HAZARDOUS WASTE PERMITTING PROGRAM
Permit Modifications Report:
Safeguarding the Environment in the
Face of Changing Business Needs
January 2016
EPA530-R-15-001
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This report was developed by hazardous waste permitting experts in state environmental programs and in the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery and regional offices.
EPA wishes to acknowledge and thank the following contributors of this report: Paula Bansch (Indiana, IDEM), Bob
Bullock (Idaho, DEQ), Jamie Burroughs (Tennessee, TDEC), Tricia Buzzell (EPA), Lilybeth Colon (EPA), Gail Hansen (EPA),
Becky Holmes (Montana, DEQ), Denise Housley (EPA), Julia King-Collins (Virginia, DEQ), Matthew Loesel (EPA), Bud
McCarty (North Carolina, DENR), Richard Nussbaum (Missouri, MDNR), Christine Roob (North Dakota, Dept. of Health),
Tab Sommer (EPA), Will Steele (Louisiana, DEQ), and Farshad Vakili (California, DTSC).
For questions about the report, please contact Tab Sommer, 703-605-0636, sommer.tab@epa.gov.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The majority of facilities that are treating, storing, or disposing of hazardous waste have been issued permits under the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The bulk of permitting activity has now shifted to responding to business
needs and changes in facility operations while ensuring that the permitted conditions continue to be protective and
prevent release. This report demonstrates the value of maintaining healthy RCRA permitting programs in order to efficiently
respond to changes needed at facilities.
WHY HAZARDOUS WASTE PERMIT
MODIFICATIONS ARE NECESSARY
Under RCRA, facilities managing hazardous waste must
obtain a permit from their regulatory authority (i.e., the
state or EPA). The purpose of the permit is to detail how a
facility must comply with the RCRA regulations to ensure
that hazardous waste management activities are conducted
so as to prevent and address releases that could threaten
public health and the environment and lead to potential
cleanup obligations. These permits are site-specific and
establish the technical and administrative standards to
which a facility must adhere to legally and protectively
manage hazardous waste. Thus, it is critical that
modifications to the permit are made as necessary to
enable the facility to effectively continue to operate
treatment, storage, and disposal units.
Changes to permit conditions are often
required to keep pace with evolving business
practices, technology, cleanup decisions, and
regulations. For example, permit
modifications allow facilities to update
technological systems, comply with new
environmental standards, respond to
changing waste streams, address financial
assurance requirements, or simply improve
their hazardous waste management practices.
These changes in turn can support enhanced operational
efficiency, economic development, conservation of
resources, improved prevention of environmental releases,
and cleanup progress.
Most facilities may need to modify their permit more often
than the permit needs to be renewed to accommodate
time-critical business decisions, such as construction of a
new waste management unit. Timely permit modifications
enable facilities to efficiently expand and update their
operations, adopt advanced greener technologies,
remediate contamination, and address other vital business
needs, while remaining protective of human health and the
environment.
Permitted:
Permit Maintenance Workload
Need Initial Permit or Closure
and Tracked for EPA Goals
See Section HA for details
MOST PERMIT-RELATED WORK OCCURS
AFTER INITIAL PERMIT ISSUANCE
The issuance of an initial permit reflects just the beginning
of the permit-related work conducted by the regulatory
authority. Over the life of a typical permitted hazardous
waste management facility, significantly more time is
devoted to permit maintenance than to permit issuance.
To better understand the workload associated with permit
modifications, a group of state and EPA representatives
reviewed data on permit modifications approved in 2011
through 2013. On average, 826 permit modifications were
approved each year over the three-year period.
Permit modifications vary greatly in terms of complexity -
a simple modification (Class 1 or Minor changes, such
as a change in contact information) can be
completed in as little as two or three hours. Class
1 modifications represent 83% of permit
modifications reviewed during the period. More
substantial modifications (Class 2, 3, and Major,
such as adding a new waste management unit)
combined represent 17% of permit modifications. The
more substantial modifications can take up to
1,850 staff hours to address. Modifications that
are technically complicated or have a high degree
of public interest can take over a year to finalize (in
addition to the 105 days of public review for Class 3's). See
Section III for the process and timeframes for different
classes of modifications.
Facilities that need permit maintenance are a large
percentage (88%) of the RCRA permitting program's
priority workload. However, the work has not been fully
communicated or understood since modifications are not
currently recognized under EPA performance goals and are
not addressed in most state-EPA planning and budget
negotiations. In that regard, this report presents a first look
at the story of permit modifications, including the
workload expended by states and EPA and the outcomes
achieved for the environment and regulated community.
