Environmental Protection Agency November 22, 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an information collection request (ICR), NSPS for Magnetic Tape Coating Facilities (EPA ICR Number 1135.13, OMB Control Number 2060-0171), to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through January 31, 2020. Public comments were previously requested, via the Federal Register, on May 6, 2019 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR is given below, including its estimated burden and cost to the public. An agency may neither conduct nor sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a Clean Air Act (CAA) section 111(d) plan submitted by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP). This plan was submitted to fulfill the requirements of the CAA and in response to EPA's promulgation of Emissions Guidelines and Compliance Times for municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. The West Virginia plan establishes emission limits for existing MSW landfills, and provides for the implementation and enforcement of those limits.

The Environmental Protection Agency (the EPA or the Agency) is proposing a regulation to revise the technology-based effluent limitations guidelines and standards (ELGs) for the steam electric power generating point source category applicable to flue gas desulfurization (FGD) wastewater and bottom ash (BA) transport water. This proposal is estimated to save approximately $175 million dollars annually in pre-tax compliance costs and $137 million dollars annually in social costs as a result of less costly FGD wastewater technologies that could be used with the proposed relaxation of the Steam Electric Power Generating Effluent Guidelines 2015 rule (the 2015 rule) selenium limitation; less costly BA transport water technologies made possible by the proposed relaxation of the 2015 rule's zero discharge limitations; a two-year extension of compliance timeframes for meeting FGD wastewater limits, and additional proposed subcategories for both FGD wastewater and BA transport water. EPA also believes that participation in the voluntary incentive program would further reduce the pollutants that these steam electric facilities discharge in FGD wastewater by approximately 105 million pounds per year.