Tuesday
July 26, 1988
Part 111



Environmental

Protection  Agency

40 CFR Parts 264 and 270
Ground-Water Monitoring at Hazardous
Waste Facilities; Proposed Amendment to
Rtiie

-------
 28180
Federal  Register / Vol. 53. No.  143 / Tuesday. July 26. 1988  /  Proposed Rules
 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
 AGENCY

 40 CFR Parts 264 and 270
 (FRU-3277-21

 Ground-Water Monitoring at
 Hazardous Waste Facilities

 AGENCY: U.S. Environmental Protection
 Agency.
 ACTION: Proposed amendment to rule.

 SUMMARY: On July 26.1982. EPA
 promulgated regulations for detecting
 contamination of ground water at
 permitted hazardous waste land
 disposal facilities under Subtitle C of the
 Solid Waste Disposal Act. as amended
 by the Resource Conservation and
 Recovery Act of 1976. as amended
 (RCRA). Several technical aspects of the
 regulations require improvement;
 therefore. EPA is today proposing
 rulemaking to revise the regulations. The
 amendments proposed in today's
 rulemaking are designed to foster the
 early detection of leaks and to better
 tailor the current ground-water
 monitoring regulations to site-specific
 conditions.
 DATS: Written comments should be
 submitted on or before September 26,
 1088. The origincl and two copies of
 comments on this proposal should be
 mailed to the Docket Clerk. Office of
 Solid Waste (WH-562). U.S.
 Environmental Protection Agcsncy. 401 M
 Street SW.. Washington. DC 20460. The
 docket is open from 9:30 to 3:30 Monday
 through Friday, except for Federal
 holidays. The docket number for this
 rule is F-88-AGWP-FFFFF. The public
 must make an appointment to review
 docket materials. Call (202) 475-9327 for
 appointments. The public may copy
 material from the regulatory docket at a
 cost of S.lS/page.
 ADDRESS: The official docket for this
 regulation including comments received
 by the Agency is located in Room  MLG
 100. U.S. Environmental Protection
 Agency. 401 M Street SW.. Washington.
 DC 20460.
 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT!
 For general information contact: RCRA/
 Superfund Hotline. Office of Solid
 Waste (WH-563C). U.S. Environmental
 Protection Agency. 401 M Street SW.,
 Washington. DC. 20460. telephone (800)
 424-9346. or (202) 382-3000. For
* technical information contact Joseph M.
 Abe. (202) 382-4654.
 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

 Proposed  Outline
   1, Authority.
   II. Background.
                         III. Proposed Changes.
                         A. Summary of Major Proposed Changes.
                         B. Discussion of Specific Part 264 Subpart F
                       Changes.
                         1. Applicability (§ 26490).
                         2. Establishment of Programs.
                         a. PouU of Compliance (§ 264.95).
                         b. Multiple Programs (§ 264.91).
                         3. Return to Detection Monitoring
                       (I 264.99).
                         4. Alternate Point of Compliance at
                       Existing Facilities.
                         5. Supplemental Monitoring Wells
                       (§ 264.95).
                         6. Compliance Period (§ 264.96).
                         7. General Ground-Water Monitoring
                       Requirements {§ 264.9").
                         a. Monitoring in the "Uppermost Aquifer".
                         b. Unsaturated Zone Monitoring.
                         c. Quality Assurance and Quality Control.
                         8. Detection Monitoring Program (§ 284.98).
                         a. Determination of Ground-Water Flow   *
                       Rate and Direction.
                         b. Sampling for Appendix IX Constituents.
                         c. Submission of Demonstrations Showing
                       Statistical Increases Caused by Error/Other
                       Source.
                         9. Compliance Monitoring Program
                       (§ 264.99).
                         C. Discussion of Specific Part 270 Changes.
                         IV. State Authority.
                         A. Applicability of Rules in Authorized
                       States.
                         B. Effects on State Authorization.
                         V. Regulatory Analysis.
                         A. Executive Order 12291: Regulatory
                       Impact Analysis.
                         B. Regulatory Flexibility Act.
                         C. Paperwork Reduction Act.

                       I. Authority

                         These regulations are' issued under the
                       authority of sections 1006. 2002(A). 3001,
                       3004. 3005, 3006, and 3007 of the Solid
                       Waste Disposal Act as amended, 42
                       U.S.C. 6705, 6712. 6924. 6925,  6926. and
                       6927.

                       II. Background

                         Subtitle C of RCRA creates a
                       comprehensive program for the safe
                       management of hazardous waste.
                       Section 3004 of RCRA requires EPA to
                       promulgate regulations as "necessary to
                       protect human health and the
                       environment" that are applicable to
                       owners or operators of hazardous waste
                       treatment, storage and disposal
                       facilities. Section 3005 provides for
                       implementation of these regulations
                       under permits issued to owners or
                       operators of facilities by EPA or
                       authorized States. Section 3005 also
                       provides that certain owners or
                       operators of existing facilities that apply
                       for a permit and comply with applicable
                       notice and certification requirements
                       ("interim status" facilities) shall be
                       treated as having been issued a permit
                       for purposes of RCRA and its
                       implementing regulations until a final
                       permit determination is made.
  Among the 3004 standards
promulgated for permitted'facilities in
1982 were standards under 40 CFR Part
264. Subpart F, which establish
programs for protecting ground water
from releases of hazardous wastes from
treatment, storage, and disposal units
(47 FR 32274. July 26, 1982). Under these
standards, facility owners or operators
are required to sample ground water at
specified time intervals and determine
whether or not hazardous wastes or
constituents from the facility are
contaminating ground water. If
unacceptable contamination is found.
the owner or operator must perform
corrective action in accordance with
§ 264.100.

HI. Proposed Changes

A Summary of Major Proposed Changes

  The following is  a summary of the
major changes proposed in today's
package. These proposed amendments
to the Subpart F regulations arise from
several sources. Some are changes
stemming from litigation on the July 26,
1982 land disposal regulations. Other
changes have been developed in
response to  recommendations from the
Agency's Hazardous Waste Ground .
Water Task Force (U.S. EPA. 1986) as
well as from EPA Program and Regional
staff.
   (1) The Agency proposes to amend the
§ 264.90(b)(4) ground-water monitoring
variance to  require no migration
demonstrations to be based upon either
site-specific field measurement,
sampling, and analysis of physical.
chemical, and biological processes
affecting contaminant fate and transport
or upon an adequate margin of safety
using predictions that assume maximum
contaminant migration and consider all
human health and environmental
impacts.
   (2) The Agency proposes to allow
alternate point(s) of compliance for
existing units where monitoring well
installation in locations specified by
 § 264.95(a) is extremely difficult due to
existing physical obstacles as long as
early detection is not compromised.
   (3) The Agency  is proposing
 regulatory changes regarding the
 establishment of waste management
 areas and clarification of the Regional
 Administrator's authority to require
 different ground-water programs (i.e.,
 detection, compliance, or corrective
 action) for individual waste
 management areas within the same
 facility.
   (4) The Agency proposes to allow the
 permittee to continue or resume
 detection or compliance monitoring, as

