[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 98 (Friday, May 21, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 27741-27744]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-13016]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Parts 144 and 146

[FRL-6348-9]


Revisions to the Underground Injection Control Regulations for 
Class V Injection Wells--Notice

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of data availability and request for comment on related 
proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: On July 29, 1998, EPA published the proposed Revisions to the 
Underground Injection Control Regulations for Class V Injection Wells 
in the Federal Register (63 FR 40586). The public comment on this 
proposal was open until November 30, 1998. During and after the close 
of the public comment period, EPA became aware of data that might help 
make key decisions relating to the proposed Class V requirements and to 
refine the estimated economic burden of these requirements. The purpose 
of this notice is to: provide the public with this new data for review 
and comment; to seek public comment on how EPA intends to use this data 
in the Class V rule making effort; and, solicit public comment on 
issues resulting from this new data and the public comments already 
received on the Class V proposal.

DATES: EPA must receive public comment, in writing, on the notice of 
data availability by June 21, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to the UIC Class V, W-98-05 Comment 
Clerk, Water Docket (MC-4101); U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; 
401 M Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20460. Comments may be hand-
delivered to the Water Docket, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; 
401 M Street, SW., East Tower Basement, Washington, D.C. 20460. 
Comments may be submitted electronically to [email protected].
    Please submit all references cited in your comments. Facsimiles 
(faxes) cannot be accepted. Send one original and three copies of your 
comments and enclosures (including any references). Commenters who 
would like EPA to acknowledge receipt of their comments should include 
a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
    With one exception, the documents referenced in this notice are 
available for review in the Water Docket at the above address. The 
proposed rule, supporting documentation and public comment are also 
available through the docket. For information on how to access docket 
materials, please call (202) 260-3027 between 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. 
Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday.
    State Source Water Assessment Plans (SWAPs), which are discussed 
later in this notice, are available for review on the EPA, Office of 
Ground Water and Drinking Water Home Page www.epa.gov/ogwdw. The SWAPs 
are also available for review at the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency; 401 M Street, SW., 1127 East Tower, Washington, D.C. 20460. To 
make an appointment to review the SWAPs, please contact Robyn 
Delehanty, Underground Injection Control Program, Office of Ground 
Water and Drinking Water (mailcode 4606), EPA, 401 M Street, SW, 
Washington, D.C., 20460. Phone: 202-260-1993. E-mail: 
[email protected].


[[Page 27742]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information, contact the 
Safe Drinking Water Hotline, phone 800-426-4791. The Safe Drinking 
Water Hotline is open Monday through Friday, excluding federal 
holidays, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. For 
technical inquiries, contact Robyn Delehanty, Underground Injection 
Control Program, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (mailcode 
4606), EPA, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, D.C., 20460. Phone: 202-260-
1993. E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

I. Introduction
II. Statutory and Regulatory Framework
III. Additional Data
    A. The Class V Study
    B. Draft Report on Contaminant Occurrence in Public Water 
Systems
    C. EPA Regional Data (Regions II and VIII)
    D. Well Closure Cost Data
    E. Source Water Assessment Plans
    F. Alabama Department of Environmental Management Report
IV. Additional Issues
    A. Phase-in Rule Coverage Beyond Source Water Protection Areas 
(SWPAs)
    B. Identifying the Point of Injection
    C. Requirements for Industrial Wells

I. Introduction

    Class V wells are shallow injection wells or systems that are used 
to dispose of non-hazardous wastes directly into or above underground 
sources of drinking water (USDWs). The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) 
is designed to protect the quality of drinking water in the United 
States, and Part C specifically mandates the regulation of underground 
injection of fluids to ensure that such injection does not endanger 
USDWs. The Agency has promulgated a series of underground injection 
control (UIC) regulations under this authority.
    On July 29, 1998, EPA published in the Federal Register the 
proposed Revisions to the Underground Injection Control Regulations for 
Class V Injection Wells. The proposal would change the Class V 
Underground Injection Control (UIC) regulations by adding new 
requirements for three categories of Class V wells that are located in 
ground-water based source water protection areas being delineated for 
community water systems and non-transient non-community water systems 
under the 1996 Amendments to the SDWA. Class V motor vehicle waste 
disposal wells in such areas would either be totally banned or banned 
with an option for owners and operators to get a permit that requires 
fluids released in those wells to meet the drinking water maximum 
contaminant levels (MCLs) or other health-based standards at the point 
of injection. Class V industrial waste disposal wells in the delineated 
areas also would be required to meet the MCLs and other health-based 
standards at the point of injection, and large-capacity cesspools in 
such areas would be banned.

II. Statutory and Regulatory Framework

    Section 1421 of the Act requires EPA to propose and promulgate 
regulations specifying minimum requirements for state programs to 
prevent underground injection that endangers drinking water sources.
    Section 1422 of the Act provides that states may apply to EPA for 
primary responsibility to administer the UIC program (those states 
receiving such authority are referred to as ``Primacy States''). Where 
states do not seek this responsibility or fail to demonstrate that they 
meet EPA's minimum requirements, EPA is required to prescribe, by 
regulation, and implement a UIC program for such states. Also, 
currently all Class V UIC Programs in Indian Country are directly 
implemented by EPA.

