AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice of tentative approval.

SUMMARY:

Notice is hereby given that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved the State of Illinois' revisions to the State's Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) Program under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act for adoption of the federal Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Rule. The EPA has determined that the State of Illinois' PWSS program regulations and the revisions thereto are no less stringent than the above corresponding federal regulations and thus give the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) primary enforcement responsibility for the PFAS Rule. This determination on the State's request for approval of such primacy enforcement responsibility shall take effect in accordance with procedures described below, subject to timely substantial requests for public hearing. This approval action does not extend to public water systems in Indian Country. By approving this revision, the EPA does not intend to affect the rights of federally recognized Indian Tribes in Illinois, nor does it intend to limit existing rights of the State of Illinois.

DATES:

Any interested party may request a public hearing on this determination. A request for a public hearing must be submitted by October 30, 2026. The EPA Region 5 Administrator (Regional Administrator) may deny frivolous or insubstantial requests for a hearing. If a substantial request for a public hearing is made by October 30, 2026, EPA Region 5 will hold a public hearing, and a notice of such hearing will be published in the Federal Register and a newspaper of general circulation. Any request for a public hearing shall include the following information: The name, address, and telephone number of the individual, organization, or other entity requesting a hearing; a brief statement of the requesting person's interest in the Regional Administrator's determination; a brief statement of the information that the requesting person intends to submit at such hearing; and the signature of the individual making the request, or, if the request is made on behalf of an organization or other entity, the signature of a responsible official of the organization or other entity.

If EPA Region 5 does not receive a timely and appropriate request for a hearing and the Regional Administrator does not elect to hold a hearing upon her own motion, this determination shall become final and effective on October 30, 2026 and no further public notice will be issued.

ADDRESSES:

To receive copies of documents related to this determination, please contact Stacy Meyers at email address: meyers.stacy@epa.gov or telephone number: (312) 886-0880. Documents relating to the determination regarding Illinois are available for inspection at the following locations during normal business hours and when the offices are open: Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Division of Legal Counsel, 2520 W Iles Ave. Springfield, Illinois 62794-9276; and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5, Ground Water and Drinking Water Branch (WG-15J), 77 W Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Stacy Meyers, EPA Region 5, Ground Water and Drinking Water Branch, at the address given above, by telephone at (312) 886-0880, or at meyers.stacy@epa.gov.

Authority: Section 1413 of the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. 300g-2, and the federal regulations implementing Section 1413 of the Act set forth at 40 CFR part 142.