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Contents
INTRODUCTION
PART1
I. WHAT HAPPENS TO A FACILITY AFTER IT is PERMITTED?
A. Continual Work for Protection of Human Health and the Environment .. 8
B. Permit Modification Requests: Objectives and Outcomes
C. Permit Maintenance Activities
II. THE UNTOLD STORY
A. Why Modifications are an Untold Story
B. Why an Efficient Permit Modification Process is Necessary
III. PERMIT MODIFICATIONS: STATUS AND STATISTICS
A. Permit Modification Process and Timeframes
B. Permit Modification Statistics . 19
C. Location of Permitted Facilities with Potential for Modifications
IV. CONCLUDING POINTS
PART 2
PERMIT MODIFICATION CASE STUDIES .. 24
A. Responding to Changing Business Practices or Operations
B. Improving Hazardous Waste Management
C. Ensuring Long-Term Protection
D. Keeping Permits Up to Date
E. Modifications over the "Life of a Permit"
APPENDIX
1. Modifications Types Based on Regulatory Descriptions
2. Permit Modification Data: Background and Details
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INTRODUCTION
A. Purpose of this Report
The purpose of this report is to describe the changing nature of RCRA hazardous waste permitting work
and demonstrate how an adequate and effective permit program is vital, not only for initial permits, but
also throughout the permit term to enable necessary permit maintenance activities. Permit conditions that
are developed when permits are initially issued frequently need to be revised during the permit term to
address evolving facility conditions, for example, in response to business changes, as well as changes in
applicable regulatory requirements. Permit maintenance, including permit modification, assures that
permits remain effective, and allows owners and operators to adjust facility operations to meet changing
conditions and demands.
This report highlights the workload associated with maintaining permits and describes why permit
modifications are critical in order to enable improved business operations while maintaining protection of
human health and the environment.
B. Background
The EPA established comprehensive protective national standards for managing solid and hazardous
waste. These regulations for treatment, storage, and disposal facilities ensure that facilities that manage
these wastes have the necessary controls to safeguard communities and the environment, while
facilitating commerce by supporting an effective waste management structure. These controls are
imposed primarily through permits and these permits are predominantly issued by authorized states.1
Permits are essential to making the RCRA Subtitle C regulatory program work, since it is through the
permitting process that the EPA or the states apply standards to hazardous waste treatment, storage, and
disposal facilities (TSDFs). With permits and other enforceable waste management controls, RCRA actively
protects the health of communities near hazardous waste management facilities, including the estimated
20 million people living within a mile of these facilities.2 For example, RCRA requirements for landfills to
install liners and leachate collection systems prevent hazardous contaminants from migrating into soil and
potentially into surface water and groundwater, which are sources of drinking water. Furthermore, by
containing leaks and spills, RCRA permit controls safeguard families and their homes from possible
exposure. Permits also protect the public from hazardous air emissions by regulating hazardous waste
combustors, including incinerators as well as boilers and commercial and industrial furnaces that combust
hazardous waste, and by ensuring that volatile waste is properly contained and managed.
The public plays an important role in the permitting process for hazardous waste facilities. They and other
interested parties can contribute valuable information and ideas that improve the quality of both agency
decisions and permit applications. EPA has written regulations that create opportunities for the public to
1 EPA Regions implement the RCRA program in Alaska, Iowa, and some territories. EPA regions also implement certain parts of the
program for which some states have not yet been authorized (e.g., corrective action and some HSWA combustion regulations).
2 Estimate drawn from an analysis that merged facility size and location information from RCRAInfo with population data, at the
block and block group levels, from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2000 Census. The demographics were captured around the total number
of facilities that have approved controls in place (e.g., permits and other approved controls) that result in the protection of this
population (20 million people).
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learn about RCRA activities and give input during the process for permit issuance and for modifications.
There are meetings, comment periods, and hearings specifically for the public to engage companies and
regulators in a dialogue. Furthermore, EPA encourages permitting agencies, permit holders or applicants,
and other interested parties to provide additional public participation activities where it will be helpful.
Since the program has been implemented, permits and other enforceable controls have been put in place
to prevent dangerous releases at over 20,000 units.3 Almost half of those units continue to require some
level of oversight.4 The states (and EPA) regularly issue, modify, and update RCRA permits for hazardous
waste units (such as incinerators and landfills) at facilities that treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste.
These RCRA permits establish the waste management activities a facility can conduct as well as the
conditions under which it can conduct them.
Over the life of a typical permitted hazardous waste management facility, significantly more time is
devoted to permit maintenance than to permit issuance. Permit maintenance involves a number of
activities among which permit modifications are the most significant. The work involved after permit
issuance/reissuance and the results of those efforts have been largely unrecognized mainly because RCRA
permit modifications have not been included under EPA performance goals. This paper tells the story of
permit modifications and the important role they play in keeping permits current. It also describes
common challenges and complexities inherent in the permit modification process and highlights case
studies that offer a glimpse of the content, process, and workload.
With facilities constantly changing, it is critical that states and EPA maintain sufficient expertise and
resources to process permits in a timely manner and allow businesses, especially those in the
manufacturing sector, the opportunity to adjust to variable markets. Although the vast majority of
hazardous waste management facilities have permits in place, there is a continuing challenge to keep
pace with technology in a way that encourages safe and innovative waste management.
C. Organization of this Report
This report is divided into two primary components:
Part 1 provides information on the permit modification process. It describes what happens to a
facility after it has received a permit, discusses why permit modifications have been largely an
"untold story" in light of the focus on issuing and renewing permits, and provides facts and
figures to set context for the workload associated with responding to modification requests.
Part 2 presents a series of case studies that show permit modifications "in action." The case
studies describe real-world situations where the state permitting programs and businesses have
worked together at facility improvements - where changes to permits continue to ensure proper
safeguards remain in place and allow companies to respond to changing business needs or
pursue innovative approaches to responsible hazardous waste management.
3 These units have met the criteria for "approved controls in place to prevent release," per the unit information entered into
RCRAInfo. This includes historical records. See the GPRA "approved controls" description in Appendix 2.
4 The oversight total (9,000 units) is from RCRAInfo in the "Full Oversight Workload for Permitting (Operating and Post-closure) and
Closure Report" as of 3-12-14.