III. Additional Data

A. The Class V Study

    EPA is conducting a study of Class V injection wells to meet the 
requirements of a modified consent decree in Sierra Club v. Browner 
(D.D.C. No. 93-2644), which requires the Agency to study Class V wells 
and to determine if additional Class V regulations are needed to 
protect USDWs from Class V injection wells that are not subject to the 
current regulatory proposal. The study has consisted of an information 
collection effort for 23 subclasses of Class V wells, including the 
three well types addressed in the July 29, 1998 proposal: motor vehicle 
waste disposal wells; industrial waste disposal wells; and large-
capacity cesspools. The information collection has included both state 
and EPA Region data collection, through survey questionnaires and 
selected site visits, and collection from other sources, such as trade 
associations, research institutes, and universities.
    Although the study is still ongoing and the final methods and 
results have not yet been fully documented, available information on 
the three well types targeted by the proposed Class V rule has been 
compiled in a single notebook and placed in the public docket for 
review and comment. After a summary of the study methods, this notebook 
is organized into three basic sections. First, it provides the latest 
state inventory information for each of the three well types as 
reported in survey responses. This information includes tables that 
show the documented and estimated number of wells of each type in each 
state. Second, the notebook provides information on contamination 
incidents identified, including a state-by-state summary table and 
copies of available case-specific documentation. Third, the notebook 
provides injectate quality data collected for motor vehicle waste 
disposal wells and industrial wells.
    EPA plans to use the latest inventory information in projecting the 
numbers of wells that might be affected by the new Class V regulation. 
The contamination incident information and injectate quality data will 
be used to help assess the threat posed by the different well types.

B. Draft Report on Contaminant Occurrence in Public Water Systems

    EPA seeks comment on a draft report titled A Review of Contaminant 
Occurrence in Public Water Systems Related to Class V Injection Wells. 
This draft report, which has been placed in the public docket for 
review, summarizes occurrence data collected from 14 different State 
databases for public drinking water systems. In total, the data 
includes more than 10 million analytical results from more than 25,000 
public water systems. Twenty three contaminants known or believed to be 
associated with discharges from industrial and motor vehicle waste 
disposal wells were selected for analysis. EPA plans to use information 
in this report to help refine its assessment of the threat posed by 
Class V injection wells.

C. EPA Regional Data (Regions II and VIII)

    On March 1-3, 1999, staff visited the EPA Region II Office in New 
York City to review case study files on Class V wells. Region II was 
chosen for this records search because the Region has accumulated large 
amounts of information (paper files and electronic data) on Class V 
motor vehicle and industrial waste disposal wells found within the 
State of New York. This information was developed and collected by the 
Region while implementing and enforcing the federal UIC regulations in 
New York. Each year, approximately 600 to 800 facilities are inspected 
throughout the state.
    Approximately 70 motor vehicle facility inspection files and well 
closure

[[Page 27743]]

plans were reviewed during the site visit. About 60 files and plans for 
industrial wells were reviewed. Of those reviewed, 27 files on motor 
vehicle waste disposal wells and 37 files on industrial wells have been 
copied and assembled in the notebook ``Region II Data'' available in 
the public docket. Most of these files include examples of the ``Class 
V UIC Permit Application/Closure Request'' that Region II officials 
send to well owners or operators. Also included in the notebook are 
printouts from a database provided by Mobil Corporation that 
characterize the wastes generated by 38 different motor vehicle 
facilities; files on possible (investigation ongoing) and confirmed 
groundwater contamination incidents; facility-specific injectate 
quality data for a few sites; and limited information on current 
management practices and the costs of closing motor vehicle waste 
disposal wells and industrial wells. EPA will use the injectate quality 
data and contamination incident information to help evaluate the 
potential threat that motor vehicle waste disposal wells and industrial 
wells pose to USDWs. EPA will use the information on current management 
practices and costs in the economic analysis to support conclusions on 
the possible impacts and costs of the rule.
    Recent information compiled by the EPA Region VIII office has also 
been assembled in the public docket for review (Region VIII directly 
implements the Class V UIC programs in Colorado, Montana, and South 
Dakota, while North Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming are Class V Primacy 
States). This material, which is in the form of various reports and 
tables of analytical data, is organized in a set of file folders all 
labeled ``Region VIII Data'' in the docket.
    The Region VIII files primarily contain injectate quality data for 
motor vehicle waste disposal wells and industrial wells. The motor 
vehicle well data include sampling results from nine motor vehicle 
facilities in South Dakota in 1989 and 1990 (in two bound contractor 
reports in the docket). The injectate quality data for industrial wells 
consist of tables of sampling results for seven different industrial 
sites, including a chemistry lab in 1992, a machine parts and fishing 
equipment manufacturer in 1995, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
technology center in 1997, an ammunition manufacturer in 1996-1997, an 
electric motor repair shop in 1995-1996, and two jewelry manufacturers 
from 1992 to 1998. The Region VIII files also contain soil and 
groundwater sampling data for an ammunition manufacturing facility in 
South Dakota.
    EPA will use the injectate quality and contamination incident data 
from Region VIII to help evaluate the potential threat to USDWs posed 
by motor vehicle waste disposal wells and industrial wells.

