Document ID: EPA-HQ-OW-2002-0017-0121
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Voluntary National Guidelines for Management of Onsite and Clustered (Decentralized) Wastewater Treatment Systems; Notice of Availability.
Posted Date: 2003-03-28T05:00Z

15172
Federal
Register
/
Vol.
68,
No.
60
/
Friday,
March
28,
2003
/
Notices
details
on
assessing,
developing,
implementing,
and
sustaining
a
viable
management
program.
All
aspects
of
a
management
program
are
covered,
including
public
education
and
participation,
planning,
performance
criteria,
site
evaluation,
design,
construction,
operation
and
maintenance,
residuals
management,
training
and
certification/
licensing,
inspections/
monitoring,
corrective
actions,
record
keeping/
reporting,
and
financial
assistance.
To
address
these
elements
of
comprehensive
management
programs,
the
Management
Handbook
will
include
the
following:
 
Public
awareness
and
education
tools
 
Case
studies
of
management
programs
 
Options
for
inventories
 
Funding
examples
 
Model
codes
and
ordinances
 
Examples
of
septage
management
The
primary
audience
for
the
Management
Handbook
are
state,
tribal
and
local
regulators
and
community
officials
that
are
responsible
for
regulating
onsite
and
clustered
systems.
Onsite
and
clustered
wastewater
treatment
systems
currently
serve
about
25
percent
of
U.
S.
homes
and
approximately
33
percent
of
new
development.
The
vast
majority
of
these
systems
are
conventional
onsite
wastewater
treatment
systems
(
septic
systems).
States
report
that
these
wastewater
treatment
systems
have
failed
because
of
inappropriate
siting
or
design
or
inadequate
long­
term
maintenance
and
that
septic
tank
systems
constitute
the
third
most
common
source
of
ground
water
contamination.
Historically
high
failure
rates
in
some
areas
indicate
a
need
for
better
management
of
these
systems
to
protect
public
health
and
water
quality.
When
onsite
and
clustered
wastewater
treatment
systems
are
properly
managed,
they
may,
in
many
cases,
be
the
most
practical
and
least
expensive
way
to
treat
household
wastewater.
In
April,
1997,
EPA
prepared
its
``
Response
to
Congress
on
the
Use
of
Decentralized
Wastewater
Treatment
Systems.''
The
report
concluded
that
decentralized
wastewater
treatment
technologies
offer
a
cost­
effective,
long
term
wastewater
treatment
solution
for
many
communities.
However,
the
report
emphasized
that
decentralized
technologies
must
be
implemented
in
the
context
of
a
responsible
management
program
to
consistently
achieve
water
quality
and
public
health
goals.
The
report
identified
the
current
lack
of
management
as
a
barrier
to
successfully
applying
these
otherwise
promising
technologies.
In
response
to
the
need
for
improved
management,
EPA
prepared
a
concept
paper
in
the
spring
of
1999,
which
received
considerable
input
from
various
stakeholders,
including
other
federal
agencies,
state
health
agencies,
environmental
groups,
trade
associations
and
public
interest
groups.
Based
on
comments
received,
EPA
developed
the
draft
Management
Guidelines
which
were
published
in
October
2000,
along
with
an
annotated
outline
of
this
draft
handbook.
Comments
were
once
again
solicited,
resulting
in
the
final
Management
Guidelines
and
this
draft
Management
Handbook.

Dated:
March
18,
2003.
G.
Tracy
Mehan,
III,
Assistant
Administrator,
Office
of
Water.
[
FR
Doc.
03
 
7505
Filed
3
 
27
 
03;
8:
45
am]

BILLING
CODE
6560
 
50
 
P
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
AGENCY
[
FRL
 
7474
 
4]

Voluntary
National
Guidelines
for
Management
of
Onsite
and
Clustered
(
Decentralized)
Wastewater
Treatment
Systems
AGENCY:
Environmental
Protection
Agency.
ACTION:
Notice
of
availability.