-------
                Federal  Register / Vol. 53.  No. 143  /  Tuesday. }uly 26.  1988 / Proposed Rules_
                                                                     28161
appropriate, any time that the permittee
is able to demonstrate that
concentrations of hazardous
constituents no longer show statistically
significant increases over background
concentrations for a period of time
based on site-specific conditions.
provided that the Regional
Administrator determines that the
increase is due to an unregulated source
or an error in sampling, analysis, or
evaluation.
  (5) The Agency is proposing to amend
the regulations to allow a modification
of the deadlines contained in
§§ 264.98(h)(5) and 264.99(i)(2] where a
substantive need for such a modification
is shown.
  (6) The Agency proposes to amend
Subpart F to eliminate the requirement
that the ground-water flow rate and
direction be defined annually as part of
the detection and compliance
monitoring programs and to institute a
requirement that the ground-water flow
rate and direction be defined whenever
any well exhibits a significant change in
water level.
   (7) The Agency is proposing to amend
the regulations to give the Regional
Administrator explicit authority to
require the owner or operator to monitor
the unsaturated zone as well as any and
all zones of saturation in the uppermost
aquifer in order to detect early migration
of contaminants.
   (8) The Agency is proposing to clarify
the authority of the Regional
Administrator to designate
supplemental monitoring wells when
complicated site conditions caused by
hydrogeology or contaminant
characteristics can allow contaminants
 to move past or away from the point of
 compliance as defined in § 264.95{a)
 without being detected.
   (9) The Agency is proposing to add
 quality assurance and quality control
 requirements such as documentation,
 operation and maintenance, and
 procedures for devices and methods
 used in ground-water measurement,
 sampling,  and analysis.
   (10) The Agency is proposing to
 correct an inconsistency in § 264.99{f)
 which  presently requires the annual
 monitoring of all constituents contained
 in Appendix IX even though some of
 these constituents may have been
 excluded from the list of hazardous
 substances specified in the facility
 permit by the Regional Administrator
 under  § 264.93.
 B. Discussion of Specific Part 264
 Subpart F Changes
    Subpart F contains the requirements
  for the ground-water monitoring and
  response  programs for permitted
hazardous waste units at RCRA
treatment, storage and disposal
facilities, excluding those units
exempted by § 264.90(b). The
requirements of this Subpart define a
general set of responsibilities that the
owner or operator must meet, yet allow
considerable flexibility in how the
monitoring and response programs may
be designed. EPA's objective in today's
proposed regulations is to develop an
effective monitoring program that will
provide reliable information about the
effects of these land-based hazardous
waste units on ground water in order to
ensure protection of human health and
the environment.
1. Applicability (§ 264.90).
  The requirements of Subpart F apply
to new and existing surface
impoundments, landfills, waste piles,
and land treatment units that manage
hazardous waste. Section 264.90 uses
the term "regulated unit" in defining that
portion of the facility that is subject to
the requirements of Subpart F. A
regulated unit is any solid waste
management unit of the above types that
has received hazardous waste after July
26,1982.
   Section 264.90(b}{4) allows the
Regional Administrator to issue a
waiver from the ground-water protection
requirements if the owner or operator
 can demonstrate that there is no
 potential for migration of liquid from  the
 regulated unit to the uppermost aquifer
 during the active life of the regulated
 unit and, where applicable, during the
 post-closure care period as well.
   The current rule requires that in order
 to provide an adequate margin of safety
 in the prediction of potential migration
 of liquid, the owner or operator must
 base predictions on assumptions that
 would maximize the rate of liquid
 migration (e.g., assume the maximum
 possible hydraulic head of liquids in a
 regulated unit). This approach, based on
 conservative assumptions, did not
 discuss the submission of actual data
 (e.g., measurements of hydraulic head)
 by the owner or operator for use in
 making predictions.
   The Agency proposes to amend
  5 264.90(b)(4) to require the ground-
  water monitoring variance to be based
  upon either: (1) Site-specific field
  measurement, sampling, and analysis of
  physical, chemical and biological
  processes affecting contaminant fate
  and transport: or (2) an adequate margin
  of safety in predicting contaminant fate
  and transport, by basing predictions on
  assumptions that maximize contaminant
  migration and consider all impacts to
  human health and environment.
  The first approach is generally the
preferred one from the perspective of
the RCRA Permit Writer since the
demonstration is based on actual site-
specific collection and analysis of field
data regarding contaminant fate and
transport. Site assessment supporting
the demonstration should include, at a
minimum, the following:
  (1) Definition and characterization of
hydrogeologic boundaries;
  (2) Assessment of the degree of
hydraulic communication between the
vadose zone, water-table aquifer and
deeper aquifers;
  (3) Estimation of the temporal and
spatial variability of ground-water
seepage velocities; and
   (4) Collection and analysis of
remaining field data that are necessary
to assess site-specific physical.
chemical, and biological processes
affecting contaminant fate and
transport.
   In addition to these site assessment
factors, the RCRA Permit Writer may
require actual field demonstrations (i.e.,
pilot studies). Considering .that many of ,
 the above requirements should already
 be fulfilled in obtaining the RCRA
 Permit, it is probably in the interest of
 the owner or operator to pursue this first
 approach.
   Field data is often preferred to
 laboratory data since the latter may give
 misleading results due to differences
 between actual field conditions and
 laboratory conditions. For this reason,
 site-specific information should be
 based on field data rather than
 laboratory measurements. The test
 method used to obtain field data should
 be specified in the monitoring variance
 request.
   The second approach is provided to
 give flexibility to the owner or operator
 regarding no migration demonstrations.
 However, demonstrations based on
 models not supported by proper site
 characterization may not be accepted by
  RCRA Permit Writers due to technical
  limitations and inaccuracies. On the
  other hand, models may be very useful
  tools for planning effective and efficient
  data collection. Considering the volume
  of data required for no migration
  demonstrations, an iterative procedure
  of data collection and modeling may
  often be the preferred approach (i.e., a
  combination of both approaches).
    Owners or operators are cautioned
  that very few waivers from the ground-
  water monitoring requirements have
  been granted thus far due to insufficient
  data'and analysis submittals and the
   scarcity of sites that could meet the
   requirements. In addition, although
   attempts are sometimes made to

