Minnesota Department of Health NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF HEARING REQUESTS Proposed Amendment to Rules Governing Health Risk Limits for Groundwater, Minnesota Rules, Chapter 4717, Part 7860 and 7500 To persons who requested a hearing. In accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 14.25, subdivision 2, the Department is sending this Notice to all persons who requested a hearing. There will be no hearing. In the October 18, 2010, State Register, on pages 615 to 623, the Department of Health published a Dual Notice of Intent to Adopt Rules relating to Health Risk Limits for Groundwater. The Notice stated that a hearing would be held on the proposed rules if 25 or more persons submitted written requests for a hearing UNLESS a sufficient number withdrew their requests in writing. In response to the Notice, the Department received 35 hearing requests, however, 14 hearing requests were subsequently withdrawn. Consequently, there will be no hearing because there are fewer than 25 outstanding hearing requests. The Department will adopt the rules without a hearing and then submit the rules and other required documents to the Chief Administrative Law Judge for review by the Office of Administrative Hearings. The Department will consider all written comments when it adopts the rules. Withdrawal of hearing requests. The Department received hearing requests and comments objecting the proposed repeal of the Health Risk Limit (HRL) value for manganese of 100 micrograms per liter (μg/L) from the current rules (Minnesota Rules 4717.7500, subpart 61). Based on new information that the Department received about the potential risk of manganese in drinking water and similar findings in other studies, the Department has withdrawn its proposed repeal of the HRL for manganese. The Department has reinstated the value of 100 μg/L in its entry for manganese on the Groundwater Values Table, which appears on the Department’s website. In response to the Department’s changes concerning manganese, 14 persons withdrew their requests for a public hearing. Comments relating to the withdrawals. If you have comments or questions relating to the withdrawals, please contact Nitika Moibi at the Department of Health, 625 Robert Street North, P.O. Box 64975, Saint Paul, MN 55164‐0975, Phone: (651) 201‐4907, Fax: (651) 201‐4606, E‐mail: [email protected] within five working days. This Notice and all written comments that the Department receives become part of the rulemaking record, which an Administrative Law Judge will review. December 3, 2010 Nitika Moibi Rules Planner