Environmental Protection Agency October 26, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice presents the final 2010 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan(``final 2010 Plan''), which, as required under the Clean Water Act (CWA), identifies any new or existing industrial dischargers, both those discharging directly to surface waters and those discharging to publicly owned treatment works (POTWs), selected for effluent guidelines rulemaking and provides a schedule for such rulemakings. CWA section 304(m) requires EPA to biennially publish such a plan after public notice and comment. The Agency published the preliminary 2010 Plan on December 28, 2009 (74 FR 68599) and solicited comments from the public for 60 days. After considering rulemakings already in development, the 2010 reviews, the preliminary Plan and public comments and input to determine what, if any, new rulemakings should be initiated, EPA has decided to develop effluent guidelines and standards for the discharge of wastewater from the Coalbed Methane Extraction (CBM) industry and will develop pretreatments requirements for discharges of mercury from the Dental industry, and for the discharges of wastewater from the Shale Gas Extraction (SGE) industry. EPA is also issuing the detailed study report for the Coalbed Methane Extraction and the preliminary study report of the Ore Mining and Dressing industry. This notice also solicits public comments on EPA's 2011 reviews pursuant to the authority of CWA sections 304(b), 304(g), 301(d) and 307(b).

This document announces that the EPA Administrator has responded to a citizen petition asking EPA to object to an operating permit issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). Specifically, the Administrator has denied the March, 2010, Petition, submitted by WildEarth Guardians (Petitioner), to object to CDPHE's March 1, 2010, title V permit issued to Public Service Company of Colorado dba Xcel Energy (Xcel)Valmont Power Station. Pursuant to section 505(b)(2) of the Clean Air Act (Act or CAA), Petitioners may seek judicial review of those portions of the petition that EPA denied in the United States Court of Appeals for the appropriate circuit. Any petition for review shall be filed within 60 days from the date this notice appears in the Federal Register, pursuant to section 307 of the Act.