[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 38 (Wednesday, February 26, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 8726]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4756]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5694-3]


Effluent Guidelines Plan Update

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA has obtained approval in U.S. District Court to modify a 
Consent Decree covering the Agency's Effluent Guidelines Program. The 
modified Decree extends deadlines for several rulemaking projects 
described in the 1996 Effluent Guidelines Plan.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric Strassler, Engineering and 
Analysis Division (4303), Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M 
Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20460; telephone 202-260-7150. E-mail: 
[email protected]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA published its 1996 Effluent Guidelines 
Plan on October 7, 1996 (61 FR 52582). The Plan described the Effluent 
Guidelines Program and listed regulations that the Agency was 
developing or intended to develop. As mentioned in the Plan, several of 
these regulation projects are required by a Consent Decree in Natural 
Resources Defense Council et al v. Browner (D.D.C. 89-2980, January 31, 
1992 (the ``Consent Decree''). Table 1 in the Plan listed deadlines for 
the rules, with a footnote explaining that EPA was discussing 
extensions to the deadlines with the Natural Resources Defense Council 
(NRDC). See 61 FR 52583.
    EPA and NRDC have agreed on revised deadlines and related 
adjustments for several of the rules listed in the Plan, and have 
obtained Court approval of modifications to the Decree. An unopposed 
motion to modify the Decree was filed in U.S. District Court for the 
District of Columbia on January 31, 1997, and the motion was approved 
by District Judge Royce C. Lamberth on February 4, 1997. In addition to 
extending several deadlines, the modifications allow the Agency to 
merge two ongoing rules, Metal Products and Machinery Phases 1 and 2, 
into a single project. The modified dates are listed in the following 
table.

             Modifications to Effluent Guidelines Deadlines             
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                                                                 Final  
                     Category                        Proposal    action 
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Centralized Waste Treatment (proposed 1/27/95, 60                       
 FR 5464).........................................  .........    8/15/99
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (proposed 5/2/95, 60                       
 FR 21592)........................................  .........       4/98
Industrial Laundries..............................       9/97       6/99
Transportation Equipment Cleaning.................       1/98       2/00
Landfills and Incinerators........................      11/97      11/99
Metal Products and Machinery (Phase 1 proposed 5/                       
 30/95, 60 FR 28209)..............................      10/00      12/02
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    EPA and NRDC signed a related Settlement Agreement stating the 
Agency's intent to take final action on air emission standards for 
pharmaceutical production, under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act, 
jointly with the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Effluent Guidelines in 
April 1998. A separate notice describing this action was published on 
February 21, 1997 at 62 FR 8012.
    The parties also agreed on revised deadlines for completion of four 
Preliminary Studies, which the Agency uses to support decisions on 
selecting industries for additional rulemaking. The deadlines for the 
studies are as follows:

Chemical Formulators and Packagers: April 1997.
Feedlots: 1998.
Urban Stormwater: 1998.
Airport De-Icing: 1999.

    EPA and NRDC are continuing negotiations on deadlines for other 
rules covered by the Decree.

    Dated: February 19, 1997.
Tudor T. Davies,
Director, Office of Science and Technology.
[FR Doc. 97-4756 Filed 2-25-97; 8:45 am]
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