Ohio: Final Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program Revision

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

EPA is granting Ohio Final authorization of the changes to its hazardous waste program under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The agency published a proposed rule on August 11, 2005 at 70 FR 46799 and provided for public comment. The public comment period ended on September 12, 2005. We received no comments. No further opportunity for comment will be provided. EPA has determined that these changes satisfy all requirements needed to qualify for final authorization.

DATES:

The final authorization will be effective on January 20, 2006.

ADDRESSES:

EPA has established a docket for this action under Docket ID No. EPA R-05-RCRA-2006-0032. All documents in the docket are listed on the http://www.regulations.gov Web site. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, is not placed on the internet and will be publicly available only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically through http://www.regulations.gov or in hard copy as follows. You can view and copy Ohio's application from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the following addresses: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Lazarus Government Center, 122 South Front Street, Columbus, Ohio, (mailing address P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, Ohio 43216) contact Kit Arthur (614) 644-2932; and EPA Region 5, contact Gary Westefer at the following address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Gary Westefer, Ohio Regulatory Specialist, U.S. EPA Region 5, DM-7J, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604, at (312) 886-7450, or at westefer.gary@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On August 11, 2005, EPA published a proposed rule proposing to grant Ohio authorization for changes to its RCRA program, listed in Section F of that notice, which was subject to public comment. The public comment period ended September 12, 2005, additional comment time was provided through newspaper notices and comments were accepted through October 31, 2005. No comments were received. We hereby determine that Ohio's hazardous waste program revisions satisfy all of the requirements necessary to qualify for final authorization.

A. Why Are Revisions to State Programs Necessary?

States which have received final authorization from EPA under RCRA section 3006(b), 42 U.S.C. 6926(b), must maintain a hazardous waste program that is equivalent to, consistent with, and no less stringent than the Federal program. As the Federal program changes, States must change their programs and ask EPA to authorize the changes. Changes to State programs may be necessary when Federal or State statutory or regulatory authority is modified or when certain other changes occur. Most commonly, States must change their programs because of changes to EPA's regulations in 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) parts 124, 260 through 266, 268, 270, 273 and 279.

B. What Decisions Have We Made in This Rule?

We conclude that Ohio's application to revise its authorized program meets all of the statutory and regulatory requirements established by RCRA. Therefore, we propose to grant Ohio final authorization to operate its hazardous waste program with the changes described in the authorization application. Ohio has responsibility for permitting Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities (TSDFs) within its borders (except in Indian Country) and for carrying out the aspects of the RCRA program described in its revised program application, subject to the limitations of the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984 (HSWA). New Federal requirements and prohibitions imposed by Federal regulations that EPA promulgates under the authority of HSWA take effect in authorized States before they are authorized for the requirements. Thus, EPA will implement those requirements and prohibitions in Ohio, including issuing permits, until the State is granted authorization to do so.

C. What Is the Effect of Today's Authorization Decision?

This decision means that a facility in Ohio subject to RCRA will now have to comply with the authorized State requirements (listed in section F of this notice) instead of the equivalent Federal requirements in order to comply with RCRA. Ohio has enforcement responsibilities under its State hazardous waste program for violations of such program, but EPA retains its authority under RCRA sections 3007, 3008, 3013, and 7003, which include, among others, authority to:

• Do inspections, and require monitoring, tests, analyses or reports;
• Enforce RCRA requirements and suspend or revoke permits;
• Take enforcement actions regardless of whether the State has taken its own actions.

This action does not impose additional requirements on the regulated community because the regulations for which Ohio is being authorized by today's action are already effective, and are not changed by today's action.

D. Proposed Rule

On August 11, 2005 (70 FR 46799), EPA published a proposed rule. In that rule we proposed granting authorization of changes to Ohio's hazardous waste program and opened our decision to public comment. The agency received no comments on this proposal. EPA found Ohio's RCRA program to be satisfactory.

E. What Has Ohio Previously Been Authorized for?

Ohio initially received final authorization on June 28, 1989, effective June 30, 1989 (54 FR 27170) to implement the RCRA hazardous waste management program. We granted authorization for changes to their program on April 8, 1991, effective June 7, 1991 (56 FR 14203) as corrected June 19, 1991, effective August 19, 1991 (56 FR 28088); July 27, 1995, effective September 25, 1995 (60 FR 38502); October 23, 1996, effective December 23, 1996 (61 FR 54950); and January 24, 2003, effective January 24, 2003 (68 FR 3429).

F. What Changes Are We Authorizing With Today's Action?

On October 18, 2004, Ohio submitted a final complete program revision application, seeking authorization of their changes in accordance with 40 CFR 271.21. We now make a final decision that Ohio's hazardous waste program revision satisfies all of the requirements necessary to qualify for final authorization. Therefore, we propose to grant Ohio final authorization for the following program changes:

U.S. EPA promulgated a new § 268.33 on November 8, 2000, Ohio has an effective rule for this new rule at OAC 3745-270-33 effective December 7, 2004. It will not be authorized in this action.

The tables that were Federal §§ 268.41 and 268.43 were moved into § 268.40. The recission of OAC 3745-59-41 and 3745-59-43 maintains Ohio's consistency with the Federal rule.

G. Where Are the Revised State Rules Different From the Federal Rules?

Ohio has excluded the non-delegable Federal requirements at 40 CFR 268.5, 268.6, 268.42(b), 268.44, and 270.3. EPA will continue to implement those requirements.

