[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 25, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50295-50296]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24592]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL 5613-7]


Notice of Data Availability and Public Meeting on Environmental 
Release Descriptions Supporting the Hazardous Wastes Characteristics 
Scoping Study

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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[[Page 50296]]

SUMMARY: EPA is making available for public comment a draft report 
entitled ``Hazardous Waste Characteristics Scoping Study: Environmental 
Release Descriptions.'' This report focuses on environmental 
contamination resulting from the management of non-hazardous wastes and 
presents the criteria for the selection of data, the methodologies used 
to gather the data, and the initial results. This report was prepared 
in support of a study being conducted by the Agency under a May 17, 
1996 consent agreement with the Environmental Defense Fund to 
investigate if there are gaps in coverage in the existing hazardous 
waste characteristics under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act 
(RCRA), as well as the nature and extent of such gaps. The overall 
study is referred to as the ``Hazardous Waste Characteristic Scoping 
Study.'' EPA is making this draft report on environmental releases 
available for written comment and also intends to hold a one-half day 
public meeting to accept comments.

DATES: Copies of EPA's draft report on environmental release 
descriptions will be available from the RCRA docket after September 25, 
1996. Written comments on this report must be received by October 15, 
1996.
    The public meeting will be held on Thursday, October 10, 1996, from 
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Commenters must send an original and two copies of their 
comments referencing docket number F-96-ERDA-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:
[email protected].
Comments in electronic format should also be identified by the docket 
number F-96-ERDA-FFFFF. All electronic comments must be submitted as 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.
    The draft report ``Hazardous Waste Characteristics Scoping Study: 
Environmental Release Descriptions'' and any public comments 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 docket materials, it is 
recommended that the public make an appointment by calling 703 603-
9230. The public may copy a maximum of 100 pages from any docket at no 
charge. Additional copies cost $0.15/page. For information on accessing 
paper and/or electronic copies of the document, see the ``Supplementary 
Information'' section.
    The public meeting will be held at the Hyatt Crystal City, 2799 
Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA, 22202.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Persons needing further information 
regarding this notice or registering for the public meeting should 
contact Tamara M. Irvin, Office of Solid Waste, 5304W, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone: 
(703)-308-8807; e-mail: irvin.tamara @epamail.epa.gov. General 
questions about the regulatory requirements under RCRA should be 
directed to the RCRA Hotline, Office of Solid Waste, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone: 
toll-free at 800-424-9346, TDD: 800-553-7672, or locally at 703-412-
9810.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery 
Act Section 3001, EPA is charged with defining which solid wastes are 
hazardous by identifying the characteristics of hazardous waste and 
listing particular hazardous wastes. The current hazardous 
characteristics are ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, and 
toxicity. As stated above, EPA has entered into a consent decree with 
the Environmental Defense Fund to conduct a study of the potential gaps 
in these characteristics. As part of this study, EPA has collected data 
on human health or environmental damages from the management of non-
hazardous waste. The purpose of the public meeting is to provide a 
forum for public comment and discussion on the results of these data. 
Specifically, EPA is requesting comment on: (1) How current waste 
management practices relate to those in place at the time the 
contamination occurred, (2) Whether the selection criteria used to 
collect the damage case data were appropriate, (3) Whether the analyses 
captured the majority of damage case information relevant to the 
purposes of the study, and (4) How these data could be used to identify 
potential gaps in the RCRA hazardous waste characteristics.
    For a paper copy of the report ``Hazardous Waste Characteristics 
Scoping Study: Environmental Release Descriptions'', please contact the 
RIC at the address in the ADDRESSES section of this notice. The report 
is also available in electronic format on the Internet. Follow these 
instructions to access the report.
    WWW: http://www.epa.gov
    Gopher: gopher.epa.gov/epaoswer
    Dial-up: 919 558-0335
    If you are using the gopher or direct dial-up; once you are 
connected to the EPA Public Access Server, look for the report in the 
following directory: EPA Offices and Regions/Office of Solid Waste and 
Emergency Response (OSWER)/Office of Solid Waste (RCRA)/Hazardous Waste 
Identification.
    FTP: ftp.epa/gov
    Login: anonymous
    Password: your Internet address
    Files are located in /pub/gopher/OSWRCRA.
    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 location described ADDRESSES 
above.
    EPA responses to comments, whether the comments are written or 
electronic, will be in a notice in the Federal Register or in a 
response to comments document placed in the official record for this 
rulemaking. 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.
    Oral statements will be scheduled on a first-come-first-served 
basis by calling the number listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT. All statements or written comments will be part of the public 
record and will be considered in the development of the study.

    Dated: September 16, 1996.
Elizabeth A. Cotsworth,
Acting Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 96-24592 Filed 9-24-96; 8:45 am]
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