[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 179 (Tuesday, September 16, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48656-48657]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-24551]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5892-8]
Site-Specific Flexibility Requests for Municipal Solid Waste
Landfills in Indian Country
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the
availability of and simultaneously requesting comment on the draft
guidance document ``Site-Specific Flexibility Requests for Municipal
Solid Waste landfills in Indian Country''. This draft guidance provides
owners and operators of municipal solid waste landfills (MSWLFs) in
Indian Country with options for meeting the EPA regulations found in 40
CFR part 258 which establish federal requirements for MSWLFs. States
with EPA approved permit programs have the authority to allow MSWLF
owners and operators to use flexible approaches to meet the MSWLF
performance requirements, provided these alternative approaches protect
human health and the environment. The process described in this draft
guidance document provides that identical opportunity to owners and
operators in Indian Country.
This guidance is intended to assist owners and operators of MSWLFs
in Indian Country to develop and submit site-specific requests for
flexibility in meeting 40 CFR part 258 criteria. Site-specific
flexibility can allow owners and operators in Indian Country cost-
effective methods of complying with federal performance standards while
ensuring that human health and the environment are protected. The
proposed site specific rulemaking process ensures protection of human
health and the environment while decreasing regulatory burden to tribal
governments and owners and operators of MSWLFs in Indian Country.
The primary audiences for the draft guidance are tribal governments
and owners and operators of MSWLFs in Indian Country. This guidance is
available for immediate use, and simultaneously open for comments.
DATES: EPA will accept comments on ``Site-Specific Flexibility Requests
for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills in Indian Country'' until November
30, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Commenters must send an original and two copies of their
comments referencing docket number F-97-SSSA-FFFFF to: RCRA Docket
Information Center, Office of Solid Waste (5305G), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency Headquarters (EPA, HQ), 401 M Street, SW, Washington,
DC 20460. Hand deliveries of comments should be made to the Arlington,
VA, address listed below. Comments may also be submitted electronically
by sending electronic mail through the Internet to rcra-docket@epamail.. Comments in electronic format should also be identified by the
docket number F-97-SSSA-FFFFF. All electronic comments must be
submitted in an ASCII file avoiding the use of special characters and
any form of encryption.
Commenters should not submit electronically any confidential
business information (CBI). An original and two copies of CBI must be
submitted under separate cover to: RCRA CBI Document Control Officer,
Office of Solid Waste (5305W), U.S. EPA, 401 M Street, SW, Washington,
DC 20460.
Public comments and supporting materials are available for viewing
in the RCRA Information Center (RIC), located at Crystal Gateway I,
First Floor, 1235 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA. The RIC is
open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding federal
holidays. To review
[[Page 48657]]
docket materials, the Agency recommends that the public 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 $0.15/page. For information on accession paper and/or electronic
copies of the document, see the ``Supplementary Information'' section.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For general information, contact the RCRA Hotline at 800 424-9346 or
TDD 800 553-7672 (hearing impaired). In the Washington, DC metropolitan
area, call 703 412-9810 or TDD 703 412-3323. For information on
specific aspects of the document, contact Karen Rudek, Municipal and
Industrial Solid Waste Division of the Office of Solid Waste (mail code
5306W), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters, 401 M
Street, SW, Washington DC 20460; phone 703 308-1682; e-mail
rudek.karen@epamail.epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For a paper copy of the draft document,
``Site-Specific Flexibility Requests for Municipal Solid Waste
Landfills in Indian Country'', please contact the RCRA Hotline at (800)
424-9346 or TDD (800) 553-7672 (hearing impaired). In the Washington,
DC, metropolitan area, call (703) 412-3323. The document number is
EPA530-R-97-016.
The draft guidance is also available in electronic format on the
Internet. Follow these instructions to access it:
WWW: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/nonhazardous waste
FTP: ftp.epa/gov
Login: anonymous
Password: your internet address
Files are located in /pub/epaoswer.
The official record for this action will be kept in paper form.
Accordingly, EPA will transfer all comments received electronically
into paper form and place them in the official record, which will also
include all comments submitted directly in writing. The official record
is the paper record maintained at the address in ``Addresses'' section
above.
EPA responses to comments, whether the comments are written or
electronic, will be contained in a notice in the Federal Register or in
a response to comments document placed in the official record for this
Notice of Document Availability. EPA will not immediately reply to
commenters electronically other than to seek clarification of
electronic comments that may be garbled in transmission or during
conversion to paper form, as discussed above.
EPA has authority under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA) sections 2002, 4004, and 4010 to promulgate site-specific rules
as outlined in this draft guidance document. The steps outlined in this
guidance document for promulgating site-specific rules are meant to
satisfy the notice and opportunity for comment requirements of the
Administrative Procedures Act, 5 U.S.C. 551.
Dated: September 4, 1997.
Elizabeth A. Cotsworth,
Acting Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 97-24551 Filed 9-15-97; 8:45 am]
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