81_FR_69601 81 FR 69407 - Final Determination To Approve Site-Specific Flexibility for Closure and Monitoring of the Picacho Landfill

81 FR 69407 - Final Determination To Approve Site-Specific Flexibility for Closure and Monitoring of the Picacho Landfill

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 194 (October 6, 2016)

Page Range69407-69409
FR Document2016-23839

The Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX, is making a final determination to approve two Site-Specific Flexibility Requests (SSFRs) from Imperial County (County or Imperial County) to close and monitor the Picacho Solid Waste Landfill (Picacho Landfill or Landfill). The Picacho Landfill is a commercial municipal solid waste landfill (MSWLF) operated by Imperial County from 1977 to the present on the Quechan Indian Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation in California. EPA is promulgating a site-specific rule proposed on April 7, 2016, that approves an alternative final cover and a modification to the prescribed list of groundwater detection-monitoring parameters for ongoing monitoring for the Picacho Landfill.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 194 (Thursday, October 6, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 194 (Thursday, October 6, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 69407-69409]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23839]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 258

[EPA-R09-RCRA-2015-0445; FRL-9953-45-Region 9]


Final Determination To Approve Site-Specific Flexibility for 
Closure and Monitoring of the Picacho Landfill

AGENCY:  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:  Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY:  The Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX, is making a 
final determination to approve two Site-Specific Flexibility Requests 
(SSFRs) from Imperial County (County or Imperial County) to close and 
monitor the Picacho Solid Waste Landfill (Picacho Landfill or 
Landfill). The Picacho Landfill is a commercial municipal solid waste 
landfill (MSWLF) operated by Imperial County from 1977 to the present 
on the Quechan Indian Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation in 
California.
    EPA is promulgating a site-specific rule proposed on April 7, 2016, 
that approves an alternative final cover and a modification to the 
prescribed list of groundwater detection-monitoring parameters for 
ongoing monitoring for the Picacho Landfill.

DATES:  This final rule is effective on October 6, 2016.

ADDRESSES:  EPA has established a docket for this action under Docket 
ID No. EPA-R09-RCRA-2015-0445. All documents in the docket are listed 
in the http://www.regulations.gov index. Publicly available docket 
materials are available electronically in http://www.regulations.gov 
and in hard copy at the EPA Library, located at the Environmental 
Protection Agency, Region IX, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, 
California. The EPA Library is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday 
through Thursday, excluding legal holidays, and is located in a secured 
building. To review docket materials at the EPA Library, it is 
recommended that the public make an appointment by calling (415) 947-
4406 during normal business hours. Copying arrangements will be made 
through the EPA Library and billed directly to the recipient. Copying 
costs may be waived depending on the total number of pages copied.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Steve Wall, Land Division, Mail Code 
LND 2-3 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 75 Hawthorne Street, San 
Francisco, CA 94105-3901; telephone number: (415) 972-3381; fax number: 
(415) 947-3564; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. What did EPA propose?

    After completing a review of Imperial County's Picacho Landfill 
Final Closure/Post-Closure Maintenance Plan and the associated SSFRs, 
EPA proposed this rulemaking in the Federal Register. The proposed 
determination was published at 81 FR 20274, April 7, 2016. EPA proposed 
to approve an alternative final cover that varies from the final 
closure requirements of 40 CFR 258.60(a) but meets the criteria at 40 
CFR 258.60(b), and alternative groundwater detection monitoring 
parameters for post-closure monitoring in accordance with 40 CFR 
258.54(a).

II. Legal Authority for This Action

    Under sections 1008, 2002, 4004, and 4010 of the Resource 
Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) as amended by the 
Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984 (HSWA), 42 U.S.C. 6901 et 
seq., Congress required EPA to establish revised minimum federal 
criteria for MSWLFs, including landfill location restrictions, 
operating standards, design standards, and requirements for ground 
water monitoring, corrective action, closure and post-closure care, and 
financial assurance. Under RCRA section 4005, states are to develop 
permit programs for facilities that may receive household hazardous 
waste or waste from conditionally exempt small quantity generators of 
hazardous waste, and EPA is to determine whether the state's program is 
adequate to ensure that such facilities will comply with the revised 
federal criteria.
    The MSWLF criteria are set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations 
at 40 CFR part 258. These regulations are prescriptive, self-
implementing and apply directly to owners and operators of MSWLFs. Many 
of these criteria include a flexible performance standard as an 
alternative to the prescriptive, self-implementing regulation. The 
flexible standard is not self-implementing, and requires approval by 
the Director of an EPA-approved state MSWLF permitting program. 
However, EPA's approval of a state program generally does not extend to 
Indian Country because states generally do not have authority over 
Indian Country. For this reason, owners and operators of MSWLF units 
located in Indian Country cannot take advantage of the flexibilities 
available to those facilities that are within the jurisdiction of an 
EPA-approved state program. However, the EPA has the authority under 
sections 2002, 4004, and 4010 of RCRA to promulgate site-specific rules 
to enable such owners and operators to use the flexible standards. See 
Yankton Sioux Tribe v. EPA, 950 F. Supp. 1471 (D.S.D. 1996); 
Backcountry Against Dumps v. EPA, 100 F.3d 147 (D.C. Cir. 1996). EPA 
refers to such rules as ``Site-Specific Flexibility Determinations.'' 
EPA has developed guidance for owners and operators on preparing a 
request for such a site-specific rule, entitled ``Site-Specific 
Flexibility Requests for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills in Indian 
Country, Draft Guidance,'' EPA530-R-97-016 (August 1997) (Draft 
Guidance).

