[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 42 (Friday, March 1, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8058-8059]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-4835]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5432-1]
Formation and Open Meeting of the Industrial Non-Hazardous Waste
Stakeholders Focus Group
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice of establishment of the Industrial Non-Hazardous Waste
Stakeholders Focus Group and Notice of first meeting.
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SUMMARY: As required by sections 9 (a)(2) and 10 (a)(2) of the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463), EPA is giving notice of the
formation of the Industrial Non-Hazardous Waste Stakeholders' Focus
Group and of its first meeting. EPA has determined that this action is
in the public interest. 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
[[Page 8059]]
will facilitate the exchange of information and ideas among the
interested parties relating to the development of such guidance. The
agenda of the first meeting will include a discussion of the purpose
and scope of the guidance under development, the ground rules for
future meetings, tailoring management practices to risk, and liner
system designs at industrial nonhazardous waste facilities. There will
be an opportunity for public comment before the close of the meeting.
DATES: The committee's first meeting will be held on April 11-12, 1996
beginning at 9:00 A.M. on each day. The meeting will conclude at 5:00
P.M. on April 11 and at 3:00 P.M. on April 12.
ADDRESSES: The location of the meeting is the Hall of States, Room 383-
385, 444 N. Capitol Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. The seating capacity
of the room is approximately 75 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 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 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 Patricia Cohn, Municipal and Industrial
Solid Waste Division, Office of Solid Waste, at (703) 308-8675.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose of the Focus Group
EPA and ASTSWMO 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 is convening 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.
Background
``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 present a broad range of risk, from nearly
hazardous to inert.
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.
Participants
The Stakeholders Focus Group will consist 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--Doris Cellarius, Sierra Club; Michael
Gregory, Sierra Club; John Harney, Citizens Round Table/Pennsylvanians
United to Rescue the Environment; and Rick Lowery, Texas Center for
Policy Studies.
Industry sectors--Tim Saylor, International Paper; Gary Robbins,
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.
States--James Warner, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; Anne
Dobbs, Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission.
Federal officials--Paul Cassidy, Patricia Cohn, Richard Kinch, John
Sager and Bruce Weddle of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Dated: February 22, 1995.
Bruce R. Weddle,
Acting Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 96-4835 Filed 2-29-96; 8:45 am]
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