Federal Register, Volume 61 Issue 141 (Monday, July 22, 1996)

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 141 (Monday, July 22, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37894-37896]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18168]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5539-4]

Notice of Proposed NPDES General Permits for Discharges Resulting
From Implementing Corrective Action Plans for Cleanup of Petroleum UST
Systems in Texas (TXG830000), Louisiana (LAG830000), Oklahoma
(OKG830000) and New Mexico (NMG830000)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of draft NPDES general permits.

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SUMMARY: EPA Region 6 is proposing to issue general NPDES permits
authorizing discharges resulting from implementing Corrective Action
Plans for the cleanup of Petroleum UST Systems in Texas, Louisiana,
Oklahoma and New Mexico. A Petroleum UST System is an underground
storage tank system that contains petroleum or a mixture of petroleum
with de minimis quantities of other regulated substances. Such systems
include those containing motor fuels, jet fuels, distillate fuel oils,
residual fuel oils, lubricants, petroleum solvents and used oils. As
proposed, the permits place limits on benzene, Total BTEX and pH for
all discharges, as well as limits on polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAH) for discharges from cleanups of Petroleum UST Systems other than
gasoline, jet fuel and kerosene. Additional limits include those on
lead and Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons in the Texas permit, lead and TOC
in the Louisiana permit, Total Organic Carbon and Total Phenols in the
Oklahoma permit, and lead, Chemical Oxygen Demand, No Visible Oil
Sheen, as well as a biomonitoring requirement, in the New Mexico
permit.

DATES: Comments on these proposed permits must be submitted by
September 20, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments on these proposed permits should be sent to the
Regional Administrator, EPA Region 6, 1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas
75202-2733.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Ellen Caldwell, EPA Region 6 1445
Ross Avenue, Dallas Texas 75202-2733, telephone (214) 665-7513.
Copies of the draft permits and/or an explanatory fact sheet may be
obtained from Ms. Caldwell. In addition, the current administrative
record on the proposal is available for examination at the Region's
Dallas offices during normal working hours after providing Ms. Caldwell
24 hours advanced notice.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulated categories and entities include:

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Category Examples of regulated entities
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Industry.......................... Operators of facilities discharging
waste waters resulting from the
cleanup of underground storage tank
systems that contain petroleum
substances, such as motor fuels,
jet fuels and fuel oils.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

This table is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides a
guide for readers regarding entities likely to be regulated by this
action. This table lists the types of entities that EPA is now aware
could potentially be regulated by this action. Other types of entities
not listed in the table could also be regulated. To determine whether
your (facility, company, business, organization, etc.) is regulated by
this action, you should carefully examine the applicability criteria in
Part I, Section A.1 of these permits. If you have questions regarding
the applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the
person listed in the preceding FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
Section 301(a) of the Clean Water Act (CWA or the Act), 33 U.S.C.
1311(a), makes it unlawful to discharge pollutants to waters of the
United States in the absence of authorizing permits. CWA section 402,
33 U.S.C. 1342, authorizes EPA to issue National Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) permits allowing discharges on condition they will meet
certain requirements, including CWA sections 301, 304, and 401 (33
U.S.C. 1331, 1314 and 1341). Those statutory provisions require that
NPDES permits include effluent limitations requiring that authorized
discharges: (1) meet standards reflecting levels of technological
capability, (2) comply with EPA-approved state water quality standards
and (3) comply with other state requirements adopted under authority
retained by states under CWA 510, 33 U.S.C. 1370.
Two types of technology-based effluent limitations must be included
in the permits proposed here. With regard to conventional pollutants,
i.e., pH, BOD, oil and grease, TSS and fecal coliform, CWA section 301
(b)(1)(E) requires effluent limitations based on ``best conventional
pollution control technology'' (BCT). With regard to nonconventional
and toxic pollutants, CWA section 301(b)(2) (A), (C), and (D) require
effluent limitations based on ``best available pollution control
technology economically achievable'' (BAT), a standard which generally
represents the best performing existing technology in an industrial
category or subcategory. BAT and BCT effluent limitations may never be
less stringent than corresponding effluent limitations based on best
practicable control technology (BPT), a standard applicable to similar
discharges prior to March 31, 1989 under CWA 301(b)(1)(A).
National guidelines establishing BPT, BCT and BAT standards have
not been promulgated for discharges from Petroleum UST System cleanups.
The BCT and BAT requirements for these discharges have, therefore, been
established using best professional judgement, as required by CWA
section 402(a)(1). EPA Office of Water Enforcement and Permits and
Office of Underground Storage Tanks has developed and issued ``Model
NPDES Permit for Discharges Resulting from the Cleanup of Gasoline
Released from Underground Storage Tanks'', July 11, 1989. That model
permit and fact sheet established treatment technologies, treatment
costs, parameters to be limited and permit limits for discharges
resulting from the cleanup of gasoline released from underground
storage tanks. The information contained in that model permit and fact
sheet has been used to establish BCT and BAT permit requirements for
the NPDES general permits being proposed today for discharges resulting
from cleanup of Petroleum UST Systems.
The following limits are proposed:

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Daily average Daily maximum
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Texas (TXG830000)

[[Page 37895]]

Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons.................. 10 g/l (2).......... 10 g/l (2).
pH 6.0--9.0 std. units

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Louisiana (LAG830000)

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Benzene............................................ 5 g/l (1)........... 5 g/l (1).
Total BTEX......................................... 100 g/l............. 100 g/l.
Total lead......................................... 50 g/l.............. 50 g/l.
TOC................................................ 50 mg/l...................... 50 mg/l.
Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons.................. 10 g/l (2).......... 10 g/l (2).
pH 6.0--9.0 std. units

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Oklahoma (OKG830000)

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Benzene............................................ 5 g/l (1)........... 5 g/l (1).
Total BTEX......................................... 100 g/l............. 100 g/l.
Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons.................. 10 g/l (2).......... 10 g/l (2).
Total phenols...................................... 0.15 mg/l.................... 0.25 mg/l.
Total organic carbon............................... 75 mg/l...................... 95 mg/l.
pH 6.5--9.0 std. units

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New Mexico (NMG83000)

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Benzene............................................ 5 g/l (1)........... 5 g/l (1).
Total BTEX......................................... 100 g/l............. 100 g/l.
Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons.................. 10 g/l (2).......... 10 g/l (2).
pH 6.0--9.0 std. units
Chemical oxygen demand (COD)....................... 125 mg/l..................... 125 mg/l.
Total lead......................................... 50 g/l.............. 50 g/l.
No visible oil sheen
Biomonitoring (48 hour acute)...................... monitor ............................
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(1) For Discharge Monitoring Report calculations and reporting
requirements for benzene, analytical test results less than 10
g/l may be reported as zero.
(2) The Daily Max limit and monitoring requirement for PAH's do not
apply to discharges from the cleanup of Petroleum UST Systems
containing only gasoline, jet fuel and/or kerosene. The daily max value
of any of the following PAH's shall not exceed 10 g/l:
acenaphthene, acenaphthylene, anthracene, benzo(a)anthracene,
benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(ghi)perylene,
benzo(a)pyrene, chrysene, dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, fluoranthene,
fluorene, indeno(1,2,3,cd)pyrene, naphthalene, phenanthrene, pyrene.

Other Legal Requirements

A. State Certification

Under section 401(a)(1) of the Act, EPA may not issue an NPDES
permit until the State in which the discharge will originate grants or
waives certification to ensure compliance with appropriate requirements
of the Act and State law. Section 301(b)(1)(C) of the Act requires that
NPDES permits contain conditions that ensure compliance with applicable
state water quality standards or limitations. The proposed permits
contain limitations intended to ensure compliance with state water
quality standards and has been determined by EPA Region 6 to be
consistent with the applicable state's water quality standards and the
corresponding implementation plans. The Region has solicited
certification from the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission
for TXG830000, the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources for
LAG830000, the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality for
OKG830000 and the New Mexico Environment Department for NMG830000.

B. Endangered Species Act

The proposed limits are sufficiently stringent to assure state
water quality standards, both for aquatic life protection and human
health protection, will be met. The effluent limitations established in
these permits ensure protection of aquatic life and maintenance of the
receiving water as an aquatic habitat. The Region finds that adoption
of the proposed permits is unlikely to adversely affect any threatened
or endangered species or its critical habitat. EPA is seeking written
concurrence from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and
National Marine Fisheries Service on this determination.

C. Historic Preservation Act

Facilities which adversely affect properties listed or eligible for
listing in the National Register of Historical Places are not
authorized to discharge under this permit.

D. Executive Order 12866

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has exempted this action
from the review requirements of Executive Order 12866.

E. Paperwork Reduction Act

The information collection required by this permit has been
approved by OMB under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq., in submission made for the NPDES permit program
and assigned OMB control numbers 2040-0086 (NPDES permit application)
and 2040-0004 (discharge monitoring reports).

F. Regulatory Flexibility Act

The Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 USC 601 et seq, requires that EPA
prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis for regulations that have a
significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. As
discussed previously in this Fact Sheet, compliance with the permit
requirements will not result in a significant impact on dischargers,
including small businesses, covered by

[[Page 37896]]

these permits. This lack of significant impact is due, in part, to the
State Reimbursement Fund's reimbursement to the discharger of all NPDES
permit compliance costs, except for a small deductible amount. EPA
Region 6 therefore certifies, pursuant to the provisions of 5 USC
605(b), that the permits proposed today will not have a significant
impact on a substantial number of small entities.

Dated: July 10, 1996.
William B. Hathaway,
Director, Water Quality Protection Division, EPA Region 6.
[FR Doc. 96-18168 Filed 7-19-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P