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Parti
PART1
I. WHAT HAPPENS TO A FACILITY AFTER IT is PERMITTED?
Permit Issued/
Reissued
Under RCRA, facilities must have a hazardous waste permit for units that treat,
store, or dispose of hazardous waste. RCRA permits provide facility owners and
operators with the legal authority to treat, store, or dispose of hazardous
waste and detail how the facility must operate in order to comply with the
regulations. The final permit also takes public input into consideration.
Permits are issued for a maximum of ten years (although permits can be
administratively continued). This permit term limit ensures that facilities
are periodically reviewed and requirements
are updated as necessary.
Examples of Changes over the Life of a Permit
- Operating -
1. Change waste streams managed
2. Add capacity in existing units
3. Incorporate new units in the permit
4. Comply with new regulations (e.g., for incinerator units)
5. Improve waste management in order to save costs and
conserve natural resources
6. Upgrade to more efficient/green technologies
7. New ownership triggering financial assurance reviews
- Closure, Post-Closure, Facility-Wide Cleanup -
1. Close storage tanks/remove conditions for unit
2. Improve cleanup process for historic contamination
3. Institute and assess new monthly groundwater
monitoring
4. Select final remedy for facility-wide cleanup
5. Extend post-closure care period for landfills
- Recurring Changes -
1. Change in the general permit provisions (e.g., schedule of
compliance, corrections, adjustment of unit conditions)
2. Change in the general facility standards (e.g., emergency
response/coordinator, sampling, and analysis)
EPA views permits as living documents that
can be modified to address changing
circumstances. Neither the permitting agency
nor the facility owner or operator can
anticipate all of the administrative, technical,
or operational changes required over the
permit term for a facility; therefore, permit
modifications are inevitable.
Permitted facilities must request and receive
approval for proposed procedural,
mechanical, physical, and process changes
that deviate from their approved permits.
Such permit modifications can involve a
significant level of effort on the part of the
regulating authority including: discussions
with the facility representatives to
understand the change, class determination,
technical review, regulatory analysis,
comment, discussion, data entry, public
notice, comment response, site visit to
visually inspect the area being modified and
document updates. Refer to Exhibit 5 for the main regulatory process steps and see
Section 1C for a more comprehensive list of permit maintenance activities.
Permit Modifications
Issued for each Change
Permit modifications and maintenance are critical for continued safe
waste management. The prevention of dangerous releases also
circumvents the need for new costly cleanups.
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A. Continual Work for Protection of Human Health and the Environment
Permit writers continually work with facilities to ensure that sound operating procedures and proper waste
management practices are being conducted in a way that is protective of human health and the
environment. When changes to facility design and operations are proposed, permit writers assess the
impacts, including the potential for releases
of hazardous waste or hazardous
constituents. Permit writers also make sure
that permits reflect decisions that enable
facility cleanup to effectively move forward.
(See the case studies in Part 2 for specific
examples.)
The permit establishes the administrative
and technical conditions under which a
facility must operate. The permitting
authority's ongoing oversight of facility
operations and interactions with the facility
contacts are essential to ensuring the
continual protectiveness of permit
conditions. These activities are an
important element of permit maintenance
and can help both parties identify potential
modifications that might be needed to
support evolving waste management
methods or other changing needs at the
facility.
Permit maintenance prevents hazardous
waste releases as operations change:
The RCRA Hazardous Waste
Permitting Program
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
provides the general requirements for EPA's waste
management program. The RCRA hazardous waste
permitting program, established under RCRA Subtitle C,
ensures the safe treatment, storage, and disposal of
hazardous waste by establishing administrative and
technical requirements under which a hazardous waste
management facility must operate.
Permits typically include conditions governing facility
design and operation; safety standards; emergency
plans; corrective action programs designed to respond
to releases; financial assurance for unit closure and
post-closure maintenance; and other required activities,
such as employee training, monitoring, and reporting.
The permitting process includes the issuance of initial
permits, modifications, renewals, and termination.
Facilities that are required to obtain RCRA permits must
request and receive approval for procedural,
mechanical, physical, and process changes that deviate
from their approved permits.
For more information about hazardous waste
permitting, see http://www2.epa.gov/hwpermitting
Initial permit conditions are established in
order to ensure hazardous waste is safely
managed and to prevent releases to the
environment. As facility operations or other
factors change through time, permitting authorities need to work with the facility to ensure that
conditions outlined in the permit continued prevent releases and require best waste management
practices.
There are valid environmental reasons for formal approval of the facility changes in order to prevent
release. For example, secondary containment not adjusted to allow for increases in quantity of hazardous
waste managed could pose an increased risk of release, which in turn may result in human exposure and a
lengthy and costly cleanup. The regulator must assess changes in order to ensure that they are
appropriate and protective.
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B. Permit Modification Requests: Objectives and Outcomes
Permit modifications respond to various business needs by revising the permit to ensure that the changes
are protective of human health and the environment. Changes to the facility operations and related
permit modifications can have the effect of improving a facility's operational efficiency, economic
development, as well as allowing for creative problem solving and other aspects such as facility
management. Some modifications are initiated due to changing environmental requirements. (See the
case studies in Part 2 for specific examples.)
