81 FR 41535 - Preliminary 2016 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 123 (June 27, 2016)

This notice announces the availability of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Preliminary 2016 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan (Preliminary 2016 Plan) and solicits public comment. Section 304(m) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) requires EPA to biennially publish a plan for new and revised effluent limitations guidelines, after public review and comment. The Preliminary 2016 Plan identifies any new or existing industrial categories selected for effluent guidelines or pretreatment standards and provides a schedule for their development. EPA typically publishes a preliminary plan upon which the public is invited to comment, and then publishes a final plan thereafter. The information and analyses from the 2015 Annual Review were used in developing the Preliminary 2016 Plan.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 123 (Monday, June 27, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41535-41536]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-15133]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2015-0665; FRL-9948-34-OW]
RIN 2040-ZA25


Preliminary 2016 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the Environmental 
Protection Agency's (EPA) Preliminary 2016 Effluent Guidelines Program 
Plan (Preliminary 2016 Plan) and solicits public comment. Section 
304(m) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) requires EPA to biennially publish 
a plan for new and revised effluent limitations guidelines, after 
public review and comment. The Preliminary 2016 Plan identifies any new 
or existing industrial categories selected for effluent guidelines or 
pretreatment standards and provides a schedule for their development. 
EPA typically publishes a preliminary plan upon which the public is 
invited to comment, and then publishes a final plan thereafter. The 
information and analyses from the 2015 Annual Review were used in 
developing the Preliminary 2016 Plan.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 27, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2015-0665, to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments. Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or withdrawn. The 
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. The 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 http://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. William F. Swietlik, Engineering 
and Analysis Division, Office of Water, 4303T, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone number: (202) 566-1129; fax number: (202) 566-1053; email 
address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. General Information

    A. Supporting Documents--A key document providing additional 
information includes the 2015 Annual Effluent Guidelines Review Report.
    B. How Can I Get Copies of These Documents and Other Related 
Information?
    1. Docket. EPA has established official public dockets for these 
actions under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2015-0665. The official public 
docket is the collection of materials that are available for public 
viewing at the Water Docket in the EPA Docket Center, (EPA/DC) EPA 
West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    2. Electronic Access. You can access this Federal Register document 
electronically through the United States government online source for 
Federal regulations at http://www.regulations.gov.
    3. Internet access. Copies of the supporting documents are 
available at http://www.epa.gov/eg/effluent-guidelines-plan.
    C. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA?
    Tips for Preparing Your Comments. When submitting comments, 
remember to:
     Identify the rulemaking by docket number and other 
identifying information (subject heading, Federal Register date and 
page number).
     Follow directions--The agency might ask you to respond to 
specific questions or organize comments by referencing a Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) part or section number.
     Explain why you agree or disagree, suggest alternatives, 
and substitute language for your requested changes.
     Describe any assumptions and provide any technical 
information and/or data that you used.
     If you estimate potential costs or burdens, explain how 
you arrived at your estimate in sufficient detail to allow for it to be 
reproduced.
     Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns, and 
suggest alternatives.
     Explain your views as clearly as possible.
     Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period 
deadline identified.

II. How is this document organized?

    The outline of this notice follows.

A. Legal Authority
B. Summary of the Preliminary 2016 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan
C. Request for Public Comments and Information

A. Legal Authority

    This notice is published under the authority of the CWA, 33 U.S.C. 
1251, et seq., and in particular sections 301(d),

[[Page 41536]]

304(b), 304(g), 304(m), 306, 307(b), and 308 of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 
1311(d), 1314(b), 1314(g), 1314(m), 1316, 1317(b), and 1318.

