Expedited Method Approval of Alternate Test Procedures for the Analysis of Contaminants Under the Safe Drinking Water Act
Oral Presentation
Prepared by D. Hautman1, G. Smith2
1 - USEPA, OW, OGWDW, SRMD, Technical Support Center (TSC), 26 West Martin Luther King Dr., Mail Stop #140, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, United States
2 - USEPA , 26 West Martin Luther King Dr., Mail Stop #140, Cincinnati, OH, 45268,
Contact Information: [email protected]; 513-569-7652
ABSTRACT
When EPA sets a drinking water monitoring requirement for a contaminant, the Agency also establishes in the regulations at least one reference analytical method for analysis of the contaminant. Section 1401(1) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), as amended in 1996, authorizes EPA to approve “equally effective” testing procedures through publication of a notice in the Federal Register. Thus, EPA proposed the expedited method approval process in April, 2007 and published the first action on June 3, 2008 (73 FR 31616). In this action, Appendix A to Subpart C of Part 141 (titled “Alternative Testing Methods Approved for Analyses Under the Safe Drinking Water Act”) was added to the Code of Federal Regulations as a location for the approved alternative test methods.
EPA uses the expedited method approval process to approve only those alternative testing procedures that clearly demonstrate they are equally effective relative to methods already approved through notice-and-comment rulemaking. Through publication of a Federal Register notice, the expedited process provides a broader set of testing procedures for water systems much more quickly than the two to three years that can be required to finalize a rule.
The presentation will describe additional details about the history of the expedited method approval process and how it operates in conjunction with the drinking water Alternate Test Procedure program. In addition, examples of methods that have been approved through the expedited approval process will be discussed.
Oral Presentation
Prepared by D. Hautman1, G. Smith2
1 - USEPA, OW, OGWDW, SRMD, Technical Support Center (TSC), 26 West Martin Luther King Dr., Mail Stop #140, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, United States
2 - USEPA , 26 West Martin Luther King Dr., Mail Stop #140, Cincinnati, OH, 45268,
Contact Information: [email protected]; 513-569-7652
ABSTRACT
When EPA sets a drinking water monitoring requirement for a contaminant, the Agency also establishes in the regulations at least one reference analytical method for analysis of the contaminant. Section 1401(1) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), as amended in 1996, authorizes EPA to approve “equally effective” testing procedures through publication of a notice in the Federal Register. Thus, EPA proposed the expedited method approval process in April, 2007 and published the first action on June 3, 2008 (73 FR 31616). In this action, Appendix A to Subpart C of Part 141 (titled “Alternative Testing Methods Approved for Analyses Under the Safe Drinking Water Act”) was added to the Code of Federal Regulations as a location for the approved alternative test methods.
EPA uses the expedited method approval process to approve only those alternative testing procedures that clearly demonstrate they are equally effective relative to methods already approved through notice-and-comment rulemaking. Through publication of a Federal Register notice, the expedited process provides a broader set of testing procedures for water systems much more quickly than the two to three years that can be required to finalize a rule.
The presentation will describe additional details about the history of the expedited method approval process and how it operates in conjunction with the drinking water Alternate Test Procedure program. In addition, examples of methods that have been approved through the expedited approval process will be discussed.