-------
23162
Federal Register  /  Vol. 53.  No. 143  / Tuesday.  July  26. 1988  /  Proposed Rules
circumvent the site assessment
rpquirements with models, actual site
characterization that includes obtaining
geologic logs, using geophysical
mo'hods. and the sampling.
measurement, and analysis of ground
water is irreplaceable.
  In addition to the above changes to
§ 264.90{b)(4). the Agency is proposing a
minor change to § 264.00(bK4) that
clarifies the performance requirements
of units regarding ground-water
protection and parallels similar
descriptions elsewhere in the
regulations. The specific change revises:
"The Regional Administrator finds that
there is no potential for migration of
liquids from a regulated unit to the
uppermost aquifer" to read: "The
Regional Administrator finds that there
is no potential for migration of
hazardous waste or hazardous
constituents from a regulated unit to the
uppermost aquifer." The reasons for this
change are: (I] To provide consistency
with other sections of this Subpart and
elsewhere in Part 264 and [2] address
situations where wastes or
contaminants are conveyed by
nonliquids (i.e.. gases)  into  the
surrounding soil and then contaminate
ground water by interacting with
 percolating water.
 2. Establishment of Programs
   Under the requirements of Subpart F,
 the Regional Administrator establishes
 In the facility permit the elements of a
 monitoring and response program. The
 purpose of § 264.91 is to inform the
 owners or operators of regulated units
 subject to this Subpart that they must
 institute one of three types of monitoring
 or response programs  set forth in
 Subpart F—a detection monitoring
 program, a compliance monitoring
 program, or a corrective action program.
 the specifics of which are either
 governed by other sections of Subpart F
 or by the facility permit itself. The
 permit may contain all three programs
 and specify the conditions under which
 each will be used at the waste
 management unit or units at a given
 facility.
    Although the permit may contain all
  three programs, currently only one
 program may be instituted at any given
  lime, even if the facility contained more
  than one regulated unit. This is because,
  under § 264.95(b)(2). the waste
  management area where a facility
  contains more than one unit is described
  by an imaginary line  circumscribing the
  several regulated units. Because of
  today's proposal to allow multiple waste
  management areas in such situations,
  the Agency is also proposing to allow
  the Regional Administrator to require
                       multiple programs, to be instituted
                       simultaneously, in a single permit. The
                       following will explain these changes in
                       greater detail.
                         a. Point of Compliance {§ 264,951 The
                       point of compliance, as described in
                       § 264.95(a), is the point at which the
                       ground-water protection standard must
                       be met and at which monitoring must be
                       conducted. This point is a vertical
                       surface located at the hydraulically
                       downgradient limit of the waste
                       management area that extends down
                       into the uppermost aquifer underlying
                       the regulated unit(s). The waste
                       management area, as defined in
                       § 264.95(b), is the limit projected in the
                       horizontal plane of the area on which
                       waste will be placed during the active
                       life of the regulated unit(s). This area
                       will be specified in the facility permit.
                       The edge of the waste management area
                       is not the outer limit of the waste itself;
                       rather, it includes any horizontal space
                        taken up by liners, dikes, or other
                       barriers designed to contain waste in a
                        regulated unit (§ 264.95(b)(l)). The
                        purpose  of this provision is to avoid the
                        implication that monitoring and
                        corrective action wells should be drilled
                        through the structures which are
                        designed to control the waste, clearly a
                        counterproductive effort.
                          The Agency is proposing and asking
                        for specific comments on two options
                        the Regional Administrator would have
                        for determining the waste management
                        area for facilities with more than one
                        regulated unit Presently. § 264.95(b}(2)
                        of the regulations provides that if the
                        facility contains more than one
                        regulated unit, the waste management
                        area is described by an imaginary line
                        circumscribing several regulated units.
                        This option would be retained in the
                        proposed regulation*. In addition, the
                        Agency is proposing another option that
                        would give the Regional Administrator
                         the authority to require the waste
                         management area be described by a line
                         circumscribing individual units when a
                         facility contains more than one
                         regulated unit.  According to this
                         proposal, the Regional  Administrator
                         would decide on whether to delineate
                         multi-unit or unit-specific waste
                         management area(s) based on the
                         number, spacing, and orientation of the
                         units: the waste types handled: and the
                         hydrogeologic setting.
                           This proposal ia prompted by several
                         important considerations. If a  facility
                         contains more than one regulated unit,
                         and contamination is detected by a
                         multi-unit monitoring system,  it is often
                         difficult and time consuming to identify
                         which of the regulated units is
                          responsible for tha contamination. The
Agency is concerned that :hr rpgi'latory
requirement that the waste managpment
area be described by an imaginary line
circumscribing all trie regulated units •
may hinder in certain circumstances the
early detection of leakage of hazardous
constituents into the ground water. If
contamination of ground water beneath
a facility goes  undetected for a
substantial period of time, remediation
of this contamination becomes more
complex and extensive. Furthermore, in
certain situations the cleanup  of
contaminated  ground water may
become so burdensome to the  owner or
operator that the facility can only be
remediated with federal assistance (i.e..
CERCLA cleanup action).
   There are some situations where it
may be appropriate to define the
compliance point boundary around
several regulated units and the Regional
Administrator may choose to  do so.
Situations where there is a dike betv/een
 two lagoons or a small strip of land
 separating two landfills are examples of
 where it may  be appropriate to install
 monitoring systems around groups of
 units. Another possible situation where
 multi-unit monitoring may be
 appropriate is where, if a contaminant
 leak were to occur, it would be
 impossible to distinguish which unit is
 the source of the contamination due to
 the proximity of units and types of
 wastes handled.
    b. Multiple Programs (§ 264.91)
 Proposed changes to § 264.95 allows
 creation of separate waste management
 areas at  facilities that include more than
 one regulated unit. With this proposed
 change, the Regional Administrator
 could require more than one  monitoring
 program to be conducted simultaneously
 at a single facility. Today's proposed
  amendment to § 264.91 will make it clear
  that the  Regional Administrator haa the
  authority to require different monitoring
  programs (i.e., detection, compliance, or
  corrective action) for the different waste
  management areas within the same
  facility.  The  appropriate monitoring
  program for  each waste management
  area shall be selected on the basis of the
  concentration of contaminants detected
  and the monitoring requirements
  associated with the concentrations as
   specified in  §5 264.98, 284.99, and
   284.100.
     Monitoring requirements  defined on
   the basis of individual waste
   management areas should promote a
   ground-water monitoring and corrective
   action strategy which corresponds to the
   extent, concentration, and distribution
   of contamination throughout the RCRA
   hazardous waste facility. This
   amendment also eliminates the potential

-------
                 Federal Register / Vol.  53. No. 143 / Tuesday,  July 26. 1988  /  Proposed Rules
                                                                     233 63
for one unit which triggers a particular
monitoring program to unnecessarily
cause all other units to adopt the same
monitoring program, regardless of the
source and extent of contamination.

