[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 172 (Friday, September 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47285-47288]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23891]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6156-7]
RIN 2040-AC20


Effluent Guidelines Plan

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of effluent guidelines plan.

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SUMMARY: Today's notice announces the Agency's plans for developing new 
and revised effluent guidelines, which regulate industrial discharges 
to surface waters and to publicly owned treatment works. Section 304(m) 
of the Clean Water Act (CWA) requires EPA to publish a biennial 
Effluent Guidelines Plan. The Agency published a proposed plan on May 
28, 1998, and public comments on the proposed plan are discussed in 
today's notice.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 5, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The public record for this notice is available for review in 
the EPA Water Docket, 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. For access 
to Docket materials, call (202) 260-3027 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. for 
an appointment. The EPA public information regulation (40 CFR Part 2) 
provides that a reasonable fee may be charged for copying.

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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Regulated Entities
II. Legal Authority
III. Introduction
    A. Purpose of Today's Notice
    B. Overview of Today's Notice
IV. 1998 Proposed Effluent Guidelines Plan
V. 1998 Effluent Guidelines Plan
    A. Regulations
    1. Ongoing Rulemakings
    2. Future Regulations
    B. Preliminary Studies
    C. Summary of Changes from the Proposed Plan
    D. Updates on Rulemaking Activities
    1. Transportation Equipment Cleaning
    2. Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
    3. Pulp, Paper and Paperboard
    4. Centralized Waste Treatment
VI. Public Comments
    A. Ongoing Rulemaking Projects and Studies
    B. Aquaculture
    C. Metal Molding and Casting (Foundries)
    D. Ore Mining
    E. Plan for Future Activities
VII. Economic Impact Assessment
VIII. Executive Order 12866
Appendix A--Effluent Guidelines Rulemaking Projects and Preliminary 
Studies

I. Regulated Entities

    Today's plan does not contain regulatory requirements and does not 
provide specific definitions for each industrial category. Entities 
potentially affected by decisions regarding the plan are listed below.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Category of entity       Examples of potentially affected entities
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industry/Commercial..........  Pulp, Paper and Paperboard; Oil and Gas  
                                Extraction; Centralized Waste Treatment;
                                Pharmaceutical Manufacturing; Metal     
                                Products and Machinery (including       
                                electroplating, metal finishing);       
                                Landfills; Industrial Waste Combustors  
                                (Incinerators); Industrial Laundries;   
                                Transportation Equipment Cleaning (tank 
                                trucks, railroad tank cars, barge       
                                tanks); Iron and Steel Manufacturing;   
                                Coal Mining; Petroleum Refining; Textile
                                Mills; Inorganic Chemicals; Steam       
                                Electric Power Generating; Photographic 
                                Processing; Chemical Formulating,       
                                Packaging and Repackaging; Airports.    
Agriculture..................  Feedlots (swine, poultry, dairy and beef 
                                cattle); Fish Hatcheries and Farms      
                                (Aquaculture).                          
Federal Government...........  Metal Products and Machinery (including  
                                electroplating, metal finishing);       
                                Landfills; Airports.                    
State Government.............  Metal Products and Machinery (including  
                                electroplating, metal finishing);       
                                Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems  
                                (Urban Storm Water); Landfills;         
                                Airports.                               
Local Government.............  Metal Products and Machinery (including  
                                electroplating, metal finishing);       
                                Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems  
                                (Urban Storm Water); Landfills;         
                                Airports.                               
------------------------------------------------------------------------

To determine whether your facility would be regulated, you should 
carefully examine the applicability criteria in the appropriate 
proposed rule (previously published or forthcoming). Not all of the 
categories listed in the above table have been selected for rulemaking. 
Citations for previously published proposed rules and schedules for 
forthcoming proposed rules are provided in Appendix A of today's 
notice.

II. Legal Authority

    Today's notice is published under the authority of Section 304(m) 
of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1314(m).

III. Introduction

A. Purpose of Today's Notice

    Today's notice announces the Agency's fourth biennial plan for 
developing new and revised effluent guidelines pursuant to Section 
304(m) of the CWA.
    EPA published a proposed Effluent Guidelines Plan (the ``Proposed 
Plan'') on May 28, 1998 (63 FR 29203). The Agency accepted comment on 
the notice until July 27, 1998. Today's notice summarizes and addresses 
the major comments the Agency received.

B. Overview of Today's Notice

    The Agency intends to develop effluent limitation guidelines and 
standards (``effluent guidelines'') as follows:
    1. Continue development of eleven rules listed in the Proposed 
Plan. The categories are: Pulp, Paper and Paperboard, Phases 2 and 3; 
Centralized Waste Treatment; Metal Products and Machinery; Landfills; 
Industrial Waste Combustors (Incinerators); Industrial Laundries; 
Transportation Equipment Cleaning; Iron and Steel Manufacturing; Oil 
and Gas Extraction (Synthetic-Based Drilling Fluids); Coal Mining 
(Remining and Western subcategories); and Feedlots (Poultry and Swine 
subcategories).
    2. Begin development of rules for two additional categories (new or 
revised) by December 1998, one of which is currently planned to be 
Feedlots (Beef and Dairy Cattle).

