[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 36 (Thursday, February 22, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 6805-6806]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-3844]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 261

[FRL-5427-6]


Extension of Comment Period for the Proposed Hazardous Waste 
Identification Rule (HWIR)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is 
extending the comment period for the proposed Hazardous Waste 
Identification Rule (HWIR), which appeared in the Federal Register on 
December 21, 1995 (60 FR 66344). The extension is necessary for two 
reasons: the first is the government shutdown during the original 
comment period which did not allow commentors to review the background 
documentation supporting the rulemaking and the second is the Agency 
has received an overwhelming number of requests for comment period 
extensions due to the complexity of the proposed rulemaking. The public 
comment period for this proposed rule was to end February 20, 1996. The 
comment period is extended to April 22, 1996.

DATES: EPA will continue to accept public comments on the proposed 
Hazardous Waste Identification Rule until April 22, 1996.

ADDRESSES: The public must send an original, two copies, and whenever 
possible, a 3.5 inch computer disk containing the comments in a common 
word processing format such as WordPerfect version 5.1 to: EPA RCRA 
Docket (5305W), 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460.
    Place ``Docket number F-95-WHWP-FFFFF'' on your comments. The RCRA 
docket is located at: EPA's Crystal Gateway Office, 1235 Jefferson 
Davis Highway, Arlington, Virginia.

and is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
excluding Federal holidays. The public must make an appointment to 
review docket materials by calling (703) 603-9230. The public may copy 
material from any regulatory docket at a cost of $0.15 per page. Copies 
of the background documents, Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) 
chemical files, and other references (which are not readily available) 
are available for viewing and copying only in the RCRA docket.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The RCRA/Superfund Hotline at (800) 
424-9346 or at (703) 412-9810. For technical information contact Mr. 
William A. Collins, Jr., Mr. Greg Helms, Ms. Pamela McMains, or Ms. 
Tracy Atagi, Office of Solid Waste (5304), U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460, (202) 
260-8100.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed rule was issued under the 
authority of sections 2002(a), 3001, 3002, 3004 and 3006 of the 
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). EPA proposed to amend 
its regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) 
by establishing constituent-specific exit levels for low-risk solid 
wastes that are designated as hazardous because they are listed, or 
have been mixed, derived from, or contain listed hazardous wastes. See 
60 FR 66344 (December 21, 1995) for a more detailed explanation of the 
proposed rule.

Extension of Comment Period

    The comment period for this proposed rule was scheduled to end on 
February 20, 1996. However, the RCRA Docket was closed due to the 
partial government shutdown from December 15, 1995 until January 6, 
1996, and from January 8 until January 12, 1996 due to inclement 
weather. As a result of the partial government shutdown and snow 
closures, background documents located in the RCRA Docket were 
available to the public for only one day during the first three and 
one-half weeks of the public comment period. Similarly, during the same 
period EPA personnel were unavailable to answer questions about the 
notice of proposed rulemaking or to make other arrangements to obtain 
documents relevant to the rulemaking. 

[[Page 6806]]
This severely reduced the effectiveness of the first half of the 60-day 
comment period.
    EPA has also received requests for comment period extensions on 
other grounds. The notice proposed ``exit values'', or specific 
concentrations at which chemicals pose only low risk to human health or 
the environment, for over 400 chemicals found in hazardous wastes 
currently regulated under RCRA. See 60 FR 66349-66380. The risk 
assessment used to generate the exit values is unusually complex. EPA 
has received at least seven written requests to extend the comment 
period by up to 120 days. The requestors believe such extensions are 
essential to allow them to analyze the risk assessment and prepare 
meaningful comments.
    EPA determined that it needed to extend the comment period by a 
total of 60 days to provide an adequate opportunity for public 
participation in this rulemaking. EPA is therefore extending the 
comment period for this rulemaking to April 22, 1996.

    Dated: February 15, 1996.
Elizabeth A. Cotsworth,
Acting Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 96-3844 Filed 2-20-96; 11:50 a.m.]
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