EPA Seeks Input on the Development of Drinking Water Perchlorate Regulation (HQ)
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is
inviting small businesses, governments, and not-for-profit
organizations to participate as small entity representatives (SERs)
for a small business advocacy review (SBAR) Panel. This panel will
focus on the agency’s development of a rule that proposes to
regulate the amount of perchlorate, a potentially harmful chemical,
in drinking water. Federal law requires agencies to establish an
SBAR Panel for rules that may have a significant economic impact on
a substantial number of small entities.
Perchlorate is both a naturally occurring and
man-made chemical that is used to produce rocket fuel, fireworks,
flares and explosives. Perchlorate can also be present in bleach
and in some fertilizers.
EPA has determined that perchlorate meets the
Safe Drinking Water Act’s three criteria for regulating a
contaminant. First, perchlorate may have adverse health effects.
Scientific research indicates that perchlorate can disrupt the
thyroid’s ability to produce hormones needed for normal
growth and development.Second,there is a substantial likelihood
that perchlorate occurs frequently at levels of health concern in
public water systems--monitoring data show more than four percent
of public water systems have detected perchlorate. Finally, there
is a meaningful opportunity for health risk reduction for the
between 5.2 million and 16.6 million people who may be served
drinking water containing perchlorate.
The panel will include federal representatives
from the Small Business Administration, the Office of Management
and Budget, and EPA. The panel members ask a selected group of SERs
to provide advice and recommendations on behalf of their company,
community, or organization to inform the panel members about the
potential impacts of the proposed rule on small
entities.
EPA seeks self-nominations directly from the
small organizations that may be subject to the rule requirements.
Other representatives, such as trade associations that exclusively
or at least primarilyrepresent potentially regulated small entities, may
also serve as SERs.
Self-nominations may be submitted through the
link below and must be received by August 26, 2011.
Nominate yourself as a SER: https://www.epa.gov/reg-flex
More information about perchlorate:
https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/perchlorate-drinking-water
