[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 39 (Monday, February 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10240-10241]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04087]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-9942-41-ORD]
Regional Monitoring Networks (RMNs) To Detect Changing Baselines
in Freshwater Wadeable Streams
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the
availability of a document titled, ``Regional Monitoring Networks
(RMNs) to Detect Changing Baselines in Freshwater Wadeable Streams''
(EPA/600/R-15/280). The document was prepared by the National Center
for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within EPA's Office of Research and
Development. The document describes the development of the current
regional monitoring networks (RMNs) for riffle-dominated, freshwater
wadeable streams.
The final document is available via the Internet on the NCEA home
page under the Recent Additions and the Data and Publications menus at
http://www.epa.gov/risk/ecological-risk-assessment-products-and-publications.
DATES: The document will be available on or around February 29, 2016.
ADDRESSES: The final report, ``Regional Monitoring Networks (RMNs) to
Detect Changing Baselines,'' is available primarily via the Internet on
the Ecological Risk Assessment Products and Publications Web page at
http://www.epa.gov/risk/ecological-risk-assessment-products-and-publications. A limited number of paper copies are available from the
Information Management Team, NCEA; telephone: 703-347-8561; facsimile:
703-347-8691. If you are requesting a paper copy, please provide your
name, mailing address, and the document title.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information, contact
Britta Bierwagen, NCEA; telephone: 703-347-8613; facsimile: 703-347-
8694; or email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Information About the Project/Document
The United States Environmental Protection Agency is working with
its regional offices, states, tribes, river basin commissions, and
other entities to establish Regional Monitoring Networks (RMNs) for
freshwater wadeable streams. RMNs have been established in the
Northeast, Mid Atlantic, and Southeast, and efforts are expanding into
other regions. Long term biological, thermal, hydrologic, physical
habitat, and water chemistry data are being collected at RMN sites to
document current conditions and detect long term changes. Consistent
methods are being used to increase the comparability of data, minimize
biases and variability, and ensure that the data meet data quality
objectives. RMN surveys build
[[Page 10241]]
on existing state and tribal bioassessment efforts, with the goal of
collecting comparable data at a limited number of sites that can be
pooled at a regional level. Pooling data enables more robust regional
analyses and improves the ability to detect trends over shorter time
periods. This document describes the development and implementation of
the RMNs. It includes information on selection of sites, expectations
for data collection, the rationale for collecting these data, data
infrastructure, and provides examples of how the RMN data will be used
and analyzed. The report concludes with a discussion on the status of
monitoring activities and next steps.
Dated: February 19, 2016.
Mary A. Ross,
Deputy Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 2016-04087 Filed 2-26-16; 8:45 am]
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