Title: IME Environmental Update Significant Regulatory, Legislative,
1IME Environmental Update Significant Regulatory,
Legislative, Litigation Developments
- Annual Meeting
- October 24th, 2005
- Sofitel Hotel
- Washington, D.C.
2TOPICS OF INTEREST
- Regulatory Program Areas
- Air
- Administrative Reporting Exemption (NOx)
- Powerplant Emissions (Mercury, Clean Air
Interstate Rule, Particulates) - New Source Review, PSD
- Stationary Diesel Proposal
- Startup/Shutdown/Malfunction Proposal
- Water
- Headworks Rule
- Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR)
- SPCC Reminder
3TOPICS OF INTEREST
- Hazardous Substances
- RCRA Streamlined Permitting
- RCRA Rags/Wipes Exemption
- Mercury-Containing Equipment
- Uniform HazWaste Manifest
- Chemical Regulation
- TRI Burden Reduction Phases II and III, Forms
Modification - TSCA Inventory Update Rule
- HPV Program
- GAO Report
4TOPICS OF INTEREST
- Agency Trends Developments
- EPA, DOJ, OSHA Partnership (Consolidated Session)
- Litigation
- The States
- Massachusetts
- Pennsylvania
- International
- EU Thematic Strategies Plan
- AN Added to High Consequence DG List
(Consolidated Session)
5Regulatory Program Areas - AIR
- Administrative Reporting Exemption (NOx)
(Proposed) - 10/4/05 (Comments by 12/5/05)
- Applies to release reporting under CERCLA and
EPCRA - Currently, facilities must report NOx releases
gt10 lbs per 24 hour period - However, EPA response rarely triggered below
1,000 lbs. per 24 hour period - Accordingly, EPA is proposing
- NOx releases lt 1,000 lbs/24 hours exempt from
reporting - Does not apply to releases resulting from
- Accidents
- Malfunctions
6Regulatory Program Areas - AIR
- Coal- Fired Powerplant Emissions
7Regulatory Program Areas - AIR
- Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR)
- Nationwide cap trade
- Challenged by several states (prefer MACT)
- DC Circuit denied motion for stay (8/4/05)
- 9/13/05 Legislative challenge (Senate Joint
Resolution 20) failed to pass by Yea-Nay Vote (47
51) - However, in a 6/05 letter EPA agreed to
reconsider its rule abandoning MACT for cap
trade (but will not stay current rule)
8Regulatory Program Areas - AIR
- Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR)
- Cap Trade for SO2, NOx emissions in 28 state
CAIR region (eastern U.S.) - EPA has proposed Federal Implementation Plan
(FIP) - FIP will apply until states adopt their own
control programs - 7/11/05 legal challenges to CAIR filed by states,
utilities, and environmental groups
9Regulatory Program Areas - AIR
- Particulate Matter
- Background 1990s PM rule implementation
invalidated by US SCt in 2001. EPA now planning
to re-implement - EPA required by consent decree to issue a
proposal on particle pollution standards by
12/20/05, and a final rule by 9/27/06 - EPA staff paper recommends stiffer standards for
fine (PM 2.5) and coarse (PM 10) particulates in
upcoming periodic review (PM 10 generated by
mining, etc.) - However, EPA is not required to make changes to
existing standards
10Regulatory Program Areas - AIR
- New Source Review (NSR), Prevention of
Significant Deterioration (PSD) - NSR program
- EPA will retain current (2003) Equipment
Replacement Provision (ERP) denied petition for
reconsideration - ERP determines what activities are exempt from
NSR - Harmonization of NSR uniform emissions test -NSPS
- PSD program
- Protects air quality in clean areas
- EPA completed NOx evaluation
- Determined that PSD program is working no
changes proposed
11Regulatory Program Areas - AIR
- Stationary Diesel Rule (Proposed)
- 6/29/05 New Source Performance Standards (NSPS)
- Stationary compressed ignition internal
combustion engines (e.g., used to generate
electricity for power pumps, compressors,
emergency flood and fire control systems) - NSPS controls for new, modified, reconstructed
engines (same as for non-road diesels) - NOx
- SO2
- PM
- CO
- Hydrocarbons
- After April 2006 (manufactured, modified,
reconstructed)
12Regulatory Program Areas - AIR
- Startup/Shutdown/Malfunction Rule (Proposed)
- Would amend General Provisions NESHAPS rule to
allow public access to startup/shutdown/malfunctio
n plans (SSM plans) - Plan specifies how the facility will minimize
emissions during these operations
13Regulatory Program Areas - WATER
