[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 75 (Tuesday, April 18, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 20789-20790]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9656]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Parts 435

[FRL-6581-1]


Effluent Limitations Guidelines for the Oil and Gas Extraction 
Point Source Category; Announcement of Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Announcement of meeting.

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SUMMARY: EPA will conduct a public meeting on the upcoming Synthetic-
based Drilling Fluids (SBFs) rulemaking on Tuesday, April 25, 2000, 
from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Central Standard Time.
    The Office of Science and Technology within EPA's Office of Water 
is holding the public meeting to inform all interested parties of the 
current status of the SBF effluent guideline. EPA intends to finalize 
effluent limitations guidelines and standards regarding these fluids 
(used in the oil and gas extraction industrial category) in December 
2000. EPA plans to publish a Notice of Data Availability for this 
rulemaking very shortly. At the meeting on April 25, EPA will report on 
the status of the rulemaking; new data submissions available for public 
comment; revised economic and engineering models and results 
incorporating the new data; descriptions of ``best management 
practices'' (BMPs) as potential alternative requirements to reduce the 
discharges of toxic and hazardous pollutants; and paperwork 
requirements associated with implementation of the BMP alternative 
compliance methods. EPA will use this meeting to solicit public comment 
on any of the issues or information presented in the notice of data 
availability and in the administrative record supporting the notice.

DATES: EPA will conduct the SBF public meeting on Tuesday, April 25, 
2000, from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Central Standard Time.

ADDRESSES: The SBF public meeting will be held at the Minerals 
Management Service (MMS), Gulf of Mexico OCS Region Office, Room 111,

[[Page 20790]]

1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, LA, 70123-2394.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Carey A. Johnston, Office of Water 
(4303), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
(202) 260-7186; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 3, 1999 (64 FR 5488), EPA 
proposed technology-based effluent limitations guidelines and standards 
under the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) for the discharge of 
pollutants from oil and gas drilling operations associated with the use 
of SBFs and other non-aqueous drilling fluids into waters of the United 
States. This proposed rule applies to certain existing and new 
facilities in the offshore subcategory (i.e., facilities seaward of the 
inner territorial boundary) and the Cook Inlet, Alaska, portion of the 
coastal subcategory of the oil and gas extraction point source 
category.
    The SBF meeting on April 25, 2000 is open to the public, and 
limited seating for the public is available on a first-come, first-
served basis. For information on the location, see the Addresses 
section above. Visitors attending the SBF public meeting will need to 
sign in at the MMS guard booth and obtain a visitors badge.
    If you wish to present formal comments at the public meeting you 
should have a written copy for submittal. No meeting materials will be 
distributed in advance of the public meeting; all materials will be 
distributed at the meeting. Limited teleconferencing capability will be 
available for the meeting. Persons wishing to participate via telephone 
or who have special audio-visual needs should contact Mr. Carey A. 
Johnston, (202) 260-7186. For those unable to attend the meeting, a 
document summary will be available following the meeting and can be 
obtained by an e-mail or telephone request to Mr. Carey A. Johnston at 
the above address.

    Dated: April 12, 2000.
James Hanlon,
Acting Director, Office of Science and Technology.
[FR Doc. 00-9656 Filed 4-17-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P