Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 17 /Tuesday, January 27, 1998 / Notices 3891

under the Safe Drinking Water Act

(SDWA) as amended, and solicit public

input on major technical and

implementation issues, and on preferred

approaches for continued public

involvement. This meeting will be very

similar in content to the arsenic

stakeholders meeting EPA held in

Washington, DC on September 11–12,

1997. At the upcoming meeting, EPA is

again seeking input from State and

Tribal drinking water programs, the

regulated community (water systems),

public health organizations, academia,

environmental and public interest

groups, engineering firms, and other

stakeholders on a number of issues

related to developing the NPDWR for

arsenic. EPA encourages the full

participation of stakeholders throughout

this process.

DATES: The stakeholder meeting on

arsenic in drinking water will be held

on Wednesday, February 25, 1998 from

8:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 5

p.m. Central Standard Time.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in

the Holiday Inn Riverwalk ((210) 224–

2500), which is located at 217 North St.

Mary’s Street, San Antonio, TX 78205.

To register for the meeting, please

contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline

at 1–800–426–4791 between 9 a.m. and

5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Those

registered for the meeting by

Wednesday, February 18, 1998, will

receive an agenda, logistics sheet, and

discussion papers prior to the meeting.

Members of the public who cannot

attend the meeting in person may

participate via conference call and

should register with the Safe Drinking

Water Hotline by February 18 in order

to receive copies of the overheads in

advance. Please provide your name,

organization, title, mailing address,

telephone number, facsimile number, email address and telephone number for

EPA to connect the caller via conference

call [if applicable] for the ‘‘Arsenic

meeting.’’

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

general information on meeting

logistics, please contact the Safe

Drinking Water Hotline at 1–800–426–

4791. For information on the activities

related to developing the NPDWR for

arsenic, contact the Safe Drinking Water

Hotline at 1–800–426–4791, or visit the

EPA Office of Ground Water and

Drinking Water arsenic webpage at

http://www.epa.gov/OGWDW/ars/

arsenic.html, which contains electronic

copies of the discussion papers from the

September 11–12, 1997 stakeholders

meeting. Registrants must make their

own room reservations for the Holiday

Inn Riverwalk by January 30, 1998 by

calling 1–800–422–2419 and mention

‘‘EPA Arsenic Meeting’’ to guarantee the

room rate of $94.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

Arsenic (As) is a naturally occurring

element found in the human body and

is present in food, water, and air.

Arsenic in drinking water occurs in

ground water and surface water and is

associated with certain natural geologic

conditions, as well as with

contamination from human activities.

Arsenic ingestion is linked to skin

cancer and arsenic inhalation to lung

cancer. In addition, arsenic ingestion

seems to be associated with vascular

effects, gastrointestinal irritation, and

cancers of the kidney, bladder, liver,

lung, and other organs. Water primarily

contains inorganic arsenic species

(AsV∂ and AsIII∂), which tend to be

more toxic than organic forms.

In 1976 EPA issued a National Interim

Primary Drinking Water Regulation for

arsenic at 50 parts per billion (ppb; μg/

L). Under the 1986 amendments to

SDWA, Congress directed EPA to

publish Maximum Contaminant Level

Goals (MCLGs) and promulgate National

Primary Drinking Water Regulations

(NPDWRs) for 83 contaminants,

including arsenic. When EPA failed to

meet the statutory deadline for

promulgating an arsenic regulation, a

citizens’ group filed suit to compel EPA

to do so. EPA entered into a consent

decree to issue the regulation. EPA held

internal workgroup meetings throughout

1994, addressing risk assessment,

treatment, analytical methods, arsenic

occurrence, exposure, costs,

implementation issues, and regulatory

options before deciding in early 1995 to

defer the regulation in order to better

characterize health effects.

On August 6, 1996, Congress

amended the SDWA, adding section

1412(b)(12)(A) which requires, in part,

that EPA propose a NPDWR for arsenic

by January 1, 2000 and issue a final

regulation by January 1, 2001. The

current maximum contaminant level

(MCL) of 50 μg/L remains in effect until

the effective date of the revised rule.