[[Page 47286]]

    3. Complete preliminary studies on Feedlots, Urban Storm Water, and 
Airport Deicing.
    4. Plan for development of two additional effluent guidelines, 
either new or revised. EPA's current plan is to begin development of 
two rules by December 1999.

IV. 1998 Proposed Effluent Guidelines Plan

    In the Proposed Plan, EPA described its intent to continue 
development of ongoing rulemakings, develop additional rules, and 
conduct preliminary studies. The Proposed Plan set forth EPA's 
rationale for the selection of particular industries as candidates for 
new or revised effluent guidelines. The Proposed Plan also described 
the relevant statutory framework, the components and process for 
development of an effluent guidelines regulation, and other background 
information. The principal elements of the Proposed Plan were designed 
to implement Section 304(m) and a Consent Decree in Natural Resources 
Defense Council et al. v. Browner (D.D.C. 89-2980, January 31, 1992, as 
modified) (the ``Consent Decree''). See 63 FR 29204-29207.

V. 1998 Effluent Guidelines Plan

    EPA's 1998 Effluent Guidelines Plan is set forth below. Today's 
Plan is substantively identical to the Proposed Plan.

A. Regulations

1. Ongoing Rulemakings
    The Agency is currently in the process of developing new or revised 
effluent guidelines for the categories are set forth in Table 1.

        Table 1.--Effluent Guidelines Currently Under Development       
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          Proposal         Final action 
                                   -------------------------------------
             Category                 Consent decree or       Consent   
                                      publication date        decree    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pulp, Paper and Paperboard, Phases  12/17/93............    \1\2000-2002
 2 & 3.                                                                 
Centralized Waste Treatment.......  \4\1/27/95, Fall          \3\8/15/99
                                     1998.                              
Metal Products and Machinery......  \2\5/30/95, 10/00...           12/02
Industrial Laundries..............  12/17/97............            6/99
Landfills.........................  2/6/98..............           11/99
Industrial Waste Combustors         2/6/98..............           11/99
 (Incinerators).                                                        
Transportation Equipment Cleaning.  6/25/98.............         6/15/00
Oil and Gas Extraction (Synthetic   12/98...............           12/00
 Drilling Fluids).                                                      
Iron and Steel Manufacturing......  \3\12/98............        \3\12/00
Coal Mining.......................  12/99...............           12/01
Feedlots (Poultry and Swine         12/99...............           12/01
 Subcategories).                                                        
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Pulp, Paper and Paperboard rulemaking is not covered by the     
  January 31, 1992, consent decree and dates reflect projected dates for
  final promulgation of the 2 phases.                                   
\2\ 5/30/95 proposal covered Phase 1 MP&M facilities only. Proposal in  
  10/00 will cover Phase 1 and 2 facilities combined.                   
\3\ EPA is discussing extensions to consent decree dates with plaintiff 
  Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).                             
\4\ A re-proposal for the Centralized Waste Treatment category is       
  planned for Fall 1998. This action is not in the consent decree.      

2. Future Regulations
    EPA is scheduled to begin work later in 1998 on revised effluent 
guidelines for the Beef and Dairy Cattle subcategories of the Feedlots 
category, 40 CFR Part 412. The Decree requires that EPA develop 
additional rules. Based on the selection process discussed in the 
Proposed Plan (63 FR 29208), the Agency may choose the next rulemaking 
projects from the following list of categories:
     Petroleum Refining.
     Textile Mills.
     Inorganic Chemicals.
     Steam Electric Power Generating.
     Photographic Processing.
     Chemical Formulators and Packagers.
     Urban Storm Water.
     Airport Deicing.
     Aquaculture (Fish Hatcheries and Farms).

Completed, ongoing or potential preliminary studies on these categories 
were discussed in the Proposed Plan (63 FR 29208-29210). The Agency may 
consider other categories for rulemaking as it receives additional 
data. The Consent Decree deadlines for the additional rules are part of 
the Agency's ongoing negotiations with NRDC.

B. Preliminary Studies

    In the Proposed Plan EPA described preliminary studies either 
completed or underway. The studies assist the Agency in selecting 
industries to be subject to future effluent guidelines rulemaking. The 
Agency is continuing work on three studies: Feedlots, Urban Storm 
Water, and Airport Deicing. The Agency may conduct additional studies 
from time to time.