SUMMARY:
The
U.
S.
Environmental
Protection
Agency
(
EPA)
is
making
available
the
final
Voluntary
National
Guidelines
for
Management
of
Onsite
and
Clustered
(
Decentralized)
Wastewater
Treatment
Systems
(
referred
to
here
as
the
Management
Guidelines).
The
purpose
of
the
Management
Guidelines
is
to
improve
the
level
of
performance
of
decentralized
wastewater
treatment
systems
nationally
through
improved
management
programs.
The
Management
Guidelines
will
help
improve
system
performance
by
raising
the
quality
of
management
programs,
establishing
minimum
levels
of
activity,
and
institutionalizing
the
concept
of
management.
Implementation
of
the
Management
Guidelines
will
also
provide
a
greater
range
of
options
for
cost­
effectively
meeting
wastewater
treatment
needs
and
meeting
water
quality
and
public
health
goals.
The
primary
audience
for
the
Management
Guidelines
are
state,
tribal
and
local
regulators
and
community
officials
that
are
responsible
for
regulating
onsite
and
clustered
systems.

FOR
FURTHER
INFORMATION
CONTACT:
Any
questions
regarding
the
content
of
the
Voluntary
National
Guidelines
for
Management
of
Onsite
and
Clustered
(
Decentralized)
Wastewater
Treatment
Systems
can
be
addressed
to
Joyce
Hudson
by
e­
mail
at
hudson.
joyce@
epa.
gov
or
via
U.
S.
mail
to
Joyce
Hudson,
U.
S.
EPA,
Office
of
Wastewater
Management
(
4204M),
1200
Pennsylvania
Avenue,
NW.,
Washington,
DC
20460.

SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION:
Decentralized
wastewater
treatment
systems
(
commonly
referred
to
as
septic
systems,
private
sewage
systems,
individual
sewage
systems,
onsite
sewage
disposal
systems
or
package
plants)
include
onsite
and
clustered
systems
used
to
collect,
treat,
and
disperse
or
reclaim
wastewater
from
individual
dwellings,
businesses,
or
small
communities
and
service
areas.
State
agencies
report
that
some
of
these
systems
have
failed
because
of
inappropriate
siting
or
design
or
inadequate
long­
term
maintenance.
Historically
high
failure
rates
in
some
areas
indicate
a
need
for
better
management
of
these
systems
to
protect
public
health
and
water
quality.
However,
when
onsite
and
clustered
wastewater
treatment
systems
are
properly
managed,
they
may,
in
many
cases,
be
the
most
practical
and
least
expensive
way
to
treat
household
wastewater.
In
response
to
the
need
for
improved
management
programs,
EPA
has
developed
the
Management
Guidelines
to
establish
a
benchmark
for
effective
management.
The
purpose
of
the
Management
Guidelines
is
to
raise
the
level
of
performance
of
onsite
and
clustered
wastewater
treatment
systems
through
improved
management
programs.
The
Management
Guidelines
will
be
supplemented
with
a
handbook
for
state,
tribal,
and
local
governments
to
use
in
upgrading
management
programs.
The
draft
Handbook
for
Management
of
Onsite
and
Clustered
(
Decentralized)
Wastewater
Treatment
Systems
is
being
published
elsewhere
in
today's
Federal
Register
for
public
comment.
The
Management
Guidelines
present
a
set
of
five
model
programs
based
on
a
comprehensive
approach
that
relies
on
coordinating
the
responsibilities
and
actions
among
the
state,
tribal
or
local
regulatory
agency,
the
management
entity
or
service
provider
and
the
system
owner.
The
level
of
management
needed
increases
as
the
sensitivity
of
the
environment
and/
or
the
degree
of
technological
complexity
increases.
A
program's
designation
increases
progressively
from
Model
Program
1
through
Model
Program
5,
reflecting
the
increased
level
of
management
activities
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15173
Federal
Register
/
Vol.
68,
No.
60
/
Friday,
March
28,
2003
/
Notices
needed
to
achieve
increasing
water
quality
and
public
health
goals.
Adoption
of
the
Management
Guidelines
is
voluntary,
however,
EPA
encourages
states
and
communities
to
consider
them
as
a
basis
for
improving
their
onsite
and
clustered
wastewater
management
program.
The
guidelines
apply
to
both
existing
communities
and
to
areas
of
new
development
that
use
onsite
and
clustered
wastewater
treatment
systems
of
any
size
for
residential
and
commercial
wastewater
treatment
and
dispersal.
Background.
Onsite
and
clustered
wastewater
treatment
systems
currently
serve
about
25
percent
of
U.
S.
homes
and
approximately
33
percent
of
new
development.
States
report
that
these
wastewater
treatment
systems
have
failed
because
of
inappropriate
siting
or
design
or
inadequate
long­
term
maintenance
and
that
septic
tank
systems
constitute
the
third
most
common
source
of
ground
water
contamination.
In
April,
1997,
EPA
prepared
its
Response
to
Congress
on
the
Use
of
Decentralized
Wastewater
Treatment
Systems.
The
report
concluded
that
decentralized
wastewater
treatment
technologies
offer
a
cost­
effective,
long
term
wastewater
solution
for
many
communities.
However,
the
report
emphasized
that
decentralized
technologies
must
be
implemented
in
the
context
of
a
responsible
management
program
to
consistently
achieve
water
quality
and
public
health
goals.
The
report
identified
the
current
lack
of
management
as
a
barrier
to
successfully
applying
these
otherwise
promising
technologies.
In
response
to
the
need
for
improved
management,
EPA
prepared
a
concept
paper
in
the
spring
of
1999,
which
received
considerable
input
from
various
stakeholders,
including
other
federal
agencies,
state
health
agencies,
environmental
groups,
trade
associations
and
public
interest
groups.
The
result
was
a
notice
of
availability
of
the
draft
Guidelines
for
Management
of
Onsite/
Decentralized
Wastewater
Treatment
Systems
which
was
published
in
the
Federal
Register
on
October
6,
2000
(
65
FR
59840
 