The 1996 amendments to the SDWA

also directed EPA to develop by

February, 1997, a comprehensive

arsenic research plan to assess health

risks associated with exposure to low

levels of arsenic. In December 1996,

EPA announced the availability of the

arsenic research plan, and the public

had an opportunity to comment on the

paper at a scientific peer review meeting

in January, 1997. EPA reported to

Congress in late January that the plan

was publicly available and would be

revised after consideration of the final

report of the scientific peer review

group, which was subsequently

published May 8, 1997. In conducting

the studies in the arsenic research plan,

EPA will consult with the National

Academy of Sciences, other Federal

agencies, and other interested public

and private parties.

B. Request for Stakeholder Involvement

EPA intends for the proposed NPDWR

for arsenic to incorporate the best

available science, risk assessment,

treatment technologies, occurrence data,

cost/benefit analyses, and stakeholder

input on technical and implementation

issues.

The stakeholders meeting will cover a

broad range of issues including: (1)

regulatory process, including risk

management decisions; (2) arsenic risk

assessment (exposure, health

assessment, national occurrence); (3)

key technical assessments (treatment

technologies, treatment residuals, cost,

analytical methods); (4) small system

concerns; and (5) future stakeholder

involvement. Background materials on

arsenic in drinking water issues will be

sent in advance of the meeting to those

who register with the Safe Drinking

Water Hotline by Wednesday, February

18, 1998.

EPA has announced this public

meeting to hear the views of

stakeholders on EPA’s plans for

activities to develop a NPDWR for

arsenic. The public is invited to provide

comments on the issues listed above

and other issues related to the arsenic in

drinking water regulation during the

February 25, 1998 meeting and during

future opportunities for stakeholder

participation.

Dated: January 21, 1998.

Cynthia C. Dougherty,

Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking

Water.

[FR Doc. 98–1931 Filed 1–26–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS

COMMISSION

ITU Proposal for Cost Recovery

AGENCY: Federal Communications

Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Federal Communications

Commission seeks comment on the

appropriateness and feasibility of a

proposal by the International

Telecommunications Commission (ITU)

for cost recovery for registering and

processing satellite notifications.
3892 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 17 /Tuesday, January 27, 1998 / Notices

1Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service,

Report and Order, 12 FCC Rcd 8776 (1997)

(Universal Service Order).

2Universal Service Order, 12 FCC Rcd at 9173–

9178, 9183–9185.

3Universal Service Order, 12 FCC Rcd at 9203,

9205.

4Universal Service Order, 12 FCC Rcd at 9200,

9202–9203.

5Changes to the Board of Directors of the National

Exchange Carrier Association, Inc., Federal-State

Joint Board on Universal Service, Report and Order

and Second Order on Reconsideration, CC Dockets

No. 97–21, 96–45, FCC 97–253 (rel. July 18, 1997)

(NECA Report and Order).

6NECA Report and Order at para. 57.

7NECA Report and Order at para. 47.

8NECA Report and Order at paras. 43–48. See

also 47 CFR 54.709(a)(2), (3), and 54.711(b).

9NECA Report and Order at para. 48.

10Proposed First Quarter Universal Service

Contribution Factors, Public Notice, DA 97–2392

(rel. Nov. 13, 1997). On November 19, 1997, AT&T

filed comments on the November 13th Public

Notice. See Letter from Rick D. Bailey, AT&T, to

Magalie Roman Salas, FCC, dated November 19,

1997.

11 47 CFR 54.709(a)(3).

12Extended Review Period for First Quarter

Universal Service Contribution Factors, Public

Notice, DA 97–2510 (rel. Nov. 26, 1997).

13Further Extension of Review Period for First

Quarter Universal Service Contribution Factors,

Public Notice, DA 97–2560 (rel. Dec. 5, 1997).

14Additional Extension of Review Period for First

Quarter Universal Service Contribution Factors,

Public Notice, DA 97–2600 (rel. Dec. 12, 1997).

15Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service,

Third Order on Reconsideration, CC Docket 96–45,

FCC 97–411 (rel. Dec. 16, 1997).

In particular, the Commission seeks

comment on how the Commission could

continue to make the ITU notifications

while ensuring that the applicant makes

cost recovery payments directly to the

ITU.

