[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 144 (Thursday, July 28, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page ] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-18450] [Federal Register: July 28, 1994] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-5022-6] The State of New York; Adequacy Determination of State Municipal Solid Waste Permit Program AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency. ACTION: Notice of Tentative Determination on Application of the State of New York for Full Program Adequacy Determination, Public Hearing and Public Comment Period. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Section 4005(c)(1)(B) of the Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA), as amended by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) of 1984, requires States to develop and implement permit programs to ensure that municipal solid waste landfills (MSWLFs) which may receive hazardous household waste or small quantity generator waste will comply with the revised Federal MSWLF Criteria (40 CFR Part 258). RCRA Section 4005(c)(1)(C) requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to determine whether States have adequate ``permit'' programs for MSWLFs, but does not mandate issuance of a rule for such determinations. EPA has drafted and is in the process of proposing a State/Tribe Implementation Rule (STIR) that will provide procedures by which EPA will approve, or partially approve, State/Tribal landfill permit programs. The Agency intends to approve adequate State/Tribal MSWLF permit programs as applications are submitted. Thus, these approvals are not dependent on final promulgation of the STIR. Prior to promulgation of STIR, adequacy determinations will be made based on the statutory authorities and requirements. In addition, States/Tribes may use the draft STIR as an aid in interpreting these requirements. The Agency believes that early approvals have an important benefit. Approved State/Tribe permit programs provide for interaction between State/Tribe and the owner/operator regarding site-specific permit conditions. Only those owners/operators located in States/Tribes with approved permit programs can use the site-specific flexibility provided by Part 258 to the extent the State/Tribal permit program allows such flexibility. EPA notes that regardless of the approval status of a State/Tribe and the permit status of any facility, the federal landfill criteria will apply to all permitted and unpermitted MSWLF facilities. The State of New York applied for a determination of adequacy under section 4005 of RCRA. EPA reviewed New York's MSWLF application and certain revisions thereto, and made a tentative determination that all portions of New York's MSWLF permit program are adequate to assure compliance with the revised Federal Criteria. New York's application for program adequacy determination and its revisions are available for public review and comment. Although RCRA does not require EPA to hold a hearing on any determination to approve a State/Tribe's MSWLF program, the Region has scheduled two public hearings on this tentative determination. Details appear below in the DATES section. DATES: All comments on New York's application for a determination of adequacy must be received by the close of business on September 13, 1994. Two public hearings will be held in New York State. Both hearings will begin at 7:00 p.m. The First hearing will be held on September 12, 1994 at the Quality Inn Hotel which is located on Interstate 90 and Everett Road in Albany, New York. The second hearing will be held on September 13, 1994 in the Katie Murphy Amphitheater which is located in the Fashion Institute of Technology, 7th Avenue at 27th Street in New York City. New York State will participate in the public hearings held by EPA on this subject. ADDRESSES: Copies of New York's application for adequacy are available between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at the following two addresses for inspection and copying: U.S. EPA Region II Library, 26 Federal Plaza, Room 402, New York, New York, 10278, telephone (212) 264-2881, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 50 Wolf Road, Albany, New York 12233-0001 in the Office of the Division of Solid Waste. Written comments should be sent to Stanley Siegel, Chief, Hazardous and Solid Waste Program Branch, U.S. EPA--Region II, 26 Federal Plaza, Rm. 1006, New York, New York 10278. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Savetsky, U.S. EPA Region II, Mail Stop 2AWM-HWP, Room 1006, 26 Federal Plaza, New York, New York, 10278, telephone (212) 264-0547. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A. Background On October 9, 1991, EPA promulgated revised Criteria for MSWLFs (40 CFR Part 258). Subtitle D of RCRA, as amended by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984 (HSWA), requires States to develop permitting programs to ensure that MSWLFs comply with the Federal Criteria under Part 258. Subtitle D also requires in section 4005 that EPA determine that State municipal solid waste landfill permit programs are adequate to comply with the revised Federal Criteria. To fulfill this requirement, the Agency has drafted and is in the process of proposing a State/Tribal Implementation Rule (STIR). The rule will specify the requirements which State/Tribal programs must satisfy to be determined adequate. EPA intends to approve State/Tribal MSWLF permit programs prior to the promulgation of STIR. EPA interprets the requirements for States or Tribes to develop ``adequate'' programs for permits or other forms of prior approval to impose several minimum requirements. First, each State/Tribe must have enforceable standards for new and existing MSWLFs that are technically comparable to EPA's revised MSWLF criteria. Next, the State/Tribe must have the authority to issue a permit or other notice of prior approval to all new and existing MSWLFs in its jurisdiction. The State/Tribe also must provide for public participation in permit issuance and enforcement as required in section 7004(b) of RCRA. Finally, EPA believes that the State/Tribe must show that it has sufficient compliance monitoring and enforcement authorities to take specific action against any owner or operator that fails to comply with an approved MSWLF program. These various components of authority and capability were submitted by New York State in its application and revisions thereto. EPA Regions will determine whether a State/Tribe has submitted an ``Adequate'' program based on the interpretation outlined above. EPA expects States/Tribes to meet all of these requirements for all elements of a MSWLF program before it gives full approval to a MSWLF program. B. New York State On Sept. 24, 1993 New York State submitted