3. Return to Detection Monitoring
(§ 264.99)

  A compliance monitoring program, as
described in § 264.99, is required under
§ 264.91 whenever hazardous
constituents exceed the concentration
limits at the compliance point as
specified in the ground-water protection
standard. Currently, a mechanism for
remaining in compliance monitoring
(rather than entering corrective action)
is provided under § 264.99(j). Within the
timeframe necessary to establish a
corrective action program (e.g., usually
90 days), the owner or operator can
demonstrate under § 264.99(j) that
entering corrective action is
inappropriate. Such demonstrations
must show that the exceedance of the
ground-water protection standard at any
monitoring well is due to either a source
other than a regulated unit or an error in
sampling, analysis, or evaluation.
  However, § 284.99 does not currently
provide a mechanism by which the
owner or operator can return to
detection monitoring from compliance
monitoring when he or she has been
inappropriately triggered into
compliance monitoring due to a source
other than a regulated unit or an error in
samplying, analysis or evaluation.
Adding such a mechanism would avoid
unnecessary compliance monitoring for
such instances. Today's rule proposes to
allow an owner or operator who is
required to carry out compliance
monitoring as a result of exceeding
background levels for the above reasona
to return to a detection monitoring
program under |  284.98. The owner or
operator must demonstrate that
concentrations of hazardous
constituents no longer show statistically
significant increases over background
values for a period of time based on site-
specific conditions.
  We are also amending f 264.S6
(Compliance Period) by proposing an
alternative time period bassd upon site-
specific data and analysis of
contaminant migration potential in
addition to the current three-year
period. This provision provides
flexibility in setting the compliance
period and is also consistent with the
above change to  | 284.99. Key factors to
consider in assessing these site-specific
conditions are covered in the discussion
on §  264.36 amendments.
4. Alternate Point of Compliance at
Existing Facilities
  For some existing facilities, physical
obstacles (e.g.. natural geologic features,
buildings, highways, or railroads) may
prevent the installation of downgradient
monitoring wells, at the currently defined
point of compliance. In order to provide
flexibility in specifying compliance point
well locations, a provision is being
proposed to § 264.95(a) which would
allow the point of compliance to be
located downgradient from such existing
physical barriers as long as the
performance standard of early detection
is met. However, other drilling
techniques (i.e., directional drilling)
should be considered where physical
barriers are present and the alternate
point of compliance should be as close
as practical to the downgradient limit of
the waste management area while still
avoiding any such physical obstacles.
This provision would be limited to
existing units with existing physical
barriers. New units, lateral expansions
and replacement units are among those
units that would not be eligible for the
provision. The presence of physical
obstacles which prevent the installation
of compliance point wells capable of
detecting early leakage at those units,
could provide grounds for denial of
authorization for new, expansion, or
replacement units.
5. Supplemental Monitoring Wells
{§ 2M.95(a)(2))
  There may be certain situations in
which monitoring wells installed at the
currently defined point of compliance
would be unable to detect contaminants
due to complicated site conditions
caused by hydrogeology or contaminant
characteristics. Two examples of such
contamination problems include lateral
migration of contaminants in the vadose
zone and contaminant transport strongly
influenced by density gradients.
  The first example involves a "step-
wise" movement of contaminants
caused by discrete  low-permeability
layers (e.g., perched water tables  above
clay lenses) that are encountered at
various depths in the vadose zone.
Under these conditions, contaminants
may spread laterally along the top
surface of ths low-permeability layer,
then move downward once they reach
the layer's edge. The contaminants,  by
moving laterally above the water table
in this fashion, could escape detection
by moving past the point of compliance
wells as defined by § 284.95 before
entering the uppermost aquifer.
  The second example is a dense
contaminant plume that moves
predominantly downward due to
differences between the density of the
plume and the surrounding ground
water. Lateral movement of such plumes
is generally controlled by subsurface
structural features (e.g., an inclined
bedrock surface),- and may be contrary
to the prevailing ground-water flow
direction. Consequently, as in the
previous example, monitoring wells
placed only in locations as prescribed
by § 264.95 may not detect the release of
contaminants.
  In the proposed regulatory
amendments, the Regional
Administrator may require the
installation of supplemental wells in the
vicinity of the waste management area
as necessary for early detection of
contaminants. These wells could be
equivalent to the currently defined
compliance point wells in that the
ground-water monitoring requirements
could be fully applied at these well
locations. We are requesting comments
regarding how such supplemental wells
would be used for corrective action (e.g..
should these wells be used as point of
compliance wells for monitoring
purposes only, or also for corrective
action).

8. Compliance Period (5 264.96)
  The Agency is addressing two issues
dealing with § 264.96. First, we propose
to allow the compliance period to be
based on site-specific conditions in
addition to the current requirement that
the ground-water protection standard
not be exceeded for three years. Second,
we  propose to clarify that the
compliance period will apply to
individual waste management areas
within the facility which may be
regulated under different programs
pursuant to today's amendment to
§ 264.91(b).
  When setting the ground-water
protection standard hi a facility permit,
the Regional Administrator must define
the time period over which it will apply.
In 5 264.96, the regulations specify that
the compliance period is the number of
years equal to the active life of the
waste management area, including any
waste management activity prior to
permitting, and the closure period. The
regulations now require that once an
owner or operator ia engaged in
corrective action, the compliance period
may be  extended beyond the active life
of the waste management area until the
owner or operator can demonstrate  that
the ground-water protection standard
has not  been exceeded for a period of
three consecutive years. We are
proposing to allow, in addition to the
three-year requirement, a time period
based upon a site-specific assessment of