DATES: Submit comments on or before

February 27, 1998, and reply comments

on or before March 27, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Richard

B. Engelman, Chief Planning and

Negotiations Division, International

Bureau, Federal Communications

Commission, 2000 M Street, N.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20554.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: During the

June 23–27, 1997 meeting of the

International Telecommunications

Union Council, the subject of ITU cost

recovery for registering and processing

satellite notifications, as well as other

products and services including

terrestrial notifications, was addressed.

The Council agreed to Resolution 1113

that adopted the principle of cost

recovery for satellite registrations and

notifications. The Federal

Communications Commission (FCC)

seeks comment on the appropriateness

and feasibility of the recovery by the

ITU of such fees and how, if adopted,

the ITU cost recovery fees should be

administered within the FCC

notification process.

Federal Communications Commission.

Magalie Roman Salas,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98–1835 Filed 1–26–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS

COMMISSION

[CC Docket No. 96–45 and 97–160; DA 97–

2623]

Universal Service

AGENCY: Federal Communications

Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In this Public Notice, released

December 16, 1997, the Common Carrier

Bureau revises and approves universal

service contribution factors for the first

quarter of 1998. These factors will be

used to calculate first quarter

contributions to universal service.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Diane Law, Common Carrier Bureau,

Accounting and Audits Division, (202)

418–7400, or via E-mail to

‘‘dlaw@fcc.gov.’’

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the

Universal Service Order released on

May 8, 1997, the Commission

established new federal universal

service support mechanisms consistent

with the Communications Act of 1934,

as amended.1 The Commission required

all telecommunications carriers that

provide interstate telecommunications

services, providers of interstate

telecommunications, and payphone

service providers to contribute to the

federal universal service support

mechanisms.2 The Commission found

that contributions for the schools,

libraries, and rural health care support

mechanisms would be based on

interstate, intrastate, and international

end-user telecommunications revenues.3

The Commission also found that

contributions for the high cost, rural,

and insular and low-income support

mechanisms would be based on

interstate and international end-user

telecommunications revenues.4

On July 18, 1997, the Commission

released an Order directing the National

Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) to

create an independently functioning

not-for-profit subsidiary, the Universal

Service Administrative Company

(USAC), through which it will

administer temporarily certain aspects

of the federal universal service support

mechanisms.5 The Commission also

directed NECA to create two

independent, not-for-profit entities,

Schools and Libraries Corporation and

Rural Health Care Corporation, to

administer certain aspects of the

schools, libraries, and rural health care

support mechanisms.6 The Commission

instructed USAC, Schools and Libraries

Corporation, and Rural Health Care

Corporation to submit projections of

demand and administrative expenses for

their respective support mechanisms for

the first quarter of 1998 to the

Commission at least sixty days before

the start of the first quarter of 1998.7

USAC also was required to compile total

interstate, intrastate, and international

end-user telecommunications revenues

and submit that information to the

Commission.8 The Commission stated

that it would publish these figures and

the proposed quarterly contribution

factors in a Public Notice.9

On November 13, 1997, using the

information submitted on October 31,

1997 by the Universal Service

Administrative Company (USAC),

Schools and Libraries Corporation, and

Rural Health Care Corporation

(collectively, the administrative

corporations), the Accounting and

Audits Division (Division) announced

the proposed universal service

contribution factors for the first quarter

of 1998.10 Pursuant to the Commission’s

rules, those contribution factors would

have been deemed approved on

November 28, 1997 if the Commission

had taken no action regarding the

proposed contribution factors.11 On

November 26, 1997, however, the

Division extended the review period for

the proposed first quarter 1998

universal service contribution factors

until December 5, 1997.12 On December

5, 1997, the Division further extended

the period of time during which the

Commission could modify the proposed

universal service contribution factors for

the first quarter of 1998 until December

12, 1997.13 On December 12, 1997, the

Division extended the review period for

the proposed contribution factors until

December 16, 1997.14

On December 16, 1997, the

Commission released the Third Order

on Reconsideration in CC Docket 96–45.

In that Order, the Commission

concluded that it could reduce the

maximum amounts collected during the

first six months of 1998 for the schools

and libraries and rural health care

support mechanisms without

jeopardizing the sufficiency of the

support mechanisms.15 Consistent with

the Commission’s action on

reconsideration, in this Public Notice,

the Bureau revises the projections of

demand for the low income and rural

health care support mechanisms and