59841)
for
public
comment
and
included
an
annotated
outline
of
an
accompanying
manual/
handbook.
During
follow
up
outreach
efforts
conducted
by
EPA,
stakeholders
raised
several
key
issues
concerning
the
voluntary
nature
of
the
Guidelines,
their
flexibility,
and
possible
implementation
issues.
EPA
has
addressed
those
issues
and
has
received
support
from
representatives
of
public
and
private
organizations
who
believe
national
guidelines
are
important.
You
can
get
copies
of
the
Management
Guidelines
by
downloading
the
document
at
http://
www.
epa.
gov/
owm/
mtb/
decent/.
Hard
copies
may
be
obtained
from
USEPA
Publications
Clearing
House,
PO
Box
42419,
Cincinnati,
OH
45242.
You
may
access
this
Federal
Register
notice
electronically
through
the
EPA
Internet
under
the
Federal
Register
listings
at
http://
www.
epa.
gov/
fedrgstr/.

Dated:
March
18,
2003.
G.
Tracy
Mehan,
III,
Assistant
Administrator,
Office
of
Water.
[
FR
Doc.
03
 
7506
Filed
3
 
27
 
03;
8:
45
am]

BILLING
CODE
6560
 
50
 
P
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
AGENCY
[
FRL
 
7474
 
8]

Proposed
Administrative
Cost
Recovery
Agreement
under
CERCLA
Section
122(
h)
for
Recovery
of
Past
Costs
at
the
Sealand
Restoration
Superfund
Site,
Lisbon,
St.
Lawrence
County,
NY
AGENCY:
Environmental
Protection
Agency.
ACTION:
Notice;
request
for
public
comment.