III. Background

    The Picacho Landfill is located on Quechan tribal lands on the Fort 
Yuma Indian Reservation approximately four miles north-northeast of the 
community of Winterhaven, in Imperial County, California. The Picacho 
Landfill is a commercial MSWLF operated by Imperial County from 1977 to 
the present. The landfill site is approximately 12.5 acres.
    In January 2006, the Tribe requested that EPA provide comments on 
the County's closure plan. Between 2006 and 2011, EPA worked with the 
Tribe, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the County to develop the 
closure plan. During this time, EPA also reviewed the SSFRs to 
determine whether they met technical and regulatory requirements. On 
October 27, 2010, Imperial County submitted its Picacho Final Closure/
Post[hyphen]Closure Maintenance Plan. EPA provided a final round of 
comments on February 10, 2011, which Imperial County incorporated as an 
addendum. On April 30, 2012, the Tribe approved the Picacho Landfill 
Final Closure/Post-Closure Maintenance Plan as amended, and, pursuant 
to EPA's Draft Guidance, the Tribe forwarded to EPA two SSFRs that had 
been submitted by Imperial County to close and monitor the Picacho 
Landfill. The requests sought EPA approval to use an alternative final 
cover meeting the performance requirements of 40 CFR 258.60(a), and to 
modify the prescribed list of groundwater detection-monitoring 
parameters provided in 40 CFR 258.54(a)(1) and (2) for ongoing 
monitoring.

[[Page 69408]]

IV. Basis for Final Determination

    EPA is basing its final determination to approve the site-specific 
flexibility requests on the Tribe's approval, dated April 30, 2012, 
EPA's independent review of the Picacho Landfill Final Closure/Post-
Closure Maintenance Plan as amended, and the associated SSFRs.

A. Alternative Final Cover SSFR: Alternative Final Cover System

    The regulations require the installation of a final cover system 
specified in 40 CFR 258.60(a), which consists of an infiltration layer 
with a minimum of 18 inches of compacted clay with a permeability of 1 
x 10-5 cm/sec, covered by an erosion layer with a minimum 
six inches of topsoil. Imperial County sought approval for an 
alternative final cover designed to satisfy the performance criteria 
specified in 40 CFR 258.60(b); Imperial County proposed to replace this 
with an alternative cover consisting of two and a half feet of native 
soil to control infiltration covered by six inches of a soil gravel 
mixture to control erosion.
    EPA is basing its final determination on a number of factors, 
including: (1) Research showing that prescriptive, self-implementing 
requirements for final covers, comprised of low permeability compacted 
clay, do not perform well in the arid west. The clay dries out and 
cracks, which allows increased infiltration along the cracks; (2) 
Research showing that in arid environments thick soil covers comprised 
of native soil can perform as well or better than the prescriptive 
cover; and (3) Imperial County's analysis demonstrates, based on site-
specific climatic conditions and soil properties, that the proposed 
alternative soil final cover will achieve equivalent reduction in 
infiltration as the prescriptive cover design and that the proposed 
erosion layer provides equivalent protection from wind and water 
erosion. This analysis is provided in Appendix D and Appendix D-1 of 
the Picacho Landfill Final Closure/Post-Closure Maintenance Plan dated 
October 27, 2010 and amended by EPA's comments dated February 20, 2011.

B. Groundwater Monitoring SSFR: Alternative Detection Monitoring 
Parameters

    The regulations require post-closure monitoring of 15 heavy metals, 
listed in 40 CFR part 258, Appendix I. Imperial County proposed to 
replace these, with the exception of arsenic, with the alternative 
inorganic indicator parameters chloride, nitrate as nitrogen, sulfate, 
and total dissolved solids.
    EPA's final determination is based on the fact that the County has 
performed over 15 years of semi-annual groundwater monitoring at the 
site, and during that time arsenic was the only heavy metal detected at 
a value that slightly exceeded the federal maximum contaminant level 
(MCL), a standard used for drinking water.

V. Summary of Public Comments Received and Response to Comments

    EPA received one anonymous public comment during the public comment 
period stating support for EPA's Tentative Determination to Approve 
Site-Specific Flexibility for Closure and Monitoring of the Picacho 
Landfill, as proposed in the Federal Register on April 7, 2016.

