribution of radon from drinking

water to radon levels in indoor air

equivalent to the national average

concentration of radon in outdoor air.’’

States may develop and submit to EPA

for approval a multimedia mitigation

program to mitigate radon levels in

indoor air. EPA shall approve State

multimedia mitigation programs if they

are expected to achieve equivalent or

greater health risk reduction benefits

than compliance with the MCL. If EPA

approves a State multimedia mitigation

program, public water supply systems

within the State may comply with the

alternative MCL. If EPA does not

approve a State program, or the State

does not propose a program, public

water supply systems may propose

multimedia mitigation programs to EPA,

under the same procedures outlined for

States.

B. Request for Stakeholder Involvement

EPA intends for the proposed NPDWR

for radon to incorporate the best

available science, treatment

technologies, occurrence data, cost/

benefit analyses, and stakeholder input

on technical and implementation issues.

EPA has evaluated comments on the

1991 proposed NPDWR for radon and

will be considering those comments in

developing the regulation.

The meeting will cover a broad range

of issues including: (1) radon in

drinking water MCL development

(treatment technologies, occurrence,

analytical methods); (2) multimedia

mitigation program; and (3) stakeholder

involvement processes. Background

materials on radon in drinking water

issues will be sent to all registered

participants in advance of the meeting.

Issues for discussion and stakeholder

input will be based on the materials

provided and include (but may not be

limited to) the following:

(1) Any new information or data;

(2) Issues and concerns related to rule

development;

(3) Issues and concerns related to

implementing a multimedia mitigation

program from the perspective of your

state, water systems, public health and

safety organizations, environmental and

public interest groups, and the public;

and

(4) Recommendations on the most

beneficial points in the process for

stakeholder input and preferred

approaches for stakeholder input.

EPA has announced this public

meeting to hear the views of

stakeholders on EPA’s plans for

activities to develop a NPDWR for

radon. The public is invited to provide

comments on the issues listed above

and other issues related to the radon in

drinking water regulation during the

October 30, 1997 meeting or in writing

by November 14, 1997.

Dated: September 23, 1997.

Elizabeth Fellows,

Acting Director, Office of Ground Water and

Drinking Water.

[FR Doc. 97–25878 Filed 10–1–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–5901–8]

Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC)

Subcommittee; Review of the National

Center for Environmental Research

and Quality Assurance

AGENCY: Environmental protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of meeting of the Board

of Scientific Counselors (BOSC)

Subcommittee to Review the National

Center for Environmental Research and

Quality Assurance (NCERQA).

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal

Advisory Committee Act, Pub. L. 92–

463, as amended (5 U.S.C., App. 2),

notice is hereby given that the

Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA), Office of Research and

Development (ORD), Board of Scientific

Counselors (BOSC) Subcommittee will

meet to review the National Center for

Environmental Research and Quality

Assurance on Monday, October 20 and

Tuesday, October 21, 1997. The meeting

will be held at the Ariel Rios Building,

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Room

7216, Washington, DC 20004 and will

begin at 8 a.m. and recess at

approximately 5 p.m. on Monday,

October 20, 1997. On Tuesday, October

21, 1997, a Subcommittee writing

session will begin at 8 a.m. and adjourn

at 1 p.m. Following the writing session,

a warp-up discussion summarizing the

preliminary findings and conclusions of

the Subcommittee will be held from 1

p.m.–3 p.m. on Tuesday. The BOSC

Subcommittee Review meeting will

adjourn at 3 p.m. All times are Eastern

time. The meeting is open to the public.

Any member of the public wishing to

make comments at the meeting should

contact Shirley R. Hamilton, Designated

Federal Official, Office of Research and

Development (8701R), 401 M Street,

S.W., Washington, DC 20460; by

telephone at (202) 564–6853. In general,

each individual making an oral

presentation will be limited to three

minutes. Anyone desiring a draft BOSC

meeting agenda may fax their request to

Shirley R. Hamilton at (202) 565–2444.

DATES: The meeting will be held

October 20–21, 1997.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in

the EPA Ariel Rios Building, 1200

Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Room

7216, Washington, DC 20004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Shirley R. Hamilton, Designated Federal

Official, Office of Research and

Development (8701R), 401 M Street,

S.W., Washington, DC 20460; by

telephone at (202) 564–6853.

Dated: September 19, 1997.

Henry L. Longest II,

Acting Assistant Administrator for Research

and Development.

[FR Doc. 97–26180 Filed 10–1–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–M