[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 181 (Monday, September 18, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 56308]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-24013]



[[Page 56308]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6871-8]


Regulatory Reinvention (XL) Pilot Projects

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability of Anne Arundel County Landfill Project 
XL Draft Final Project Agreement.

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SUMMARY: EPA is today requesting comments on a draft Project XL Final 
Project Agreement (FPA) for Anne Arundel County, Severn, Maryland.

DATES: The period for submission of comments on the draft EPA ends on 
September 29, 2000.

ADDRESSES: All comments on the draft Final Project Agreement should be 
sent to: Ms. Sherri Walker, U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 
(1802), Washington, DC 20460. Comments may also be faxed to Sherri 
Walker at (202) 260-3125. Comments will also be received via electronic 
mail sent to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain a copy of the draft Final 
Project Agreement, contact: Charles Howland, US EPA, Region 3 (3RC41), 
1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, or Sherri Walker, 
US EPA, Mail Code 1802, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, 
NW, Washington, D.C. 20460. The FPA and related documents are also 
available via the Internet at the following location: ``http://
www.epa.gov/ProjectXL''. In addition, project documents are located at 
EPA Region 3, at 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103. 
Questions to EPA regarding the documents can be directed to Charles 
Howland at (215) 744-2331 or Sherri Walker at (202) 260-4295. 
Additional information on Project XL, including documents referenced in 
this notice, other EPA policy documents related to Project XL, 
application information, and descriptions of existing XL projects and 
proposals, is available via the Internet at ``http://www.epa.gov/
ProjectXL''.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FPA is a voluntary agreement developed 
by Anne Arundel County, the State of Maryland, and EPA. Project XL, 
announced in the Federal Register on May 23, 1995 (60 FR 27282), gives 
regulated entities the opportunity to develop alternative strategies 
that will replace or modify specific regulatory requirements on the 
condition that they produce greater environmental benefits. If 
implemented, some of the superior environmental benefits that Anne 
Arundel County expects to achieve with this project include: rapid 
waste biodegradation and stabilization; improved leachate quality; 
increased gas yield and capture; reduction in the potential for 
uncontrolled releases of leachate to contaminate the groundwater, or 
gas to contaminate the air during the post-closure phase (should a 
containment system failure occur); increased lifespan of the landfill 
resulting in less need for construction of additional landfills; and 
reduced post-closure costs.
    The terms and conditions pertaining to this XL pilot project are 
contained in the draft Final Project Agreement (FPA), on which EPA is 
requesting comment today. The draft FPA sets forth the intentions of 
EPA, Anne Arundel County, and the State of Maryland with regard to the 
implementation of the project and the expected benefits. After review 
of the comments received during the public comment period and revision 
of the FPA, as appropriate, the FPA will be signed by representatives 
from the EPA, the State of Maryland, and Anne Arundel County.
    The legal implementing mechanism for this project will be a site-
specific rule. The draft rule is scheduled for publication in the 
Federal Register for public review and comment in November 2000. The 
proposed rule would be ``conditional'' and would depend on 
implementation of the alternative design proposed today. Upon 
completion of the rulemaking, this design would be enforceable in the 
same way that current RCRA standards for landfills are enforceable to 
ensure that management of nonhazardous solid waste is performed in a 
manner that is protective of human health and the environment. The 
Final Project Agreement and the site-specific rule will not in any way 
affect the provisions or applicability of any other existing or future 
regulations.

    Dated: September 13, 2000.
Elizabeth A. Shaw,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy Innovation.
[FR Doc. 00-24013 Filed 9-15-00; 8:45 am]
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