Rules and Regulations. Proposed rule; reopening of comment period

Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Action: Proposed rule; reopening of comment period
Citation: FR Doc. 03-957 · FRL-7439-9 · 40 CFR 63, 258, 260, 261, 264, 265, 266, 270, 271, 279

Summary

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is extending by an additional 60 days the comment period on its proposed rule (October 30, 2002 at 67 FR 66251) titled Methods Innovation Rule (MIR) and Notice of Data Availability that announced the availability of the new RCRA Waste Sampling Draft Technical Guidance. The original comment period announced in the proposal and notice was scheduled to end on December 30, 2002. Today's notice further extends the comment period on the proposed Methods Innovation Rule and RCRA Waste Draft Technical Guidance until February 28, 2003.

Dates

Written comments on the proposed MIR, or RCRA Waste Sampling Draft Technical Guidance must be submitted on or before February 28, 2003. Comments postmarked after the close of the comment period will be stamped “late” and may or may not be considered by the Agency.

Supplementary Information

On October 30, 2002 (67 FR 210), EPA proposed to amend a variety of testing and monitoring requirements throughout the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations. As noted in the proposal, the Agency wants to allow more flexibility when conducting RCRA-related sampling and analysis, by removing unnecessary required uses of methods found in “Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste, Physical/Chemical Methods,” also known as “SW-846,” and only retaining the requirement to use SW-846 methods when the method is the only one capable of measuring a particular property ( i.e. , it is used to measure a required method-defined parameter). This is an important step towards a performance-based measurement system (PBMS), as part of the Agency's efforts towards Innovating for Better Environmental Results. In addition, we proposed to: Withdraw the reactivity method guidelines from SW-846 Chapter Seven; amend the ignitability and corrosivity hazardous waste characteristic regulations by clarifying the use of certain methods; incorporate by reference Update IIIB to SW-846; add Method 25A for analyses conducted in support of certain RCRA air emission standards; and remove a confidence limit requirement for certain feedstream analyses conducted under the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP). Simultaneously, the Agency also announced the availability of a new guidance document for public comment entitled “RCRA Waste Sampling Draft Technical Guidance.” The Agency believes the new guidance when used should make it easier and more cost effective to comply with affected regulations, without compromising human health or environmental protection. By extending the comment period to February 28, 2003, we are accommodating a request by several parties for additional time to prepare extensive relevant comments. Dated: January 8, 2003. Robert Springer, Director of the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. [FR Doc. 03-957 Filed 1-15-03; 8:45 am]