[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 190 (Friday, September 30, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 67266-67267]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23458]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 435
[EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0598; FRL-9953-25-OW]
[RIN 2040-AF68]
Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Oil and Gas
Extraction Point Source Category--Implementation Date Extension
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes to extend
the implementation deadline for certain
[[Page 67267]]
facilities subject to the final rule establishing pretreatment
standards under the Clean Water Act (CWA) for discharges of pollutants
into publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) from onshore unconventional
oil and gas (UOG) extraction facilities. EPA proposes these revisions
in response to new information received after promulgation of the rule
suggesting that there are likely facilities subject to the final rule
not presently meeting the zero discharge requirements in the final
rule.
DATES: Written comments must be received by October 31, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. [EPA-HQ-
OW-2016-0598], at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments. Once submitted, comments cannot
be edited or removed from Regulations.gov. EPA may publish any comment
received to its public docket. Do not submit electronically any
information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI)
or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
Multimedia submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a
written comment. The written comment is considered the official comment
and should include discussion of all points you wish to make. EPA will
generally not consider comments or comment contents located outside of
the primary submission (i.e. on the web, cloud, or other file sharing
system). For additional submission methods, the full EPA public comment
policy, information about CBI or multimedia submissions, and general
guidance on making effective comments, please visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information, see EPA's Web
site: https://www.epa.gov/eg/unconventional-oil-and-gas-extraction-effluent-guidelines. For technical information, contact Karen Milam,
Engineering and Analysis Division (4303T), Office of Water,
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.,
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone: 202-566-1915; email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Does this action apply to me?
Entities potentially regulated by this final action include:
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North American Industry
Category Example of regulated entity Classification System
(NAICS) code
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Industry....................................... Crude Petroleum and Natural Gas 211111
Extraction.
Industry....................................... Natural Gas Liquid Extraction......... 211112
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II. Why is EPA issuing this proposed rule?
This document proposes to establish a compliance date for
pretreatment standards for existing onshore unconventional oil and gas
extraction facilities within the Oil and Gas Extraction Point Source
Category that differs from the date specified in the preamble to that
final rule (81 FR 41845, June 28, 2016). We have published a direct
final rule to extend the compliance date to August 29th, 2019 for
existing sources that were lawfully discharging UOG wastewater to POTWs
on or between the date of the Federal Register Notice of the proposed
rule (April 7, 2015) and the date of the Federal Register Notice of the
final rule (June 28, 2016) in the ``Rules and Regulations'' section of
this Federal Register because we view this as a noncontroversial action
and anticipate no adverse comment. For purposes of this proposed rule,
compliance date and implementation date are used interchangeably. We
have explained our reasons for this action in the preamble to the
direct final rule.
If no adverse comments are received, the direct final rule will go
into effect. If we receive adverse comment, we will withdraw the direct
final rule and it will not take effect. We would address all public
comments in any subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. EPA
will not consider any comment submitted on the proposed rule published
today on any topic other than the appropriateness of an extension of
the compliance date; any other comments will be considered to be
outside the scope of this rulemaking.
We do not intend to institute a second comment period on this
action. Any parties interested in commenting must do so at this time.
For further information, please see the information provided in the
ADDRESSES section of this document.
III. Where is the location of regulatory text for this proposal?
The regulatory text for this proposal is identical to that for the
direct final rule published in the Rules and Regulations section of the
Federal Register. For further supplemental information, the detailed
rationale for the proposal, and the regulatory revisions, see the
information provided in the direct final rule published in the Rules
and Regulations section of this Federal Register.
IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
For a complete discussion of all of the administrative requirements
applicable to this action, see the direct final rule in the Rules and
Regulations section of this Federal Register.
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 435
Environmental protection, Pretreatment, Waste treatment and
disposal, Water pollution control, Unconventional oil and gas
extraction.
Dated: September 22, 2016.
Gina McCarthy,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2016-23458 Filed 9-29-16; 8:45 am]
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