-------
28184
Federal  Register  /  Vol. 53.  No. 143 / Tuesday.  July 26. 1988  /  Proposed Rules
contaminant migration potential.'
Assessment factors that the Agency is
considering for compliance period
extensions include hydrogeoiogic
characteristics such as the spatial and
temporal variations in_ground-water
seepage velocities and contaminant
characteristics such as solubility.
specific gravity, adsorptive potential
and biodegradability. We are also
requesting comments on how such an
alternative time period can be
determined based on these factors and
any other factors that the Agency has
not identified.
  A compliance period based on such
factors could relate the compliance
period to site-specific conditions and
thus more effectively protect hum.=
health and the environment than tr.rf
three-year timeframe for the compliance
period currently in effect. The three-year
period may be protective at some sites
while providing too little protection at
other sites. Using site-specific criteria to
define an appropriate compliance period
would provide for better agreement
between the nature and degree of
contamination present at a waste
management unit and the length of the
compliance period.
  As noted earlier, changes to
f 264.9Ub) would allow individual
waste management areas within the
same facility to be regulated under
different monitoring programs (i.e.,
detection, compliance or corrective
action). Today's proposed amendment
 to § 264.96 will allow the Regional
 Administrator to establish, when
 appropriate, individual compliance
 periods for each individual waste
 management area within the facility.
 7. General Ground-Water Monitoring
 Requirements (I 264.97)
   In § 264.97. EPA has set forth a series
 of general requirements that address
 such topics as well design and
 placement, sampling and analysis
 procedures, analytical methods,
 measurement of water-level elevations.
 determination of background and
 statistical procedures.
   a. Monitoring the "Uppermost
 Aquifer."The existing rules provide the
  Regional Administrator explicit
  authority to require  monitoring the
  ground water in  the uppermost aquifer.
  However, some owners  and operators
  have argued that low permeability
  saturated zones within the uppermost
  aquifer are not part of the aquifer. They
  have also argued that perched aquifers
  and intermittent zones of saturation
  within the aquifer do not have to be
  monitored. The Agency believes that, in
  most cases, contamination reaching any
  ground water in these saturated zones of
                       the uppermost aquifer will migrate to the
                       principal water bearing zone in the
                       aquifer. Monitoring data from perched
                       aquifers or intermittent zones of
                       saturation can be useful in indicating
                       present or potential threats of
                       contamination in the uppermost aquifer.
                       The Agency believes that low yielding
                       saturated zones in the aquifer (whether
                       saturated permanently or intermittently)
                       should, in many cases, be subject to
                       monitoring requirements.
                         Accordingly, the Agency is proposing
                       to amend § 264.97(a) to give the
                       Regional Administrator explicit
                       authority to monitor any and all zones
                       of saturation in the uppermost aquifer.
                       We are also requesting comments on the
                       need to further clarify the Regional
                       Administrator's authority to require    ,'
                       monitoring of any saturated zone not
                       part of the uppermost aquifer that can
                       act as a contaminant transport pathway
                       under the facility. We would replace the
                       existing language "uppermost aquifer"
                       with "ground water in any saturated
                       zone below the facility that can act as a
                       contaminant transport pathway,"
                       wherever this language appears in
                       Subpart F and in 1270.14(c).
                         b. Unsaturated Zone Monitoring. The
                       Agency is proposing to add a provision
                       to § 284.97(a) that clarifies the Regional
                       Administrator's authority to require the
                       use of unsahrrated zone monitoring for
                       determining early migration of
                       contaminants. We envision the use of
                       unsaturated zone monitoring to be
                       especially useful in situations where the
                       facility is located above a hydrogeologic
                        setting where depth to the water table is
                        substantial or where such monitoring
                        improves or assures early detection of
                        released hazardous wastes or
                        constituents. Monitoring options, which
                        could be considered in site conditions
                        prone to lateral contaminant migration
                        through the vadose zone, or where depth
                        to ground water is substantial, might
                        include the following:
                          (1) Permanent geophysical monitoring
                        stations,
                          (2) Soil gas measurements.
                          (3) Nested piezometers, and
                           (4) Lysimetera.
                          c. Quality Assurance and Quality
                         Control. The Ag«ncy is proposing to add
                         to § 264.97 (c) and (e) requirements for
                         quality assuianc* and quality control
                         (QA/QC) procedures. Under paragraph
                         (c) the owners or operators would tm
                         responsible for (1) Documenting the
                         design, installation, development and
                         decommission of monitoring wells,
                         piezometers, and other measurement,
                         sampling, and analytical devices: and (2)
                         conducting operation and maintenance
                         procedures for monitoring wells,
                         piezometers, and other measurement.
sampling, and analytical devices
throughout the life of the monitoring
program. These requirements would
help to assure that reliable ground-water
monitoring data is gathered and
submitted to the Agency. Under
paragraph (e), the Agency is proposing
to add QA/QC requirements for
measurement, sampling, and analytical
methods.
   Standard methods and a
comprehensive quality assurance
program are necessary for an effective
ground-water monitoring program. In
implementing the RCRA ground-water
monitoring program, the Agency has
observed problems with ground-water
sampling procedures, well construction
and installation, monitoring well
network design, laboratory analyses,
and data interpretation. A rigorously
enforced, comprehensive quality
assurance based on sound quality
objectives and backed up with an
 appropriate set of reference methods
 and procedural guidance would remedy
 these problems. The owner  or operator
 should refer to "Ground-Water
 Monitoring: Quality Assurance for
 RCRA," EPA/600/X-87/035. January
 1987, and "Test Methods for Evaluating
 Solid Waste Physical Chemical  ' •
 Methods " SW-346, September 1989.
 regarding further information on QA/
 QC.
 8. Detection Monitoring Program
 (§ 264.98)
    The last three sections of Subpart F
 (i.e., ii 264.98. 264.99, and 264.100) set
 forth the specific elements  of each type
 of ground-water monitoring and
 response program: detection.
 compliance and corrective action. If
 hazardous constituents from a regulated
  unit have not reached ground water at
  the time of permit consideration, the
  owner or operator may receive a
  detection monitoring program permit
    a. Determination of Ground-Water
  Flow Rate and Direction. Determination
  of ground-water flow rate  and direction
  is an explicit requirement  of the
  detection and compliance  monitoring
  programs, and implicitly required for the
  corrective action program. The existing
   regulations require that flow rate and
   direction be defined annually
   (§§ 264.98(e) and 264.99(e)). Today, the
   Agency is proposing to change this
   regulation to require that the flow rate
   and direction be defined whenever any
   well exhibits a significant change in
   water level.
     The Agency is specifically requesting
   comments on what constitutes a
   significant change in water level. One
   option that the Agency is  considering is

-------
                 Federal Register  /  VoL 53. No. 143  /  Tuesday. July 26.  1988 / Proposed  Ruies
                                                                      28165
 to base the determination of significant
 change on the measurement accuracy of
 common water level measurement
 devices (e.g., fiberglass and steel tapes).
 These measurement devices are
 currently accurate to 0.01 foot. The
 Agency is asking whether a numerical
 standard based on measurement
 accuracy is appropriate for requiring a
 determination on ground-water flow rate
 and direction.
  The present requirement that the
 ground-water flow rate and direction be
 defined annually may be either too
 frequent or too infrequent, depending on
 site-specific conditions. The purpose of
 this proposed change is to provide
 flexibility in assessing the ground-water
 flow rate and direction so that such
 assessments are commensurate with the
 temporal variations  in site conditions.
 Consideration of these variations is
 critical to both monitoring and response
 programs since neglecting their
 occurrence may lead to improperly
 designed and operated  monitoring
 systems as well as to costly, ineffective
 remediation attempts. Examples of
 factors influencing the ground-water
 flow rate and direction include seasonal
 recharge patterns, tidal influences, river
 stage changes, and nearby pumping or
 injection wells. Permit writers should
 consider the above factors when
 specifying the time(s) of the year when
ground-water monitoring data should be
collected. The Agency must be made
aware of such shifts so  that appropriate
modifications to monitoring systems can
be made when necessary.
  In all cases, ground-water flow rate
and direction data should be presented
in the form of a flow net. If ground-water
surface elevation data indicate that the
hydraulic gradient has not changed, the
owner or operator can compare new
data to the original determination to
confirm that the flow rate and direction
have not changed.
  b. Sampling for Appendix IX
Constituents. Section 264.98 (h)(2)
currently requires owners or operators,
after determining a statistically
significant increase in monitoring
parameter results, to immediately
sample the ground water in all
monitoring wells and determine the
concentration of all Appendix IX
constituents  in Part 264 that are present
in ground water.
  The existing rules  do not allow for
any flexibility in selecting which
compliance point (i.e., downgradient]
monitoring wells should be subject to
the  analysis of all Appendix IX
hazardous constituents. That is,
regardless of the extent or configuration
of the point of compliance, any well
along the compliance point would be
subject to the full Appendix IX
constituent analytical requirements. We
are requesting comments on whether to
provide more flexibility in deciding
which compliance point monitoring
wells should be subject to the above
requirements. Such flexibility could be
based on plume configuration.
  c. Submission of Demonstrations
Showing Statistical Increases Caused
by Error/Other Source. The current
rules allow a facility to continue or
resume detection or compliance
monitoring, as appropriate, after
statistically significant increases in
monitoring parameters or the
concentration of particular constituents
have been detected, provided that the
owner or operator successfully '
demonstrates that a source other than a
unit within the facility has caused the
increase or that an apparent increase
resulted from error in sampling,
analysis, or evaluation. The provisions
described above require demonstrations
to be submitted in addition to, or in lieu
of, compliance monitoring and
corrective action permit modifications,
respectively.
  Under the existing rules in §§ 264.98(i)
and 264.99{j). showings that another
source was responsible for an increase
or that the increase was due to an error
in sampling, analysis, or evaluation must
be submitted within 90 days of the
determination of the significant
increase, to coincide with the time
required to submit permit modification
applications.
  We have evaluated the 90-day
requirement for J§ 264-98 (i) and 264.99
(j) and have reconsidered the need to
submit the above demonstrations within
the same time frame as permit
modification applications. For example,
errors resulting from seasonal variations
in the ground water may not become
apparent until well after the 90-day
period has passed. A more reasonable
approach would be to allow owners or
operators to submit such demonstrations
at any time during the required
monitoring period. The Agency believes
that this approach will not jeopardize
human health or the environment,  but
will provide the owner or operator with
enough flexibility to demonstrate that
significant changes in ground-water
quality were not caused by units at the
facility. Therefore, § §264.98(0 and
264.99(j) have been amended and will
require submission of demonstrations
within 90 days or an alternate time
period approved by the Regional
Administrator. It must be emphasized
that the 90-day period would usually
apply to the permit modification process
unless an alternate time period is
approved. A permit modification would
be required if a statistically significant
increase over background levels or the
ground-water protection standard were
found.