B. Summary of the Preliminary 2016 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan

    EPA prepared the Preliminary 2016 Plan pursuant to CWA section 
304(m). The Preliminary 2016 Plan provides a summary of EPA's review of 
effluent guidelines and pretreatment standards, consistent with CWA 
sections 301(d), 304(b), 304(g), 304(m), and 307(b). From these 
reviews, the Preliminary 2016 Plan identifies any new or existing 
industrial categories selected for effluent guidelines or pretreatment 
standards rulemakings, and provides a schedule for such rulemakings. In 
addition, the Preliminary 2016 Plan presents any new or existing 
categories of industry selected for further review and analysis. The 
Preliminary 2016 Plan and 2015 Annual Effluent Guidelines Review Report 
can be found at http://www.epa.gov/eg/effluent-guidelines-plan.

C. Request for Public Comments and Information

    EPA requests comments and information on the following topics:
1. Data Sources and Methodologies
    EPA solicits comments on the evaluation factors, criteria, and data 
sources used in conducting its 2015 Annual Review and in developing the 
Preliminary 2016 Plan. EPA also solicits comment on other data sources 
it might use in its annual reviews and biennial planning process.
2. The Preliminary 2016 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan
    EPA solicits comments on its Preliminary 2016 Plan, including the 
data and information used to support the findings, actions, and 
conclusions as stated in the Preliminary 2016 Plan. Specifically, EPA 
solicits public comment and stakeholder input, data and information on:
    (a) Industry Reviews. EPA is initiating or continuing to review 
wastewater discharges for the following industry categories: Iron and 
Steel Manufacturing; Organic Chemicals, Plastics, and Synthetic Fibers; 
Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard; Battery Manufacturing; and Electrical and 
Electronic Components Manufacturing. EPA solicits data and information 
regarding the discharge and treatment of pollutants identified in the 
Preliminary 2016 Plan from these industrial processes, as well as any 
other information relevant to EPA's review.
    (b) Continued Study of Centralized Waste Treatment (CWT) 
facilities. EPA gathered information about CWT facilities across the 
country and identified those facilities that currently accept or have 
in the past accepted oil and gas extraction wastewaters. EPA included a 
memorandum in the record that identifies these facilities. EPA requests 
comment on the accuracy and completeness of the information contained 
in this memorandum, as well as any other information relevant to EPA's 
study of CWT facilities.
    (c) Conventional Extraction in the Oil and Gas Industry. EPA 
solicits data and information for the first time on known transfers of 
wastewater originating from conventional oil and gas extraction 
facilities to Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs). In particular, 
EPA seeks information on the extent to which this practice is 
occurring, including the identification of conventional oil and gas 
facilities which discharge to POTWs. EPA also requests information on 
wastewater volumes transferred to POTWs as well as information on the 
pollutants in these wastewater (type, concentration, etc.) and any 
other known characteristics of the pollutants.
    (d) Produced Water Discharges in the Oil and Gas Industry. EPA 
solicits information for the first time on the quantity, composition, 
and purpose of well treatment and workover fluids in produced water 
discharges authorized under 40 CFR part 435, subpart E (Agricultural 
and Wildlife Water Use Subcategory) which, if good enough quality, can 
be used for wildlife or livestock watering or other agricultural uses, 
and are actually put to such use during periods of discharge. EPA 
solicits information on both conventional and unconventional oil and 
gas extraction. For this solicitation, ``Well treatment fluids'' means 
any fluid used to restore or improve productivity by chemically or 
physically altering hydrocarbon-bearing strata after a well has been 
drilled. ``Workover fluids'' means salt solutions, weighted brines, 
polymers, or other specialty additives used in a producing well to 
allow for maintenance, repair, or abandonment procedures.
3. Innovation and Technology in the Effluent Guidelines Program
    EPA solicits input on ideas, approaches and information on how to 
design smart regulations to support emerging technologies as described 
in ``A Strategy for American Innovation,'' prepared by the National 
Economic Council and Office of Science and Technology Policy. October 
2015. See: https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/strategy_for_american_innovation_october_2015.pdf.

    Dated: June 17, 2016.
Joel Beauvais,
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Water.
[FR Doc. 2016-15133 Filed 6-24-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P