[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 70 (Friday, April 11, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17809-17810]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-9385]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5810-5]


Draft Guidance for State Source Water Assessment and Protection 
Programs; Notice of Availability and Request for Comments

ACTION: Notice of availability for comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public 
comment on draft guidance for the development and implementation of 
State Source Water Assessment and Protection Programs including 
Petition Programs. The State Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) and 
the State Source Water Petition Program (SWPP) were established by the

[[Page 17810]]

reauthorized Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), signed by President 
Clinton on August 6, 1996. The term ``source water'' denotes any ground 
or surface water supply source destined for use as public drinking 
water. The SWAP is required of all States with primacy responsibility 
for administering drinking water programs, and consists of delineating 
drinking water source protection areas and conducting contaminant 
source inventories and susceptibility analyses within those delineated 
areas. The SWPP is voluntary for States, and consists of developing 
incentive-based voluntary management measures to reduce or eliminate 
threats to drinking water sources within assessed drinking water source 
protection areas. The SDWA requires EPA to publish final guidance for 
both SWAPs and SWPPs by August 6, 1997. The draft guidance announced in 
this notice has been developed by EPA so that the public may have the 
opportunity to review and comment on its contents before final guidance 
is issued. EPA is seeking comment on all aspects of the guidance.

DATES: EPA will accept public comment on this guidance until Friday, 
June 13, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Draft Guidance for State Source Water 
Assessment and Protection Programs including Petition Programs are 
available from the Safe Drinking Water Act Hotline, telephone (800) 
426-4791. Copies are also available from the Office of Water Resource 
Center (RC4100), U.S. EPA, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460. The 
Center is open from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. 
The guidance will be made available on EPA's Web Site at the following 
address: ``www.epa.gov\OGWDW''. Send written comments on the guidance 
to the SWAP and SWPP Comment Clerk; Water Docket MC-4101; Environmental 
Protection Agency; 401 M Street, SW; Washington, DC 20460. Commenters 
are requested to submit any reference cited in their comments. 
Commenters are also requested to submit an original and 3 copies of 
their written comments and enclosures. Commenters who want receipt of 
their comments acknowledged should include a self-addressed, stamped 
envelope. All comments must be postmarked or delivered by hand by June 
13, 1997. No facsimiles (faxes) will be accepted.

    Dated: March 25, 1997.
Cynthia C. Dougherty,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. 97-9385 Filed 4-10-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P