9. Compliance Monitoring Program
(§ 264.99)

  Once the owner or operator
determines that hazardous constituents
from a regulated unit are present in the
ground water, he must establish a
compliance monitoring or corrective
action program at the facility. Many of
the requirements of the compliance
monitoring program are analogous to
those required under the detection
monitoring program.
  Section 264.99(f) requires the owner or
operator to analyze samples from
compliance point monitoring wells for
all constituents contained in Appendix
IX of Part 264 at least annually to
determine whether additional hazardous
constituents are present. However.
§ 284.93 (a) and (b) allow the Regional
Administrator to exclude an Appendix
IX constituent from the list of hazardous
constituents specified in the facility
permit if the constituent is not
reasonably expected to be in or derived
from waste contained in the regulated
unit and is not likely to pose a
substantial present or potential hazard
to human health or the environment.
  Changes to § 264.99(f) are being
proposed to correct this inconsistency.
This annual monitoring requirement
should not include any constituents
which have been excluded by the
Regional Administrator under
§ 264.93(b) from die list of hazardous
constituents.

C. Discussion of Specific Part 270
Changes
  Part 270 contains requirements for
Part  B permit applications for hazardous
waste treatment, storage, and  disposal
facilities. The Agency is proposing to
change one of the Part B permit
application requirements.
  Section 270.14(c)(4) currently requires
the applicant to provide a description of
"any plume" of contamination that has
entered the ground water from a waste
management unit located within the
facility boundary, at the time that the
Part  B permit application is submitted.
Since contamination may not always
take the form of a well-defined plume,
the Agency proposes to clarify this
requirement by deleting "any plume of
contamination that has entered the
ground-water" and inserting "all
contamination that has entered ground
water from a regulated unit ' * *" The
proposed change will require that
owners or operators submit the

-------
28166
                Federal  Register / Vol. 53.  No. 143  /  Tuesday.  July  26. 1988  ./Proposed Rules
necessary monitoring data to
characterize ground-water quality.

IV. State Authority
A. Applicability ofRul'S in Authorized
States
  Under section 3006 of RCRA. EPA
may authorize qualified States to
administer and enforce the RCRA
program within the State (see 40 CFR
Part 271 for the standards and
requirements for authorization).
Following authorization, the Agency
retains enforcement authority under
sections 3008,7003 and 3013 of RCRA.
although authorized States have primary
enforcement responsibility.
   Prior to the Hazardous and Solid
Waste Amendments of 1984 (HSWA), a
State with final authorization
administered its hazardous waste
program entirely in lieu of the Federal
program. The Federal requirements no
longer applied in the authorized State.
and the Agency  could not issue permits
for any facilities in a State where the
State was authorized to permit. When
new. more stringent Federal
requirements were promulgated or
enacted, the State was obligated to
 enact equivalent authority within
 specified time frames. New Federal
 requirements did not take effect in an
 authorized State until the State adopted
 the requirements as State law.
   In contrast, under section 3006(g) of
 RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6926(g); new
 requirements and prohibitions imposed
 by HSWA take  effect in authorized
 States at the same time that they take
 effect in non-authorized States. The
 Agency is directed to carry out those
 requirements and prohibitions in
 authorized States, including the issuance
 of permits, until the State is granted
 authorization to do so. While States
 must still adopt HSWA-related
 provisions as State law to retain final
 authorization, HSWA applies in
 authorized Slates in the interim.
  B. Effects on State Authorization
   Today's rule would establish
  standards that are not effective in
  authorized States since the requirements
  are not being imposed pursuant to the
  Hazardous and Solid Waste
  Amendments of 1984. Thus, the
  requirements will be applicable only in
  those States that do not have final
  authorization. In authorized States, the
  requirements will not be applicable until
  the State revises its program to adopt
  equivalent requirements under State
  law.
    40 CFR Part 271.21(e)(2) requires that
  States that have final authorization must
  modify their programs to reflect Federal
program changes, and must
subsequently submit the modification to
EPA for approval. The deadline by
which the'State must modify its program
to adopt today's rule is one year (or two
years if a State statutory amendment is
required) of the date of final
promulgation of this regulation. These
deadlines can be extended in
exceptional cases (40 CFR Part
271.21(e)(3)). Once EPA approves  the
revision, the State requirements become
Subtitle C RCRA requirements.
  States with authorized RCRA
programs may already have
requirement's similar to those in today's
rule. These State requirements have not,
been assessed against the Federal
regulations being promulgated today to
determine  whether they meet  the tests
for authorization. Thus, a State is not
authorized to carry out these
requirements in lieu of the Agency until
the State requirements are approved. Of
 course. States with existing standards
 may continue to administer and enforce
 their standards as a matter of State law.
   States that submit official applications
 for final authorization less than 12
 months after the effective date of these
 standards are not required to include
 standards equivalent to these standards
 in their application. However, the State
 must modify its program by the deadline
 set forth in § 271.21(e). States that
 submit official applications for final
 authorization 12 months after the
 effective date of those standards must
 include standards equivalent to  these
 standards in their application. 40 CFR
 271.3 sets forth the requirements a State
  must meet when submitting its final
  authorization application.