VI. Additional Findings

    In order to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act, 54 
U.S.C. 100101 et seq., Imperial County Department of Public Works will 
coordinate with the Tribe to arrange for a qualified Native American 
monitor to be present during any work. If buried or previously 
unidentified resources are located during project activities, all work 
within the vicinity of the find will cease, and the provisions of 36 
CFR 800.13(b) will be implemented. If, during the course of the 
Landfill closure activities, previously undocumented archaeological 
material or human remains are encountered, all work shall cease in the 
immediate area and a qualified archaeologist shall be retained to 
evaluate the significance of the find and recommend further management 
actions.
    Though no known threatened or endangered species or their habitat 
exist on the site, in order to ensure compliance with the Endangered 
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1536 et seq., a preconstruction survey will be 
conducted prior to cover installation to ensure no threatened or 
endangered species are present. In particular, the survey will look for 
the presence of desert tortoises, which may occur in Imperial County. 
Should desert tortoises or other threatened or endangered species be 
encountered in the survey, or at any time during the closure of the 
Picacho Landfill, the County shall contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service to develop avoidance measures to ensure that impacts to the 
species are minimized. Following closure and vegetation restoration 
activities, the project site may become suitable for threatened and 
endangered species. This would be a beneficial effect.
    Under Executive Order 12866, ``Regulatory Planning and Review'' (58 
FR 51735, October 4, 1993), this rule is not of general applicability 
and therefore is not a regulatory action subject to review by the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
    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.) because it applies to a particular facility only.
    Because this rule is of particular applicability relating to a 
particular facility, it is not subject to the regulatory flexibility 
provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), or 
to sections 202, 204, and 205 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 
1995 (UMRA) (Pub. L. 104-4). Because this rule will affect only a 
particular facility, it will not significantly or uniquely affect small 
governments, as specified in section 203 of UMRA.
    Because this rule will affect only a particular facility, this 
proposed rule does not have federalism implications. It will not have 
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, as 
specified in Executive Order 13132, ``Federalism,'' (64 FR 43255, 
August 10, 1999). Thus, Executive Order 13132 does not apply to this 
rule.
    This rule also is not subject to Executive Order 13045, 
``Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety 
Risks'' (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997), because it is not economically 
significant as defined in Executive Order 12866, and because the Agency 
does not have reason to believe the environmental health or safety 
risks posed by this action present a risk to children. The basis for 
this belief is EPA's analysis of the potential risks posed by Imperial 
County's alternative final cover and alternative groundwater detection-
monitoring parameters proposals and the standards set forth in this 
rulemaking.
    This rule is not subject to Executive Order 13211, ``Actions 
Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, 
Distribution, or Use'' (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001), because it is not a 
significant regulatory action under Executive Order 12866.
    As required by section three of Executive Order 12988, ``Civil 
Justice Reform,'' (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.

[[Page 69409]]

    Executive Order 13175, entitled ``Consultation and Coordination 
with Indian Tribal Governments,'' (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000), 
calls for EPA to develop an accountable process to ensure ``meaningful 
and timely input by tribal officials in the development of regulatory 
policies that have tribal implications.'' See also ``EPA Policy for the 
Administration of Environmental Programs on Indian Reservations,'' 
(November 8, 1984) and ``EPA Policy on Consultation and Coordination 
with Indian Tribes,'' (May 4, 2011). EPA consulted with the Quechan 
Tribe throughout Imperial County's development of its closure and 
monitoring plans for the Picacho Landfill.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 258

    Environmental protection, Final cover, Monitoring, Municipal 
landfills, Post-closure care groundwater, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Waste treatment and disposal, Water pollution control.

    Dated: September 22, 2016.
Alexis Strauss,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region IX.

    For the reasons stated in the preamble, 40 CFR part 258 is amended 
as follows:

PART 258--CRITERIA FOR MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE LANDFILLS

0
1. The authority citation for part 258 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  33 U.S.C. 1345(d) and (e); 42 U.S.C. 6902(a), 6907, 
6912(a), 6944, 6945(c) and 6949a(c), 6981(a).

Subpart F--Closure and Post-Closure Care

0
2. Section 258.62 is amended by removing ``[Reserved]'' at the end of 
the section and adding paragraph (b) to read as follows:


Sec.  258.62  Approval of site-specific flexibility requests in Indian 
country.

