Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 43 / Wednesday, March 5, 1997 / Proposed Rules 10175

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

40 CFR Part 141

[WH–FRL–5694–7]

RIN 2040–AC88

National Primary Drinking Water

Regulations: Analytical Methods for

Radionuclides

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: Today, EPA is proposing to

approve twelve analytical test

procedures for monitoring compliance

with radionuclide standards under the

Safe Drinking Water Act. During the

public comment period on an earlier

rulemaking proposal (56 FR 33050, July

18, 1991), EPA received comments

requesting approval of additional

analytical test procedures for

radionuclides. In the final rules section

of this Federal Register, the Agency is

promulgating these twelve analytical

test procedures as a ‘‘direct’’ final rule

because the Agency does not expect

adverse comments and wants to provide

for use of these additional test

procedures as soon as possible. This

proposal invites comment on the

substance of the direct final rule

(addressing twelve unproposed test

methods) in the ‘‘final rules’’ section of

today’s Federal Register.

DATES: Comments on the twelve

methods in this proposed rule must be

received in writing by April 4, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on this

proposed rule may be submitted to

Chemistry Methods Docket Clerk, Water

Docket, MC 4101, 401 M Street, SW,

Washington, DC 20460. Comments will

be considered to be timely if they are

postmarked by April 4, 1997.

Commenters who would like

acknowledgement of receipt of their

comments should include a selfaddressed, stamped envelope. No

facsimiles (faxes) will be accepted.

A copy of the supporting information

for this rule is available for review at

EPA’s Water Docket, 401 M Street, SW,

Washington, DC 20460. For access to the

docket materials, call (202) 260–3027

between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. (Eastern

time) for an appointment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.

Richard Reding, Office of Ground Water

and Drinking Water, U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, 26 West Martin

Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH

45268, 513–569–7961; Dr. Jitendra

Saxena, Office of Ground Water and

Drinking Water (4603), U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, 401

M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460,

202–260–9579; or one of the EPA

Regional Office contacts listed below.

General information may also be

obtained from the EPA Drinking Water

Hotline. Callers within the United States

may reach the Safe Drinking Water

Hotline at 800–426–4791. The Safe

Drinking Water Hotline is open Monday

through Friday, excluding Federal

holidays, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Eastern Time.

For technical information regarding

the methods contact Stephen Pia,

National Exposure Research Laboratory,

Office of Research and Development,

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

P.O. Box 93478, Las Vegas, NV 89193–

3478, 702–798–2102.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: See the

information provided in the direct final

action which is located in the rules

section of this Federal Register.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 141

Environmental protection, Analytical

methods, Incorporation by reference,

Intergovernmental relations,

Monitoring, Radionuclides, Water

supply, National primary drinking water

regulations.

Dated: February 10, 1997.

Carol M. Browner,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 97–4890 Filed 3–4–97; 8:45 am]

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