Document ID: EPA-HQ-OW-2019-0415-0014
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Water Quality Trading under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program
Posted Date: 2019-11-19T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 19, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 63876]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-25060]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2019-0415; FRL-10002-36-OW]

Water Quality Trading Under the National Pollutant Discharge 
Elimination System Program; Extension of Comment Period

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notification, request for comment; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a document in 
the Federal Register of September 19, 2019, requesting comments on 
policy approaches for addressing ``baseline'' issues in the watersheds 
with EPA-approved Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) where policy makers 
would like to pursue water quality trading as a regulatory option for 
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit 
compliance. These policy approaches may also be of interest to 
stakeholders pursuing market-based water quality improvement programs 
outside of the NPDES permit program. This document extends the comment 
period for an additional 30 days, from November 18, 2019 to December 
18, 2019 in response to a stakeholder request.

DATES: The comment period for the document published on September 19, 
2019 (84 FR 49293), is extended. Comments, identified by docket 
identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OW-2019-0415, must be received on or 
before December 18, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ- 
OW-2019-0415, at https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments. 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 http://www2.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amelia Letnes, Office of Wastewater 
Management, Water Permits Division, Mail Code 4203M, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone number: (202) 564-5627; email address: letnes.amelia@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 19, 2019, EPA published in the 
Federal Register (84 FR 49293) proposed changes and clarifications to 
its Water Quality Trading Policy of 2003. These policy changes and 
clarifications are intended to increase flexibility and efficiency in 
state water quality trading programs, specifically in the area of 
establishing baselines for nonpoint sources subject to a Total Maximum 
Daily Load (TMDL).
    The document, as initially published in the Federal Register, 
provided for written comments to be submitted to EPA on or before 
November 18, 2019 (a 60-day public comment period). Since publication, 
EPA has received a request for additional time to submit comments. EPA 
is extending the public comment period for 30 days until December 18, 
2019.

    Dated: November 14, 2019.
Andrew D. Sawyers,
Director, Office of Wastewater Management, Office of Water.
[FR Doc. 2019-25060 Filed 11-14-19; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P