Reasons for Permit Modification Requests
Operational efficiency: Permit modifications allow for development and implementation of
new technologies and systems while ensuring protective standards. These changes can
improve the efficiency of facility operations, which lead to ancillary effects such as operational
cost savings or environmental improvement. For example, by expanding its waste
management capacity, a facility can reduce transportation costs and corresponding
environmental impacts associated with off-site treatment or disposal. Other changes, such as
the addition of new treatment technologies or redesign of storage areas, may lead to
operational efficiencies at the facility.
Economic development: Companies may request permit modifications in order to
incorporate changes needed to grow and expand their business and waste management
infrastructure. For example, permit modifications allow companies to install new units for
treating or disposing of hazardous waste or to incorporate new waste management processes
that allow companies to treat new waste streams. Timely permit modifications ensure that
these changes maintain protection of human health and the environment while allowing
companies to keep pace with changes in the marketplace and assure their competitiveness.
Environmental improvement: Permit modifications can lead to environmental
improvements in multiple ways. Many modifications facilitate cleanup of contaminated soil or
groundwater, which reduces risks to human health and the environment. Other modifications
allow facilities to increase the recycling or reuse of materials, thus reducing corresponding
waste streams. Some changes are undertaken to improve technological or operational
efficiency; these can have ancillary environmental benefits, such as reductions in fossil fuel use
and greenhouse gas emissions. Permit modifications may also be triggered by changes to
environmental regulations (e.g., new air quality standards may require removal of hazardous
pollutants from stack emissions, creating a new waste stream that must be managed).
Other: Permit modifications can also be made in response to general improvements in waste
management. Common modifications that can improve waste management practices are
updates to waste analysis plans or contingency plans for emergency response actions.
Administrative changes, such as revisions to facility contact information, or changes to facility
ownership are addressed through modifications.
The issues addressed by permit modifications range from minor administrative changes to significant
physical changes at a facility.
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Exhibit 1 summarizes the distribution of permit modification approvals for 2011 through 2013. As shown
in the graphic, changes to general facility standards, general permit conditions, closure/post-closure
(which may trigger financial assurance updates5), groundwater monitoring/protection, and corrective
action represented a large percentage of all permit modification approvals.6 The modifications cover
operating and post-closure permits. A growing number of modifications are for permits that have been
continued in order to address facility-wide corrective action after the TSD units are clean closed. The case
studies presented in Part 2 of this report describe the kinds of permit modifications in more detail.
Exhibit 1. General Distribution of Permit Modification Approvals by Type (2011-2013)
Closure/Post-Closure (may trigger financial assurance updates)
General Permit
Conditions
Groundwater
Monitoring/Protection
.Corrective Action
Unit-Specific (Tanks, Containers, Land-Based)
or
General Facility_/
Standards \^ Combustion (Incineration BIFS, MACT)
Additional Process/Unit/Capacity
Note: EPA calculated this distribution using data from the RCRAInfo database where the modification type was identified in the code or the notes for
"other modifications." This does not reflect data from all states. Modifications were not required to be tracked in RCRAInfo in this fimeframe. (Sample
size: 788 permit modifications out of 2479). See details about RCRAInfo Data in Appendix 2.
C. Permit Maintenance Activities
With the vast majority of the hazardous waste management facilities already permitted, permit
maintenance, including modifications, account for most of the permitting workload. The maintenance of
permits involves processing and approval of modifications, as well as other oversight activities, such as
compliance inspections, responding to the public's calls and questions, and review of routine facility
reports. Below are examples of permit maintenance activities that occur throughout the life of the permit.
5 Although changes to the closure and post-closure plan typically require updates to a facility's financial assurance, regular
maintenance of a facility's financial assurance alone does not generally trigger a permit modification. Maintenance of financial
assurance includes annual verification of the financial documents submitted by facilities to ensure the amount is adjusted for
inflation and the mechanism is still valid and, when necessary, additional steps to ensure coverage remains in place (e.g., response to
instrument provider cancellation requests).
5 This pie chart is intended to show the general ratio of activities involved in the various permit modification approvals, not specific
amounts or percentages. The state data that could be relied on for this assessment is only 32% of the national total. It does not
include data for all states, nor does it include approvals entered where the activity was not specified in the code type or in the notes.
See Appendix 2 for additional details. State ratios vary considerably, for example, Texas has a larger percentage of combustion
modifications.
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Examples of Permit Maintenance:
Modification Activities
o Initial discussion with facility representative
regarding details of planned facility changes and
determination of modification class
o Review/approval of modification requests and
associated deliverables required under the
regulations or schedules of compliance in the
permit and conduct site visits
o Conduct public participation activities, such as
solicitation of public comment and public
meetings or hearings (may be adjudicated)
o Conduct environmental assessments
o Compile environmental impact statements
o Perform other required procedural activities, see
the process outlined in Exhibit 5
Other Permit Oversight and Maintenance
Activities
o Review/approval of documents and routine
reports required under the regulations or
schedules of compliance in the permit (e.g.,
semi-annual/annual groundwater monitoring
reports)
o Conduct compliance inspections
o Review of facility demonstrations of financial
assurance
o Respond to citizen/media calls
o Facility management planning
o Data management
o Respond to internal inquiries and file review
requests
o Permit billing (cost recovery) activities
o Participate in meetings, phone calls, and site
visits
Permit Modifications as compared to
Initial Permits and Renewals 2011-2013
Initial Permits, 20 Renewals,
350
Permit Modifications,
2479
As the majority of facilities on the permitting
track now have permits in place, the permitting
workload is now shifting to modifications.