* * * * *
    (b) Picacho Municipal Solid Waste Landfill--alternative list of 
detection monitoring parameters and alternative final cover. This 
paragraph (b) applies to the Picacho Landfill, a Municipal Solid Waste 
Landfill operated by Imperial County on the Quechan Indian Tribe of the 
Fort Yuma Indian Reservation in California.
    (1) In accordance with Sec.  258.54(a), the owner and operator may 
modify the list of heavy metal detection monitoring parameters 
specified in appendix I of this part, as required during Post-Closure 
Care by Sec.  258.61(a)(3), by replacing monitoring of the inorganic 
constituents, with the exception of arsenic, with the inorganic 
indicator parameters chloride, nitrate as nitrogen, sulfate, and total 
dissolved solids.
    (2) In accordance with Sec.  258.60(b), the owner and operator may 
replace the prescriptive final cover set forth in Sec.  258.60(a), with 
an alternative final cover as follows:
    (i) The owner and operator may install an evapotranspiration cover 
system as an alternative final cover for the 12.5 acre site.
    (ii) The alternative final cover system shall be constructed to 
achieve an equivalent reduction in infiltration as the infiltration 
layer specified in Sec.  258.60(a)(1) and (2), and provide an 
equivalent protection from wind and water erosion as the erosion layer 
specified in Sec.  258.60(a)(3).
    (iii) The final cover system shall consist of a minimum three-foot-
thick multi-layer cover system comprised, from bottom to top, of:
    (A) A minimum 30-inch thick infiltration layer consisting of:
    (1) Existing intermediate cover; and
    (2) Additional cover soil which, prior to placement, shall be 
wetted to optimal moisture and thoroughly mixed to near uniform 
condition, and the material shall then be placed in lifts with an 
uncompacted thickness of six to eight inches, spread evenly and 
compacted to 90 percent of the maximum dry density, and shall:
    (i) Exhibit a grain size distribution that excludes particles in 
excess of three inches in diameter;
    (ii) Have a minimum fines content (percent by weight passing U.S. 
No. 200 Sieve) of seven percent for an individual test and eight 
percent for the average of ten consecutive tests;
    (iii) Have a grain size distribution with a minimum of five percent 
smaller than five microns for an individual test and six percent for 
the average of ten consecutive tests; and
    (iv) Exhibit a maximum saturated hydraulic conductivity on the 
order of 1.0E-03 cm/sec.; and
    (3) A minimum six-inch surface erosion layer comprised of a rock/
soil admixture. The surface erosion layer admixture and gradations for 
3% slopes and 3:1 slopes are detailed below:
    (i) 3% slopes: For the 3% slopes the surface admixture shall be 
composed of pea gravel (\3/8\-inch to \1/2\-inch diameter) mixed with 
cover soil at the ratio of 25% rock to soil by volume with a minimum 
six-inch erosion layer.
    (ii) For the 3:1 side slopes the surface admixture shall be 
composed of either: gravel/rock (\3/4\-inch to one-inch diameter) mixed 
with additional cover soil as described in paragraph (b)(2)(iii)(A)(2) 
of this section at the ratio of 50% rock to soil by volume and result 
in a minimum six-inch erosion layer, or gravel/rock (\3/4\-inch to two-
inch diameter) mixed with additional cover soil as described in 
paragraph (b)(2)(iii)(A)(2) of this section at the ratio of 50% rock to 
soil by volume and result in a minimum 12-inch erosion layer.
    (iii) The owner and operator shall place documentation 
demonstrating compliance with the provisions of this section in the 
operating record.
    (iv) All other applicable provisions of this part remain in effect.
    (B) [Reserved]

[FR Doc. 2016-23839 Filed 10-5-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P



                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 194 / Thursday, October 6, 2016 / Rules and Regulations                                         69407

