34142 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 120 /Tuesday, June 23, 1998 / Proposed Rules

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

40 CFR Parts 141 and 142

[WH–FRL–6112–9]

National Primary Drinking Water

Regulations: Long Term 1 Enhanced

Surface Water Treatment Rule and

Filter Backwash Recycling Rule Public

Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule; announcement of

public meeting.

SUMMARY: EPA is in the nascent stages

of development for both the Long Term

1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment

Rule (LT1ESWTR) and the Filter

Backwash Recycling Rule (FBRR). The

Agency is holding these public meetings

to share information with interested

parties and to solicit feedback from

them. The LT1ESWTR rule will

primarily address microbial risks at

systems serving under 10,000 people.

Development of the rule’s requirements

will begin by considering the

appropriateness of the Interim

Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule

(IESWTR) regulatory template. The rule

is to be promulgated by November 2000.

The FBRR rule will provide, for the

first time, federal regulatory

requirements governing the recycle of

filter backwash within the treatment

process of public utilities. The rule will

apply to utilities of all sizes that

backwash filters. The Safe Drinking

Water Act (SDWA) requires that the

final regulation be promulgated by

August of 2000.

In keeping with its open door policy

for meetings with the public, EPA is

inviting all interested members of the

public to attend these meetings, with

seating on a first-come, first-served

basis.

DATES: The LT1ESWTR public meeting

will be held on July 22, 1998, and will

begin at 8:30 a.m. local time. The FBRR

public meeting will begin at the same

time on July 23, 1998. Both public

meetings will conclude at

approximately 4:30 p.m. local time.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at

U.S. EPA, Region 8 Office, 999 18th

Street, Suite 500, Denver, CO 80202–

2466.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

general information on the LT1ESWTR

public meeting, please contact Steve

Potts at (202) 260–5015. For the FBRR

public meeting, please contact Bill

Hamele at (202) 260–2584.

Dated: June 17, 1998

Cynthia C. Dougherty,

Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking

Water, Office of Water.

[FR Doc. 98–16671 Filed 6–22–98; 8:45 am]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018–AC13

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife

and Plants

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; availability of

draft San Xavier talussnail conservation

agreement.

SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service

(Service) provides notice that a draft

conservation agreement for the San

Xavier talussnail (Snorella eremita) is

available for review and comment.

Comments will be accepted during the

current public comment period on the

proposal to list species as endangered

under the Endangered Species Act of

1973, as amended, which closes July 21,

1998. This Conservation Agreement will

provide guidance for the conservation

and management of the species and its

habitat.

DATES: All comments on the draft

Conservation Agreement and

information on the proposal to list the

San Xavier talussnail will be accepted

through July 21, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and

materials should be sent to the Field

Supervisor, Arizona Ecological Services

Field Office, 2321 W. Royal Palm Road,

Suite 103, Phoenix, Arizona 85021.

Comments and materials received will

be available for public inspection during

normal business hours, by appointment,

at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Debra Bills, Fish and Wildlife Biologist,

or Jerry Brabander, Acting Field

Supervisor, Arizona Ecological Services

Field Office, at the above address (602)

640–2720.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The San Xavier talussnail was first

proposed as endangered on March 23,

1994 (59 FR 13691). At that time, a 60-

day public comment period was opened

until May 23, 1994, and all interested

parties were requested to submit factual

reports or information that might

contribute to the development of a final

rule. Public hearing requests were

invited through May 9, 1994.

Considering the length of time that

has elapsed since that initial proposal

and a recent re-examination of property

boundaries to clarify ownership of the

talussnail habitat, the Service reopened

the public comment period on May 22,

1998 (63 FR 28343). With the

availability of the draft Conservation

Agreement, the Service is seeking

comments or suggestions from the

public, concerned governmental

agencies, the scientific community,

industry, or any other interested parties

concerning the proposed rule and the

draft Conservation Agreement.

The draft Conservation Agreement

calls for restricting activities that would

alter sediment runoff, vegetation, or

moisture conditions. The draft

Conservation Agreement was prepared

by representatives from Federal and

State agencies and is intended to be

used as the basis for guiding the longterm protection of the species and its

habitat.

Author

The primary author of this document

is Debra Bills, Arizona Ecological

Services Field Office (see ADDRESSES

section).

Authority

The authority for this action is the

Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1532

et seq.).

Dated: June 17, 1998.

Geoffrey L. Haskett,

Regional Director, Fish and Wildlife Service,

Region 2.

[FR Doc. 98–16678 Filed 6–22–98; 8:45 am]

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