[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 19 (Wednesday, January 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4284-4285]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-2193]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-568-9]
Open Meeting of the Industrial Non-Hazardous Waste Stakeholders
Focus Group
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of open meeting of the Industrial Non-Hazardous Waste
Stakeholders Focus Group.
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SUMMARY: As required by section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463), EPA is giving notice of the third
meeting of the Industrial Non-Hazardous Waste Policy Dialogue
Committee, also known as the Industrial Non-Hazardous Waste
Stakeholders Focus Group. The purpose of this committee is to advise
EPA and ASTSWMO (the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste
Management Officials) in developing voluntary guidance for the
management of industrial nonhazardous waste in land-based disposal
units. The Focus Group will facilitate the exchange of information and
ideas among the interested parties relating to the development of such
guidance. The purpose of the third meeting will be to continue
discussion of issues related to development of such guidance. The
agenda will include a discussion of tailoring management practices to
risk, land application, closure and post-closure considerations,
corrective action, run-on/run-off controls, operating considerations,
and air emission controls. There will be an opportunity for limited
public comment at the end of each day of the meeting. The termination
date for this committee has been extended until September 31, 1997, in
order to allow the committee to complete its work fully.
DATES: The committee will meet on February 19 and 20, 1997, from 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m. on February 19, and from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on February 20.
ADDRESSES: The location of the meeting is the Sheraton Washington
Hotel, 2660 Woodley Road at Connecticut Avenue, NW., Washington, DC
20008. The phone number is (202) 328-2000. The seating capacity of the
room is approximately 60 people, and seating will be on a first-come
basis. Supporting materials are available for viewing at Docket # F-96-
INHA-FFFFF in the RCRA Information Center (RIC), located at Crystal
Gateway One, 1235 Jefferson Davis Highway, First Floor, Arlington, VA.
The RIC is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding
Federal holidays. To review docket materials, the public must make an
appointment by calling (703) 603-9230. The public may copy a maximum of
100 pages from any regulatory docket at no charge. Additional copies
cost $.15/page. For general information, contact the RCRA Hotline at 1-
800-424-9346 or TDD 1-800-553-7672 (hearing impaired). In the
Washington metropolitan area, call 703-412-9610 or TDD 703-412-3323.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Persons needing further information on the committee should contact
Paul Cassidy, Municipal and Industrial Solid Waste Division, Office of
Solid Waste, at (703) 308-7281.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
EPA and ASTSWMBO have formed a State/EPA Steering Committee to
jointly develop voluntary facility guidance for the management of
industrial nonhazardous waste in land-based disposal units. The purpose
of the guidance is to recommend management practices that are
environmentally sound, that are protective of public health, and that
recognize opportunities for pollution prevention and waste
minimization. The guidance will address such topics as appropriate
groundwater monitoring and corrective action requirements, liner
designs, daily operating requirements, and closure and post-closure
practices.
The State/EPA Steering Committee has convened this Stakeholders
Focus Group to obtain recommendations from individuals who are members
of a broad spectrum of public interest groups and affected industries.
All recommendations from Focus Group participants will be forwarded to
the State/EPA Steering Committee for consideration, as the
Stakeholders' Focus Group will not strive for consensus. The State/EPA
Steering Committee will also provide an opportunity for public comment
on the draft guidance document.
``Industrial nonhazardous waste'' under the Federal Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) means waste that is neither
municipal solid waste under RCRA Subtitle D nor a hazardous waste under
RCRA Subtitle C. Industrial nonhazardous waste consists primarily of
manufacturing process wastes, including wastewaters and non-wastewater
sludges and solids.
EPA estimates there are 7.6 billion tons of industrial nonhazardous
waste generated annually in the U.S. and disposed on-site by
approximately 12,000 industrial facilities in surface impoundments,
landfills, land application units, or waste piles. Most of this waste
is managed in surface impoundments, which are designed to hold
wastewaters. These wastes, which include inert materials as well as
materials which may be declared hazardous at some future date, present
a broad range of risk.
Under RCRA Subtitle D, the states are responsible for regulating
the management of industrial nonhazardous waste. State requirements
vary widely, and may include standards for design and operation,
location, monitoring, and record keeping. This guidance is intended to
complement existing state programs.
EPA's role in the management of industrial nonhazardous waste is
very limited. Under RCRA Subtitle D, EPA issued minimal criteria
prohibiting ``open dumps'' (40 CFR 257) in 1979. The states, not EPA,
are responsible for implementing the ``open dumping criteria,'' and EPA
has no back-up enforcement role.
Copies of the minutes of all Stakeholder Focus Group meetings will
be made available through the docket at the RCRA Information Center,
including minutes of the first two Focus Group meeting, which were held
on April 11-12, 1996, and September 11-12, 1996.
Participants
The Stakeholders Focus Group consists of approximately 25 members,
who represent public interest groups, affected industries, states, and
Federal officials. Following is a list of representatives from the
interested parties:
Public interest groups--Michael Gregory, Sierra Club; John Harney,
Citizens Round Table/Pennsylvanians United to Rescue the Environment;
Richard Lowerre, Henry, Lowerre, Johnson, Hess & Frederick and David
Wells, University of South Alabama Medical Center. Industry sectors--
Tim Saylor, International Paper; Chuck Feerick, Exxon Company USA;
Walter Carey, New Milford Farms/Nestle USA; Robert Giraud, Dupont
Company; Paul Bork, Dow Chemical Company; Bruce Steiner, American Iron
and Steel Institute; James Meiers, Indianapolis Power and Light
Company; Andrew Miles, The Dexter Corporation; Scott Murto, General
Motors Corporation; Lisa Williams, The Aluminum Association; Jonathan
Greenberg, Browning-Ferris Industries; and Ed Skernolis, WMX
Technologies, Inc.
[[Page 4285]]
States--James Warner, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; Anne
Dobbs, Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission; Gene Mitchell,
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; and Bill Pounds,
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources.
Federal officials--Paul Cassidy, Deborah Dalton, Robert Dellinger,
Richard Kinch, and John Sager of the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency.
Dated: January 22, 1997.
Elizabeth A. Cotsworth,
Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 97-2193 Filed 1-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-M
