[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 36 (Thursday, February 22, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 6805-6806]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-3844]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 261
[FRL-5427-6]
Extension of Comment Period for the Proposed Hazardous Waste
Identification Rule (HWIR)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is
extending the comment period for the proposed Hazardous Waste
Identification Rule (HWIR), which appeared in the Federal Register on
December 21, 1995 (60 FR 66344). The extension is necessary for two
reasons: the first is the government shutdown during the original
comment period which did not allow commentors to review the background
documentation supporting the rulemaking and the second is the Agency
has received an overwhelming number of requests for comment period
extensions due to the complexity of the proposed rulemaking. The public
comment period for this proposed rule was to end February 20, 1996. The
comment period is extended to April 22, 1996.
DATES: EPA will continue to accept public comments on the proposed
Hazardous Waste Identification Rule until April 22, 1996.
ADDRESSES: The public must send an original, two copies, and whenever
possible, a 3.5 inch computer disk containing the comments in a common
word processing format such as WordPerfect version 5.1 to: EPA RCRA
Docket (5305W), 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460.
Place ``Docket number F-95-WHWP-FFFFF'' on your comments. The RCRA
docket is located at: EPA's Crystal Gateway Office, 1235 Jefferson
Davis Highway, Arlington, Virginia.
and is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday,
excluding Federal holidays. The public must make an appointment to
review docket materials by calling (703) 603-9230. The public may copy
material from any regulatory docket at a cost of $0.15 per page. Copies
of the background documents, Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)
chemical files, and other references (which are not readily available)
are available for viewing and copying only in the RCRA docket.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The RCRA/Superfund Hotline at (800)
424-9346 or at (703) 412-9810. For technical information contact Mr.
William A. Collins, Jr., Mr. Greg Helms, Ms. Pamela McMains, or Ms.
Tracy Atagi, Office of Solid Waste (5304), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460, (202)
260-8100.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed rule was issued under the
authority of sections 2002(a), 3001, 3002, 3004 and 3006 of the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). EPA proposed to amend
its regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
by establishing constituent-specific exit levels for low-risk solid
wastes that are designated as hazardous because they are listed, or
have been mixed, derived from, or contain listed hazardous wastes. See
60 FR 66344 (December 21, 1995) for a more detailed explanation of the
proposed rule.
Extension of Comment Period
The comment period for this proposed rule was scheduled to end on
February 20, 1996. However, the RCRA Docket was closed due to the
partial government shutdown from December 15, 1995 until January 6,
1996, and from January 8 until January 12, 1996 due to inclement
weather. As a result of the partial government shutdown and snow
closures, background documents located in the RCRA Docket were
available to the public for only one day during the first three and
one-half weeks of the public comment period. Similarly, during the same
period EPA personnel were unavailable to answer questions about the
notice of proposed rulemaking or to make other arrangements to obtain
documents relevant to the rulemaking.
[[Page 6806]]
This severely reduced the effectiveness of the first half of the 60-day
comment period.
EPA has also received requests for comment period extensions on
other grounds. The notice proposed ``exit values'', or specific
concentrations at which chemicals pose only low risk to human health or
the environment, for over 400 chemicals found in hazardous wastes
currently regulated under RCRA. See 60 FR 66349-66380. The risk
assessment used to generate the exit values is unusually complex. EPA
has received at least seven written requests to extend the comment
period by up to 120 days. The requestors believe such extensions are
essential to allow them to analyze the risk assessment and prepare
meaningful comments.
EPA determined that it needed to extend the comment period by a
total of 60 days to provide an adequate opportunity for public
participation in this rulemaking. EPA is therefore extending the
comment period for this rulemaking to April 22, 1996.
Dated: February 15, 1996.
Elizabeth A. Cotsworth,
Acting Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 96-3844 Filed 2-20-96; 11:50 a.m.]
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