Federal Register #2026-20333

SRBC public hearing on water-use applications and proposed policy and fee changes

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is seeking public input on water-use applications and proposed policy and fee changes. - Government buyer: Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC); the notice concerns Commission regulatory and public-records matters. - Water-use applications: Eleven applications for consumptive use or water withdrawals in Pennsylvania are sponsored by Allegheny Mountain Spring Water, Incorporated; Ephrata Area Joint Authority; Expand Operating LLC; Hickory Heights, Inc.; Knoebels Three Ponds, Inc.; Milton Hershey School; Pennsylvania-American Water Company; Range End Golf Club, Inc.; Saddleview Properties LLC; Sterman Masser, Inc.; and Willow Valley Associates, Inc. - The applications include consumptive use of up to 0.099–1.125 million gallons per day (mgd), groundwater withdrawals of up to 1.210 mgd, and surface-water withdrawals of up to 3.000 mgd. - Specific proposals include multiple wells at Milton Hershey School and withdrawals from Osterhout Creek and Deep Creek. Application-specific quantities are not provided in the available summary. - Proposed policy and fee changes: The Commission is considering an update to its Access to Records Policy to clarify requests involving confidential information and align with its access-to-records regulation. The draft Regulatory Program Fee Schedule proposes inflation adjustments to most fees, renames the annual fee as the Annual Monitoring, Compliance and Assistance to Projects (AMCAP) Fee, and adds support for public-water-supply and project technical-assistance programs, along with other fee and terminology changes. - Comment opportunity: The hearing is available in person and by telephone. Oral comments are the opportunity to comment at a hearing on the listed projects and actions; written comments are also invited. - Products or services: None are being solicited. The notice is a public hearing, not a product or services procurement.

Description

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission will hold an in-person and telephonic public hearing on October 28, 2026, concerning listed project applications and actions, its proposed Access to Records Policy, and its Draft Regulatory Program Fee Schedule. The listed projects include proposed water withdrawals and consumptive uses in the Susquehanna River Basin. The policy proposal updates the Commission’s existing 2009 policy, while the draft fee schedule includes changes to fees and technical assistance funding. Written comments are due November 9, 2026; the hearing is the only opportunity to provide oral comments on the listed projects and actions.

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