Hanford Environmental Report
Dedicated to the Goal of 100% Environmental Compliance

Volume 20, Number 9 - October 9, 1998

From Washington D.C.:

EPA AMENDS RULES AND ISSUES NEW GUIDANCE UNDER THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT AMENDMENTS OF 1996

EPA has recently amended several rules and prepared new guidance as a result of the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996. These actions include:

• promulgation of a rule that would allow for a variance from the federal drinking water standards for certain public water systems, especially small systems, that cannot comply with the standards (63 FR 43833). This variance is based on the condition that the purveyor install the best technology, treatment technique or other means EPA finds available. Variances were allowed under the previous rule but were more stringent. The rule also allows for new exemption conditions. The rule can be found on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-WATER/1998/August/Day-14/w21746.htm.
• promulgation of a rule requiring water utilities to issue regular reports to customers on the quality of their drinking water. These reports will tell customers whether their drinking water meets federal standards and if not, why not. The water utility is required to tell customers where their drinking water comes from, the likely source of contaminants and any potential health effects of the water they drink. The rule is available on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/safewater.
• issuance of final guidance on an expanded definition of a "public water supply" system under the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996. This Act expanded the definition of public water supply systems to include systems that provide water for human consumption through constructed conveyances such as ditches, culverts, waterways, flumes, mine drains or canals. Copies of the guidance are available on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw.

EPA will also be updating the Storage and Retrieval water quality database system or STORET database. This database is a repository for marine, biological and freshwater data. The update will allow the system to be more flexible and user-friendly, corrects the year 2000 problem, and allows users to operate from their personal computers and laptops. The update will be available on the Internet in early 1999. For more information on any of the Safe Drinking Water Act actions, email or call Jay_J_Kapadia@rl.gov of Fluor Daniel Hanford, Inc. at (509) 373-4932.

EPA HOLDS WORKSHOPS ON PCB-MEGA RULE IMPLEMENTATION

EPA is currently holding workshops throughout the nation to discuss implementation of the PCB-Mega rule. Some of the major changes to the rule that were discussed at these workshops include:

• different treatment requirements for various phases of multi-phasic PCB wastes;
• codifying assumption rule;
• changes to authorizations including a new requirement for transformer registration with EPA;
• a 5-year storage limit for reuse limit outside of approved facilities;
• marking of large low voltage capacitors;
• detailed disposal requirements including new self-implementing and risk based disposal options;
• allowance for an extension non-radiological PCBs beyond one-year; exemption for radiological/PCB mixed waste from the one year storage requirement;
• a provision allowing for a coordinated approval process to recognize other regulatory requirements (e.g., RCRA and CERCLA) to eliminate duplicative permitting process;
• self-implementing decontamination requirements;
• lowering of the reportable quantity from 10# to 1#; and
• new sampling and validation methodology.

Tom Quayle with FDH Environmental Protection attended the Phoenix workshop and is currently determining how the rule amendments will impact Hanford. DOE HQ is also currently developing DOE specific training and guidance for its facilities. Email or call Thomas_A_Tom_Quayle@rl.gov of Fluor Daniel Hanford, Inc. at (509) 376-5223.

From Ecology:

UPDATE OF ECOLOGY RULEMAKING ACTIVITIES:

• Water Quality Triennial Review

  In March, Ecology held workshops to get feedback from the public on several issues including eliminating mixing zones for bioaccumulative chemicals of concern; developing a water quality antidegradation implementation plan; and changing the surface water quality standards regulation to a use-based format.

  As a result of these workshops, Ecology decided that it would move forward on two of the issues: the antidegradation implementation plan and the change to a use-based format but will not continue rulemaking on the third issue: eliminating the mixing zones. Instead, this third issue will be incorporated into broader approach to water quality Ecology is pursuing on another track.