  V. Regulatory Analysis

  A. Executive Order 12291: Regulatory
  Impact Analysis
    Under Executive Order 12291, EPA
  must judge whether a regulation is
  "major" and, thus, subject to the
  requirement of a Regulatory Impact
  Analysis. The notice published today is
  not major because: the rule will not
  result in  an effect oh the economy of
  $100 million or more, will not likely
  result in net increased costs or  prices,
  will not have significant adverse effects
  on competition, employment,
  investment, productivity, innovation,
  and will not significantly disrupt
  domestic or export markets. The
  proposed amendment has been
  reviewed by the Office of Management
   and Budget (OMB) in accordance with
   Executive Order 12291.
B. Regulatory Flexibility Act

  Pursuant to the Regulatory Flexibility
Act, 5 U.S.C. 60 et seq., whenever the
Agency is required to publish a general
notice of rulemaking for any proposed or
final rule, it must prepare and make
available for public comments a
regulatory flexibility analysis which
describes the impact of the rule on small
businesses (i.e., small businesses, small
organizations, and small governmental
jurisdictions). The Administrator may
certify, however, that the rule will not
have a significant impact on a
substantial number of small entities.
  This amendment will have no adverse
economic impact on small entities since
the rule will not cause a net change in
the amount of information required for
RCRA Part B permit applications.
 Accordingly, I hereby certify that this
 regulation will not have a significant
 impact on a substantial number of small
 entities. This regulation does not require
 a regulatory flexibility analysis.  .

 C.  Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the Paperwork
 Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 3&1 et
 seq.), the information collection
  requirements contained in Part 264 have
  previously been approved by OMB and
  were assigned OMB control number
  2050-0007. The changes being proposed
  today have been submitted to OMB for
  review  and approval. Comments on the
  information requirements should be sent
  to EPA and OMB c/o Desk Officer for
  RCRA.  Office of Management and
  Budget, Room 3019. 726 Jackson Place
  NW., Washington, DC 20603.

  List of Subjects

  40 CFR Part 264
    Hazardous waste. Reporting and
  recordkeeping, Hazardous materials,
  Ground-water monitoring.
  Environmental monitoring.

  40 CFR Part 270
    Administrative practice and
  procedure, Reporting and recordkeeping
  requirements, Hazardous materials,
  Waste treatment and disposal, Waste
  pollution control. Water supply,
  Confidential business information.

     Dated: July 18,1988.
   Le« M. Thomas,
   Administrator.
     For the reasons set out in the
    preamble. Parts 264 and 270 of Chapter I
    of Title 40 of the Code of Federal
    Regulations are proposed to be amended
    as follows.

-------
                Federal Register / Vol.  S3. No. 143 / Tuesday.  July  26. 1988 / Proposed Rules
                                                                      28167
PART 264—STANDARDS FOR
OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF
HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT,
STORAGE, AND DISPOSAL
FACILITIES

  1. The authority citation for Part 264
continues to read as follows:
  Authority: Sections 1006, 2002(a), 3004. and
3005 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act as
amended, by the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act of 1976, as amended 42 U.S.C.
6705. 6912(a), 6724. and 6925.
  2. In § 264.90 by revising paragraph
(b)(4)  to read as follows:

§264.90   Applicability.
*    *    *    *    *
  (b) * * *
  (4) The Regional Administrator finds
that the  owner or operator has
demonstrated that there is no potential
for migration of hazardous waste or
hazardous constituents from a regulated
unit to the uppermost aquifer during die
active life of the regulated unit
(including the closure period) and the
post-closure care period specified under
§ 264.117. This no migration
demonstration must be certified by a
qualified ground-water specialist and
based upon:
  (i) Site-specific field measurement
sampling, and analysis of physical,
chemical and biological processes
affecting contaminant fate and
transport; or
  (ii) An adequate margin of safety in
predicting contaminant fate and
transport, by basing predictions on
assumptions that maximize contaminant
migration and consider impacts on
human health and the environment.
*****
  3. In § 264.91 by revising paragraph (b)
to read as follows:

§ 264.91   Required programs.
*****
  (b) The Regional Administrator will
specify in the facility permit the specific
elements of the  monitoring and response
program. The Regional Administrator
may require a combination of
monitoring programs (i.e., detection.
compliance, or corrective action) for a
given  waste management area within
the facility. If a  facility contains more
than one waste  management area, the
Regional Administrator may require
different monitoring and response
programs or a different combination of
programs at the separate waste
management areas. The Regional
Administrator will specify the
circumstances under which each of the
programs will be required. In deciding
whether to require the owner or
operator to institute a particular
program, the Regional Administrator
will consider the potential adverse
effects on human health and the
environment that might occur before
final administrative action on a permit
modification application to incorporate
such a program could be taken.
  4. In § 264.95 by revising existing
paragraph (a), adding paragraphs (a)(l),
and (a)(2) {consequently, paragraph (a)
is revised), revising paragraph (bj(2),
and adding paragraph (b)(3) to read as
follows:

§ 264.95   Point of compliant*.
  (a] The Regional Administrator will
specify in the facility permit the points
of compliance at which the ground-
water protection standard of § 284.92
applies and at which monitoring must be
conducted. The point of compliance is a
vertical surface located at the
hydraulically downgradient limit of the
waste management area that extends
down into ti-ie uppermost aquifer
underlying the regulated units.
  (l)-For existing units, where existing
physical obstacles prevent the
installation of monitoring wells at the
point(s) of compliance, as defined in
paragraph (a), of this section, the
Regional Administrator may specify an
alternate points) of compliance that is
as close to the waste management area
as practical, as long as the performance
standard of early detection of
contamination is not compromised.
Lateral expansion, new.  or replacement
units are among thoee units that are not
eligible for an alternate point of
compliance under this paragraph.
  (2) Where complicated site conditions
caused by hydrogeology or contaminant
characteristics can allow contaminants
to move past or away from the point of
compliance as defined in 5 264-95(a)
without being detected, the Regional
Administrator can designate
supplemental monitoring wells to be
used in conjunction with the point of
compliance wells.
  (b) * * *
  (bj(2) If the facility contains more than
one regulated unit, the waste
management area(s) will be described
by the Regional Administrator as either:
   (i) An imaginary line circumscribing a
number of units, or.
   (ii) An imaginary line  circumscribing
each individual unit.
   (b){3) In determining whether
paragraph (b)(2) (i) or (ii) of this section
applies, the Regional Administrator will
select the waste management area(s),
thai is protective of human health and
the environment, based on the following
factors:
   (i) Number,  spacing, and orientation of
 units;
  (ii) Waste types handled: and
  (iii) Hydrogeologic setting.

