[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 100 (Wednesday, May 23, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 28397-28399]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-12894]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 272

[FRL-6983-2]


Wisconsin: Clarification of Codification of Approved State 
Hazardous Waste Program for Wisconsin

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Clarification.

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SUMMARY: Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, as 
amended, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may grant Final 
Authorization to States to operate their hazardous waste management 
programs in lieu of the Federal program. EPA uses part 272 of title 40 
of the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR part 272) to codify its 
authorization of State programs. Through codification the authorized 
elements of approved State programs are placed in the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR). The codification of State programs is designed to 
enhance the public's ability to discern the current status of the 
approved State program and to better alert the public to the specific 
State regulations that the Federal government can enforce if necessary. 
The purpose of today's Federal Register document is to clarify EPA's 
codification of Wisconsin's authorized hazardous waste program.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Denise Reape, U.S. EPA Region 5, Waste 
Pesticides and Toxics Division, Program Management Branch (DM-7J), 77 
W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604, Phone (312) 353-7925.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does This Action Apply to Me?

    This action is directed to the public in general. This document 
clarifies certain requirements of the authorized RCRA program in the 
State of Wisconsin and, therefore, may be of particular interest to 
persons who generate, treat, store, dispose of, or otherwise handle 
hazardous waste in the State of Wisconsin.

B. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of This 
Document and Other Related Documents?

    Electronically. You may obtain electronic copies of this document 
by going to the listings from the EPA Internet Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/. To access this

[[Page 28398]]

document, on the Home Page select ``Laws and Regulations'' and then 
look up the entry for this document under the ``Federal Register--
Environmental Documents.'' You can also go directly to the Federal 
Register listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/. If you have any 
questions regarding the information in this notice or want copies of 
any other related documents, consult the person listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

II. Background

A. What is Authorization?

    When a state is authorized to administer the RCRA program, EPA has 
made a determination that the state's authorized program is equivalent 
to the federal program. Thereafter the state's authorized laws and 
regulations apply in the state in lieu of the equivalent federal 
program regulations. ( See RCRA section 3006(b) and (c)). Authorized 
States are required to maintain a hazardous waste program that is 
equivalent to, consistent with, and no less stringent than the Federal 
hazardous waste program. As the Federal hazardous waste program 
changes, the States must revise their programs and apply for 
authorization of the revisions. Revisions to State hazardous waste 
programs may be necessary when Federal or State statutory or regulatory 
authority is modified or when certain other changes occur. 
Authorization revision applications generally consist of a copy of the 
State regulations, a revised Attorney General's (AG) statement, a 
revised Program Description, a revised Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), 
or other documents EPA determines to be necessary (see 40 CFR 
271.21(b)(1)). EPA maintains authority to bring enforcement action in 
authorized States under RCRA sections 3008, 3013, and 7003.

B. Why does EPA Codify Authorized Programs?

    EPA codifies authorized State programs through incorporating the 
authorized state law in the Code of Federal Regulations, to better 
place regulated entities and members of the public on notice of the 
requirements pertaining to the generation and management of hazardous 
waste in a particular State. EPA incorporates by reference only the 
substantive authorized rules because the federal government uses its 
own enforcement authorities when bringing actions for alleged 
violations of the authorized state RCRA program. 40 CFR part 272 has 
been reserved for codification of approved State RCRA programs.

C. Wisconsin

1. What is the Authorization and Codification History for Wisconsin?
    Wisconsin initially received Final Authorization on January 31, 
1986 (51 FR 3783, January 30, 1986) to implement its base hazardous 
waste management program. Wisconsin received authorization for 
revisions to its program on June 6, 1989 (54 FR 22278, May 23, 1989), 
January 22, 1990 (54 FR 48243, November 22, 1989), April 24, 1992 (57 
FR 15029, April 24, 1992), August 2, 1993 (58 FR 31344, June 2, 1993), 
October 4, 1994 (59 FR 39971, August 5, 1994) and October 4, 1999 (64 
FR 42602, August 5, 1999). EPA uses 40 CFR 272.2501 for codification of 
decisions to authorize Wisconsin's program and for incorporation by 
reference of those provisions of its statutes and regulations that EPA 
will enforce under sections 3008, 3013 and 7003 of RCRA. EPA codified 
Wisconsin's authorized program on April 24, 1989 (54 FR 7422, February 
21, 1989), May 29, 1990 (55 FR 11910, March 30, 1990), and November 22, 
1993 (58 FR 49199).
2. Which Notices and Requirements are Being Clarified?
    In the following authorization and codification documents, EPA 
included references to a state variance authority which allows the 
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) to issue variances 
from hazardous waste licensing requirements in cases of ``undue or 
unreasonable hardship:''

