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

Volume 21, Number 9 - September 10, 1999

From Washington, D.C.:

EPA PROPOSES AMENDMENTS TO TWO WATER QUALITY RULES

On August 23, EPA published amendments to two Water Quality rules as follows:

Jay Kapadia with Fluor Daniel Hanford's Environmental Protection is currently evaluating the rules to determine how they will impact Hanford. Comments on these two rules must be received in EPA by October 22, 1999. For more information, email or call Jay_J_Kapadia@rl.gov at (509) 373-4932.

EPA ISSUES PROPOSED PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS FOR RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL STORED OR DISPOSED OF AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN

On August 27, EPA published a proposed rule in the Federal Register (64 FR 46976) to establish, public health and safety standards for spent nuclear fuel, high level nuclear waste, as well as other radioactive materials stored or disposed of in the potential repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. EPA's Administrator is required under Section 801 of the Energy Policy Act to develop these standards. As part of this effort, EPA contracted the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to do a study and make recommendations. On August 1, 1995, the NAS released a report entitled, "Technical Bases for Yucca Mountain Standards" which EPA has taken into consideration in the development of these standards. EPA is using a standard of 150 microsieverts or 15 mrem committed effective dose equivalent (CEDE)/year. This limit corresponds to an annual risk of 7 chances in 1 million which is in the range (1 chance in 100,000 to 1 chance in 1 million or 2 to 20 mrem CEDE/year) that the NAS had recommended.

Once these standards are finalized, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will incorporate them into their licensing regulations and the Department of Energy will be responsible for demonstrating that they are in compliance. EPA is soliciting comments on the proposed rule. Comments must be received in EPA by November 26, 1999. Don Fritz with Waste Management Federal Services of Hanford is currently evaluating the rule to determine how it will impact Hanford. For more information, email or call Donald_W_Jr_Fritz@rl.gov (509) 372-2066.

BRIEFLY:

EPA recently sponsored a public meeting which was held in Arlington, VA, to get input on possible problems with the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP). A number of industries have complained that the TCLP does not accurately reflect the behavior of wastes and has led to incorrect characterization of waste as hazardous. EPA is reconsidering the TCLP protocol in light of several court rulings and intends to use the input from the meeting as well as written comments in its reconsideration. EPA's Science Advisory Board has issued a report on the TCLP protocols and made several recommendations to improve the test procedures. The proceedings of the meeting will be posted on the Internet in early September at http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/ldr/.

EPA recently released a new database called the Rick-Screening Environmental Indicators database that can be used to generate risk estimates for chemical releases. EPA plans to expand the database to generate short-term and long-term health and ecological risks from all chemical releases. Currently, the database allows users to generate screening-level risk estimates for air releases. A hazard only evaluation can be generated using the database for chemical releases to all environmental media but the relative risk rankings are available only for air releases at this time. For a copy of the database, users manual, and fact sheets, contact Nick Bouwes at (202) 260-1622.

EPA has recently posted guidance on the Internet on how the Chemical Safety Information, Site Security and Fuels Regulatory Relief Act changes requirements for risk management plans that must be filed under Section 112(r) of the CAA. This Act was signed by President Clinton on August 5, 1999, and limits public access to certain chemical safety information. The guidance can be obtained from the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/ceppo.

EPA recently released guidance entitled, Microbial and Disinfection Byproducts Rules Simultaneous Compliance Guidance Manual, to address possible conflicts a water system might have in complying with regulations to control microbes and disinfection byproducts. Currently, EPA is developing four sets of rules to address disinfection. Guidance is needed because some water systems have problems complying with all of these rules. The guidance can be obtained from the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/OGWDW.