SUMMARY:
In
accordance
with
section
122(
i)
of
the
Comprehensive
Environmental
Response,
Compensation,
and
Liability
Act
of
1980,
as
amended
(``
CERCLA''),
42
U.
S.
C.
9622(
i),
notice
is
hereby
given
of
a
proposed
administrative
settlement,
entered
into
pursuant
to
section
122(
h)
of
CERCLA,
42
U.
S.
C.
9622(
h),
for
recovery
of
past
response
costs
concerning
the
Sealand
Restoration
Superfund
Site
(``
Site'')
located
in
Lisbon,
St.
Lawrence
County,
New
York.
The
settlement
is
between
the
U.
S.
Environmental
Protection
Agency
(``
EPA'')
and
the
General
Motors
Corporation
(``
GMC'').
The
settlement
requires
GMC
to
pay
$
430,000.00
to
EPA,
in
reimbursement
of
past
response
costs
incurred
with
respect
to
the
Site.
The
settlement
includes
a
covenant
not
to
sue
the
settling
party
pursuant
to
section
107(
a)
of
CERCLA,
42
U.
S.
C.
9607(
a),
for
all
costs
that
EPA
or
the
U.
S.
Department
of
Justice
on
behalf
of
EPA
paid
at
or
in
connection
with
the
Site
through
September
30,
2002.
For
thirty
(
30)
days
following
the
date
of
publication
of
this
notice,
EPA
will
receive
written
comments
relating
to
the
settlement.
EPA
will
consider
all
comments
received
and
may
modify
or
withdraw
its
consent
to
the
settlement
if
comments
received
disclose
facts
or
considerations
that
indicate
that
the
proposed
settlement
is
inappropriate,
improper,
or
inadequate.
EPA's
response
to
any
comments
received
will
be
available
for
public
inspection
at
the
EPA,
Region
2,
290
Broadway,
New
York,
New
York
10007
 
1866.
DATES:
Comments
must
be
submitted
on
or
before
April
28,
2003.
ADDRESSES:
The
proposed
settlement
is
available
for
public
inspection
at
the
United
States
Environmental
Protection
Agency,
290
Broadway,
New
York,
New
York
10007
 
1866.
A
copy
of
the
proposed
settlement
may
be
obtained
from
James
Doyle,
Assistant
Regional
Counsel,
Office
of
Regional
Counsel,
New
York/
Caribbean
Superfund
Branch,
EPA,
Region
2,
290
Broadway,
17th
Floor,
New
York,
New
York
10007
 
1866.
Comments
should
reference
the
Sealand
Restoration
Superfund
Site
located
in
Lisbon,
St.
Lawrence
County,
New
York.
Requests
for
a
copy
of
the
agreement
should
reference
Docket
No.
CERCLA
 
02
 
2003
 
2007.
Any
comments
or
requests
should
be
addressed
to
James
Doyle
at
the
above
address.
FOR
FURTHER
INFORMATION
CONTACT:
James
Doyle,
Assistant
Regional
Counsel,
Office
of
Regional
Counsel,
New
York/
Caribbean
Superfund
Branch,
EPA,
Region
2,
290
Broadway,
17th
Floor,
New
York,
New
York
10007
 
1866.
Telephone:
(
212)
637
 
3165.

Dated:
March
14,
2003.
William
J.
Muszynski,
Deputy
Regional
Administrator,
United
States
Environmental
Protection
Agency,
Region
II.
[
FR
Doc.
03
 
7508
Filed
3
 
27
 
03;
8:
45
am]

BILLING
CODE
6560
 
50
 
P
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
AGENCY
[
FRL:
7474
 
7]

Proposed
Covenant
Not
To
Sue
Under
CERCLA
Section
122(
h)
Contained
in
Administrative
Order
on
Consent,
Index
No.
CERCLA
 
02
 
2002
 
2025,
Shenandoah
Road
Groundwater
Contamination
Superfund
Site,
East
Fishkill,
Dutchess
County,
NY
AGENCY:
Environmental
Protection
Agency.
ACTION:
Notice;
request
for
public
comment.

SUMMARY:
In
accordance
with
section
122(
i)
of
the
Comprehensive
Environmental
Response,
Compensation,
and
Liability
Act
of
1980,
as
amended
(``
CERCLA''),
42
VerDate
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31>
2003
15:
37
Mar
27,
2003
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200001
PO
00000
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00028
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4703
E:\
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FM\
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