[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 240 (Monday, December 14, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 80718-80719]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27360]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 257
[EPA-HQ-OLEM-2020-0107; FRL-10015-46-OLEM; 10018-00-OLEM]
Hazardous and Solid Waste Management System: Disposal of Coal
Combustion Residuals From Electric Utilities; Legacy CCR Surface
Impoundments; Extension of Comment Period
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of comment
period.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) is
extending the comment period on the advance notice of proposed
rulemaking for legacy coal combustion residuals (CCR) surface
impoundments. The original advance notice of proposed rulemaking was
published on October 14, 2020, and the public comment period was
originally scheduled to end on December 14, 2020. With this document,
EPA is extending the public comment period an additional 60 days,
through February 12, 2021.
DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published October 14,
2020 at 85 FR 65015 is extended. The EPA must receive comments on or
before February 12, 2021.
ADDRESSES: EPA has established a docket for this action under Docket ID
No. EPA-HQ-OLEM-2020-0107. Follow the detailed instructions provided
under ADDRESSES in the Federal Register document of October 14, 2020
(85 FR 65015). Out of an abundance of caution for members of the public
and our staff, the EPA Docket Center and Reading Room are closed to the
public, with limited exceptions, to reduce the risk of transmitting
COVID-19. Our Docket Center staff will continue to provide remote
customer service via email, phone, and webform. We encourage the public
to submit comments via https://www.regulations.gov/ or email, as there
may be a delay in processing mail and faxes. Hand deliveries and
couriers may be received by scheduled appointment only. For further
information on EPA Docket Center services and the current status,
please visit us online at https://www.epa.gov/dockets. If you have
questions, consult the technical person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Long, Office of Resource
Conservation and Recovery, Materials Recovery and Waste Management
Division, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
MC: 5304P, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703) 347-8953;
email address: long.michelle@epa.gov. For more information on this
rulemaking please visit https://www.epa.gov/coalash.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 17, 2015, EPA promulgated national
minimum criteria for existing and new CCR landfills and existing and
new CCR surface impoundments at 40 CFR part 257, subpart D. On August
21, 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
Circuit issued its opinion in the case of Utility Solid Waste
Activities Group (USWAG), et al. v. EPA, 901 F.3d 414 (D.C. Cir. 2018),
which vacated and remanded the provision that exempted inactive
impoundments at inactive facilities from the CCR regulations. As a
first step to implement this part of the court decision, EPA is seeking
comments in an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) and data
on inactive surface impoundments at inactive facilities to assist in
the development of future regulations for these CCR units.
The original notice for the legacy CCR surface impoundment ANPRM
was published on October 14, 2020, and the comment period was scheduled
to end on December 14, 2020. See 85 FR 65015. Since publication of the
notice, on November 6, 2020, USWAG requested an additional 60 days to
review the ANPRM, develop and submit comments. This request is
available in the docket at EPA-HQ-OLEM-2020-0107. USWAG said given the
complexity of the information being requested in the ANPRM, and the
fact that USWAG members are currently focused on the development of
submissions for the Part A (85 FR 53516, August 28, 2020) and Part B
(85 FR 72506, October 14, 2020), an extension will result in the Agency
receiving a more comprehensive data submission from USWAG. After
receiving the request from USWAG, EPA has decided to extend the comment
period to address the concerns that were
[[Page 80719]]
raised. The comment period is extended until February 12, 2021.
Carolyn Hoskinson,
Director, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery.
[FR Doc. 2020-27360 Filed 12-11-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P