C. Summary of Changes From the Proposed Plan

    Today's Effluent Guidelines Plan is substantively identical to the 
Proposed Plan. However, some clarifications are provided below in 
Section IV in response to several comments the Agency received on the 
proposal.

D. Updates on Rulemaking Activities

1. Transportation Equipment Cleaning
    EPA published a proposed rule for the Transportation Equipment 
Cleaning Category on June 25, 1998 (63 FR 34685).
2. Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
    The Administrator signed a final rule for the Pharmaceutical 
Manufacturing Category on June 30, 1998. The rule will be published 
shortly in the Federal Register.
3. Pulp, Paper and Paperboard
    EPA published a notice on August 7, 1998 (63 FR 42238) to correct 
errors in the final Phase 1 rule for the Pulp, Paper and Paperboard 
category, which was published on April 15, 1998 (63 FR 18504).
4. Centralized Waste Treatment
    EPA published a proposed rule for the Centralized Waste Treatment 
category on January 27, 1995 (60 FR 5464) and a Notice of Data 
Availability on September 16, 1996 (61 FR 48805). Based on data 
received and subsequent Agency analysis, EPA is planning a re-proposal 
for Fall 1998.

[[Page 47287]]

VI. Public Comments

    EPA accepted public comment on the Proposed Plan until July 27, 
1998. The Agency received comments that covered approximately 15 topics 
from a variety of commenters including industry and agriculture, 
environmental groups, local governments, States, and engineering 
consulting firms. The summary in this section highlights the 
significant comments submitted. The administrative record for today's 
notice includes a complete text of the comments and the Agency's 
responses. EPA has not yet selected additional categories for 
rulemaking, but will consider the comments submitted as it makes its 
decisions.

A. Ongoing Rulemaking Projects and Studies

    Several comments addressed the scope of coverage and other issues 
pertaining to specific ongoing effluent guidelines rulemaking projects 
and preliminary studies. EPA will forward these comments to the dockets 
or records for the appropriate rules and studies, and will consider the 
comments as these projects continue. The Agency has not made final 
decisions about the scope and applicability of the rules addressed in 
these comments.

B. Aquaculture

    In the Proposed Plan, EPA asked for public comment on the need for 
effluent guidelines for aquaculture facilities, also called fish 
hatcheries and farms. The notice made reference to a recent report by 
the Environmental Defense Fund, which recommended promulgation of 
effluent guidelines for aquaculture (63 FR 29210). The Agency received 
comments arguing either that pollutant discharges are adequately 
addressed by National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) 
permits and that effluent guidelines are not needed, or that the 
permits issued by the various state programs are inconsistent and 
inadequate. Some comments also provided additional information such as 
explanations of how aquaculture facilities are regulated under existing 
permits, comparisons of state permitting policies, and technical papers 
describing the pollutants generated and treatment processes used in the 
industry. EPA needs additional information to determine whether the 
existing NPDES permit process is adequate to address these discharges. 
The Agency has not yet made a decision on whether national effluent 
guidelines will be developed for some or all parts of the industry. The 
Agency may conduct a preliminary study to obtain additional information 
and evaluate all of the information received.

C. Metal Molding and Casting (Foundries)

    The Agency received comments recommending revisions to the Metal 
Molding and Casting (Foundries) regulations at 40 CFR Part 464. The 
commenters argue, among other things, that the effluent limits were 
based on faulty, incomplete and non-representative data, and that the 
treatment technologies used as the basis for best practicable control 
technology (BPT) effluent limitations do not work and do not represent 
actual BPT. None of the comments provided current data on individual 
plant processes, descriptions of fluids used, waste streams, costs, 
etc. The Agency is considering these comments and may contact some 
facilities to obtain data, but has not determined whether revisions to 
Part 464 will be made.

D. Ore Mining

    The Agency received comments recommending revisions to the Ore 
Mining regulations at 40 CFR Part 440. The proposed changes are related 
to ongoing EPA actions to modify and/or clarify a recent Agency 
interpretation of the Part 440 regulations associated with the Storm 
Water Multi-Sector General Permit for Industrial Activities. The Agency 
published the proposed clarification and accompanying permit 
modifications at 62 FR 54949 (Oct. 22, 1997) and took final action at 
63 FR 42533 (Aug. 7, 1998). Commenters suggest that EPA could conduct a 
``focused'' rulemaking, to address discharges from waste rock piles, 
overburden piles and other sources of water pollution at mine sites 
which are not currently covered by part 440. The Agency is considering 
these comments but has not determined whether to revise the part 440 
regulations. Over the next few years, the mine operators claiming 
coverage under the recently modified EPA-issued general permit for 
storm water will be providing monitoring data to EPA according to the 
permit terms. The Agency will review these data for usefulness in 
revising the effluent guidelines, for example, to determine the 
effluent variability associated with these discharges and to evaluate 
the performance and effectiveness of the permit controls (primarily 
``best management practices'') at reducing pollutants. Additionally, 
EPA may conduct a preliminary study to gather other relevant data (such 
as cost data) on mining processes. Based on the results of these data 
and analyses, EPA may consider revisions to Part 440 in an upcoming 
effluent guidelines plan.

