The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing changes to its test procedures required to be used by industries and municipalities when analyzing the chemical, physical, and biological properties of wastewater and other environmental samples for reporting under EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. The Clean Water Act (CWA) requires EPA to promulgate these test procedures (analytical methods) for analysis of pollutants. EPA anticipates that these changes will provide increased flexibility for the regulated community in meeting monitoring requirements while improving data quality. In addition, this update to the CWA methods is incorporating technological advances in analytical technology. This final rule is effective 19 July 2021. POC is Meghan Hessenauer, Engineering and Analysis Division (4303T), Office of Water, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460-0001; tel: 202-566-1040; email: Hessenauer.Meghan@epa.gov.

(Federal Register: 19 May 2021 [Rule] Pages 27226-27260)