[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 210 (Tuesday, October 29, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55800-55801]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-27832]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5643-4]


Notice of Data Availability and Extension of Comment Period on 
Environmental Release Descriptions Supporting the Hazardous Wastes 
Characteristics Scoping Study

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA is announcing the availability of the individual facility 
site profiles associated with the draft report entitled ``Hazardous 
Waste Characteristics Scoping Study: Environmental Release 
Descriptions.'' This report, which focuses on environmental 
contamination resulting from the management of non-hazardous wastes, 
was made available to the public for comment on September 25, 1996 (61 
FR 50295). The draft report itself presents the criteria for the 
selection of data, the methodologies used to gather the data, and the 
initial results. However, there was a delay in making available the 
appendix to the report which contains the individual facility site 
descriptions because the Agency wanted to allow the affected facilities 
and states an opportunity to comment on them before they were available 
to the public. EPA believes that commenters should have additional time 
to review the individual descriptions in preparing their comments on 
the draft report and, therefore, is extending the original comment 
deadline on the report. The 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.''

DATES: Copies of the appendix, which contains the individual facility 
site descriptions, to EPA's draft report on environmental release 
descriptions will be available from the RCRA Information Center (RIC) 
after October 28, 1996. Written comments on both the draft report on 
environmental release descriptions and the appendix must be received by 
November 7, 1996 to be considered in completion of the Scoping study. 
Comments received after November 7, 1996 will be utilized by the Agency 
in follow-up activities associated with the Scoping study.

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'', the appendix, and any public 
comments are available for viewing in the RCRA Information Center, 
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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Persons needing further information 
regarding this notice 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

[[Page 55801]]

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 facility specific data on human health or 
environmental damages from the management of non-hazardous waste.
    For a paper copy of the draft report ``Hazardous Waste 
Characteristics Scoping Study: Environmental Release Descriptions'' or 
the facility site descriptions appendix, please contact the RIC at the 
address in the ADDRESSES, section of this notice. The report and the 
appendix are 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 in ADDRESSES 
above.

    Dated: October 24, 1996.
Elizabeth A. Cotsworth,
Acting Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 96-27832 Filed 10-28-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P