Environmental Protection Agency
EPA is proposing to approve the use of three additional analytical methods for compliance determinations of uranium in drinking water. Each of these methods use an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technology that has gained wide acceptance in the analytical community. EPA believes that ICP-MS analytical methods could be more cost-effective, less labor-intensive or more sensitive than some of the technologies previously approved in the December 2000 Radionuclides Rule. (65 FR 76708) This proposed rule does not withdraw approval of any previously approved monitoring methods for uranium. In the "Rules and Regulations" section of the Federal Register, we are approving National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Analytical Method for Uranium as a direct final rule without prior proposal because we view this as a noncontroversial rulemaking and anticipate no adverse comment. We have explained our reasons for this approval in the preamble to the direct final rule. If we receive no adverse comment, we will not take further action on this proposed rule. If we receive adverse comment, we will withdraw the direct final rule and it will not take effect. We will address all public comments in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. We will not institute a second comment period on this action. Any parties interested in commenting must do so at this time. Through this proposal, EPA requests comment on whether approval of the ICP-MS methods published by EPA, American Society for Testing and Materials International (ASTM), and the Standard Methods Committee (EPA 200.8, ASTM D5673-03, and SM 3125), is appropriate for compliance determinations of uranium in drinking water only. Readers should please note that EPA is not requesting comment on any other use of these three ICP-MS methods, use of any other ICP-MS method, or any issue associated with the uranium standard or its implementation, and EPA will not respond to any comments other than those concerning the approval of these specific methods (as cited) for compliance determinations of uranium in drinking water. Today's action does not affect approval of the 15 methods currently approved for compliance monitoring of uranium.
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Environmental Protection Agency 40 CFR Part 141 [OW-2003-0067; FRL-7669-1] RIN 2040-AE62 AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Proposed rule. SUMMARY: EPA is proposing to approve the use of three additional analytical methods for compliance determinations of uranium in drinking water. Each of these methods use an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technology that has gained wide acceptance in the analytical community. EPA believes that ICP-MS analytical methods could be more cost-effective, less labor-intensive or more sensitive than some of the technologies previously approved in the December 2000 Radionuclides Rule. ( 65 FR 76708 ) This proposed rule does not withdraw approval of any previously approved monitoring methods for uranium. In the “Rules and Regulations” section of the Federal Register , we are approving National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Analytical Method for Uranium as a direct final rule without prior proposal because we view this as a noncontroversial rulemaking and anticipate no adverse comment. We have explained our reasons for this approval in the preamble to the direct final rule. If we receive no adverse comment, we will not take further action on this proposed rule. If we receive adverse comment, we will withdraw the direct final rule and it will not take effect. We will address all public comments in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. We will not institute a second comment peri…
Other Federal Register documents from the same docket.
Withdrawal of Direct Final Rule; National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Analytical Method for Uranium
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Analytical Method for Uranium
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Analytical Method for Uranium
Citation: 69 FR 31068
