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WaterNews for February 11, 1999WaterNews is a weekly on-line publication that announces publications, policies, and activities of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water.
Inside this week's WaterNews:
1) Invasive Species Executive OrderOn February 3, 1999, President Clinton signed an Executive Order that directs federal agencies to cooperate in controlling invasive species. The Executive Order directs federal agencies to use their programs to prevent the introduction of invasive species, control populations of invasive species, and provide for restoration of native species and habitat conditions in ecosystems that have been invaded. The Executive Order also establishes an Invasive Species Council whose members will include the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. The Invasive Species Council will provide national leadership regarding invasive species, oversee the implementation of this Order, and see that the federal agency activities concerning invasive species are coordinated, complementary, cost-efficient, and effective through development of an interagency management plan. For more information, visit http://www.pub.whitehouse.gov/uri-res/I2R?urn:pdi://oma.eop.gov.us/1999/2/3/14.text.2) Drinking Water Operator Certification GuidelinesOn Feb 5, 1999, EPA published final guidelines for certifying operators who manage drinking water systems. The Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 require EPA, in cooperation with States, to publish guidelines which specify minimum standards that operators of community water systems (those that serve at least 25 people year-round) and nontransient nonommunity water systems (those that serve at least 25 people for 6 months of the year) such as schools, churches and factories must meet in order to be certified and recertified to operate those water systems.The final guidelines provide States with the minimum standards for the development, implementation and enforcement of operator certification programs for these community and nontransient noncommunity public water systems. Comments received during the 90-day comment period beginning on March 27, 1998 were considered in developing the final document. For more information, visit http://www.epa.gov/safewater/opcert/opguide.html on the Internet 3) EPA and CDC Study of the Health Effects of SulfateEPA and CDC completed the "Health Effects from Exposure to High Levels of Sulfate in Drinking Water Study". Sulfate, a substance that occurs naturally in drinking water, has caused health concern because of reports that diarrhea may be associated with ingesting water that contains high levels of sulfate. This study examined the association between consumption of tap water containing high levels of sulfate and reports of osmotic diarrhea in susceptible populations. For more information and a pre-publications version of the Federal Register notice, visit http://www.epa.gov/safewater/sulfate.html on the Internet. EPA is seeking public comment and instructions for comments are included in the notice.
Please forward this message to your friends and colleagues who share an interest in water-related issues and would like to hear from EPA's Office of Water. To subscribe to the WaterNews listserve:
A welcome message will appear in your email box once you are officially subscribed. WaterNews will be sent to you at the end of each week. If you encounter difficulties subscribing to this list server or if you would like to be taken off the WaterNews list server at any time, please send your Email address to Gloria Posey at Posey.Gloria@epa.gov.
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