Relative Workload in 2011 thru 2013:
There are about seven times more permit
modifications than renewals.
Permit modifications and renewals
outnumber new issuances at a rate of 141 - 1.
1,429 facilities are permitted and appear to
be in the workload for modifications and
renewals.
Generally, 17% of the modifications require
"substantial" changes to the permit and these
can be comparable to initial permit issuance
or renewal with regard to complexity,
workload, and public participation
requirements.
See Section III.B for details on the data.
The modifications can trigger a great deal of unanticipated work. For example, the transfer of facility
ownership is a Class 1 modification, usually the simplest modification to process, but it also involves
changes in the financial assurance mechanisms (e.g., trust fund, insurance policy, or letter of credit),
granting a release for previous owner, and other responsibilities in addition to the actual modifications to
the permit. Other activities can require special technical expertise. Activities, such as environmental
assessments and impact statements, could be done in concert with efforts to "green" the permit (see Part
2 Section B). In summary, permit maintenance work is more than just making specific edits to permit
criteria; the permit review must assess the overall waste management practices of the facility in order to
make sure the change in the permitted activity is in compliance with the regulations.
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Exhibit 2. RCRA Permitting Workloads in 2015
1600
II. THE UNTOLD STORY
A. Why Modifications are an Untold Story
The first RCRA permit deadlines came with the 1984 Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendment (to RCRA)
and issuing permits became a major goal for RCRA programs. For many years, EPA and authorized state
agencies have continued to focus
on the issuance of new and
updated regulatory controls
(primarily initial permits and
permit renewals) as a core
program performance measure.
This national performance
measure was largely an outgrowth
of the Government Performance
and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993,
which mandated that federal
agencies establish performance
measures to gauge the success of
their programs.
E 1400
"- 1200
1000
o
o
800
600
400
200
- Permitted:
Permit Maintenance Workload
(Only Renewals tracked for GPRA)
1% - Need Operating Permit:
Operating underlnterim Status
(Tracked for GPRA)
11% - Need Post-Closure Permit,
Complete Closure, or Other
Approved Control
(Tracked for GPRA)
Today, RCRA permits have been
issued to the vast majority of
facilities in the GPRA workload,
and many of those permits have
been reissued. Exhibit 2 shows the
current related permitting
program workloads. EPA's RCRA
program continues to establish
national goals for initial controls
(permit issuance, clean closure, or
other controls in place) and
renewals.
A primary purpose of RCRA
permitting requirements is to
ensure that ongoing hazardous
waste management activities are
protective and do not result in
cleanup obligations; however, the
preventive nature of the
permitting program is difficult to
track as a performance measure.
Permitting and permit
maintenance are nonetheless ongoing and effective tools in ensuring that hazardous wastes are not
mismanaged. Whereas the Agency has been able to successfully track permit issuance and renewal since
they are "predictable" tasks, permit modifications have not been included in core program performance
measures or national goals for very practical reasons. The frequency, timing, and complexity of permit
Permitting Workloads in 2015
Permitted (88%)
1429 - The "Permit Maintenance Workload" contains the facilities that
are permitted and are expected to need permit modifications and
other maintenance. The facilities that would also eventually need
permit renewals are included in this set. At the current rate of
renewals, about 300 facilities (~21%) are administratively continued
past their permit expiration date and need renewals. Renewals are
tracked for GPRA.
Never Permitted; Tracked for GPRA and Need Initial Controls (12%)
16 - Need Operating Permit: Facilities have at least one unit that is
"operating, actively managing RCRA hazardous waste" and is under
interim status standards.
172 - Not Operating: Need post-closure permit, completion of closure
obligations, or other approved controls in place. The majority of
these facilities are on track for clean closure (and/or a corrective
action order), but some will be issued post-closure permits.
Note: There are additional facilities that are not shown in the graph totals
above and are less of a priority (not tracked for GPRA), but are still under the
oversight of the permitting programs.
See Section III.C for the permit maintenance workload criteria and a
comparison to other regulated facilities. See Appendix 2 for additional details
on this information.
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modification requests in any given year is unpredictable, primarily because the majority of these requests
are initiated by facilities.
The workload uncertainty keeps the program from projecting the number of modification approvals to be
accomplished, but resources nonetheless have to be prioritized and in place in order to address them.
Modifications represent a substantial workload for EPA and the authorized states and they should be
considered along with the accomplishments tracked in the RCRA core programs. The Association of State
and Territorial Solid Waste Management Official's (ASTSWMO's) State RCRA Subtitle C Core Hazardous
Waste Program Implementation Costs Final Report, published in January 2007, discussed this in detail,
emphasizing that an estimated 32 percent of costs to the state authorized hazardous waste permitting
program can be attributed to permit modifications (see Exhibit 3). This does not include all permit
maintenance activities. The ASTSWMO's report also states: "In terms of overall State RCRA Core C
program costs, permit modifications represent the single most costly activity that States perform. "7
Exhibit 3. Relative RCRA Program Costs to States in 2007
RCRA Core Program Costs
Program
Development
12%
Permitting
Program
25%
Permit Modifications are 32% of the
Permitting Program Costs
Remaining Permitting Program Costs
(including "permit maintenance")
Since the 2007 report, more facilities have been issued an initial permit and the permit renewal backlog is
diminishing, thus shifting more of the work towards maintenance (including modifications).
