Environmental Protection Agency October 27, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Director of the Office of Water and Watersheds, EPA Region 10, is publishing notice of the final National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) general permits (numbers AK-G70-0000 and AK- G70-1000) to provide Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) authorization for log transfer facilities (LTFs) operating in Alaska. General permit (GP) AK-G70-0000 (the ``Pre-1985'' GP) includes section 402 modifications to section 404 permits issued to LTFs prior to October 22, 1985, in accordance with section 407 of the Water Quality Act of 1987 (Pub. L. 100-4). All other LTFs can apply to be authorized to discharge under AK-G70-1000 (the ``Post-1985'' GP) if they meet eligibility requirements. The final Post-1985 GP is a reissuance of a previously issued LTF GP that became effective on March 21, 2000, and was subsequently modified on April 27, 2004 (69 FR 19417). The Post-1985 GP expired on March 21, 2005, and has been administratively extended since that time. The final Pre-1985 GP contains additional modifications to section 404 permits issued to LTFs prior to October 22, 1985. The modifications implemented by the Pre-1985 GP became effective as of April 27, 2004, and such modifications did not expire because the section 404 permits have no expiration date. Because EPA is using a section 402 permit to implement the section 404 permit modifications, the Pre-1985 GP will expire in accordance with 40 CFR 122.46(a). In the Pre-85 GP, if a facility meets the eligibility criteria, the facility timely submitted a new Notification at least 180 days prior to March 21, 2005, and unless LTF operations have materially changed since submission of that Notification, the operator of that facility is not required to submit a new Notification, but may: (i) Adopt the previously filed Notification in a written adoption letter to EPA and Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (``ADEC'') no later than 90 days after the effective date of this permit; and (ii) in that adoption letter include the information required by subparagraphs D.4.d and D.4.e of Section IV. If a facility timely did not submit a Notification at least 180 days prior to March 21, 2005, written Notification must be submitted to EPA and ADEC within 90 days of the effective date of this general Permit. If a facility has not operated since March 7, 2000, and wishes to begin operations more than 90 days after the effective date of this Pre-85 permit, the facility must provide the Notification required by Section IV, to EPA and ADEC no later than 60 days prior to beginning discharges (see Parts I.A. and IV. of the Pre-85 GP). In the Post-85 GP, owners or operators of a new LTF seeking authorization to discharge under this general permit must submit a NOI to EPA and ADEC at least sixty (60) days prior to anticipated commencement of operation and discharge (see Part V.C). For an existing LTF, if a facility timely submitted an NOI under 40 CFR 122.6 at least 180 days prior to the expiration of the previously issued general permits and unless LTF operations have materially changed since submission of that NOI, the operator of that facility is not required to submit a new NOI, but may: (i) Adopt the previously filed NOI in a written adoption letter to EPA and ADEC no later than 60 days after the effective date of this permit; and (ii) in that adoption letter, include the information required by subparagraphs D.4.d. and D.4.e of Part V. (see Part V.C of the Post-85 GP). A fact sheet has been prepared which sets forth the principle factual, legal, policy, and scientific information considered in the development of the general permits. Both GPs contain a combination of technology-based requirements, best professional judgment and water quality-based effluent limits, standards, or conditions. EPA received comments on the GPs during the public comment period, and has prepared a Response to Comments to explain changes made in the permits based on the comments and reasons for not making changes.

Due to an adverse comment, EPA is withdrawing the direct final rule published September 16, 2008 (73 FR 53378), approving a revision to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) of the State of Florida. This revision granted the removal of Stage II vapor control requirements for new and upgraded gasoline dispensing facilities in Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties (also referred to as the ``Southeast Florida Area'') and allowed the phase out of Stage II requirements for existing facilities in those counties. In addition, the revision included a SIP amendment to require new and upgraded gasoline dispensing facilities and new bulk gasoline plants statewide to employ Stage I vapor control systems, and required the phase in of Stage I vapor control requirements statewide for existing gasoline dispensing facilities. As stated in the direct final rule, if EPA received an adverse comment by October 16, 2008, the rule would be withdrawn and not take effect. EPA subsequently received an adverse comment on September 16, 2008. EPA will address the comment in a subsequent final action based upon the proposed action also published on September 16, 2008. EPA will not institute a second comment period on this action.

EPA is approving an application from the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes in Montana under section 1425 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) to implement an underground injection control (UIC) program for Class II (oil and gas-related) injection wells. EPA is also revising regulations that are not specific to the Fort Peck Tribes' application.