                                              dichlormid (2,2-dichloro-N,N-di-2-                      depending on the total number of pages                generally do not have authority over
                                              propenylacetamide).                                     copied.                                               Indian Country. For this reason, owners
                                              *    *    *     *    *                                  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                      and operators of MSWLF units located
                                              [FR Doc. 2016–24214 Filed 10–5–16; 8:45 am]             Steve Wall, Land Division, Mail Code                  in Indian Country cannot take advantage
                                              BILLING CODE 6560–50–P                                  LND 2–3 U.S. Environmental Protection                 of the flexibilities available to those
                                                                                                      Agency, 75 Hawthorne Street, San                      facilities that are within the jurisdiction
                                                                                                      Francisco, CA 94105–3901; telephone                   of an EPA-approved state program.
                                              ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION                                number: (415) 972–3381; fax number:                   However, the EPA has the authority
                                              AGENCY                                                  (415) 947–3564; email address:                        under sections 2002, 4004, and 4010 of
                                                                                                      wall.steve@epa.gov.                                   RCRA to promulgate site-specific rules
                                              40 CFR Part 258                                                                                               to enable such owners and operators to
                                                                                                      SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                                                                                                                            use the flexible standards. See Yankton
                                              [EPA–R09–RCRA–2015–0445; FRL–9953–                      I. What did EPA propose?                              Sioux Tribe v. EPA, 950 F. Supp. 1471
                                              45–Region 9]
                                                                                                         After completing a review of Imperial              (D.S.D. 1996); Backcountry Against
                                              Final Determination To Approve Site-                    County’s Picacho Landfill Final                       Dumps v. EPA, 100 F.3d 147 (D.C. Cir.
                                              Specific Flexibility for Closure and                    Closure/Post-Closure Maintenance Plan                 1996). EPA refers to such rules as ‘‘Site-
                                              Monitoring of the Picacho Landfill                      and the associated SSFRs, EPA                         Specific Flexibility Determinations.’’
                                                                                                      proposed this rulemaking in the Federal               EPA has developed guidance for owners
                                              AGENCY:  Environmental Protection                       Register. The proposed determination                  and operators on preparing a request for
                                              Agency (EPA).                                           was published at 81 FR 20274, April 7,                such a site-specific rule, entitled ‘‘Site-
                                              ACTION: Final rule.                                     2016. EPA proposed to approve an                      Specific Flexibility Requests for
                                                                                                      alternative final cover that varies from              Municipal Solid Waste Landfills in
                                              SUMMARY:   The Environmental Protection                                                                       Indian Country, Draft Guidance,’’
                                                                                                      the final closure requirements of 40 CFR
                                              Agency, Region IX, is making a final                                                                          EPA530–R–97–016 (August 1997) (Draft
                                                                                                      258.60(a) but meets the criteria at 40
                                              determination to approve two Site-                                                                            Guidance).
                                                                                                      CFR 258.60(b), and alternative
                                              Specific Flexibility Requests (SSFRs)
                                                                                                      groundwater detection monitoring                      III. Background
                                              from Imperial County (County or
                                                                                                      parameters for post-closure monitoring
                                              Imperial County) to close and monitor                                                                           The Picacho Landfill is located on
                                                                                                      in accordance with 40 CFR 258.54(a).
                                              the Picacho Solid Waste Landfill                                                                              Quechan tribal lands on the Fort Yuma
                                              (Picacho Landfill or Landfill). The                     II. Legal Authority for This Action                   Indian Reservation approximately four
                                              Picacho Landfill is a commercial                           Under sections 1008, 2002, 4004, and               miles north-northeast of the community
                                              municipal solid waste landfill (MSWLF)                  4010 of the Resource Conservation and                 of Winterhaven, in Imperial County,
                                              operated by Imperial County from 1977                   Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) as                        California. The Picacho Landfill is a
                                              to the present on the Quechan Indian                    amended by the Hazardous and Solid                    commercial MSWLF operated by
                                              Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian                           Waste Amendments of 1984 (HSWA), 42                   Imperial County from 1977 to the
                                              Reservation in California.                              U.S.C. 6901 et seq., Congress required                present. The landfill site is
                                                 EPA is promulgating a site-specific                  EPA to establish revised minimum                      approximately 12.5 acres.
                                              rule proposed on April 7, 2016, that                    federal criteria for MSWLFs, including                  In January 2006, the Tribe requested
                                              approves an alternative final cover and                 landfill location restrictions, operating             that EPA provide comments on the
                                              a modification to the prescribed list of                standards, design standards, and                      County’s closure plan. Between 2006
                                              groundwater detection-monitoring                        requirements for ground water                         and 2011, EPA worked with the Tribe,
                                              parameters for ongoing monitoring for                   monitoring, corrective action, closure                the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and
                                              the Picacho Landfill.                                   and post-closure care, and financial                  the County to develop the closure plan.
                                              DATES: This final rule is effective on                  assurance. Under RCRA section 4005,                   During this time, EPA also reviewed the
                                              October 6, 2016.                                        states are to develop permit programs                 SSFRs to determine whether they met
                                              ADDRESSES: EPA has established a                        for facilities that may receive household             technical and regulatory requirements.
                                              docket for this action under Docket ID                  hazardous waste or waste from                         On October 27, 2010, Imperial County
                                              No. EPA–R09–RCRA–2015–0445. All                         conditionally exempt small quantity                   submitted its Picacho Final Closure/
                                              documents in the docket are listed in                   generators of hazardous waste, and EPA                Post-Closure Maintenance Plan. EPA
                                              the http://www.regulations.gov index.                   is to determine whether the state’s                   provided a final round of comments on
                                              Publicly available docket materials are                 program is adequate to ensure that such               February 10, 2011, which Imperial
                                              available electronically in http://                     facilities will comply with the revised               County incorporated as an addendum.
                                              www.regulations.gov and in hard copy                    federal criteria.                                     On April 30, 2012, the Tribe approved
                                              at the EPA Library, located at the                         The MSWLF criteria are set forth in                the Picacho Landfill Final Closure/Post-
                                              Environmental Protection Agency,                        the Code of Federal Regulations at 40                 Closure Maintenance Plan as amended,
                                              Region IX, 75 Hawthorne Street, San                     CFR part 258. These regulations are                   and, pursuant to EPA’s Draft Guidance,
                                              Francisco, California. The EPA Library                  prescriptive, self-implementing and                   the Tribe forwarded to EPA two SSFRs
                                              is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.,                    apply directly to owners and operators                that had been submitted by Imperial
                                              Monday through Thursday, excluding                      of MSWLFs. Many of these criteria                     County to close and monitor the Picacho
                                              legal holidays, and is located in a                     include a flexible performance standard               Landfill. The requests sought EPA
                                              secured building. To review docket                      as an alternative to the prescriptive, self-          approval to use an alternative final
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES




                                              materials at the EPA Library, it is                     implementing regulation. The flexible                 cover meeting the performance
                                              recommended that the public make an                     standard is not self-implementing, and                requirements of 40 CFR 258.60(a), and
                                              appointment by calling (415) 947–4406                   requires approval by the Director of an               to modify the prescribed list of
                                              during normal business hours. Copying                   EPA-approved state MSWLF permitting                   groundwater detection-monitoring
                                              arrangements will be made through the                   program. However, EPA’s approval of a                 parameters provided in 40 CFR
                                              EPA Library and billed directly to the                  state program generally does not extend               258.54(a)(1) and (2) for ongoing
                                              recipient. Copying costs may be waived                  to Indian Country because states                      monitoring.