The proportion of State Core RCRA Subtitle C program workloads and associated costs devoted to permit
modifications are now understood but, to date, there has been little discussion of the economic,
environmental, and regulatory benefits of permit modifications and these are often not fully considered
during annual planning and funding negotiations.
7 ASTSWMO's full report is available at: http://www.astswmo.org/Files/Policies and Publications/Hazardous Waste/Final%20Report%20-
%20RCRA%20Subtitle%20C%20Core%20Proiect.pdf
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B. Why an Efficient Permit Modification Process is Necessary
Speed of business has accelerated. The hazardous waste landscape has evolved considerably since the
regulations were established in the early 1980s. Since then, personal computer use and electronic
communications are ubiquitous, innovations in information technology have exploded, and the pace of
globalization and trade has quickened. As business needs accelerate, EPA and the states have sought
more efficient ways to review permit modifications in order to ensure permits remain protective of human
health and the environment without encumbering business needs. Tools such as model permits,
templates, regulatory guidance, and training allow regulatory authorities to issue hazardous waste
modifications that are protective of the environment and responsive to business.
Urgent Changes. To stay competitive, owners and operators must respond faster to changes in their
marketplace. They must be at the ready to implement changes that will reduce costs, expand
infrastructure, and develop new markets. Timely permit modifications are critical for responding to these
needs in a manner that is protective of human health and the environment while avoiding delays in time-
critical decisions.
Permit modifications that enable businesses to implement changes to improve protectiveness, such as
changes to increase recycling, minimize waste, and improve cleanup of sites are paramount to meeting
the intent of RCRA. For example, the RCRA corrective action program has focused on increasing progress
toward constructing cleanup remedies. Timely modification of a permit to incorporate a cleanup remedy
decision contributes to more prompt reduction of current and future risks from contamination. It is vital
that permit modifications are processed efficiently and effectively to avoid costs to the environment as
well as to industry.
Federal and state regulators must carefully review permit modifications to ensure the action is in
compliance with regulatory requirements and is protective of human health and the environment.
Regulators must also provide adequate opportunity for the public to have a voice regarding decisions that
potentially affect their community (i.e., a change in treatment may trigger a need for storage that the
facility did not anticipate). When the regulatory agency is able to quickly shift priorities and resources,
these activities can be implemented expeditiously, and thus better align with the facility's business-related
schedules and deadlines, as well as bring environmental protections into place in a timely manner.
Permitting Resources Needed to Respond to the Shift: In the past, RCRA permitting programs have
primarily focused on issuing permits, but with the majority of the hazardous waste management facilities
already permitted, permit maintenance and modifications account for most of the permitting workload. In
addition, businesses have come to expect timely attention and service to their permit-related applications,
especially in light of the permitting fees they pay in many states, yet at the same time federal and state
hazardous waste resources devoted to providing such service have diminished.
The first step in addressing these issues is bringing attention to the issue. This issue was first highlighted
in ASTSWMO's 2007 RCRA Core Report. This 2007 Report provided an accounting of workloads in broad
programmatic areas within the hazardous waste realm and clearly identified the resources devoted to new
permit issuance/reissuance versus other permit related activities including permit modifications. One
conclusion of this analysis was that there was (and continues to be) a major shift in program emphasis
since the early 1980s to permit modifications/maintenance in permit-related areas. As a result of the shift,
significant federal and state program resources have been diverted to work in these areas, which is
supported by the statistics contained in the ASTSWMO report and this paper.
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III. PERMIT MODIFICATIONS: STATUS AND STATISTICS
A. Permit Modification Process and Timeframes
The procedures for making changes to a permit will vary depending on whether the permitting authority
or the permittee is initiating the change.
There are three basic situations that involve changes to a permit after issuance/reissuance:
Permit modification at the request of the permittee (see 40 CFR 270.42, the most common)
Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 described below
Permit modification at the request of the State/EPA (see 40 CFR 270.41, this is very rare)
Modification of the permit
Revocation and reissuance of the permit
Termination of the permit (see 40 CFR 270.43, not a "modification")
RCRA permit modifications are organized into three classes.8-9 Class 2 Class 3/Major
Class 1 modifications apply to minor changes that keep the 10%.^B *. 7%
permit current with routine changes to the facility or its
operations. These changes do not substantially alter the
conditions in the initial permit or reduce the facility's ability to
protect human health and the environment. Some Class 1
modifications (such as a change in the emergency contacts) do
not require prior approval by EPA or the authorized state-
permitting agency. However, most changes require prior "^^^^^^^^ 83%
approval. Class 1 's are typically the easiest to process. Most are Class 1/Minor
simple changes to the permit, although some can be rather See Section III.B for details aboutthe data.
difficult to address, such as a change in ownership, which triggers financial assurance changes.
- Expected Staff Time to Address: 2-25 hours (100 hours or more for ownership changes
especially with complex facilities that have multiple owners under one permit.)
Class 2 modifications address changes needed to maintain safety or regulatory compliance at the
facility. In particular, Class 2 modifications apply when facility owners and operators need to
respond to common variations in the types and quantities of waste managed by the facility,
technological advancements, and new regulatory requirements, where those changes can be
made without substantially changing the design specifications or management practices in the
permit.
