Hanford Environmental Report
Dedicated to Environmental Compliance

Volume 23, Number 4 - April 13, 2001

From Washington D.C.:

EPA DELAYS THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER STANDARDS FOR ARSENIC RULE

On March 23, 2001, EPA published a notice (66 FR 16134) in the Federal Register announcing that the effective date for the final National Primary Drinking Water Standards for arsenic has been delayed for 60 days. The delay is in accordance with President Bush's "Regulatory Review Plan" issued on January 20, 2001, in which he is temporarily delaying several rules until his staff has an opportunity to review them. The arsenic rule includes language that:

• Establishes a health-based, non-enforceable Maximum Contaminant Level Goal for arsenic of zero;
• Establishes an enforceable Maximum Contaminant Level for arsenic of 0.01 mg/L for public water systems;
• Clarifies monitoring and demonstration of compliance for new systems or sources of drinking water;
• Clarifies compliance for State-determined monitoring after exceedances for inorganic, volatile organic, and synthetic organic contaminants; and
• Recognizes the State-specified time period and sampling frequency for new public water systems and systems using a new source of water to demonstrate compliance with the drinking water rules.

The effective date of the rule has been delayed from March 23, 2001, to May 22, 2001, except for certain amendments, which are effective January 22, 2004. For more information, email or call Marsha A_Beery@rl.gov of Fluor Hanford's Olympia Office at (360) 709-0664.

EPA SUBMITS INFORMATION COLLECTION REQUEST ON UNIVERSAL WASTE TO THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET FOR APPROVAL

On March 27, 2001, EPA published a notice (66 FR 16672) in the Federal Register announcing that it was planning to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR) on Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements for Universal Waste Handlers and Destination Facilities to the Office of Management and Budget for review and approval. EPA is also consolidating the Reporting and Recordkeeping for Generators of Hazardous Waste Lamps into the Universal Waste Handlers ICR since hazardous waste lamps are covered in the universal waste handlers requirements. Universal wastes include hazardous waste batteries, certain hazardous waste pesticides, hazardous waste thermostats, and hazardous waste lamps. Other wastes may be added if EPA determines such regulation is appropriate. In addition, wastes can be added by states as a "state-only" waste. The universal waste regulations allow waste handlers to manage universal wastes under reduced regulatory requirements.

This ICR focuses on the collection of information for universal waste reporting and record keeping including notification, labeling and marking, storage time limitations, off-site shipments, tracking of universal waste shipments, and petitions to include other federal waste categories. EPA is soliciting public comment to:

• evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency and in particular, whether the information will have practical utility;
• evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
• enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
• minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond including through the use of appropriate automated electronics, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments on the ICR must be received by EPA on or before May 29, 2001. For more information, email or call Wayne_E_Toebe@rl.gov of Fluor Hanford at (509) 372-2359.

From Olympia:

ENVIRONMENTAL AND REGULATORY REFORM BILLS MOVE THROUGH LEGISLATIVE PROCESS

There are several environmental and regulatory reform Bills moving through the legislature that may have an impact at Hanford. These Bills include:

• House Bill 1034 which allows local air authorities and counties to relax prohibitions against outdoor burning in portions of urban growth areas not within incorporated city limits or portions of urban growth areas that do not have a general population density over 1,000 people per square mile; directs local air authorities to adopt rules regarding outdoor containers; and directs Ecology to define the term "reasonably economic" for purposes of the prohibition against outdoor burning when an alternative is available. This Bill has passed the House and is awaiting action in the Senate.
• House Bill 1375 which reauthorizes agencies to adopt rules under the expedited rule adoption process and consolidates the expedited repeal and expedited rule adoption process into one expedited rule making section. This Bill has passed the House and is awaiting action in the Senate.
• House Bill 2049 which prohibits agencies from issuing civil penalties during follow-up visits for violations not previously identified in a technical assistance visit. This Bill has passed the House and is awaiting action in the Senate.
• House Bill 2051 which requires agencies to list in the notice of rule-making the methodology by which the probable benefits and costs of a significant legislative rule will be evaluated, or that a preliminary analysis is available upon request. This Bill has passed the House and is awaiting action in the Senate.
• Senate Bill 5637 which establishes a monitoring oversight committee to review the progress of watershed-related monitoring, makes recommendations and provides an action plan for watershed health monitoring and assessments. This Bill has passed the Senate and is awaiting action in the House.
• Senate Joint Memorial 8000 which requests the appointment of a federal multi-agency contact person for Columbia River salmon and trout recovery. This Memorial has passed the Senate and is awaiting action in the House.

For more information, email or call Marsha A_Beery@rl.gov of Fluor Hanford's Olympia Office at (360) 709-0664.

Briefly:

• Ecology is having a series of four round table meetings with businesses, the environmental community, solid waste industry, government and community and civic groups to identify coordinated approaches to solid waste issues. The roundtables called the "Sustainable Vision for Washington State's Solid Waste System" are being held in several locations around the state including Spokane, Wenatchee, Vancouver and Ecology's Northwest Regional Office. The meetings are being held to develop strategies for revising the State Solid Waste Plan. A comprehensive scoping was done in 2000 to identify issues and white papers on these issues were prepared. These white papers will be discussed in the roundtables and will form the basis for determining the issues and direction of the state solid waste plan to be completed next year. Ecology expects to finalize the state solid waste plan by the summer of 2002.

• EPA is planning to update scientific information on 17 substances listed in the agency's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). IRIS is an EPA database containing scientific positions on the potential adverse human health effects that may result from repeated or lifetime exposure to substances found in the environment. The 17 chemicals being updated include asbestos, ethanol, acrylamide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and certain pesticides. EPA expects to have these updates completed by 2003. Also, EPA is currently completing the assessment of 65 other substances, which will be entered into IRIS in fiscal year 2001 or 2002. Completed IRIS summaries and support documents can be found on EPA's Internet site at http://www.epa.gov/iris.

• EPA's Toxic Release Inventory form for reporting environmental releases during 2000 has been posted on EPA's website. Facilities subject to Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act must submit the form to EPA by July 1, 2001. The form reflects information on releases to air, water, and land during the year 2000. EPA is holding workshops around the U.S. including Moses Lake on May 18, 2001, and Seattle on May 23-24, 2001, to assist facilities in preparing their annual reports. The forms and other information can be obtained from the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/tri/report.htm.

• Ecology recently issued a notice that the wastewater discharge permit fees for State Fiscal Year 2002 will be 2.70% instead of 2.66% as indicated in the June 9, 2000, amendment to Chapter 173-224 WAC, the Wastewater Discharge Permit Fees rule. At the time the amendment was adopted, Ecology estimated that the fee increase for the State Fiscal Year 2002 would be 2.66% of the fiscal growth factor amount estimate projected by the Governor's Office of Financial Management (OFM) and included language in the amendment that fees would increase for Fiscal Year 2002 to match the final fiscal growth factor determination. Ecology was recently informed by the OFM that the actual fiscal growth factor for FY 2002 is 2.70% so fees for all permit holders will be increased by this amount.

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