                                         VerDate Sep<11>2014   17:57 Oct 05, 2016   Jkt 241001   PO 00000   Frm 00023   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\06OCR1.SGM   06OCR1


                                              69408            Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 194 / Thursday, October 6, 2016 / Rules and Regulations

                                              IV. Basis for Final Determination                          EPA’s final determination is based on              FR 51735, October 4, 1993), this rule is
                                                EPA is basing its final determination                 the fact that the County has performed                not of general applicability and
                                              to approve the site-specific flexibility                over 15 years of semi-annual                          therefore is not a regulatory action
                                              requests on the Tribe’s approval, dated                 groundwater monitoring at the site, and               subject to review by the Office of
                                              April 30, 2012, EPA’s independent                       during that time arsenic was the only                 Management and Budget (OMB).
                                                                                                      heavy metal detected at a value that                     This rule does not impose an
                                              review of the Picacho Landfill Final
                                                                                                      slightly exceeded the federal maximum                 information collection burden under the
                                              Closure/Post-Closure Maintenance Plan
                                                                                                      contaminant level (MCL), a standard                   provisions of the Paperwork Reduction
                                              as amended, and the associated SSFRs.
                                                                                                      used for drinking water.                              Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.)
                                              A. Alternative Final Cover SSFR:                                                                              because it applies to a particular facility
                                                                                                      V. Summary of Public Comments
                                              Alternative Final Cover System                                                                                only.
                                                                                                      Received and Response to Comments
                                                 The regulations require the                                                                                   Because this rule is of particular
                                                                                                        EPA received one anonymous public                   applicability relating to a particular
                                              installation of a final cover system                    comment during the public comment
                                              specified in 40 CFR 258.60(a), which                                                                          facility, it is not subject to the regulatory
                                                                                                      period stating support for EPA’s                      flexibility provisions of the Regulatory
                                              consists of an infiltration layer with a                Tentative Determination to Approve
                                              minimum of 18 inches of compacted                                                                             Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), or
                                                                                                      Site-Specific Flexibility for Closure and
                                              clay with a permeability of 1 × 10¥5 cm/                Monitoring of the Picacho Landfill, as
                                                                                                                                                            to sections 202, 204, and 205 of the
                                              sec, covered by an erosion layer with a                                                                       Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
                                                                                                      proposed in the Federal Register on                   (UMRA) (Pub. L. 104–4). Because this
                                              minimum six inches of topsoil. Imperial                 April 7, 2016.
                                              County sought approval for an                                                                                 rule will affect only a particular facility,
                                              alternative final cover designed to                     VI. Additional Findings                               it will not significantly or uniquely
                                              satisfy the performance criteria                           In order to comply with the National               affect small governments, as specified in
                                              specified in 40 CFR 258.60(b); Imperial                 Historic Preservation Act, 54 U.S.C.                  section 203 of UMRA.
                                              County proposed to replace this with an                 100101 et seq., Imperial County                          Because this rule will affect only a
                                              alternative cover consisting of two and                 Department of Public Works will                       particular facility, this proposed rule
                                              a half feet of native soil to control                   coordinate with the Tribe to arrange for              does not have federalism implications.
                                              infiltration covered by six inches of a                 a qualified Native American monitor to                It will not have substantial direct effects
                                              soil gravel mixture to control erosion.                 be present during any work. If buried or              on the States, on the relationship
                                                 EPA is basing its final determination                previously unidentified resources are                 between the national government and
                                              on a number of factors, including: (1)                  located during project activities, all                the States, or on the distribution of
                                              Research showing that prescriptive, self-               work within the vicinity of the find will             power and responsibilities among the
                                              implementing requirements for final                     cease, and the provisions of 36 CFR                   various levels of government, as
                                              covers, comprised of low permeability                   800.13(b) will be implemented. If,                    specified in Executive Order 13132,
                                              compacted clay, do not perform well in                  during the course of the Landfill closure             ‘‘Federalism,’’ (64 FR 43255, August 10,
                                              the arid west. The clay dries out and                   activities, previously undocumented                   1999). Thus, Executive Order 13132
                                              cracks, which allows increased                          archaeological material or human                      does not apply to this rule.
                                              infiltration along the cracks; (2)                      remains are encountered, all work shall                  This rule also is not subject to
                                              Research showing that in arid                           cease in the immediate area and a                     Executive Order 13045, ‘‘Protection of
                                              environments thick soil covers                          qualified archaeologist shall be retained             Children from Environmental Health
                                              comprised of native soil can perform as                 to evaluate the significance of the find              Risks and Safety Risks’’ (62 FR 19885,
                                              well or better than the prescriptive                    and recommend further management                      April 23, 1997), because it is not
                                              cover; and (3) Imperial County’s                        actions.                                              economically significant as defined in
                                              analysis demonstrates, based on site-                      Though no known threatened or                      Executive Order 12866, and because the
                                              specific climatic conditions and soil                   endangered species or their habitat exist             Agency does not have reason to believe
                                              properties, that the proposed alternative               on the site, in order to ensure                       the environmental health or safety risks
                                              soil final cover will achieve equivalent                compliance with the Endangered                        posed by this action present a risk to
                                              reduction in infiltration as the                        Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1536 et seq., a                children. The basis for this belief is
                                              prescriptive cover design and that the                  preconstruction survey will be                        EPA’s analysis of the potential risks
                                              proposed erosion layer provides                         conducted prior to cover installation to              posed by Imperial County’s alternative
                                              equivalent protection from wind and                     ensure no threatened or endangered                    final cover and alternative groundwater
                                              water erosion. This analysis is provided                species are present. In particular, the               detection-monitoring parameters
                                              in Appendix D and Appendix D–1 of                       survey will look for the presence of                  proposals and the standards set forth in
                                              the Picacho Landfill Final Closure/Post-                desert tortoises, which may occur in                  this rulemaking.
                                              Closure Maintenance Plan dated                          Imperial County. Should desert tortoises                 This rule is not subject to Executive
                                              October 27, 2010 and amended by EPA’s                   or other threatened or endangered                     Order 13211, ‘‘Actions Concerning
                                              comments dated February 20, 2011.                       species be encountered in the survey, or              Regulations That Significantly Affect
                                                                                                      at any time during the closure of the                 Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use’’ (66
                                              B. Groundwater Monitoring SSFR:                                                                               FR 28355, May 22, 2001), because it is
                                                                                                      Picacho Landfill, the County shall
                                              Alternative Detection Monitoring                                                                              not a significant regulatory action under
                                                                                                      contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
                                              Parameters                                                                                                    Executive Order 12866.
                                                                                                      Service to develop avoidance measures
                                                 The regulations require post-closure                 to ensure that impacts to the species are                As required by section three of
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                                              monitoring of 15 heavy metals, listed in                minimized. Following closure and                      Executive Order 12988, ‘‘Civil Justice
                                              40 CFR part 258, Appendix I. Imperial                   vegetation restoration activities, the                Reform,’’ (61 FR 4729, February 7,
                                              County proposed to replace these, with                  project site may become suitable for                  1996), in issuing this rule, EPA has
                                              the exception of arsenic, with the                      threatened and endangered species.                    taken the necessary steps to eliminate
                                              alternative inorganic indicator                         This would be a beneficial effect.                    drafting errors and ambiguity, minimize
                                              parameters chloride, nitrate as nitrogen,                  Under Executive Order 12866,                       potential litigation, and provide a clear
                                              sulfate, and total dissolved solids.                    ‘‘Regulatory Planning and Review’’ (58                legal standard for affected conduct.


