[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 78 (Tuesday, April 23, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19750-19752]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-9914]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7174-8]


Guidance on the CERCLA Section 101(10)(H) Federally Permitted 
Release Definition for Clean Air Act ``Grandfathered'' Sources

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA is publishing as an appendix to this notice a guidance on 
the CERCLA section 101(10)(H) federally permitted release definition as 
it applies to grandfathered sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Visit the OECA Docket Web Site at 
www.epa.gov/oeca/polguid/enfdock.html or contact the RCRA/UST, 
Superfund and EPCRA Hotline at (800) 424-9346 or (703) 412-9810 in

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Washington, DC area. For general questions about this guidance, please 
contact Lynn Beasley at (703) 603-9086 and for enforcement related 
questions, please contact Ginny Phillips at (202) 564-6139 or mail your 
questions to: U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington DC, 20460, 
attention Lynn Beasley, mail code 5204G.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose of this Notice

    This notice announces guidance discussing the application of the 
federally permitted release exemption to air emissions from sources 
that are ``grandfathered'' under the Clean Air Act (``CAA''). The 
federally permitted release exemption pertains to the reporting 
requirements under two federal emergency response and public right to 
know laws: section 103 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation, and Liability Act (``CERCLA''), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 
9603, and section 304 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-
Know Act (``EPCRA''), 42 U.S.C. 11004. Federally permitted releases are 
defined in CERCLA section 101(10), which specifically identifies 
certain releases that are permitted or controlled under several 
environmental statutes. These releases are exempt from the notification 
requirements of CERCLA section 103 and EPCRA section 304. CERCLA 
section 101(10)(H) identifies releases that are exempt from reporting 
because they are subject to permits and regulations under the CAA.
    On December 21, 1999, we published in the Federal Register the 
``Interim Guidance on the CERCLA section 101(10)(H) Federally Permitted 
Release Definition for Certain Air Emissions'' (``Interim Guidance''). 
The Interim Guidance discussed several issues regarding the application 
of the federally permitted release exemption to air releases, including 
whether the exemption applies to releases from grandfathered sources. 
We requested comment on the Interim Guidance and held a public meeting, 
giving the public an opportunity to raise their concerns about these 
issues. On April 17, 2002, the Agency published the ``Guidance on the 
CERCLA section 101(10)(H) Federally Permitted Release Definition for 
Certain Air Emissions,'' (67 FR 18899). This Guidance responded to the 
concerns raised by commentors and superceded the Interim Guidance. The 
Guidance, however, did not address the question of grandfathered 
sources and federally permitted releases. The document we publish today 
discusses grandfathered sources. This document reflects our 
consideration of the comments submitted on the Interim Guidance 
regarding that issue, general concerns raised by previous Federal 
Register notices on the definition of federally permitted release, and 
our own experience in implementing the reporting requirements under 
CERCLA section 103 and EPCRA section 304. This guidance also 
incorporates principles articulated in EPA administrative 
adjudications.
    This guidance does not impose new reporting requirements or change 
the types of releases which are required to be reported under CERCLA 
section 103 and EPCRA section 304 or the implementing regulations at 40 
CFR parts 302 and 355. The legal authority for the reporting 
requirements arises from those statutory and regulatory provisions, as 
well as the statutory provisions on federally permitted releases, not 
from this guidance. Further, whether a particular air release of a 
hazardous substance or extremely hazardous substance is exempt from 
CERCLA section 103 and EPCRA section 304 reporting requirements 
requires a case-by-case determination based on the specific applicable 
permit language or control requirements. This guidance has no effect on 
CAA permit requirements.
    The Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response and the Office of 
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance jointly issue this guidance.

    Dated: April 4, 2002.
Marianne Lamont Horinko,
Assistant Administrator for Solid Waste and Emergency Response.
    Dated: April 11, 2002.
Sylvia K. Lowrance,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance 
Assurance.

Appendix A--Guidance on the CERCLA Section 101(10)(H) Federally 
Permitted Release Definition for Clean Air Act ``Grandfathered'' 
Sources

    Section 103 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation, and Liability Act (``CERCLA'') and section 304 of the 
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (``EPCRA'') 
require that facilities notify federal, state and local authorities 
of releases of hazardous substances, if the amount of the release 
reaches a designated reportable quantity. Federally permitted 
releases, as defined in CERCLA section 101(10), are exempt from the 
CERCLA and EPCRA release reporting requirements. Federally permitted 
releases are certain releases that are permitted or controlled under 
several environmental statutes. CERCLA section 101(10)(H) identifies 
releases that are exempt from reporting because they are subject to 
permits and regulations under the Clean Air Act (``CAA''). This 
guidance document addresses the federally permitted release 
exemption as applied to releases from grandfathered sources under 
the CAA.
    CERCLA section 101(10)(H) defines federally permitted releases 
under the CAA as: Any emission into the air subject to a permit or 
control regulation under section 111, section 112, title I part C, 
title I part D, or State implementation plans submitted in 
accordance with section 110 of the Clean Air Act (and not 
disapproved by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency), including any schedule or waiver granted, promulgated, or 
approved under these sections.
    42 U.S.C. 9601(10)(H)(internal citations omitted). The Senate 
committee report explained the CERCLA definition of federally 
permitted release for air emissions:
    In the Clean Air Act, unlike some other Federal regulatory 
statutes, the control of hazardous air pollutant emissions can be 
achieved through a variety of means: express emissions limitations 
(such as control on the pounds of pollutant that may be discharged 
from a source during a given time); technology requirements (such as 
floating roof tanks on hydrocarbons in a certain vapor pressure 
range); operational requirements (such as start up or shut down 
procedures to control emissions during such operations); work 
practices (such as the application of water to suppress certain 
particulates); or other control practices. Whether control of 
hazardous substance emissions is achieved directly or indirectly, 
the means must be specifically designed to limit or eliminate 
emissions of a designated hazardous pollutant or a criteria 
pollutant.
    Senate Rep. 848, 96th Cong., 2d Sess. 49 (1980).
    Generally, releases from grandfathered sources do not meet the 
definition of federally permitted releases, because Congress 
exempted those sources, rather than imposing permits or control 
regulations on them. Congress, in enacting several of the CAA 
programs, did not require existing pollution sources (unless 
modified) to install pollution controls. For example, certain 
requirements of the New Source Performance Standards Program apply 
specifically to new sources. See 42 U.S.C. 7411(b). Exempted 
existing sources are known as ``grandfathered'' sources under Title 
I of the CAA. Congress structured the CAA to force pollution control 
technology in a cost-effective manner. Thus, the decision not to 
require those sources was primarily based on economic 
considerations, i.e., when pollution control technology could be 
efficiently and cost-effectively engineered into plants. See, for 
example, H.R. Rep. No. 95-294, at 185. For this reason, a facility's 
status as a grandfathered source does not necessarily mean that 
emissions from this facility do not pose a public health hazard.
    To the extent that the releases from grandfathered sources are 
not subject to permits or control regulations, they generally will 
not meet the CERCLA section 101(10)(H) definition of federally 
permitted release based on the status of the facility as 
grandfathered. However, a source that is exempt from a CAA 
requirement because of its grandfathered status may be subject to

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other applicable CAA permits or regulations. If there are federally 
enforceable permits or control regulations issued under the CAA 
provisions cited in CERCLA 101(10)(H) that apply to releases of 
hazardous substances from a grandfathered source, despite the 
grandfathered source exemption, those releases may qualify as 
federally permitted releases under CERCLA section 101(10)(H).

[FR Doc. 02-9914 Filed 4-22-02; 8:45 am]
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