[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 4 (Thursday, January 7, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1008-1009]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-235]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6215-9]


Call for Peer Reviewers and Data on Aquaculture Injection Wells, 
Mining Wells, Sewage Treatment Effluent Wells, and Other Class V 
Injection Wells Including Certain Industrial Wells; Underground 
Injection Control (UIC) Class V Study

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Call for peer review nominations; request for scientific 
information.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is inviting 
nominations of qualified candidates for peer review committees 
addressing reports on Class V Underground Injection Control (UIC) 
Wells. We are also seeking supplementary information, studies, and 
research pertaining to Class V UIC Wells.

DATES: Please submit information and nominations in response to this 
notice by February 1, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Submit to: Ms. Amber Moreen; USEPA; 401 M St., SW (4606); 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone: (202) 260-4891; e-mail: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Anhar Karimjee; Class V Study 
Manager; USEPA; 401 M St., SW (4606); Washington, DC 20460; telephone: 
(202) 260-3862; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A study of Underground Injection Control 
Class V wells is being conducted to satisfy a consent decree with the 
Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund. The decree requires that a study of all 
Class V wells not currently slated for regulation be completed by 
September 1999. The results of the study will be used to help the 
Agency determine whether to regulate each subclass of Class V well and 
propose any necessary regulations by April 2001. Wells for which we are 
seeking experts and information include:
    (1) Aquaculture Injection Wells dispose of water used for 
cultivation of marine and freshwater animals and plants.
    (2) Mining Wells:
    A. In-Situ Fossil Fuel Recovery Wells are used for in-situ recovery 
of lignite, coal, tar sands, and oil shale. The wells inject water, 
air, oxygen, solvents, combustibles, or explosives into underground 
coal or oil shale beds to liberate fossil fuels. Underground coal

[[Page 1009]]

gasification (UCG) and in-situ oil shale retorting are two processes 
which use in-situ fossil fuel recovery injection wells.
    B. Solution Mining Wells inject leaching solutions (lixiviants) in 
order to remove an ore mineral from its original geological setting. 
The saturated solution is then extracted by a production well, and the 
target mineral is harvested for processing. Copper, gold, salt, silver, 
and uranium may all be mined by solution mining processes.
    C. Spent Brine Return Flow Wells are used to dispose of the spent 
brine which result from the extraction of minerals, halogens and other 
compounds from fluids. These wells are commonly associated with 
manufacturing facilities that produce specialty chemicals such as 
boron, bromine, magnesia, or their derivatives.
    D. Mine Backfill Wells are wells which inject water, sand, mill 
tailings, or other mining byproducts in order to control subsidence 
caused by mining, to dispose of mining byproducts, or to fill sections 
of a mine.
    (3) Sewage Treatment Effluent Wells, which are used by privately or 
publicly owned treatment works (POTW) to inject treated or untreated 
domestic sewage through a vertical well or a leachfield. Aquifer 
Recharge wells, Aquifer Storage and Recovery Wells, Subsidence Control 
wells, and Saline Intrusion Barrier wells injecting treated or 
untreated wastewater are considered Sewage Treatment Effluent wells for 
the purposes of this study.
    (4) Other Class V Injection Wells:
    A. Industrial Wells not addressed in the proposed rule (July 29, 
1998) (63 FR 40586). These include non-contact cooling water return 
flow wells, laundromats without dry cleaning facilities, carwashes 
without undercarriage washing or engine cleaning, and food processing 
disposal wells.
    B. Special Drainage Wells include a variety of wells such as 
potable water tank overflow, construction dewatering, swimming pool 
drainage, and mine dewatering wells. These drainage wells receive 
fluids that cannot be classified as agricultural, industrial, or storm 
water.
    C. Experimental Wells are used to test new technologies. Wells will 
not be classified as experimental if the technology can be considered 
under an established well subclass. For example, a well used for 
bioremediation will be classified as an aquifer remediation well.

Nomination of Peer Reviewers

    EPA is drafting reports which summarize the available information 
on these wells. We anticipate that these reports will be from 15 to 40 
pages long. We would like peer reviewers to comment on the technical 
accuracy and completeness of the draft documents addressing these 
subclasses of wells. Selection for peer reviewers will be based on 
demonstrated capability and professional accomplishment in the 
indicated area of specialization, in the conduct or management of 
scientific or engineering research and in applying research to ground 
water issues. Nominations must include a resume describing the 
educational and professional qualifications of the nominee and the 
nominee's current address and daytime telephone number. To avoid 
conflicts of interest, candidates should provide their previous 
employment and any financial or other interests that could possibly be 
relevant to the study.

Submission of Information

    The UIC program is providing an opportunity for public involvement. 
While the Agency conducts a thorough literature search, there may be 
other articles or unpublished studies of which we are not aware. The 
Agency would greatly appreciate receiving scientific information from 
the public. The most useful documents for EPA are unpublished studies 
or other primary technical sources that we may not otherwise obtain 
through open literature searches. For a list of articles and studies 
included in the current report, please consult http://www.epa.gov/
ogwdw/uic/cl5study.html. Also note, if you have submitted information 
previously there is no need to resubmit that information.
    Interested persons should provide a list briefly describing 
scientific comments, analyses, studies, and other pertinent scientific 
information they wish to submit. Where possible, documents should be 
listed in scientific citation format, that is, author(s), title, 
journal, and date. Please note that the correspondence is a Class V 
Study Submission, the well subclass it pertains to, and include names, 
addresses, and telephone numbers of persons to contact for additional 
information on the submission. The submission should be mailed to the 
aforementioned address or submitted electronically to 
[email protected]. Information will also be accepted on 
3.5'' floppy disks.

    Dated: December 28, 1998.
Elizabeth Fellows,
Acting Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency.
[FR Doc. 99-235 Filed 1-6-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P