Hanford
Environmental
Report

Dedicated to the Goal of 100% Environmental Compliance

Volume 18, Number 15 - July 18, 1997

NOTICE

From Washington D.C.:

EPA ISSUES FINAL RULE AMENDING PUBLICATION SW-846

On June 13, EPA published its final rule in the Federal Register (62 FR 32452) amending Publication SW-846, "Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste, Physical/Chemical Methods" (GPO document # 755-001-00000-1). This amendment adds new and revised testing methods to Publication SW-846 as Update III. It also deletes methods that are obsolete and incorporates the Third Edition of SW-846 as previously amended by Updates I, II, IIA, IIB and III.

The manual contains not only an update to the analytical and test methods EPA requires for testing under RCRA but also serves as a guide to satisfy other RCRA-related sampling and analysis requirements. EPA is updating the testing methods to include new testing and monitoring information and data that has become available over the past few years. For a copy of the update, contact the Superintendent of Document, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 202/512-1800.

From Olympia:

EPA AND ECOLOGY PREPARE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

On June 18, Ecology published a notice in the Washington State Register (WSR 97-12-083) announcing that it has prepared a draft environmental partnership agreement with EPA. This agreement identifies mutual goals the agencies have and activities they will undertake during the next fiscal year, which extends from July 1, 1997 to June 30, 1998,. These mutual goals and activities are in the following areas:

The agreement will also serve as EPA's grant program's work plan in the air quality, water quality, and hazardous waste management programs. The draft agreement will be available for public review and comment after June 23, 1997 on Ecology's web site at http://www.wa.gov/ecology or EPA's web site at http://www.epa.gov/docs/region10/www/r10.html. For more information, contact Marsha Beery (360/493-0843) in FDH's Lacey Office.

ECOLOGY RELEASES ANALYTICAL METHODS FOR PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS MANUAL

In June, Ecology released a manual entitled, "Analytical Methods for Petroleum Hydrocarbons". The analytical methods contained in this manual are to be used to analyze total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) for cleaning up Underground Storage Tank and other TPH contaminated sites under MTCA. These methods include:

The document is available on the Internet at http://www.wa.gov/ecology/tcp/cleanup.html or for a printed copy, contact Marsha Beery.

BRIEFLY

On June 12, DOE released a draft document entitled, "Accelerating Cleanup: Focus on 2006". This document discusses DOE's strategy for cleaning up as many of its contaminated facilities as possible by the year 2006. The document contains a proposed 10-year plan on how DOE will achieve this goal. For a copy of the draft document, contact the Center for Environmental Management Information at 1/800/736-3282.


FEDERAL/STATE
REGISTER REVIEW
Note: For electronic copies of Federal Register (FR) items or hard copies of Washington State Register (WSR) items listed here, call or email JoAnn McCoy (509/372-3596).
62 FR 30580
On June 4, EPA published a notice announcing that the Toxic Substances Control Act Interagency Testing Committee has sent its Fortieth Report to EPA's Administrator. In this report, the ITC revised the TSCA section 4(e) Priority Testing List. Comments on this report were to be submitted to EPA by July 7, 1997.
 
62 FR 32452
On June 13, EPA published its final rule amending the hazardous waste rules for testing and monitoring activities. New and revised methods have been added in this amendment as Update III to the Third Edition test methods manual entitled, "Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste, Physical/Chemical Methods," EPA Publication SW-846. The final rule became effective on June 13, 1997.
 
62 FR 33625
On June 20, EPA published a notice announcing that the draft list of source categories to be added to EPA's list for regulation under Section 112(d) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) is available for review and comment. This action is being taken as a result of the consent decree EPA entered into with the Sierra Club. A draft and final list is required by the consent decree to be completed by June 11, 1997 and December 19, 1997 respectively. Comments must be received in EPA by July 21, 1997.
 
62 FR 35494
On July 1, EPA published a notice announcing that the Final Recommendations Report Electronic Submission Workgroup of the CAA Advisory Committee is available for public review and comment. This report contains recommendations on the technical and practical problems in creating a national repository of electronic Risk Management Plans. Comments on the report must be received in EPA by July 18, 1997.
 
WSR 97-12-034
On June 18, Ecology published its proposed rule amending Chapter 173-201A WAC, Water Quality Standards for Surface Water. The intent of the proposed rule is to adopt nutrient criteria guidance for lakes, clarify the definition of wetlands, streamline language on short-term modifications, and rewrite toxic criteria and metals conversion factors. Comments on the proposed rule must be received in Ecology by July 18, 1997.
 
WSR 97-12-083
On June 18, Ecology published a notice announcing that it has prepared a draft environmental partnership agreement with EPA (see article, page 1). This draft agreement will be available after June 23, 1997 for public review and comment.
 
WSR 97-12-091
On June 18, Ecology published a preproposal statement of inquiry announcing that it has begun rulemaking to adopt Chapter 173-152 WAC. Through this rule, Ecology is proposing to establish criteria by which it can prioritize processing of water right applications or applications to change or transfer a water right. This rule will replace the emergency rule published on May 21, 1997.
 
WSR 97-12-092
On June 18, Ecology published a preproposal statement of inquiry announcing that it has begun rulemaking to amend Chapter 173-563 WAC, the Instream Resources Protection Program for the Mainstem Columbia River. The moratorium on new water appropriations will end on August 18, 1997 as a result of ESHB 1110 passed in the last legislative session. The purpose of this rulemaking is to make sure that new appropriations of water from the Columbia River will be conditioned with stream flow levels that protect instream resources.

Editor:
Marsha Beery,
Telephone (360) 493-0843
Fluor Daniel Hanford Company
420 Golf Club Road, Suite 104
Lacey, WA 98503
EMail: Marsha_A_ Beery@rl.gov

 These reports are issued monthly and can be found at this web site on the second Friday of each month.
Information in the Hanford Environmental Report is taken from the federal/state registers and newsletters/focus sheets distributed by the Washington State Department of Ecology. It provides up-to-date federal and state environmental regulatory information and interpretations, to educate Hanford personnel and other interested parties on any new requirements.

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