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                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 194 / Thursday, October 6, 2016 / Rules and Regulations                                              69409

                                                 Executive Order 13175, entitled                      replacing monitoring of the inorganic                 soil as described in paragraph
                                              ‘‘Consultation and Coordination with                    constituents, with the exception of                   (b)(2)(iii)(A)(2) of this section at the
                                              Indian Tribal Governments,’’ (65 FR                     arsenic, with the inorganic indicator                 ratio of 50% rock to soil by volume and
                                              67249, November 9, 2000), calls for EPA                 parameters chloride, nitrate as nitrogen,             result in a minimum six-inch erosion
                                              to develop an accountable process to                    sulfate, and total dissolved solids.                  layer, or gravel/rock (3⁄4-inch to two-
                                              ensure ‘‘meaningful and timely input by                   (2) In accordance with § 258.60(b), the             inch diameter) mixed with additional
                                              tribal officials in the development of                  owner and operator may replace the                    cover soil as described in paragraph
                                              regulatory policies that have tribal                    prescriptive final cover set forth in                 (b)(2)(iii)(A)(2) of this section at the
                                              implications.’’ See also ‘‘EPA Policy for               § 258.60(a), with an alternative final                ratio of 50% rock to soil by volume and
                                              the Administration of Environmental                     cover as follows:                                     result in a minimum 12-inch erosion
                                              Programs on Indian Reservations,’’                        (i) The owner and operator may                      layer.
                                              (November 8, 1984) and ‘‘EPA Policy on                  install an evapotranspiration cover                     (iii) The owner and operator shall
                                              Consultation and Coordination with                      system as an alternative final cover for              place documentation demonstrating
                                              Indian Tribes,’’ (May 4, 2011). EPA                     the 12.5 acre site.                                   compliance with the provisions of this
                                              consulted with the Quechan Tribe                          (ii) The alternative final cover system             section in the operating record.
                                              throughout Imperial County’s                            shall be constructed to achieve an                      (iv) All other applicable provisions of
                                              development of its closure and                          equivalent reduction in infiltration as               this part remain in effect.
                                              monitoring plans for the Picacho                        the infiltration layer specified in                     (B) [Reserved]
                                              Landfill.                                               § 258.60(a)(1) and (2), and provide an                [FR Doc. 2016–23839 Filed 10–5–16; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                      equivalent protection from wind and                   BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
                                              List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 258                     water erosion as the erosion layer
                                                Environmental protection, Final                       specified in § 258.60(a)(3).
                                              cover, Monitoring, Municipal landfills,                   (iii) The final cover system shall                  FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
                                              Post-closure care groundwater,                          consist of a minimum three-foot-thick                 COMMISSION
                                              Reporting and recordkeeping                             multi-layer cover system comprised,
                                              requirements, Waste treatment and                       from bottom to top, of:                               47 CFR Part 73
                                              disposal, Water pollution control.                        (A) A minimum 30-inch thick
                                                                                                                                                            [MB Docket No. 02–376, RM–10617, RM–
                                                Dated: September 22, 2016.                            infiltration layer consisting of:                     10690; DA 16–1062]
                                                                                                        (1) Existing intermediate cover; and
                                              Alexis Strauss,                                           (2) Additional cover soil which, prior
                                              Acting Regional Administrator, Region IX.
                                                                                                                                                            Radio Broadcasting Services; Sells,
                                                                                                      to placement, shall be wetted to optimal              Willcox, and Davis-Monthan Air Force
                                                For the reasons stated in the                         moisture and thoroughly mixed to near                 Base, Arizona
                                              preamble, 40 CFR part 258 is amended                    uniform condition, and the material
                                              as follows:                                             shall then be placed in lifts with an                 AGENCY:  Federal Communications
                                                                                                      uncompacted thickness of six to eight                 Commission.
                                              PART 258—CRITERIA FOR MUNICIPAL                         inches, spread evenly and compacted to                ACTION: Final rule; dismissal of
                                              SOLID WASTE LANDFILLS                                   90 percent of the maximum dry density,                application for review.
                                                                                                      and shall:
                                              ■ 1. The authority citation for part 258                  (i) Exhibit a grain size distribution               SUMMARY:    In this document, the Media
                                              continues to read as follows:                                                                                 Bureau (Bureau) dismisses as moot the
                                                                                                      that excludes particles in excess of three
                                                Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1345(d) and (e); 42                                                                    Application for Review filed jointly by
                                                                                                      inches in diameter;
                                              U.S.C. 6902(a), 6907, 6912(a), 6944, 6945(c)              (ii) Have a minimum fines content                   KZLZ, LLC (KZLZ) and Lakeshore
                                              and 6949a(c), 6981(a).                                  (percent by weight passing U.S. No. 200               Media, LLC, the current and former
                                                                                                      Sieve) of seven percent for an individual             licensee, respectively, of Station
                                              Subpart F—Closure and Post-Closure                                                                            KWCX–FM. While the AFR was
                                                                                                      test and eight percent for the average of
                                              Care                                                                                                          pending, KZLZ filed a minor
                                                                                                      ten consecutive tests;
                                                                                                        (iii) Have a grain size distribution                modification application to change the
                                              ■ 2. Section 258.62 is amended by                                                                             community of license of Station KWCX–
                                              removing ‘‘[Reserved]’’ at the end of the               with a minimum of five percent smaller
                                                                                                      than five microns for an individual test              FM from Willcox to Tanque Verde,
                                              section and adding paragraph (b) to read                                                                      Arizona. Once the requested facility
                                              as follows:                                             and six percent for the average of ten
                                                                                                      consecutive tests; and                                modification to Station KWCX–FM was
                                              § 258.62 Approval of site-specific flexibility            (iv) Exhibit a maximum saturated                    granted, the assignment at Willcox was
                                              requests in Indian country.                             hydraulic conductivity on the order of                deleted, and this in turn rendered moot
                                              *      *     *    *     *                               1.0E–03 cm/sec.; and                                  any Section 307(b) comparison between
                                                 (b) Picacho Municipal Solid Waste                      (3) A minimum six-inch surface                      Davis-Monthan AFB and the deleted
                                              Landfill—alternative list of detection                  erosion layer comprised of a rock/soil                Willcox assignment.
                                              monitoring parameters and alternative                   admixture. The surface erosion layer                  DATES: Effective October 6, 2016.
                                              final cover. This paragraph (b) applies to              admixture and gradations for 3% slopes                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                              the Picacho Landfill, a Municipal Solid                 and 3:1 slopes are detailed below:                    Adrienne Denysyk, Media Bureau, (202)
                                              Waste Landfill operated by Imperial                       (i) 3% slopes: For the 3% slopes the                418–2700.
                                              County on the Quechan Indian Tribe of                   surface admixture shall be composed of                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a
                                              the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation in                     pea gravel (3⁄8-inch to 1⁄2-inch diameter)            synopsis of the Bureau’s Letter, DA 16–
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                                              California.                                             mixed with cover soil at the ratio of                 1062, released September 21, 2016. The
                                                 (1) In accordance with § 258.54(a), the              25% rock to soil by volume with a                     full text of this document is available for
                                              owner and operator may modify the list                  minimum six-inch erosion layer.                       inspection and copying during normal
                                              of heavy metal detection monitoring                       (ii) For the 3:1 side slopes the surface            business hours in the FCC Reference
                                              parameters specified in appendix I of                   admixture shall be composed of either:                Information Center (Room CY–A257),
                                              this part, as required during Post-                     gravel/rock (3⁄4-inch to one-inch                     445 12th Street SW., Washington, DC
                                              Closure Care by § 258.61(a)(3), by                      diameter) mixed with additional cover                 20554.


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Document Created: 2016-10-06 02:38:28
Document Modified: 2016-10-06 02:38:28
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionRules and Regulations
ActionFinal rule.
DatesThis final rule is effective on October 6, 2016.
ContactSteve Wall, Land Division, Mail Code LND 2-3 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-3901; telephone number: (415) 972-3381; fax number:
FR Citation81 FR 69407 
CFR AssociatedEnvironmental Protection; Final Cover; Monitoring; Municipal Landfills; Post-Closure Care Groundwater; Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements; Waste Treatment and Disposal and Water Pollution Control

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