[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 29 (Thursday, February 12, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 7865]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02926]
[[Page 7865]]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-9922-16-OW]
Transfer of the California Safe Drinking Water Program From the
California Department of Public Health to the California State Water
Resources Control Board
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This document informs the public that the California Drinking
Water Program has been transferred from the California Department of
Public Health to the California State Water Resources Control Board.
DATES: This transfer became effective under California legislation on
July 1, 2014, and was certified to the EPA by the California Attorney
General on August 7, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Luis Garcia-Bakarich, Drinking Water
Management Section (WTR3-1); Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9,
75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, California 94105; telephone number:
(415) 972-3237; email address: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given that the State of
California enacted legislation (SB 861) that transfers to the
California State Water Resources Control Board the authority, duties,
powers, purposes, functions, responsibilities, and jurisdiction of the
California Department of Public Health for the purposes of the
administration of the California Safe Drinking Water Act programs
effective July 1, 2014.
Background
The California Safe Drinking Water Act provides for the operation
of public water systems and imposes various duties and responsibilities
for the regulation and control of drinking water in the State of
California including enforcing provisions of the federal Safe Drinking
Water Act. The program transfer under SB 861 included all elements of
the approved regulatory program as well as administration of the
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and the Environmental Laboratory
Accreditation Program. An interagency agreement between the California
State Water Resources Control Board and the California Department of
Public Health was established for assuring the availability of drinking
water laboratory services pursuant to 40 CFR 142.10 (b)(4).
40 CFR 142.17(a)(1) requires the State to notify the Administrator
of the EPA of any State-initiated program changes and of any transfer
of all or part of its program from the approved State agency to another
State agency. On August 7, 2014, the California Attorney General
certified to the EPA that the ``[t]ransfer of California's authority to
carry out the Safe Drinking Water Program from the California
Department of Public Health to the California State Water Resources
Control Board has been effectuated by SB 861 (Stats. 2014, ch. 35,
Sec. Sec. 62, 63, 127, 182).'' The Attorney General's certification
confirmed that the laws and regulations of California to carry out the
Safe Drinking Water Program remain in effect, and further stated that
``[i]n accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act as amended, and 40
CFR 142.12(c)(1)(iii), the statutes and regulations of the State of
California to carry out the Safe Drinking Water Act have been duly
adopted and are enforceable under California law and the California
State Constitution.''
The Attorney General's certification further confirmed that the
California State Water Resources Control Board has regulatory and
enforcement authority over drinking water standards and water systems
under California Health and Safety Code section 116271.
The State of California was first granted primary enforcement
responsibility for public water systems under section 1413 of the Safe
Drinking Water Act on June 2, 1978 (43 FR 25180, June 9, 1978).
Dated: January 30, 2015.
Michael Montgomery,
Acting Director, Water Division, EPA Region 9.
[FR Doc. 2015-02926 Filed 2-11-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P