Esta ley enmienda la Ley Núm. 53 de 13 de julio de 1978, conocida como "Ley para la Certificación de Operadores de Plantas de Tratamiento de Agua Potable y Aguas Usadas", para armonizar el programa de certificación de operadores con las guías de la Agencia de Protección Ambiental (EPA) federal. La enmienda consiste en la derogación de la Sección 9B de la ley original.
(Approved May 10, 2002)
To amend Section 9B of Act Number 53 of July 13, 1978, as amended, known as an "Act for the Certification of Operators of Treatment Plants for Drinking Water and Used Water" in order to harmonize operators certification program with the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines.
The "Act for the Certification of Operators of Treatment Plants for Drinking Water and Used Water", Act No. 53 of July 13, 1978, as amended, governs the practice of the occupation of operators of drinking water and used water treatment plants. Said Act establishes as a requirement to practice the occupation of operator to have a license issued by the Board of Examiners of Operators of Treatment Plants.
Through amendments in 1996 to the Safe Drinking Water Act, the United States government required the Environmental Protection Agency (hereinafter "EPA") to issue guidelines including the minimum standards for the certification and recertification of operators of the public water systems (id est. drinking water treatment plants or systems). According to these amendments, Puerto Rico and all the states and territories must have approved a program for the certification of operators in compliance with the EPA requirements by February 5, 2001. Noncompliance of said requirements on the above-indicated date would entail the freezing of $20 %$ of the money of the Revolving Fund, which would be equal to $2.2 million.
If by September 2002 the program does not comply with EPA requirements, then an additional $2.1 million from the Revolving Funds would be lost.
Although Puerto Rico has a program for the certification of operators of treatment plants and drinking water, it does not comply with EPA requirements. In order to harmonize the program with the federal EPA guidelines, it is necessary to repeal Section 9B.
Section 1.- Section 9B of Act Number 53 of July 13, 1978, as amended, is hereby repealed.
Section 2.- This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 59 (S.B. 1236) of the $\underline{3}^{ ext {rd }}$. Session of the $\underline{14}^{ ext {th }}$ Legislature of Puerto Rico:
AN ACT to amend Section 9B of Act Number 53 of July 13, 1978, as amended, known as an "Act for the Certification of Operators of Treatment Plants for Drinking Water and Used Water" in order to harmonize operators certification program with the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines, has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today $14^{ ext {th }}$ of January of 2004.
Elba Rosa Rodríguez-Fuentes Director