- Expected Staff Time to Address: 41 -119 hours (up to 340 hours in rare cases)
Class 3 modifications are major changes that substantially alter the facility or its operations. For
example, changes to waste management practices to accommodate new types of waste,
substantial increases in storage capacity, or changes to the facility's groundwater monitoring
program would require a Class 3 modification. Modifications in this classification have a wide
range of complexity and typically include the more complicated permit changes.
- Expected Staff Time to Address: 59-640 hours (up to 1850 hours in rare cases)
8 Several states (AL, FL, ME, MN, NY, OH, and SC) use the original "major or minor" permit modification categories in lieu of the three
class system introduced in a 1988 rule (53 FR 37912).
9 The "Expected Staff Time" ranges come from the 2007 ASTSWMO Core report. See also background in Appendix 2.
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Exhibit 4 provides examples of the types of changes covered by each modification classification.
Exhibit 4. Examples of Permit Modification Classifications
Class 1
Administrative and informational
changes
Correction of typographical errors
Changes in names, addresses, and
phone numbers of emergency
coordinators
Changes to comply with new regulations
for analytical quality control plans, or
waste sampling and analysis methods
Class 2
Changes in frequency or content of
inspection schedules
Minor changes to corrective action
Changes to facility training plan that
affect the type or amount of employee
training
Changes in number, location, depth, or
design of groundwater monitoring wells
Class 3
Creation of a new landfill as part of
closure
Addition of corrective action remedy
Addition of compliance monitoring to
groundwater monitoring program
Addition of temporary incinerator for
closure activities
Note: Permit modifications are classified in more detail in 40 CFR 270.42, Appendix I, which is described in "Modification
Types Based on Regulatory Descriptions" in Appendix 1 of this report.
The process for modifying a permit differs depending on the classification of the modification. For Class
2 and Class 3 modifications, the modification process follows a series of defined steps similar to the initial
permit application process. In contrast, the administrative requirements for Class 1 modifications are
comparatively minor. Class 2 and Class 3 modifications require the facility to follow several steps to
encourage public participation. These steps include publishing a notice of the request for permit
modification in a public newspaper; holding a public meeting; and allowing a 60-day public comment
period on the requested modification. Exhibit 4 illustrates the modification process for all three Classes.
Typical timeframes for completion of modifications are based on the time needed for public comment,
complexity of the modification request, class type, and availability of agency staff resources. The
permitting agency may need additional information from the facility in order to make a decision and
these interactions can be lengthy. Denials are relatively rare since provisions allow for revisions and
extensions. The permitting agency may also determine that the class should be higher or lower (or
deciding if a Class 1 needs prior approval) based on the change being made.
Agency-initiated modifications generally require a similar process to issuing a full permit (these are not
as common as facility initiated modifications).
Temporary authorizations, as described in 40 CFR 270.42(e), can be requested for the following
objectives:
Facilitate timely implementation of closure or corrective action
Prevent disruption of ongoing waste management activities
Respond to sudden changes in the types or quantities of waste managed
Allow specific treatment or storage in order to comply with land disposal restrictions
Facilitate other changes to protect human health and the environment
Temporary authorizations allow the changes to a permitted activity to take affect sooner than the regular
modification process allows. If the changed activity must continue after expiration of the temporary
authorization, a regular modification process would still be required. Temporary authorizations are
allowed for modifications that would normally be included in a Class 2 or 3 modification request. A
creation of a temporary storage unit to store hazardous waste prior to treatment or disposal would be an
example of a situation where the use of a temporary authorization would be appropriate.
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Public input can also help permittees or prospective applicants make better decisions during the process.
Public interest tends to be high for facilities receiving their initial permit and may decline over the lifespan
of a permit, particularly at facilities that have modified their permit many times (sometimes over 100
changes). Effective and meaningful public participation remains critical for informing decisions made by
the facility managers as well as the regulating agency.
See Exhibit 5 for the regulatory public participation requirements based on the permit modification class.
The main required components of public participation for permit modifications are:
Notification of the facility's modification request sent to mailing list;
Publication in local paper and modification request made available to public (Class 2 and 3);
60-day public comment period for the facility's modification request (Class 2 and Class 3);
Public meeting hosted by the facility (Class 2 and Class 3);
Notification of the decision;
45-day public comment on the draft permit conditions (Class 3); and
Public hearing (if requested for Class 3).
In many cases, expanded public participation efforts (such as use of modern technology) are
recommended.10 For example, greater outreach may be needed for modifications that involve potential
off-site impacts, such as air emissions or cleanup of releases that have migrated off-site. Additionally,
greater outreach may be warranted to more effectively support communities when the facility is located
near disadvantaged areas or when facilities are clustered and thus may add to cumulative potential
impacts at adjacent communities.
Staff time needed to address permit modifications can vary greatly. A simple modification can take as
little as several hours to administer and approve, while more complex modifications may take up to 1,850
staff hours to assess and approve.11 Exhibit 5 demonstrates the steps involved in reviewing and approving
each class of modification request.
EPA regulations specify that Class 2 modifications generally are to be concluded within 3-4 months. By
contrast, EPA regulations do not specify a deadline for completion of Class 3 modifications. Class 3's tend
to take more time due to the complexity of the issues in addition to the 105 days total of public review.
Case-Specific Issues
In addition to the process steps involved in reviewing permit modifications, other factors can greatly add
to the processing time:
Unanticipated communication between the state and the facility due to incomplete applications.
Additional activities needed in order to follow the prescribed regulatory steps such as a monthly
follow-up with required monitoring reports.
