National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for Lead and Copper: Improvements (LCRI)

<RULE> ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY <CFR>40 CFR Parts 141 and 142</CFR> <DEPDOC>[EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0801; FRL-5423.2-02-OW]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 2040-AG16</RIN> <SUBJECT>National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for Lead and Copper: Improvements (LCRI)</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Final rule. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> In December 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requested comment on the proposed the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI), which informed the revisions to the National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for lead and copper. After consideration of public comment on the LCRI, and consistent with the provisions set forth under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the EPA is finalizing revisions to the NPDWR for lead and copper. In this rule, the agency is finalizing requirements for drinking water systems to replace lead and certain galvanized service lines. The final rule also removes the lead trigger level, reduces the lead action level to 0.010 mg/L, and strengthens tap sampling procedures to improve public health protection and simplify implementation relative to the 2021 Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR). Further, this final rule strengthens corrosion control treatment, public education and consumer awareness, requirements for small systems, and sampling in schools and child care facilities. The final rule will significantly reduce the adverse human health impacts of exposure to toxic lead in drinking water. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> <E T="03">Effective date:</E> This final rule is effective on December 30, 2024. <E T="03">Judicial review:</E> For judicial review purposes, this final rule is promulgated as of October 30, 2024. <E T="03">Compliance dates:</E> The compliance date for the revisions to 40 CFR part 141, subpart I, is set forth in § 141.80(a). The compliance date for the revisions to 40 CFR 141.2 and 141.31 is November 1, 2027. The compliance date for the changes made to 40 CFR part 141, subpart O, is set forth in § 141.152(a). The compliance date for the changes to 40 CFR part 141, subpart Q (§ 141.202 and appendices A and B) is November 1, 2027. </EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> The EPA has established a docket for this action under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0801. All documents in the docket are listed on the <E T="03">https://www.regulations.gov</E> website. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, <E T="03">e.g.,</E> Confidential Business Information or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, is not placed on the internet and will be publicly available only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket materials are available electronically through <E T="03">https://www.regulations.gov.</E> <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Michael Goldberg, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, Standards and Risk Management Division (Mail Code 4607M), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-564-1379; email address: <E T="03">LCRI@epa.gov.</E> </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Table of Contents</HD> <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">I. Executive Summary</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">II. General Information</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. What does the final LCRI require?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Does this action apply to me?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Dates for Compliance</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">III. Background</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Overview of Lead and Lead Exposures Through Drinking Water</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Human Health Effects of Lead and Copper</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Regulatory History</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Statutory Authority</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Anti-backsliding Analysis of LCRI Relative to LCR and LCRR</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. White House Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA's Strategy To Reduce Lead Exposures and Disparities in U.S. Communities</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Other Financial Resources</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">H. Lead Exposure and Environmental Justice, Equity, and Federal Civil Rights</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">IV. Final Revisions to 40 CFR Part 141, Subpart I, Control of Lead and Copper</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Regulatory Approach</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Service Line Replacement</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Service Line Replacement Plan</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Service Line Inventory</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Tap Sampling for Lead and Copper</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Corrosion Control Treatment</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. Water Quality Parameter Monitoring</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">H. Distribution System and Site Assessment</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">I. Compliance Alternatives for a Lead Action Level Exceedance for Small Community Water Systems and Non-Transient Non-Community Water Systems</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">J. Public Education</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">K. Additional Requirements for Systems With Multiple Lead Action Level Exceedances</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">L. Lead Sampling at Schools and Child Care Facilities</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">M. Copper</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">N. System Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">O. Other Proposed Revisions to 40 CFR Part 141</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">V. Rule Implementation and Enforcement</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. General</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. What are the rule compliance dates?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. State Primacy and Special Primacy Requirements</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. State Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">VI. Economic Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Summary of Public Comments and the EPA's Response</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Affected Entities and Major Data Sources Used To Develop the Baseline</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Overview of the Cost-Benefit Model</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Cost Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Benefits Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Cost-Benefit Comparison</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. Alternative Regulatory Options Considered</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">VII. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Executive Order 12866 (Regulatory Planning and Review) and Executive Order 14094 (Modernizing Regulatory Review)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Executive Order 13132 (Federalism)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Executive Order 13175 (Consultation and Coordination With Indian Tribal Governments)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. Executive Order 13045 (Protection of Children From Environmental Health and Safety Risks)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">H. Executive Order 13211 (Actions That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">I. National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">J. Executive Order 12898 (Federal Actions To Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations) and Executive Order 14096 (Revitalizing Our Nation's Commitment to Environmental Justice for All)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">K. Consultations With the Science Advisory Board (SAB) and the National Drinking Water Advisory Council (NDWAC)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">L. Consultation With the Department of Health and Human Services Under SDWA Section 1412(d)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">M. Congressional Review Act (CRA)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">VIII. Severability</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">IX. References</FP> </EXTRACT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">I. Executive Summary</HD> The United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) mission is to protect human health and the environment. The EPA is finalizing the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) to significantly reduce the risk of exposure to lead through drinking water. There is no known safe level of lead in drinking water. Exposure to drinking water contaminated with lead can cause serious human health impacts including neurodevelopmental problems in children and heart disease in adults. Young children and pregnant people are especially susceptible to the impacts of lead exposure. Reducing lead in drinking water will reduce the risk of negative neurodevelopmental outcomes for children as well as reduce a range of health risks to adults. This final rule builds on the 2021 Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) and the pre-2021 Lead and Copper Rule (LCR), originally promulgated in 1991. The EPA conducted a review of the 2021 LCRR in accordance with Executive Order 13990  <SU>1</SU> <FTREF/> and announced its intention to strengthen the 2021 LCRR with this new rulemaking, the LCRI, to address key issues and opportunities identified in the review. This final LCRI addresses the priorities the EPA identified in the 2021 LCRR review, including the equitable replacement of lead service lines (LSLs) in the nation, improving identification of where LSLs are located, and triggering action in communities most at risk of lead exposure, and streamlined and improved implementation of the rule relative to the 2021 LCRR. This final LCRI is the culmination of numerous meaningful consultations with stakeholders and the public during the 2021 LCRR review, engagements and consultations held to support the development of the LCRI, and public comments received on the proposed LCRI. <FTNT> <SU>1</SU>  Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis (86 FR 7037, January 20, 2021). </FTNT> The LCRI makes important advancements in ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 1871k characters. Full document text is stored and available for version comparison. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━