[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 64 (Monday, April 5, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16447-16449]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-8255]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-6318-8]
National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards for
Consumer and Commercial Products; Variance Requests for the Consumer
Products Rule and the Automobile Refinish Coatings Rule
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of opportunity for public hearing.
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SUMMARY: This document provides a list of companies that have submitted
requests for variances under the Consumer Products Rule and the
Automobile Refinish Coatings Rule. The list includes variance requests
received from December to early March, and includes the name of each
requesting company, its location, and a brief summary of the request.
The EPA will determine whether, and to what extent, and under what
conditions to grant the requested variances from the requirements of
the specific rules.
DATES: Public Hearing. A public hearing will be held, if requested, to
provide interested persons an opportunity for oral presentation of
data, views, or arguments concerning the variance requests. If anyone
contacts the EPA requesting to speak at a public hearing by April 26,
1999, a public hearing will be held on May 25, 1999, beginning at 9:00
a.m. Persons interested in attending the hearing should notify Janet
Eck, (919) 541-7946, to verify that a hearing will occur and for
notification of the location of the meeting.
Request to Speak at Hearing. Persons wishing to speak at the public
hearing must contact Janet Eck at the EPA by April 26, 1999. Ms. Eck
may be contacted at telephone number (919) 541-7946, or FAX number
(919) 541-5689.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on the
variance provisions of the rules or information on specific variance
requests, contact Bruce Moore (telephone: 919-541-5460; email:
[email protected]) or Mark Morris (telephone: 919-541-5416; email:
[email protected]), Emission Standards Division (MD-13), U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
27711.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 11, 1998, the EPA promulgated
National Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emission Standards for
Consumer Products (63 FR 48819) and National VOC Emission Standards for
Automobile Refinish Coatings (63 FR 48806). These standards established
VOC limits for the products affected by the rules. The rules contain
provisions that allow a regulated entity to apply for a temporary
variance if the entity cannot comply with the requirements of the rule
because of circumstances beyond its reasonable control.
Requests for variances must include:
(1) The specific grounds upon which the variance is sought,
(2) The proposed date by which the regulated entity will achieve
compliance with the rule (no later than 5 years after the issuance of
the variance), and
(3) A compliance plan detailing the method(s) by which the
regulated entity will achieve compliance with the rule. The rules state
that the Administrator will issue a temporary variance if a regulated
entity can demonstrate that
[[Page 16448]]
complying with the rule would be technologically or economically
infeasible, and if the regulated entity proposes a plan by which
compliance will be achieved as expeditiously as possible. A variance
will cease to be effective upon the failure of an entity to comply with
any term or condition of the variance. Upon the application of any
party, the Administrator may review and, for good cause, modify or
revoke a variance after holding a public hearing.
From December to early March, the EPA received twenty requests for
variances from the two rules. Table 1 lists those companies requesting
variances from the Consumer Products Rule. Table 2 lists those
companies requesting variances from the Automobile Refinish Coatings
Rule. These variance requests are currently undergoing review.
Table 1.--Variance Requests: Consumer Products Rule
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Company Location Summary of request
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Waldwick Plastics Corporation. Waldwick, New Waldwick requested a
Jersey. variance from the
VOC limits for seven
deodorizing products
that would expire
June 30, 1999.
Cul-Mac Industries, Inc....... Wayne, Michigan.. Cul-Mac requested a
variance to modify
dilution ratios for
a windshield washer
solvent. They
requested a variance
that would expire
July 1999.
Taylor Labs, Inc.............. Chattanooga, Taylor Labs requested
Tennessee. a 1 to 2 year
variance from the
date code
requirements. They
requested that
dating the outer
delivery packaging
be acceptable rather
than date coding
individual packages
within.
Selig Chemical Industries..... Atlanta, Georgia. Selig requested a
variance from the
date coding
requirements. They
requested that, in
lieu of data
stamping their
products, they be
allowed to use hang
tags until they
obtain encoding
equipment to date
stamp their
products. They have
requested a variance
that would expire
November 1999.
Carroll Company............... Garland, Texas... Carroll requested a
variance that would
expire January 2001
to allow sufficient
time to purchase
date coding
equipment.
Ocean Coffee Company.......... Shreveport, LA... Ocean Coffee Company
requested a five-
year variance to
acquire a supply of
product in small
quantities. They
claim they are
unable to find
compliant products
in quantities small
enough to be
economically
feasible for them.
Chemtech...................... Monroe, Louisiana Chemtech requested a
variance that would
expire September
1999 to allow them
to manually
calculate the VOC
content of all of
their product
formulas.
ECP Incorporated.............. Oak Brook, ECP requested a
Illinois. variance that would
expire July 2000 to
allow them to
reformulate fabric
protectors.
Pitt Penn Oil Company......... Creighton, Pitt Penn requested a
Pennsylvania. variance from the
labeling
requirements to
allow them to
deplete a large
existing inventory
of labels. Pitt Penn
did not request a
specific time by
which compliance
would be achieved.
Watkins, Inc.................. Winona, Minnesota Watkins requested a
five-year variance
that would allow
them to reformulate
several products.
Watkins has claimed
the information in
their request to be
confidential.
Butcher....................... Alsip, Illinois.. Butcher requested a
variance that would
expire December 1999
to allow them to
reformulate several
products. Butcher
has claimed the
information in their
request to be
confidential.
Amrep, Inc.................... Marietta, Georgia Amrep requested a
variance from the
labeling
requirements of the
rule until April
1999.
North Carolina Department of Raleigh, North The Department of
Corrections. Carolina. Corrections
requested a variance
to reformulate a non-
ammoniated glass
cleaner and an
ammoniated glass
cleaner. They have
requested a variance
that would expire
March 1999.
Central Products.............. Montgomery, Central Products
Alabama. requested a 1-month
variance from the
labeling
requirements.
MEDO Industries............... Tarrytown, New MEDO requested a
York. variance that would
expire April 1999 to
allow them to
retrofit their date-
coding equipment.
Wella......................... Richmond, Wella requested a 1-
Virginia. month variance from
the labeling
requirements.
Atco International............ Marietta, Georgia Atco requested a
variance from the
VOC limits that
would expire June
1999.
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Table 2.--Variance Requests: Automobile Refinish Coatings Rule
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Company Location Summary of request
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Finish Technologies........... Walled Lake, Finish Technologies
Michigan. has requested a 24-
month variance from
the rule because
their coatings use a
solvent which is
expected to become
an exempt compound.
Coventry Coatings, Inc........ Garnerville, New Coventry Coatings has
York. requested an 18-
month variance to
reformulate primer
surfacers and
clearcoats, and to
deplete existing
labels.
Grow Automotive............... Troy, Michigan... Grow has requested a
6-month variance to
develop product
literature which
will recommend the
use of their
products in a way
that results in
compliant coatings.
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Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7511b(e).
March 29, 1999.
Robert Perciasepe,
Assistant Administrator, OAR.
[FR Doc. 99-8255 Filed 4-2-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P