Document ID: EPA-HQ-OECA-2019-0204-0001
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Enforcement and Compliance: Enhancing EPA-State Planning and Communication
Posted Date: 2019-05-13T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 92 (Monday, May 13, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 20882]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-09764]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OECA-2019-0204; FRL-9992-91-OECA]

Enforcement and Compliance: Enhancing EPA-State Planning and 
Communication

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting public 
comment on its policy of Enhancing Planning and Communication Between 
the EPA and States in Civil Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Work. 
The draft Policy is available for review at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2019-04/documents/guidance-enhancingregionalstatecommunicationoncompliance-190422.pdf.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 12, 2019.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OECA-2019-0204; to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the Docket ID 
No. for this notice. Comments received will be posted without change to 
https://www.regulations.gov/, including any personal information 
provided. For detailed instructions on sending comments and additional 
information on the notice process, see the ``Written Comments'' heading 
of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen H. Johnson, Senior Policy 
Advisor, Mail Code: 2261A, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 
564-5401; fax number: (202) 501-3842; email address: 
Johnson.Kathleen@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In January 2018, the Office of Enforcement 
and Compliance Assurance issued an Interim Guidance document to help 
move the Agency toward a more collaborative partnership between EPA and 
states, with the expectation that the guidance would be later updated. 
The interim document may be viewed at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-01/documents/guidance-enhancingregionalstatecommunicationoncompliance.pdf.
    The EPA is seeking comments on a policy that would replace that 
Interim Guidance and would set out expectations and procedures for 
enhancing planning and communication on civil enforcement work between 
the EPA and States that are implementing Federal environmental 
programs. While this policy is focused on the EPA's work with States 
that are approved to implement Federal programs, the EPA also is 
seeking comments on applying these planning and communication practices 
when working with federally-recognized Indian tribes, territories, and 
local governments that have received approval to implement Federal 
programs. This is an Agency planning document and would not impose any 
legally binding requirements on EPA or any outside parties.
    Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OECA-2019-
0204; at https://www.regulations.gov. Once submitted, comments cannot 
be edited or removed from Regulations.gov. The EPA may publish any 
comment received to its public docket. Do not submit electronically any 
information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) 
or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. 
Multimedia submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a 
written comment. The written comment is considered the official comment 
and should include discussion of all points you wish to make. The EPA 
will generally not consider comments or comment contents located 
outside of the primary submission (i.e., on the web, cloud, or other 
file sharing system). For additional submission methods, the full EPA 
public comment policy, information about CBI or multimedia submissions, 
and general guidance on making effective comments, please visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.
    The EPA will consider all timely-submitted public comments in 
determining whether and how to finalize this policy statement.

    Dated: April 25, 2019.
Susan Parker Bodine,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Enforcement and Compliance 
Assurance.
[FR Doc. 2019-09764 Filed 5-10-19; 8:45 am]
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