  5. In § 264.96 by revising paragraphs
(a) and (c).

§ 264.96  Compliance period.
  (a) The Regional Administrator will
specify in  the facility permit the
compliance period during which the
ground-water protection standard of
§ 264.92 applies. The compliance period
is the number of years equal to the
active life of the waste management
area (including any waste management
activity prior to permitting and the
closure period). If a facility contains
more than one waste management area
as described by § 284.95(b)(2), the
individual waste management area will
have an individual compliance period.
*****
  (c) If the owner or operator is engaged
in a corrective action program at the end
of the compliance period specified in
paragraph (a) of this section, the
compliance period is extended until the
owner or operator can demonstrate that
the ground-water protection standard of
§ 264.92 has not been exceeded for a
period of three consecutive years or
alternate time period based on r.He-
specific conditions.
  6. In § 264.97 by revising paragraphs
(a)(2), (b), and (e) and by adding
•paragraphs (a){3). (c)(l) and (c)(2)  to
read as follows:

§ 264.97  Ground-vwrtar monrtoring
requirements.
   (2) Represent the quality of ground-
 water passing the point of compliance.
 The Regional Administrator shall
 require ground-water monitoring in the
 uppermost aquifer, which may include,
 but is not limited to, low-yielding
 saturated zones such as perched water
 tables in order to detect early migration
 of contaminants.
   (3) The Regional Administrator can
 require unsaturated zone monitoring
 where monitoring of the unsarurated
 zone would aid in detecting early
 migration of contaminants into ground
•water.
   (b) If approved by the Regional
 Administrator, separate ground-water
 monitoring systems are not required for
 each regulated unit when the facility has
 several regulated units and meets one or
 both of the conditions under
 § 264.95(b)(2)(ii) concerning multi-unit
 monitoring.
   (c) '  *  '
   (•1) The design, installation,
 development, and  decommission of any

-------
                Federal Register / Vol. 53. No. 143  / Tuesday. July 26. 1988 / Proposed Rules
2816S
monitoring wells, piezometers and other
measurement, sampling, and analytical
devices must be documented in the
operating record;
  (2) The monitoring wells, piezometers.
and other measurement, sampling, and
analytical devices must be operated and
maintained so that they perform to
design specifications throughout the life
of the monitoring program.
.    .    •    *    •
  (e] The ground-water monitoring
program must include measurement.
sampling, and analytical methods that
accurately, assess ground-water quality
and provide early detection of
hazardous constitutents entering the
uppermost aquifer. The methods must be
documented in the operating record and
 include quality assurance and quality
 control procedures.
 <    •    «    »     •
   7. In 5 254.98 by revising paragraphs
 (e). (h)(5) introductory text, (i)(2), and
 (i)(3) to read as follows:

 § 264.98  Detection monitoring program.
 .    .    .    •     •
   (e) The owner or operator must
 determine the ground-water flow rate
 and direction in the uppermost aquifer if
 any well exhibits a significant change in
 water level.
  «     •     «    •     •
    (hi *  * *
    (5) Within 180 days, or within an
  alternate time period approved by the
  Regional Administrator, submit to the
  Regional Administrator:
  «     •     *    •
    HI  * * *
    (2) Submit, within 90 days or an
  alternate time period approved by the
  Regional Administrator, a report to  the
  Regional Administrator which
  demonstrates that a source other than a
  regulated unit caused the increase or
  that the increase resulted from an error
  in sampling, analysis, or evaluation:
    (3) Within 90 days, or within an
  alternate time period approved by the
  Regional Administrator, submit to the
  Regional Administrator an application
   for a permit modification, to make any
appropriate changes to the detection
monitoring program at the facility; and
,    •    *     •     "
  8. In § 264.99 by revising paragraphs
(e), and (f), revising paragraphs (j)(2)
and (j)(3), and redesignating existing
paragraphs (k) and (1) as (1) and (m), and
adding new paragraph (k) as follows:

§ 264.99  Compliant* monitoring program.
.     .    •    *    *
   (e) The owner or operator must
determine the ground-water flow rate
and direction in the uppermost aquifer if
any well exhibits a significant change in
water level.
   (f] The owner or operator must
 analyze samples from all monitoring
 wells at  the compliance point for
 constituents identified in Appendix IX of
 Part 264 of this chapter, unless the
 Regional Administrator has excluded
 them under paragraph (b) of §  264.93.
 Samples must be analyzed at least
 annually to determine whether
 additional hazardous constituents are
 present  in the uppermost aquifer. If the
 owner or operator finds Appendix IX
 constituents in the ground water that are
 not identified in the permit as hazardous
 constituents, the owner or operator must
 report the concentrations of these
 constituents to the Regional
 Administrator within  seven days after
  completion of analysis.
  •    •     •     *     *

    (i) * * *
    (2) Submit a report  to the Regional
  Administrator which  demonstrates that
  a source other than a regulated unit
  caused the standard to be exceeded or
  that the apparent noncompliance with
  the standard resulted from error in
  sampling,  analysis, or evaluation;
    (3) Within 90 days, or within an
   alternate time period approved by the
   Regional Administrator, submit to the
   Regional Administrator an application
   for a permit modification to make any
   appropriate changes to the compliance
   monitoring program at the facility; and
   .    *    *     «     *
     (k) If at any time during the course  of
   a compliance monitoring program, the
owner or operator can demonstrate th*t
concentrations of hazardous
constituents no longer exceed
background values, using the statistical
procedure in § 264.97(h), for a period of
time based on site-specific conditions,
the Regional Administrator may
determine that an unregulated source or
an error in sampling, analysis, or
evaluation made it appear that the
applicable standard had been exceeded.
Upon such a demonstration, the
Regional Administrator may specify that
the owner or operator may return to a
detection monitoring program under
 S 264.98.
 ,    •     «    «    *

 PAHT 270--EPA-ADMINISTERED
 PERMIT PROGRAMS: THE
 HAZARDOUS WASTE PERMIT
 PROGRAM

   9. The authority citation for Part 270
 continues to read as follows:
   Authority: Sections 1006, 2002, 3005. 3O07,
  and 7004 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act as
  amended (42 U.S.C. 6905, 6912, 6925, 8827.
  6974), unless otherwise noted.
    10. In § 270.14 by revising paragraph
  (c](4) to read as follows:

  §270.14   Cont«nt» of Part B: Cknmal
  requirement*,
  .    *   *    *     •

    (c) * * *
    (4) A description of all contamination
  that has entered the ground water from
  a regulated unit at the time the
  application was submitted that:
     (i) Delineates the extent of
   contamination on the topographic map
   required under paragraph (b)(19) of this
   section;                     .    f
   " (ii) Identifies the concentration of
   each Appendix IX constituent, of Part
   264 of this chapter, throughout the zone
   of contamination or identifies the
   maximum concentrations of each
   Appendix IX constituent within the zone
   of contamination.
   .    «     «    •    *
   [FR Doc. 86-16639 Filed 7-25-88: 8:45 am]
   BIUJNO CODE 4590-50-M

-------