- Headworks Rule (Final)
- Wastewater Treatment Exemptions for HazWaste
Mixtures - Final Rule
- Adds benzene and 2-ethoxyethanol to list of
exempt solvents - Exempts scrubber water from combustion of
exempted solvents - Operators may measure solvent levels at the
headworks of the WWTS - De minimis exemption expanded to other listed
wastes
14Regulatory Program Areas - WATER
- Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR)
- 8/12/05
- UCMR used to collect data on chemicals on the
Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) - UCMR II list includes 1,3-dinitrobenzene, TNT,
RDX, and Perchlorate (2007-2010) - EPA uses data to determine if regulation is
warranted
15Regulatory Program Areas - WATER
- Spill Prevention Control Countermeasures Plans
(SPCC) REMINDER - Compliance dates
- February 17, 2006, to amend an existing SPCC Plan
- August 18, 2006, to implement the Plan
- Affected facilities that start operations between
August 16, 2002 and August 18, 2006, must prepare
and implement an SPCC Plan by August 18, 2006
16Regulatory Program Areas - HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES
- RCRA Streamlined Permitting Rule (Final)
- Standardized Permit (9/8/05)
- Facilities that generate store, or
non-thermally treat HazWaste on-site in tanks,
containers, and containment buildings - Also available to facilities that receive
HazWaste generated off-site by a generator under
the same ownership as the receiving facility
17Regulatory Program Areas - HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES
- RCRA Streamlined Permitting Rule (Final) -
cont'd - The standardized permit will streamline the
permitting process by allowing facilities to
obtain and modify permits more easily - Would contain standard conditions based on the
requirements of Part 267. Some changes would not,
therefore, require a permit modification - Other routine changes would not require prior
agency approval
18Regulatory Program Areas - HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES
- RCRA Streamlined Permitting Rule (Final)
- cont'd
- Standardized Permit (2 parts)
- Uniform portion included in all cases
- Supplemental portion included at permitting
authoritys discretion (corrective action and
site-specific requirements) - Obtaining the Standardized Permit
- pre-application public meeting
- Notice of Intent and supporting materials
- Request permitting authority to modify existing
permit to exclude units eligible for a
standardized permit
19Regulatory Program Areas HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES
- RCRA Rags/Wipes Exemption
- Proposed rule November 2003
- Applies to 2 types of wipes
- Disposable rule would conditionally exclude
disposable wipes from definition of hazardous
waste - Reusable rule would conditionally exclude
reusable wipes from the definition of solid waste - Final action delayed until October 2006
(challenge of undue influence by interested party
resolved)
20Regulatory Program Areas - HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES
- Mercury Containing Equipment Rule (Final)
- Added to Universal Waste Rule
- UWs subject to less stringent standards for
storing, transporting, collecting - Thermometers, barometers, mercury switches
21Regulatory Program Areas - HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES
- Uniform HazWaste Manifest
- Nationwide, standard manifest form and
continuation sheet - New forms must be used as of September 5, 2006
until this date old forms must be used - EPA published corrections to final rule fixing
conflict w/DOT rules (EPA mistakenly included DOT
marking requirement in generator section of
manifest rule)
22Regulatory Program Areas - CHEMICAL REGULATION
- TRI Phase II Burden Reduction (Proposal)
- Announced 9/21/05
- Expands use of (short) Form A Certification
- PBT Chemicals (except dioxins)
- Quantities do not exceed 1M. lb. reporting
threshold - Zero disposal or other releases
- Facilities do not manage over 500lbs by
treatment, energy recovery, or recycling - Non-PBT Chemicals
- Annual Reporting Amount (Total Production Related
Waste) is under 5,000 lbs. (Current threshold is
500 lbs.) - Applies to individual chemicals, e.g., if 4
chemicals are reported under TRI, each must be
evaluated to determine the proper form (A or R).