E. Plan for Future Activities

    EPA received comments suggesting that the Agency has an ongoing 
obligation under Section 304(m) to identify all future industries in 
need of a new or revised effluent guideline and establish a schedule to 
promulgate such guidelines. In EPA's view, the current plan is 
consistent with the terms of the Decree. Under paragraph 7(b) of the 
Decree, an Effluent Guidelines Plan that is consistent with the Decree 
also satisfies the terms of Section 304(m), at least through 2003. EPA 
has not yet begun to plan for effluent guideline activities after that, 
but will address them in future 304(m) plans.

VII. Economic Impact Assessment

    Today's notice proposes a plan for the review and revision of 
existing effluent guidelines and for the selection of priority 
industries for new regulations. This notice does not establish any 
requirements; therefore, no economic impact assessment has been 
prepared. EPA will provide economic impact analyses or other regulatory 
analyses, as appropriate, for all of the future effluent guideline 
rulemakings developed by the Agency.

VIII. Executive Order 12866

    Under Executive Order 12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993), the 
Agency must determine whether the regulatory action is ``significant'' 
and therefore subject to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) review 
and the requirements of the Executive Order. The Order defines 
``significant regulatory action'' as one that is likely to result in a 
rule that may:
    (1) Have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more or 
adversely affect in a material way the economy, a sector of the 
economy, productivity, competition, jobs, the environment, public 
health or safety, or State, local, or tribal governments or 
communities;
    (2) Create a serious inconsistency or otherwise interfere with an 
action taken or planned by another agency;
    (3) Materially alter the budgetary impact of entitlements, grants, 
user fees, or loan programs or the rights and obligations of recipients 
thereof; or
    (4) Raise novel legal or policy issues arising out of legal 
mandates, the President's priorities, or the principles set forth in 
the Executive Order.
    It has been determined that this rule is not a ``significant 
regulatory action'' under the terms of Executive Order

[[Page 47288]]

12866 and is therefore not subject to OMB review.

    Dated: August 28, 1998.
J. Charles Fox,
Acting Assistant Administrator.

  Appendix A.--Effluent Guidelines Rulemaking Projects and Preliminary  
   Studies Effluent Guidelines Current and Future Rulemaking Projects   
------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Category                     Proposed              Final    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pulp, Paper and Paperboard,      12/17/93 \1\ (58 FR        \1\2000-2002
 Phases 2 & 3.                    66078).                               
Centralized Waste Treatment....  1/27/95 (60 FR 5464)...     \3\ 8/15/99
                                 Fall 1998 \4\ (Re-          \3\ 8/15/99
                                  proposal).                            
Metal Products and Machinery...  5/30/95 \2\ (60 FR       ..............
                                  28209) (Phase 1 only).                
                                 10/00..................           12/02
Industrial Laundries...........  12/17/97 (62 FR 66182).            6/99
Landfills......................  2/6/98 (63 FR 6425)....           11/99
Industrial Waste Combustors      2/6/98 (63 FR 6391)....           11/99
 (Incinerators).                                                        
Transportation Equipment         6/25/98 (63 FR 34685)..         6/15/00
 Cleaning.                                                              
Oil and Gas Extraction           12/98..................           12/00
 (Synthetic-based drilling                                              
 fluids).                                                               
Iron and Steel Manufacturing...  12/98 \3\..............       \3\ 12/00
Coal Mining....................  12/99..................           12/01
Feedlots (Poultry and Swine      12/99..................           12/01
 subcategories).                                                        
Feedlots (Beef and Dairy         12/00..................           12/02
 Cattle).                                                               
Category to be selected........  12/00..................           12/02
Category to be selected........  12/01..................           12/03
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:                                                                  
\1\ The Pulp, Paper and Paperboard rulemaking is not covered by the     
  January 31, 1992 consent decree.                                      
\2\ 5/30/95 proposal covered Phase 1 MP&M facilities only. The proposal 
  in 10/00 will cover Phase 1 and 2 facilities combined.                
\3\ EPA is discussing extensions to Consent Decree dates with NRDC.     
\4\ A re-proposal for the Centralized Waste Treatment category is       
  planned for Fall 1998. This action is not in the consent decree.      


                       Current Preliminary Studies                      
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Category                             Complete       
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feedlots.......................................                     1998
Urban Storm Water..............................                     1998
Airport Deicing................................                     1999
------------------------------------------------------------------------

[FR Doc. 98-23891 Filed 9-3-98; 8:45 am]
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