FEDERAL/STATE
REGISTER REVIEW
64 FR 41932
On August 2, EPA published a notice announcing that it was submitting an Information Collection Request (ICR) on the requirements for generators, transporters, and hazardous waste management facilities under the RCRA hazardous waste manifest system to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. Comments must be received in EPA by September 1, 1999.
64 FR 41934
On August 2, EPA published a notice announcing that it had received test data on Phenol and 1,6 Hexamethylene diisocyanate. The data were submitted to satisfy requirements of 40 CFR 790.60 which requires that enforceable consent agreements/orders contain a statement that results of testing will be announced to the public in accordance with the procedures in Section 4 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
64 FR 42222
On August 3, EPA published its proposed rule lowering the reporting thresholds for lead and lead compounds which are subject to the reporting requirement of Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and Section 6607 of the Pollution Prevention Act. Comments on this proposed rule must be received in EPA by September 17, 1999.
64 FR 42434
On August 4, EPA published a final rule amending permit application requirements and application forms for publicly owned treatment works and other treatment works treating domestic sewage. The final rule also lifts the stay of 40 CFR 501.15(d)(1)9I)(B) in a final rule streamlining state sewage sludge regulations published August 24, 1998 (63 FR 45113). The final rule became effective August 18, 1999.
64 FR 42530
On August 4, EPA published a final rule adopting revisions to the uniform air quality index used by States for daily air quality reporting to the general public in accordance with Section 319 of the Clean Air Act. EPA is also changing the name of the index to the Air Quality Index. The final rule became effective September 3, 1999.
64 FR 42552
On August 4, EPA published a final rule amending the existing regulation on land application, surface disposal, and incineration of sewage sludge. The amendments clarify existing regulatory requirements on operational standards for pathogen and vector attraction reduction and provides flexibility to the permitting authority and the regulated community in complying with the minimum frequency of monitoring requirements. The final rule became effective September 3, 1999.
64 FR 42687
On August 5, EPA published a notice announcing that it was submitting an ICR on the Emergency Planning and Release Notification Requirements under the EPCRA to OMB for review and comment. Comments on the notice must be received in EPA by October 4, 1999.
64 FR 42688
On August 5, EPA published a notice announcing that it was submitting an ICR on the Community Right-to-Know Reporting Requirements under Sections 311 and 312 of EPCRA. Comments on the notice must be received in EPA by October 4, 1999.
64 FR 43358
On August 10, DOE published a record of decision (ROD) to promptly convert the depleted inventory of uranium hexafluoride to depleted uranium oxide, depleted uranium metal, or a combination of both. The depleted uranium oxide will be used as much as possible and the remaining depleted uranium oxide will be stored for potential future uses or disposal, as necessary. The final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement and ROD can be obtained from the Internet at http://www.eh.doe.gov/nepa.
64 FR 43701
On August 11, EPA published a notice announcing that the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water has released the National Drinking Water Contaminant Occurrence Database. This database contains information on contaminants that occur or are likely to occur in public drinking supply systems. The database can be accessed on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/ncod.
64 FR 44200
On August 13, DOE published a notice announcing the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for a Geologic Repository for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain. DOE has scheduled 16 public meetings across the U.S. during the 180-day comment period. Comments on the DEIS must be received in DOE by February 9, 2000.
64 FR 44433
On August 16, DOE published a notice of proposed rulemaking to amend the regulations concerning the procedures used to render final determinations of eligibility for access to classified matters and/or special nuclear material. The amendment is intended to ensure that DOE procedures conform to the access eligibility determination provisions in Part 5 of Executive Order 12968, Access to Classified Information. Comments on the proposed rulemaking must be received in DOE by October 15, 1999.
64 FR 45187
On August 19, EPA published a direct final rule to amend the national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants that apply to steam-heated vapor cleaning machines and to cleaning machines used to clean transformers. EPA is also offering compliance options for continuous web cleaning machines. Elsewhere in this federal register, EPA is also publishing a proposed rule in the event it receives adverse comments on the direct final rule. The direct final rule becomes effective October 18, 1999 unless adverse comments are received by September 20, 1999.
64 FR 46012
On August 23, EPA published a proposed rule to revise the requirements for establishing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) under the Clean Water Act (see article this edition). The proposed rule will provide States, Territories and authorized Tribes with the necessary information to identify impaired waters and to establish TMDLs to restore water quality. Comments on the proposed rule must be received in EPA by October 22, 1999.
64 FR 46058
On August 23, EPA published a proposed rule to amend the NPDES Regulation under the Clean Water Act (see article this edition). The proposed rule is intended to achieve reasonable further progress toward attaining water quality standards in impaired wasterbodies prior to EPA approval or establishment of a TMDL.
64 FR 46391
On August 25, EPA published a correction to the Notice of draft modification of the NPDES general permit reissuance for storm water discharges from construction activities. The deadline for submitting comments is September 10, 1999.
64 FR 46661
On August 26, the DOE published a ROD to store immobilized high-level radioactive waste at Hanford, Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Lab, Savannah River and the West Valley Demonstration Project. This immobilized high-level radioactive waste is a final waste form that will remain in storage until accepted for disposal at a geologic repository. The Final Waste Management Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement can be obtained from the Internet at http://www.em.doe.gov/em30/.
64 FR 46772
On August 26, EPA published a proposed TSCA Inventory Update Rule. This rule is intended to help EPA and the public to better identify and mitigate potential exposures and risks of TSCA chemicals. EPA is proposing to require manufacturers of certain chemical substances and mixtures on the TSCA Chemical Substances Inventory report additional data than what is currently being reported. Comments on the proposed rule must be received in EPA by October 25, 1999.
64 FR 46905
On August 27, EPA published a notice announcing that it is submitting an ICR on Assessing Compliance with EPCRA Section 312 Reporting Requirements to OMB for review and comment in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Comments on the notice must be received in EPA by October 26, 1999.
64 FR 46908
On August 27, EPA published a notice announcing that it is submitting an ICR on Industry Detailed Questionnaire: Phase II Cooling Water Intake Structures to OMB for review and comment in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Comments on the notice must be received in EPA by September 27, 1999.
64 FR 46976
On August 27, EPA published a proposed rule to establish public health and safety standards for radioactive material stored or disposed of in the potential repository at Yucca Mountain (see article this edition). Comments on the proposed rule must be received in EPA by November 26, 1999.

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Last Updated: September 9, 1999