an application for adequacy determination. On March 14, 1994, May 10, 1994 and June 28, 1994 New York State submitted revisions to the original application. EPA reviewed the application together with the subsequent revisions and has tentatively determined that all portions of New York's subtitle D program are adequate to provide compliance with the revised Federal Criteria. The New York Department of Environmental Conservation adopted its initial set of regulations relative to the regulatory permitting requirements for solid waste management facilities in 1977. These regulations underwent substantial amendment in 1981, and again were significantly amended in 1988. Since December 31, 1988, the effective date of the existing Part 360 Solid Waste Management Facilities regulations, numerous technological advances have taken place in solid waste reduction, reuse and recycling, composting, construction and demolition debris processing, and other solid waste treatment, storage, and disposal activities. These changes, combined with ever diminishing landfill disposal capacity, have exacerbated the complexities of managing solid waste in New York State. In response to the increased environmental awareness surrounding the siting, design, construction, operations and closure of solid waste management facilities, as well as the requirements of 40 CFR Part 258, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation again revised its Part 360 Solid Waste Management Facilities regulations to include full public involvement, including workshops, public hearings, environmental impact/assessment, and responsiveness summary. The revised regulations were approved by the State Environmental Board on June 30, 1993 and filed with the New York Department of State on August 5, 1993. The amended regulations became effective on October 9, 1993. The Part 360 regulations contain provisions whereby the Department of Environmental Conservation, in appropriate circumstances, may grant variances from one or more specific provisions of the Part 360 requirements. New York has stated that such a variance will not be granted in any way that is less stringent than the Part 258 requirements. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will also formally amend its Part 360 regulations to clarify that variances to Part 360 provisions will not be granted in any way that is less stringent than the Part 258 requirements. There are currently 41 active landfills in New York State subject to both the 40 CFR Part 258 and 6 NYCRR Part 360 regulations. There was a significant decrease in the number of active MSWLFs as a result of the April 9, 1994 federal deadline for small landfills to either close or be subject to all of the federal criteria. Twenty-eight (28) facilities are under Part 360 permits, eleven (11) facilities are under consent order, and two (2) facilities are operating without either a permit or consent order. New York State is concentrating its efforts to bring all landfills that receive municipal solid waste into compliance with the Part 360 regulations through one or more forms of enforcement actions. Landfills that are permitted under the revised Part 360 regulations, effective October 9, 1993, will meet the federal criteria. For existing facilities all owners or operators must file a renewal application if they intend to continue construction or operation beyond the expiration date of existing permits. For those facilities with Part 360 permits that will expire over the next 2-3 years, the Department will ensure that each such facility meets the applicable federal and state regulations before a renewal permit is issued. Further, for the estimated seven facilities with permits that will expire three or more years beyond the date of program approval, the Department will pursue permit modifications in accordance with requirements contained in 6 NYCRR Part 621 Uniform Procedures. New York State expects to complete those seven permit modifications so as to ensure compliance with both federal and state regulations within three years of program approval. Those facilities operating under a consent order will either be required to close or be upgraded to meet the applicable regulations in accordance with the terms and conditions of their consent order. New York does not have the statutory authority to enforce the MSWLF permit program on Indian Lands. MSWLFs located on Indian Lands are subject to the Federal Criteria. The EPA will hold two public hearings on its tentative decision. Comments can be submitted orally at the hearing or in writing at the time of the hearing. The public may also submit written comments on EPA's tentative determination to the location indicated in the ADDRESSES section of this notice such that they are received by the close of business on September 13, 1994. Copies of New York's state application are available for inspection and copying at the locations indicated in the ADDRESSES section of this notice. EPA will consider all public comments on its tentative determination received during the public comment period and during each public hearing. Issues raised by those comments may be the basis for a determination of inadequacy for New York's state program. EPA expects to make a final decision on whether or not to approve New York's state program by November 1, 1994, and will give notice of it in the Federal Register. The notice will include a summary of the reasons for the final determination and responses to all major comments. Section 4005(a) of RCRA provides that citizens may use the citizen suit provisions of Section 7002 of RCRA to enforce the Federal MSWLF criteria in 40 CFR Part 258 independent of any State/Tribal enforcement program. As EPA explained in the preamble to the final MSWLF criteria, EPA expects that any owner or operator complying with provisions in a State/Tribal program approved by EPA will be considered to be in compliance with Federal Criteria. See 56 FR 50978, 50995 (October 9, 1991). Compliance With Executive Order 12866 The Office of Management and Budget has exempted this notice from the requirement of Section 6 of Executive Order 12866. Certification Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act Pursuant to the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 605(b), I hereby certify that this approval will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. It does not impose any new burdens on small entities. This notice, therefore, does not require a regulatory flexibility analysis. Authority: This notice is issued under the authority of Section 4005 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act as amended; 42 U.S.C. 6946. Dated: July 21, 1994. Jeanne M. Fox, Regional Administrator. [FR Doc. 94-18450 Filed 7-27-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P