💧EPA Approves California's Revised Drinking Water Regulations
Notice is hereby given that the State of California revised its approved State primacy program under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) by adopting regulations that effectuate the Federal Public Water System (PWS) Definition. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that California's revision request meets the applicable SDWA program revision requirements and the regulations adopted by California are no less stringent than the corresponding Federal regulations. Therefore, EPA approves this revision to California's approved State primacy program. However, this determination on California's request for approval of a program revision shall take effect in accordance with the procedures described below in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document after the opportunity to request a public hearing.
Learn More⛵New Temporary Regulation for Bush River Boat Race Safety
The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary special local regulation for certain waters of the Bush River and Otter Point Creek, in Maryland. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters, located at Edgewood, MD, during a high-speed power boat race on May 3, 2025, and May 4, 2025. This regulation prohibits persons and vessels (other than those already at berth at the time the regulation takes effect) from being in the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Sector Maryland-National Capital Region (COTP), or a designated representative.
Learn More🚰EPA Announces Preliminary Regulatory Determinations for Water Contaminants
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), as amended in 1996, requires that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determine whether to regulate at least five unregulated contaminants every five years. The decision to regulate or not to regulate a contaminant is known as a regulatory determination. In most cases, the contaminants chosen for regulatory determination are selected from the most recent Contaminant Candidate List (CCL), which the SDWA requires the EPA to publish every five years. This document presents the preliminary regulatory determinations and supporting rationale for contaminants listed on the EPA's fifth CCL (CCL 5). Since the fourth round of regulatory determinations was published in March 2021, the EPA has made determinations to regulate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including individual determinations for three PFAS: perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid and its ammonium salt (HFPO-DA, also known as GenX or GenX chemicals); and mixtures including two or more of these three PFAS and perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS). In April 2024, the agency issued a final National Primary Drinking Water Regulation that includes these four PFAS as well as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). In this Federal Register Notice (FRN), the EPA is making preliminary determinations not to regulate nine additional contaminants from CCL 5: 2-aminotoluene, cylindrospermopsin, ethoprop, microcystins, molybdenum, permethrin, profenofos, tebuconazole and tribufos. The EPA requests public comment on these preliminary determinations and other aspects of this FRN. The EPA also presents updates on additional contaminants from CCL 5, as well as on some of those that have been considered in previous rounds of regulatory determinations and for which the EPA has not yet made a regulatory determination. The agency is also presenting and requesting comment on the process and analyses used for this round of regulatory determinations (i.e., RD 5), the supporting information, and the rationale used to make these preliminary decisions.
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