United States Office of Solid Waste and
Environmental Protection Emergency Response EPA/530-SW-91-087
Agency (OS-305) January 1992
SEPA Environmental
Fact Sheet
EPA Amends Monitoring Well
Requirements for Interim-Status
Hazardous Waste Facilities
EPA is amending the standards applicable to owners and
operators of interim-status hazardous waste facilities. In cases
where physical obstacles prevent the placement of monitoring wells
at the specified location, owners and operators of the facility may
use an acceptable alternate location.
Background
Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA) creates a comprehensive program for the safe management
of hazardous waste. RCRA requires EPA to develop regulations for
owners or operators of hazardous waste treatment, storage and
disposal facilities (TSDFs).
In 1980, EPA created comprehensive standards for owners and
operators of TSDFs that qualify for interim status (a short-term
permitted status assigned to facilities in the process of applying for a
final permit). Under these standards, interim status facility owners or
operators operating certain management units must install and operate
a system to monitor ground water for hazardous waste contamination.
The system must include monitoring wells at specific points along the
perimeter of the waste management area.
Action
In some existing waste management areas, certain physical
obstacles (e.g., buildings, electric cables, highways) prevent the
placement of monitoring wells near the perimeter. For this reason,
EPA is amending the 1980 standards to allow alternate placement of
downgradient monitoring wells. This amendment specifies that the
alternate locations must be as close to the perimeter as practical, and
must ensure detection of ground-water contamination as early as
possible.
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The facility owrier or operator may make a demonstration of the
need for and the proper placement of alternate wells. This demon-
stration must be certified by a "qualified ground-water scientist" as
defined in the rule.
By allowing for minor alterations in monitoring well placement
under certain conditions, the ground-water monitoring standards will
provide greater flexibility to interim-status facilities, while maintaining
the highest level of environmental protection.
For More Information
For further information, or to order a copy of the Federal Register
notice announcing this action, please call the RCRA Hotline Monday
through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., EST.
National Toll-Free: (800) 424-9346;
For the Hearing Impaired (TDD): (800) 553-7672;
Washington, DC. area (TDD): (703) 920-9810;
Washington, DC, area (TDD): (703) 486-3323;
Please send all written requests to:
RCRA Information Center (OS-305)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
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