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Notice of Availability: Announcing the availability of a new draft guidance document entitled Screening Level Ecological Risk Assessment Protocol for Hazardous Waste Combustion Facilities

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

 



[Federal Register: February 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 29)]
[Notices]
[Page 7012-7013]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11fe00-64]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6535-1]


Notice of Availability: Announcing the availability of a new
draft guidance document entitled Screening Level Ecological Risk
Assessment Protocol for Hazardous Waste Combustion Facilities

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of document availability and public comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA'' or ``the
Agency'') is providing notice that the following draft guidance
document Screening Level Ecological Risk Assessment Protocol for
Hazardous Waste Combustion Facilities (Peer Review Draft) is available
and an 180-day public review period of the document will begin today.
    This document contains the Office of Solid Waste's recommended
approach for conducting site-specific ecological risk assessments on
hazardous waste combustors regulated under the RCRA program. The
document includes specific parameters, pathways and algorithms to
evaluate both direct and indirect risks to ecological receptors. The
goal of this guidance document is to develop a consistent and credible
methodology for conducting ecological risk assessments at hazardous
waste combustion facilities. The results of the risk assessments will
give an understanding of the potential ecological risks associated with
emissions from those facilities.
    On October 30, 1998, EPA announced in the Federal Register (FR Doc.
98-29157) the availability of this documents' companion document, Human
Health Risk Assessment Protocol for Hazardous Waste Combustion
Facilities (Peer Review Draft--EPA530-D-98-001A, B & C). OSW recommends
that RCRA permitting authorities consider these documents together when
conducting risk assessments on hazardous waste combustor emissions. The
results of these risk assessments can provide a basis for risk
management decisions in the permitting of hazardous waste combustors
and help to ensure that the operation of hazardous waste combustion
facilities will be protective of human health and the environment.
    This document has undergone extensive internal Agency review. It is
Agency policy that documents such as this be subject to peer review as
well. EPA expects to have the document reviewed by a group of
independent scientists in the future. Information regarding the peer
review process will be published in a Federal Register notice closer to
the date of the review.
    All public comments should be received by August 9, 2000, to be
considered by the Agency. The public comments will be for the Agency's
evaluation only and are not intended to be part of the peer review
process. To ensure an efficient public comment review and resolution
process, EPA recommends that the comments be supplied in the following
format. All comments should be individually identified and a proposed
resolution (or action) be recommended. In addition, any supporting
information or reference materials which corroborate the comment and or
proposed resolution should be furnished as well. All information
supplied should be in English or accompanied by an English translation.
All comments received from both the public and the peer review will be
considered during finalization of this guidance document.

DATES: Public comments on the document Screening Level Ecological Risk
Assessment Protocol for Hazardous Waste Combustion Facilities should be
received by the docket no later than August 9, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact the
RCRA Hotline at (800) 424-9346 or TDD (800) 553-7672 (hearing
impaired). In the Washington, DC metropolitan area, call (703) 412-9810
or TDD (703) 412-3323. For specific questions on implementation of the
methods described in this document, please contact your RCRA regulatory
authority; for other questions contact Karen Pollard, Office of Solid
Waste, 5307W U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW,
Washington, DC 20460; phone: (703) 308-3948; e-mail: Pollard.Karen@EPA
mail.EPA.gov.

ADDRESSES: Commenters must send the original and two copies of their
comments referencing docket number F-1999-SLRA-FFFFF to: RCRA
Information Center (RIC), Office of Solid Waste (5305G), U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters (EPA, HQ), 401 M Street,
S.W., Washington, DC 20460. Comments submitted electronically should be
identified by the docket number F-1999-SLRA-FFFFF and submitted to:
RCRA-docket@epamail.epa.gov. EPA's Office of Solid Waste (OSW) also
accepts data on disks in Wordperfect 6.1 file format. EPA is asking
prospective commenters to voluntarily submit one additional copy of
their comments on labeled personal computer diskettes in ASCII

[[Page 7013]]

(TEXT) format (with no special characters or any form of encryption) or
a word processing format that can be converted to ASCII (TEXT). It is
essential to specify on the disk label the word processing software and
version/edition as well as the commenter's name. This will allow EPA to
convert the comments into one of the word processing formats utilized
by the Agency. Please use mailing envelopes designed to physically
protect the submitted diskettes. EPA emphasizes that submission of
comments on diskettes is not mandatory, nor will it result in any
advantage or disadvantage to any commenter. This expedited procedure is
in conjunction with the Agency ``Paperless Office'' campaign.
    Commenters should not submit any confidential business information
(CBI) electronically. An original and two copies of the CBI must be
submitted under separate cover to: Regina Magbie, RCRA CBI Document
Control Officer, Office of Solid Waste (5305W), U.S. EPA, 401 M Street
S.W., Washington, DC 20460.
    Public comment and supporting materials will be made available for
viewing from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday (except Federal
holidays) in the RIC, located at Crystal Gateway One, 1235 Jefferson
Davis Highway, First Floor, Arlington, Virginia. To review docket
materials, the public must make an appointment by calling (703) 603-
9230. The public may copy a maximum of 100 pages from any regulatory
docket at no charge. Additional copies cost $0.15 per page. The docket
index and notice are available electronically. See the ``Supplementary
Information'' section for information on accessing it.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For paper or CD-ROM copies of the guidance
document, please contact the RCRA Information Center (RIC), Office of
Solid Waste (5305G), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters
(EPA, HQ), 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20460, (703) 603-9230.
The document is a three volume set, with document numbers of: EPA530-D-
99-001A: Methodologies; EPA530-D-99-001B: Appendices A & B; and EPA530-
D-99-001C: Appendices C-H. CD-ROM copies of this document may also be
obtained from the RCRA Hotline at (800) 424-9346 or TDD (800) 553-7672
(hearing impaired). In the Washington, DC metropolitan area, call (703)
412-9810 or TDD (703) 412-3323. The document is also available in
electronic format on the world wide web at:http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/
hazwaste/combust/riskhtm.

    Dated: January 19, 2000.
Elizabeth A. Cotsworth,
Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 00-3217 Filed 2-10-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P

 
 

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