In this package, Ohio has also amended Broader in Scope provisions in State initiated changes HB 147 (OAC 3745-50-34), HB 215 biennium budget bill (OAC 3745-50-33, 3745-50-35), CL-UW (OAC 3745-50-33) and CL-UO (see State initiated changes above) (OAC 3745-50-34).

In Checklists 112, 137 and 169, Ohio is not requesting authorization for that portion covering 266.100 because they are not authorized for Boilers and Industrial Furnaces.

H. Who Handles Permits After the Authorization Takes Effect?

Ohio will issue permits for all the provisions for which it is authorized and will administer the permits it issues. EPA will continue to administer any RCRA hazardous waste permits or portions of permits which we issued prior to the effective date of this authorization until they expire or are terminated. We will not issue any more new permits or new portions of permits for the provisions listed in the Table above after the effective date of this authorization. EPA will continue to implement and issue permits for HSWA requirements for which Ohio is not yet authorized.

I. How Does Today's Action Affect Indian Country (18 U.S.C. 1151) in Ohio?

Ohio is not authorized to carry out its hazardous waste program in “Indian Country,” as defined in 18 U.S.C. 1151. Indian Country includes:

1. All lands within the exterior boundaries of Indian reservations within the State of Ohio;

2. Any land held in trust by the U.S. for an Indian tribe; and

3. Any other land, whether on or off an Indian reservation that qualifies as Indian Country. Therefore, EPA retains the authority to implement and administer the RCRA program in Indian Country. However, at this time, there is no Indian Country within the State of Ohio.

J. What Is Codification and Is EPA Codifying Ohio's Hazardous Waste Program as Authorized in This Rule?

Codification is the process of placing the State's statutes and regulations that comprise the State's authorized hazardous waste program into the Code of Federal Regulations. We do this by referencing the authorized State rules in 40 CFR part 272. Ohio's rules, up to and including those revised January 4, 2001, have previously been codified through the incorporation-by-reference effective December 24, 2001 (66 FR 53728, October 24, 2001). We reserve the amendment of 40 CFR part 272, subpart KK for the codification of Ohio's program changes until a later date.

K. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

This rule only authorizes hazardous waste requirements pursuant to RCRA section 3006 and does not impose any requirements other than those imposed by State law (see Supplementary Information, Section A. Why are Revisions to State Programs Necessary?). Therefore this rule complies with applicable executive orders and statutory provisions as follows:

1. Executive Order 18266: Regulatory Planning Review

The Office of Management and Budget has exempted this rule from its review under Executive Order 12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993).

2. Paperwork Reduction Act

This rule does not impose an information collection burden under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

3. Regulatory Flexibility Act

After considering the economic impacts of today's rule on small entities under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), I certify that this rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

4. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act

Because this rule approves pre-existing requirements under state law and does not impose any additional enforceable duty beyond that required by state law, it does not contain any unfunded mandate or significantly or uniquely affect small governments, as described in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4).

5. Executive Order 13132: Federalism

Executive Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999) does not apply to this rule because it will not have federalism implications (i.e., substantial direct effects on the States, on the relationship between the national government and the States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government).

6. Executive Order 13175: Consultation and Coordination With Indian Tribal Governments

Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000) does not apply to this rule because it will not have tribal implications (i.e., substantial direct effects on one or more Indian Tribes, or on the relationship between the Federal Government and Indian Tribes, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities between the Federal Government and Indian Tribes.)

7. Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children From Environmental Health and Safety Risks

This rule is not subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997), because it is not economically significant and it is not based on environmental health or safety risks.

8. Executive Order 13211: Actions That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use

This rule is not subject to Executive Order 13211 (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001), because it is not a significant regulatory action as defined in Executive Order 12866.

9. National Technology Transfer Advancement Act

EPA approves State programs as long as they meet criteria required by RCRA, so it would be inconsistent with applicable law for EPA, in its review of a State program, to require the use of any particular voluntary consensus standard in place of another standard that meets requirements of RCRA. Thus, the requirements of section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note) do not apply to this rule.

10. Executive Order 12988

As required by section 3 of Executive Order 12988 (61 FR 4729, February 7, 1996), in issuing this rule, EPA has taken the necessary steps to eliminate drafting errors and ambiguity, minimize potential litigation, and provide a clear legal standard for affected conduct.

11. Executive Order 12630: Evaluation of Risk and Avoidance of Unanticipated Takings

EPA has complied with Executive Order 12630 (53 FR 8859, March 15, 1988) by examining the takings implications of the rule in accordance with the Attorney General's Supplemental Guidelines for the Evaluation of Risk and Avoidance of Unanticipated Takings issued under the Executive Order.

12. Congressional Review Act

EPA will submit a report containing this rule and other information required by the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.) to the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Comptroller General of the United States prior to publication in the Federal Register. A major rule cannot take effect until 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register. This action is not a “major rule” as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 271

• Environmental protection
• Administrative practice and procedure
• Confidential business information
• Hazardous materials transportation
• Hazardous waste
• Indians-lands
• Intergovernmental relations
• Penalties
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements

Authority: This action is issued under the authority of sections 2002(a), 3006 and 7004(b) of the Solid Waste Disposal Act as amended, 42 U.S.C. 6912(a), 6926, 6974(b).