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                                                                                      This document clarifies
            Effective date                               FR cite                           references to
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April 24, 1989........................  54 FR 7422, February 21, 1989, at 7424..  Wis. Stat. 144.64(3) and WAC
                                                                                   NR 181.55(10).
May 29, 1990..........................  55 FR 11910, March 30, 1990, at 11911...  WAC NR 181.55(10).
August 2, 1993........................  58 FR 31344, June 2, 1993, at 31344.....  WAC NR 181.55(10).
November 22, 1993.....................  58 FR 49199, November 22, 1993, at 49200  Wis. Stat. 144.64(3) and WAC
                                                                                   NR 680.50.
October 4, 1999.......................  64 FR 42602, August 5, 1999, at 42607...  Wis. Stat. 144.64(3) and
                                                                                   291.31.
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    There is no analogous Federal variance authority. The purpose of 
this document is to clarify the limited circumstances under which the 
State may use this authority to vary an authorized RCRA requirement.
    The Wisconsin legislature enacted the State hardship variance in 
1978 and the WDNR adopted implementing administrative rules in 1981. 
Both the statutory and administrative provisions have been amended and 
renumbered over time; however, at all times relevant to this 
clarification document the hardship variance authority has been 
codified in State law at section 144.64(3) or section 291.31 of the 
Wisconsin Statutes and section NR 181.55(10) or section NR 680.50 of 
the Wisconsin Administrative Code. Consequently, this document 
clarifies all references to those specific state statutory and 
regulatory provisions in the authorization and codification of 
Wisconsin's hazardous waste program.
3. What is the Clarification?
    In the Federal Register documents listed above, EPA included 
reference to section 144.64(3) or section 291.31 of the Wisconsin 
Statutes and section NR 181.55(10) or section NR 680.50 of the 
Wisconsin Administrative Code without explaining that the use of these 
authorities to waive authorized RCRA rules is generally limited to 
granting variances from the surface impoundment double liner 
requirements of section 3005(j)(2) through (9) and (13) of RCRA \1\ or 
when the State varies authorized State requirements that are more 
stringent than current Federal requirements imposing instead the same 
standards as the less stringent Federal requirements. For example, EPA 
may promulgate less stringent amendments to Federal rules while the 
States, because of a temporary lag in authorization, remain authorized 
for the pre-existing more stringent rules.

[[Page 28399]]

States may use State waiver authorities to relax authorized State rules 
to the extent those rules are more stringent than analogous Federal 
rules (See, for example, 63 FR 65874 at 65925 (November 30, 1998)).
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    \1\ Unlike the Federal RCRA program, Wisconsin's hazardous waste 
requirements do not include a specific waiver for the double liner 
requirements for RCRA regulated surface impoundments. Instead, the 
Wisconsin Attorney General, in a statement supporting State 
authorization, referenced the State hardship waiver as State 
authority to grant such waivers. EPA is unaware of any instance 
wherein Wisconsin has granted a waiver from the double liner 
requirements for surface impoundments.
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    In addition, if a State authorized to implement the RCRA program 
has a permit waiver authority that is analogous to EPA's authority 
under section 121(e) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) or RCRA section 7003, it may 
use this authority to waive the requirement to obtain a RCRA permit 
with respect to on-site response actions. As explained in EPA guidance, 
the two preconditions to allowing the use of this authority are that: 
``(1) The State has the authority under its own statutes or regulations 
to grant permit waivers; and (2) the State waiver authority is used in 
no less stringent a manner than allowed under Federal permit waiver 
authority, for example, section 7003 of RCRA or section 121(e) of 
CERCLA.'' (See the Memorandum, ``RCRA Permit Requirements for State 
Superfund Actions'', from J. Winston Porter to Regional Administrators, 
Region I-X (Nov. 16, 1987) (OSWER Dir. No. 9522.00-2).) Nothing in this 
clarification document changes or affects this policy in any way.
4. Summary
    The references in 40 CFR 272.2501 and appendix A to part 272 to 
sections 144.64(3) and 291.31 of the Wisconsin Statutes and sections NR 
181.55(10) and 680.50 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code provide 
notice that the State, as part of the authorized program, may use this 
authority only: (1) to grant variances from the surface impoundment 
double liner requirements of RCRA in those cases wherein the facility 
meets all of the requirements of RCRA section 3005(j); (2) to grant 
variances from more stringent authorized requirements that impose 
instead the same standards as the less stringent federal requirement; 
and (3) in the manner consistent with sections 7003 of RCRA or 121(e) 
of CERCLA, as described in applicable EPA guidance. Use of the State 
hardship variance authority with respect to any other authorized RCRA 
requirements is not part of the RCRA approved State program. Of course, 
States retain authority to waive or vary those State requirements that 
are broader in scope than, and therefore not part of, the Federal RCRA 
program. Therefore, with certain limited exceptions discussed herein, a 
State hardship variance cannot excuse compliance with RCRA program 
requirements. Persons who fail to comply with RCRA program requirements 
are subject to Federal enforcement under sections 3008, 3013, and 7003 
of RCRA.

    Authority: This action is issued under the authority of sections 
2002(a), 3006 and 7004(b) of the Solid Waste Disposal Act as amended 
42 U.S.C. 6912(a), 6926, 6974(b).

David A. Ullrich,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 5.
[FR Doc. 01-12894 Filed 5-22-01; 8:45 am]
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