D. Well Closure Cost Data

    After the close of the comment period, Penske Truck Leasing Company 
(Penske) submitted Class V well closure cost information. In the last 
three years, Penske has received permits for two Class V wells and 
closed fifteen Class V wells in their facilities nationwide. Penske 
supplied closure cost information for seven of the seventeen closures. 
For the seven well closures, Penske supplied an individual summary 
sheet, correspondence with regulatory agencies, and a well closure 
report. In addition, a general summary sheet was included which 
indicates closure costs and other miscellaneous information on all 
fifteen wells closed by Penske. EPA will review the Class V well 
closure cost information from the seven documented well closures to 
assess its usefulness in refining well closure costs in the economic 
analysis.

E. Source Water Assessment Plans

    Under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) amendments of August 1996, 
States are required to develop drinking water Source Water Assessment 
Programs (SWAPs) for submission to EPA by February 6, 1999. EPA then 
has nine months to approve or disapprove these individual State SWAPs. 
Most States met the February 6, 1999 deadline, EPA expects to receive 
the remaining State programs for review in the next few months.
    EPA will examine how each state intends to delineate ground water-
based source water protection areas around community and non-transient 
public non-community drinking water supplies. EPA will compare this new 
information with assumptions made in the economic analysis and make 
appropriate modification to these assumptions to more accurately 
estimate the economic burden of the regulatory requirements.

F. Alabama Department of Environmental Management Report

    EPA received a report prepared by the Alabama Department of 
Environmental Management titled Regulation of the Disposal of Funeral 
Home Discharges Through Class V Injection Wells. The National Funeral 
Home Directors Association submitted this document to EPA and requested 
that it be included in the docket.

IV. Additional Issues

    The public comments and new information that EPA has obtained since 
the close of the public comment period have also raised implementation 
issues. EPA is requesting comment on the additional issues outlined 
below.

A. Phase-In of Rule Coverage Beyond Source Water Protection Areas 
(SWPAs)

    The proposed regulation would regulate motor vehicle wells, 
industrial wells, and large-capacity cesspools in SWPAs for community 
water systems (CWS) and non-transient non-community water systems 
(NTNCWS) that use groundwater as a source. EPA sought comment in the 
preamble as to whether or not limiting the rule to these SWPAs was 
appropriate. EPA received numerous comments that suggested broadening 
the proposal to include other sensitive ground water areas such as sole 
source aquifers, karst, sand, gravel and aquifer recharge areas, or 
even statewide in order to better protect existing public drinking 
water supplies, future drinking water supplies, and individual wells. 
While EPA believes that these comments have merit, they also raise 
issues about how to implement the rule in these additional areas. EPA 
is evaluating various options suggested by commenters for applying the 
rule to these additional areas.
    If the rule is expanded beyond SWPAs, there would be many 
additional injection wells covered and it may be desirable to phase in 
the rule over a longer period of time. As an example, the new UIC 
requirements would be effective in SWPAs as they are delineated, 
similar to the proposed rule. Primacy states would then be required to 
identify the additional sensitive areas that would be subject to the 
rule. This identification would be required by January 2004. The 
regulated entities in these identified areas would then have until 
January 2007 to comply with the rule. If a State failed to identify 
additional sensitive areas by January 2004, the rule could be effective 
statewide.
    If the EPA decided to apply the final rule to areas outside of 
SWPAs, this phased-in approach for implementation would allow a state 
the flexibility to identify critical groundwater areas within the state 
and would also provide well owners and operators adequate time to 
identify viable alternatives to their current disposal practices. 
Lastly, expanded coverage would satisfy concerns about the protection 
of future sources of drinking water, private

[[Page 27744]]

drinking wells, and other sensitive ground water areas. EPA requests 
comment on this phased-in approach.

B. Identifying the Point of Injection

    Commenters have suggested that EPA identify the point of injection 
and the location at which samples would be collected to determine 
compliance with the Class V rule.
    EPA is considering clarifying the point of injection/sampling point 
as the last accessible point prior to injection. In the case of septic 
tanks, the last accessible point prior to injection would be the 
distribution box between the septic tank and the leach field. If a 
sampling point is not installed after the septic tank, the point of 
injection would be at or before the septic tank. For a drywell, the 
sampling point would be the end of the pipe before the waste enters the 
well.

C. Requirements for Industrial Wells

    Some commenters submitted comments and information suggesting that 
industrial wells should be subject to the same permit requirements as 
motor vehicle wells. The proposal identified three permit conditions 
for motor vehicle wells: meeting MCLs and other health-based standards 
at the point of injection, monitoring for liquid and sludge, and best 
management practices. EPA request comments on this suggestion.

    Dated: May 19, 1999.
J. Charles Fox,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Water.
[FR Doc. 99-13016 Filed 5-20-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P