[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 195 (Friday, October 8, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54889-54890]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-26334]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6454-3]


Peer Reviews Associated With the Guide for Industrial Waste 
Management

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: On June 11, 1999, the EPA released for public comment a draft 
guidance document entitled ``Guide for Industrial Waste Management.'' 
The purpose of the draft voluntary Guide is to assist facility 
managers, State and Tribal environmental managers, and the public in 
evaluating and choosing protective practices regarding the management 
of non-hazardous industrial wastes. The Guide is available on a CD-ROM 
format. The CD-ROM also contains user-friendly ground-water and air 
models. The ground-water model is called the Industrial Waste 
Evaluation model, while the air model is called the Industrial Waste 
Air Model. When the draft Guide, CD-ROM, and models were noticed for 
comment in June, the EPA stated that both models would undergo peer 
review by independent experts. These peer reviews have been completed 
and the EPA is making the comments developed by the peer reviewers 
publicly available by this notice. Persons wishing to comment on the 
models may wish to review the independent peer review comments.

DATES: Public comments on the draft ``Guide for Industrial Waste 
Management'', the CD-ROM, and the models are due on or before December 
13, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Any public comments received to date on the draft Guide, the 
CD-ROM, or the models and these peer review comments are available for 
viewing in the RCRA Information Center (RIC), located at Crystal 
Gateway I, First Floor, 1235 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA. 
The RIC is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding 
Federal holidays. To review docket materials (docket number F-1999-
IDWA-FFFFF), it is recommended that the public make an appointment by 
calling 703-603-9230. The public may copy a maximum of 100 pages from 
any regulatory docket at no charge. Additional copies cost $0.15 per 
page. The index and some supporting material are available 
electronically.
    These peer review comments are also available on the Internet. 
Follow these instructions to access the information electronically.

WWW: http://www.epa.gov/industrialwaste
FTP: ftp.epa.gov
Login: anonymous
Password: your Internet address
Files are located in pub/epaoswer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information and copies of 
the Ground-Water peer review comments or the Air peer review comments, 
contact the RCRA Hotline at 800-424-9346 or TDD 800-553-7672 (hearing 
impaired). In the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, call 703-412-9810 
or TDD 703-412-3323. A limited number of paper copies of the peer 
review comments are available for distribution. These are available on 
a first-come first-serve basis.
    Questions regarding any aspect of the Ground-Water peer review 
comments may be directed to Virginia Colten-Bradley (703-308-8613) 
while questions regarding the Air peer review comments should be 
directed to Charlotte Bertrand (703-308-9053). Questions for these 
individuals can also be e-mailed to their e-mail address:

[email protected]
[email protected]


[[Page 54890]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Customer Service

    How can I influence the development of the final ground-water and 
air models that will be developed for the final Guide for Industrial 
Waste Management? You can influence the development of the final 
ground-water and air models by reviewing the peer review comments and 
the draft models and providing your written comments regarding these 
models to EPA. Your comments will be most effective if you follow the 
suggestions below:

Explain your views as clearly as possible and why you feel that way;
Provide solid technical data to support your views;
Tell us which parts you support, as well as those you disagree with;
Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns; and
Offer specific alternatives.

Background and Overview

    The EPA, with assistance from State representatives, who serve as 
members of a Task Force from the Association of State and Territorial 
Solid Waste Management Officials (ASTSWMO), industry, and public 
interest stakeholders, has developed a draft voluntary ``Guide for 
Industrial Waste Management.'' The Guide recommends best management 
practices and key factors to take into account in siting, operating, 
designing, monitoring, and performing corrective action and closure and 
post closure care. The Guide is available in both paper copy and CD-
ROM. The CD-ROM also incorporates both the ground-water and air models 
that can be used to evaluate potential risks and choose appropriate 
facility designs.
    The air model, called the Industrial Waste Air Model (IWAIR), 
contains three modeling components. The first is an emissions model 
that estimates emissions of specific constituents from the unit into 
the atmosphere. The second component of the model estimates atmospheric 
dispersion of constituents and ambient air concentrations at a specific 
receptor point. The third component combines constituent concentrations 
at the specified receptor point with receptor exposure factors and 
toxicity benchmarks to estimate risk. IWAIR can be used two ways. 
Forward calculation uses known constituent concentrations in a waste to 
calculate risk to receptors at specified locations. Backward 
calculation starts with a target risk level at a specified receptor 
location. The model then calculates the concentration levels in a waste 
that can be protectively managed in a unit without exceeding a pre-
selected target risk level.
    The ground-water model, called the Industrial Waste Evaluation 
Model, identifies a benchmark concentration (Maximum Contaminant Level 
or Health-Based Number) for each constituent in a receptor well 
associated with a waste management unit. The goal is not to exceed the 
benchmark concentrations in the receptor well (defined as a monitoring 
well). The model starts from this benchmark concentration in the 
receptor well and uses the effects of dilution and attenuation and 
leakage rate from a unit to determine the maximum concentration for 
constituents that can be protectively managed in a particular unit 
design. In a similar fashion, the model determines the maximum leachate 
concentration for constituents that can be considered for land 
application.
    The IWAIR model and the IWEM have both undergone independent peer 
reviews. The peer review summaries contain a summary of the actual peer 
review comments and identification of the peer reviewers and their 
qualifications. The individual peer reviews are included as attachments 
to the peer review summaries. The EPA believes that these peer review 
summaries are useful documents for people to review as they formulate 
their own comments on the models. The EPA believes that announcing 
these peer review summaries now provides adequate time for the general 
public to review the summaries and formulate their own comments on the 
models; therefore, the December 13, 1999 deadline for receipt of 
comments on the draft Guide, CD-ROM, and models is not being extended. 
After the December deadline, the EPA will again begin to work with 
State, industry, and environmental representatives in assessing the 
comments and determining the best course of action. This work will 
continue through the next calendar year; therefore, if it is not 
possible to submit your comments or concerns regarding the draft Guide, 
CD-ROM, or models on time, you are still encouraged to submit comments/
concerns as soon after the deadline as possible. The EPA will make all 
reasonable efforts to consider late comments.

    Dated: September 29, 1999.
Elizabeth Cotsworth,
Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 99-26334 Filed 10-7-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P