  Currently, on the issue of use-based format, Ecology is conducting an internal technical review of the dissolved oxygen and other existing criteria to determine how the standards would look and perform under this new format. After this review, it will consider formally proposing regulatory changes to the standards as well as conducting case studies. Also, at the same time, on the antidegradation implementation plan, Ecology is continuing to develop the plan. Public comments received on a draft conceptual plan issued several months ago were used to complete the current draft plan that was distributed to stakeholders on September 10. Ecology intends to use this current draft plan for case study analysis and stakeholder review.

• Toxic Air Pollutants New Source Review

  Ecology will begin rulemaking to amend the new source review provisions of Chapter 173-460 WAC, Controls for New Sources of Toxic Air Pollutants (TAPS) and provisions of Chapter 173-400, General Regulations for Air Pollution Sources, soon. Steve Cross, Ecology's lead on this rulemaking, has prepared and submitted a rule development plan for approval to Ecology management. Once this plan is approved, the appropriate forms will be submitted to the Code Revisor's Office and a notice published in the Washington State Register to officially start the rulemaking. Steve has also convened a "virtual committee" of stakeholders and other interested parties who will assist Steve in developing the rule. He has also created an Internet web site http://www.wa.gov/ecology/leg/nsr_intro.html which will provide updates to the "virtual committee" and general public on rulemaking activities. Kirk Peterson with FDH's Environmental Protection, Marsha Beery with FDH's Regulatory Interface and Roger Woodruff with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are on the "virtual committee" and will be working with Steve to ensure that Hanford's interests are addressed. Steve has recently put a master ASIL list on the web page for the committee and others to review.

• Model Toxic Control Act

  In February, Ecology released a draft rule for review by the MTCA Advisory Committee. This committee was formed by Ecology to assist it in amending the MTCA rule and consists of representatives from the business community, municipalities, port districts, and environmental organizations. In early March, the Association of Washington Business (AWB) sent a letter to Ecology voicing its concerns with the draft rule. As a result of their concerns, Ecology decided to hire a facilitator, Dan Balbach with Landau Associates, to assist the agency in negotiating outstanding issues and coming to a concensus with stakeholders on the rule language. In April and May, the AWB MTCA Workgroup prepared its own version of a draft MTCA rule and submitted it to Dan Balbach in June for review and comment. Currently, Dan is working with a small group of stakeholders including representatives of the AWB MTCA Workgroup to arrive at compromise rule language. He intends to submit a draft rule to Ecology in early October.

For more information on these rulemakings, email or call Marsha A_Beery@rl.gov of Fluor Daniel Hanford, Inc.'s Regulatory Interface at (360) 709-0664.

Briefly:

DOE recently released a draft order and manual on requirements for managing radioactive waste at DOE facilities. The order and manual specify how DOE and its contractors must manage radioactive waste to protect workers, the public, and the environment from radiological exposures under the Atomic Energy Act and other authorities. The draft focuses on: high level waste management, transuranic waste management, low-level waste management and management of the radioactive component of mixed waste to comply with external regulations such as RCRA. The draft order and manual are available from the Internet at http://www.explorer.doe.gov:1776/htmls/draft.html under the title Series 400 Work Process.

EPA recently released a 46-page guidance which discusses EPA's proposed implementation plan for ozone and particulate matter standards promulgated in July 1997. The revised ozone standard sets a concentration limit of 0.08 parts per million as an eight-hour average which is about 30% more stringent than the existing one-hour, 0.12 ppm standard. EPA retained the existing particulate matter standard which regulate particulates of 10 microns or less in diameter but added new requirements which set an annual limit of 65 micrograms per cubic meter and a daily limit of 15 micrograms per cubic meter for particles 2.5 microns or less in diameter. This guidance is available on the Internet at http://ttnwww.rtpnc.epa.gov/implement/actions.htm.

Ecology recently updated the Water Quality Permit Writer's Manual. The manual contains pertinent information that permit writers will need in preparing water quality permits. The update can be purchased for $16.39 from Kinko's in Lacey by phoning (360) 459-3680 or faxing (360) 459-3705. The complete manual including previous and current updates can also be purchased from Kinko's at a price of $42.10.