[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 19 (Wednesday, January 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4284-4285]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-2193]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-568-9]


Open Meeting of the Industrial Non-Hazardous Waste Stakeholders 
Focus Group

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of open meeting of the Industrial Non-Hazardous Waste 
Stakeholders Focus Group.

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SUMMARY: As required by section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463), EPA is giving notice of the third 
meeting of the Industrial Non-Hazardous Waste Policy Dialogue 
Committee, also known as the Industrial Non-Hazardous Waste 
Stakeholders Focus Group. 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 will facilitate the exchange of information and 
ideas among the interested parties relating to the development of such 
guidance. The purpose of the third meeting will be to continue 
discussion of issues related to development of such guidance. The 
agenda will include a discussion of tailoring management practices to 
risk, land application, closure and post-closure considerations, 
corrective action, run-on/run-off controls, operating considerations, 
and air emission controls. There will be an opportunity for limited 
public comment at the end of each day of the meeting. The termination 
date for this committee has been extended until September 31, 1997, in 
order to allow the committee to complete its work fully.

DATES: The committee will meet on February 19 and 20, 1997, from 9 a.m. 
to 5 p.m. on February 19, and from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on February 20.

ADDRESSES: The location of the meeting is the Sheraton Washington 
Hotel, 2660 Woodley Road at Connecticut Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20008. The phone number is (202) 328-2000. The seating capacity of the 
room is approximately 60 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 a.m. to 4 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 
Paul Cassidy, Municipal and Industrial Solid Waste Division, Office of 
Solid Waste, at (703) 308-7281.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    EPA and ASTSWMBO 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 has convened 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.
    ``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, which include inert materials as well as 
materials which may be declared hazardous at some future date, present 
a broad range of risk.
    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, 
including minutes of the first two Focus Group meeting, which were held 
on April 11-12, 1996, and September 11-12, 1996.

Participants

    The Stakeholders Focus Group consists 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--Michael Gregory, Sierra Club; John Harney, 
Citizens Round Table/Pennsylvanians United to Rescue the Environment; 
Richard Lowerre, Henry, Lowerre, Johnson, Hess & Frederick and David 
Wells, University of South Alabama Medical Center. Industry sectors--
Tim Saylor, International Paper; Chuck Feerick, 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.

[[Page 4285]]

    States--James Warner, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; Anne 
Dobbs, Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission; Gene Mitchell, 
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; and Bill Pounds, 
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources.
    Federal officials--Paul Cassidy, Deborah Dalton, Robert Dellinger, 
Richard Kinch, and John Sager of the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency.

    Dated: January 22, 1997.
Elizabeth A. Cotsworth,
Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 97-2193 Filed 1-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-M