23Regulatory Program Areas - CHEMICAL REGULATION
- TRI Phase III Burden Reduction - TRI Frequency of
Reporting (ANPRM and Notice) - ANPRM and Notice to Congress (9/21/05)
- Would change frequency to every 2 years
(alternate year reporting) - Section 313(i) requires finding that change in
reporting frequency is consistent w/purpose of
TRI - EPA must delay rulemaking for 12 months after
notice to Congress
24Regulatory Program Areas - CHEMICAL REGULATION
- TRI Reporting Forms Modification Rule (Final)
- July 12, 2005
- Makes changes to redundant and seldom used data
- Eliminates location information (lat. long.)
- Eliminates regulatory i.d. codes (program i.d.
and permit numbers EPA has other sources for
info.) - Minor reporting changes for waste mgmt.
activities (e.g., range reporting for waste
treatment efficiency estimates) - Simplified reporting of pollution prevention
activity
25Regulatory Program Areas - CHEMICAL REGULATION
- TSCA Inventory Update Rule (IUR)
- Background
- 2003 amendment to IUR
- Changed reporting cycle from 4 to 5 years
- Eased requirements for low-volume manufacturers
- Increased requirements for manufacturers of
gt300,000 lbs. of affected chemicals including
exposure information - This fall EPA will announce the deadline for
submission of 2006 reports (2005 data)
26Regulatory Program Areas - CHEMICAL REGULATION
- High Production Volume (HPV) Chemical Program
- HPV Challenge Program chemicals - chemicals with
U.S. annual production or import volumes /gt 1M
lbs reported to EPA in the 1990, 1994 Inventory
Update Rules (IUR) - First HPV Test Rule
- 9/9/05 Final Rule sent to OMB (proposed 12/00)
- IME chemicals of interest were not included in
12/00 proposal b/c of industry decision to
voluntarily sponsor the chemicals (NG, PETN)
27Regulatory Program Areas - CHEMICAL REGULATION
- HPV Chemical Program (contd)
- Second HPV Test Rule
- Proposal in 2006
- Could include IME chemicals of interest still on
orphan HPV list - IME chemicals remaining on the HPV list include,
- RDX
- EGDN
- DEGDN
28Regulatory Program Areas - CHEMICAL REGULATION
- HPV Chemical Program (contd)
- Interagency Testing Committee (ITC)
- 9/19/05 Interagency Testing Committee (ITC) (56th
Report) announces it has completed data
availability studies for 235 new HPV chemicals - The 235 chemicals were not in the 1990,1994 IURs
but are included in the 1998 and 2002 IURs - No new IME chemicals of concern (?)
29Regulatory Program Areas - CHEMICAL REGULATION
- HPV Chemical Program (contd)
- Third Rule?
