[Federal Register: October 25, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 205)] [Proposed Rules] [Page 57430-57431] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr25oc99-23] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Parts 144 and 146 [FRL-6462-4] Notice of Availability of Class V Injection Well Study AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of availability. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: EPA and the Sierra Club entered into a modified consent decree on January 28, 1997. In accordance with the second action required by this decree, EPA has completed a study of all Class V wells not included in the July 29, 1998 proposed rulemaking (63 FR 40586). ADDRESSES: The study is available on the EPA, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, Underground Injection Control web site: http:// www.epa.gov/OGWDW/uic/cl5study.html or in the Water Docket, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; 401 M Street, SW, East Tower Basement, Washington, D.C. 20460. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information, contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline, toll-free 800-426-4791. The Safe Drinking Water Hotline is open Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. For technical inquiries, contact Amber Moreen, Underground Injection Control Program, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (mail code 4606), EPA, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, D.C., 20460. Phone: 202-260- 4891. E-mail: moreen.amber@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The study of Class V underground injection wells required by a 1997 consent decree with the Sierra Club (Sierra Club v. Browner, D.D.C. No. 93-2644 NHJ) has been completed. The consent decree required EPA to complete a study of all Class V wells not included in an initial rulemaking (63 FR 40586). This initial rulemaking, also required by the consent decree, was proposed on July 29, 1998 and covers Class V wells determined by EPA to be the highest risk and for which additional study was not necessary. The Class V study provides background information for EPA to use in evaluating the risk that approximately 20 types of Class V wells pose to underground sources of drinking water. Information collected for each well type includes: inventory, injectate constituents, contamination incidents, and current State regulations. EPA coordinated extensive peer and EPA workgroup reviews of each well-specific draft report to ensure technical accuracy and completeness of the documents. Technical experts were located through the Ground Water Protection Council, three Federal Register notices seeking peer reviewers (64 FR 1007-1008), the UIC technical workgroup, the Internet, and EPA. More detailed explanations of the well-types and the components of the study can be found in 64 FR 37803. The information in the Study will be used to aid EPA in determining if additional federal regulations for these well types are warranted. According to the modified consent decree, no later than April 30, 2001, EPA must propose a decision regarding whether further rulemaking for each Class V well not included in the initial rulemaking is necessary and, if so, how each well should be regulated. A final rule or rules must be signed by the Administrator by May 31, 2002. Before these decisions are made, EPA plans to seek comment from the public. EPA plans to consider comments received at that time in deciding the most appropriate manner of ensuring that the remaining Class V wells are not endangering underground sources of drinking water. [[Page 57431]] Dated: October 12, 1999. Cynthia C. Dougherty, Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water. [FR Doc. 99-27545 Filed 10-22-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-U