[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 191 (Friday, October 2, 1998)] [Notices] [Pages 53047-53048] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-26461] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-6171-5] Florida Department of Environmental Protection; Underground Injection Control (UIC); Application for Revision of State UIC Program AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of public comment period and of public hearing on application for revision of Florida UIC program. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The purpose of this document is to announce that: (1) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has received an application from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) requesting approval of revisions to FDEP's Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program for Class I, III, IV and V injection wells; (2) EPA has determined the application contains all the required elements; (3) the application is available for inspection and copying at the addresses appearing below, (4) public comments are requested; and (5) a public hearing will be held on request. Section 1422 (b)(4) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requires that prior to approving, disapproving, or approving in part a State's UIC program, the Administrator provide opportunity for a public hearing. This notification advises the public of the proposed date, time and location of the possible public hearing. The proposed public comment period and public hearing will provide EPA the information and public opinion necessary to approve, disapprove, or approve in part the application from FDEP to regulate Class I, III, IV and V injection wells under provisions of section 1422 of the SDWA. DATES: A public hearing is scheduled for November 4, 1998, unless insufficient public interest is expressed in holding a hearing. EPA reserves the right to cancel the public hearing if sufficient public interest is not communicated to EPA in writing by October 27, 1998. EPA will determine by October 28, 1998, whether there is significant interest to hold the public hearing. Written comments on Florida's application for revisions to its UIC program must be received by November 11, 1998, and should include indication of any interest in a public hearing (or lack thereof) if submitted prior to October 27, 1998. ADDRESSES: Copies of the application and pertinent materials are available between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday at the following locations for inspection and copying: Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, Ground Water & UIC Section, 61 Forsyth Street, S.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30303, PH: (404) 562-9424; and Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Twin Towers Office Building, 2600 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400, PH: (850) 487- 0505. Comments and requests for hearing should be mailed to Nancy H. Marsh, Ground Water & UIC Section, Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street, S.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30303. Unless insufficient public interest is expressed, EPA will hold a public hearing on the State of Florida's application for [[Page 53048]] program revision on November 4, 1998, at 7:00 p.m. at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Room 609, Twin Towers Office Building, 2600 Blair Stone Rd., Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy H. Marsh, Ground Water & UIC Section, Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street, S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303, (404) 562-9450. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The UIC program was implemented under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act to prevent endangerment of all Underground Sources of Drinking Water (USDWs), which are aquifers capable of yielding a significant amount of drinking water containing less than 10,000 mg/liter of total dissolved solids. The State of Florida currently has primary responsibility for preventing endangerment of USDWs under the UIC program. If the application for program revision by FDEP is approved, regulatory changes made by FDEP at the state level would be approved as the federal UIC program. The program proposed by the State regulates Class I, III, IV and V injection activities by establishing state permits including, for a variety of underground injection wells, technical requirements for the protection of USDWs. Such requirements include criteria for construction, testing, operation, monitoring, and abandonment of injection wells. At present, there are approximately 130 Class I and 8,160 Class V injection wells in Florida. FDEP has held primary enforcement authority for the UIC program since the program was originally approved by EPA on March 9, 1983. The application for program revision from the FDEP requests that EPA approve the program revision for primary administrative and enforcement authority for the regulation of Class I, III, IV and V injection wells on all lands subject to the State's police power and taxing authority and all lands owned or under the jurisdiction of the United States, except those wells located on Indian lands as defined in 40 CFR 144.3. The application includes a program description, copies of all applicable rules and forms, a statement of legal authority and appropriate memoranda of agreement. FDEP has proposed to revise its UIC program due to statutory, regulatory and implementation revisions made since the program was initially delegated. The name of the agency has also changed from the Department of Environmental Regulation to the Department of Environmental Protection. Statutory changes include the removal of the Governor's authority to allow the injection of hazardous waste into a Class IV well. All hazardous waste injection has been banned with the exception of the existing Class I hazardous well owned and operated by Kaiser Chemical Company located near Mulberry in Polk County. Florida modified the UIC regulations August 10, 1995, and June 24, 1997, to make its rules consistent with the federal program. The major rule changes include: Confidentiality and Availability of Information; Signatories; Management of Hazardous Waste; Compliance Schedules; Corrective Action; Permit Termination; Public Participation; Permit Modification; Permit Monitoring; Permit Reporting; and Mechanical Integrity Testing. FDEP also requires that Class V injection wells must meet federal primary drinking water standards at the point of discharge. Two aquifer exemptions have been granted since the program was originally approved. The two exemptions are: portion of the lower Floridan aquifer at the Sterling Fibers (formerly Cytec Industries and American Cyanamid) facility in Santa Rosa County and a portion of the upper Floridan aquifer at the Taylor Creek aquifer storage and recovery demonstration project in Okeechobee County. Michael O. Peyton, Acting Regional Administrator, Region 4. [FR Doc. 98-26461 Filed 10-1-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P