- ACC, SOCMA announced an extended HPV program
(EHPV) to cover 500 chemicals qualifying as new
HPV chemicals in the 2002 IUR
30Regulatory Program Areas - CHEMICAL REGULATION
- Government Accounting Office (GAO) Report
- 7/13/05
- Recommends to Congress that TSCA be amended
- Provide explicit authority for EPA to enter into
enforceable consent agreements under which
chemical companies are required to conduct
testing - Give EPA, in addition to its current authorities
under section 4 of TSCA, the authority to require
chemical manufacturers and processors to develop
test data based on substantial production volume
and the necessity for testing
31Regulatory Program Areas - CHEMICAL REGULATION
- Government Accounting Office (GAO) Report
(cont'd) - authorize EPA to share with states and foreign
governments CBI that chemical companies provide
to EPA, subject to regulations to be established
by EPA in consultation with the chemical industry
and other interested parties, that would set
forth the procedures to be followed by all
recipients of the information in order to protect
the information from unauthorized disclosure
32Regulatory Program Areas - CHEMICAL REGULATION
- Government Accounting Office (GAO) Report
(cont'd) - Recommendations to EPA
- implement a methodology for using information
collected through the HPV Challenge Program to
prioritize chemicals for further review and
identify and obtain additional information needed
to assess their risks - promulgate a rule under section 8 of TSCA
requiring chemical companies to submit to EPA
copies of any health and safety studies, as well
as other information concerning the environmental
and health effects of chemicals, that they submit
to foreign governments on chemicals that the
companies manufacture or process in, or import to
the United States
33Regulatory Program Areas - CHEMICAL REGULATION
- Government Accounting Office (GAO) Report
(cont'd) - develop a strategy for improving and validating,
for regulatory purposes, the models that EPA uses
to assess and predict the risks of chemicals and
to inform regulatory decisions on the production,
use, and disposal of the chemicals - revise its regulations to require that companies
reassert claims of confidentiality submitted to
EPA under TSCA within a certain time period after
the information is initially claimed as
confidential
34Regulatory Program Areas - CHEMICAL REGULATION
- Government Accounting Office (GAO) Report
(cont'd) - EPA response did not disagree, but maintains it
already has sufficient authorities under TSCA
(other substantive comments submitted to GAO) - Legislation Watch The Child, Worker, and
Consumer-Safe Chemicals Act of 2005 (Jeffords
(I-Vt.), Lautenberg (D-NJ)) - WWW.GAO.GOV
35LITIGATION
36THE STATES - Massachusetts
- RDX Proposal
- Cancer slope factor
- U.S. Army research
- Nitrate Contamination
- Draft report on perchlorate sources
- Correlation b/w perchlorate and nitrate
contamination
37THE STATES - Pennsylvania
- Powerplant Emissions
- 8/16/05 PA Environmental Quality Board approved
citizen petition - Will require coal-fired powerplants to reduce
mercury emissions by 90 (federal CAMR is 70 by
2020) - SIP revision expected in November, 2005
- PA is 2nd highest mercury emitter in U.S.
- Rule will affect 39 plants
38INTERNATIONAL
- EU Thematic Strategies (2002 6th Environmental
Action Plan) - 7/20/05 EU Commission voted to move forward
- This fall initiatives will be introduced to
upgrade environmental policy in 4 specific areas - Air quality
- Marine pollution
- Pesticides
- Waste
39- Recognizing that the earth's resources are
limited, that life on this planet depends on
those resources, and that responsible management
of the environment is essential for the
preservation of our quality of life, the
International Society of Explosives Engineers has
adopted the following Environmental
Statement1. The Society believes that
responsible management of our environment is good
business and good public policy.2. The Society
urges its members to exercise responsible
management of the environment in all
activities.3. The Society encourages its members
to meet or exceed all environmental laws and
regulations.4. The Society believes that
environmental law must be based on sound
scientific, engineering, and medical research and
principles.5. The Society will work with and
encourage its members to work with community
leaders, public policymakers and regulators to
make available expertise to help in shaping
environmental policy.6. The Society encourages
its members to work to improve the environment
when possible by supporting programs that protect
and develop clean air, clean water, pleasing
landscapes and proper wildlife habitats.The
Society encourages its members to participate in
communicating to the public the importance to
society of an environmentally responsible
explosives industry and in educating the youth of
our country about the benefits of safe, secure,
controlled and environmentally responsible use of
explosives for the benefit of mankind.
40Environmental Update