Complexities, such as those resulting from change of ownership and parceling of property.
Assessment as to which class of permit modification is appropriate.
Multiple modifications in different phases of the process for the same facility.
Please see the case studies in Part 2, which help illustrate these issues.
10 EPA is currently updating the 1996 RCRA Public Participation Manual, which will provide further guidance regarding expanded
public participation. See the website (http://www2.epa.gov/hwpermitting) for the current manual and the one to be revised.
11 The high end of the staff time it can take to address permit modifications (1,850 hours) is from Appendix I of the 2007 ASTSWMO
Core report (under "Estimation of Work Hours" page 39).
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Class 1 Mod
Request
Within 90 days
of the change
Notifies mailing list
Within 90 days
of the change
Updates the Permit
Key to Flow Chart Symbols
Facility Action
Permitting Agency Action
Decision
Exhibit 5. Permit Modification (Mod) Process for each Class
Class 2 Mod
Request
Hold informal public meeting
during the comment period
i
comment
period
Written public comments due to permitting
Agency
;sess the mod
equest* and
30 days
t
Perform activity for
up to 180 days
Temporary
^Authorization
-4
I
Optional
Approve the request (with or without changes) and
issue the revised permit
Subsequent Agency decision before
end of 300 days
No additional
Agency
response
- At 120 days after public notice, requested activity may begin for
180 days
- At 250 days the public is notified that it may be permanent.
- At 300 days authorized
Class 3 Mod
Request
Sends mod request to the
Permitting Agency
Issue the revised permit
See 40 CFR 270.42 for the full federal regulations for permittee mod requests. State regulations may vary. Several states have not adopted the regulations for the three class structure, and use the preexisting Major and Minor Mod structure.
* The permitting Agency may need additional information from the facility in order to make a decision and these interactions can be lengthy. The Permitting Agency may also determine that the class should be higher or lower (or decide if a Class
1 needs prior approval) based on the change being made. The separate temporary authorization process can be used for Class 2 or 3 as appropriate (although not referenced in the Class 3 process above).
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Parti
B. Permit Modification Statistics
This section describes the quantity of permit
modification approvals granted during 2011
through 2013 and relates it to additional
permitting information.
Exhibits. Total Permit Modification
Approvals 2011 through 2013
2011
2012
2013
i Class 1/Minor Class 2 Class S'Major
From 2011 through 2013, regulatory officials
approved 2,479 permit modifications. On average,
826 permit modifications were approved each
year over the three-year period. Annual
breakdown: 794 permit modifications were
approved in 2011; 888 in 2012; and 797 in 2013.
This data set does not count permit modifications
that were still being assessed at the end of the
year and does not count those that were denied or withdrawn. Exhibit 6 shows the relative number by
type of these approvals by class and year.
According to a review of a smaller subset of the states that regularly track approvals in EPA's national
database, the 2011 through 2013 tallies appear to be a little lower than the average rate. The decrease in
number of modification approvals during the 2011 -2013 period may coincide with nationwide economic
factors, which influenced the need for changes and permit reissuances at permitted facilities.
Data used in the analysis. The permitting programs for each state record the permit modifications that
are approved annually.12 EPA collected these permit modification data for years 2011 through 2013 from
state and regional sources for 39 states, the District of Columbia, and three U.S. territories. EPA obtained
data for an additional eight states13 and Puerto Rico from the Agency's national database when it was
identified as the best and most accurate resource. Data for the remaining states (Maryland, New Jersey,
and Pennsylvania) were statistically extrapolated based on permitting data.14 Although there may be gaps
in the data due to differences in tracking practices, and underreporting of Class 1 permit modifications,
EPA considers these data to be the best available nationally.
Class 1 (or Minor) permit modifications were the most common, representing 83 percent of all approved
permit modifications. Class 1 modifications are generally the least substantial type of modification.
However, as previously described, in some cases they can be complex and lengthy to process.
Class 2 modifications accounted for approximately 10 percent of total permit modification approvals.
Class 3 modifications impose the greatest burden on regulators and permittees, but account for a
significantly smaller percentage (7 percent) of total permit modification approvals. See Exhibit 7 for the
12 Per 40 CFR 270.42(i), each environmental program Director must maintain a list of all approved modifications and must publish a
notice once a year in a state-wide newspaper that the updated list is available for review.
13 EPA used RCRAInfo data for the following states: Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, New York, and South
Carolina. Additional states use RCRAInfo to track modifications, but they provided tallies.
14 Estimates of permit modifications in Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania were extrapolated based on the national average of
permit modifications per permitted facilities. See Appendix 2 for additional details.
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distribution of permit modifications by class and for the relationship to permit issuance.15 Note that this
does not include all permit maintenance activities.
Several states (Alabama, Florida, Maine, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, and South Carolina) use the original
"major or minor" permit modification categories in lieu of the three class system introduced in a 1988 rule
(53 FR 37912). Minor modifications were counted as Class 1's and major modification were counted as
Class 3's for the national tally.
Exhibit 7. Permitting Actions 2011 Through 2013
Permits have different
conditions for facilities that
are operating or are in post-
closure. Permit modifications
can make changes for
operating or post-closure
standards, but there are
Initial Permits, 20,
Renewals, 350
Permit Modifications By Class
Class3/Major,7%
Class 2,10%
typically fewer changes
needed for facilities that are
in post-closure.
The data also show that the
number of permit
modifications varies by state. On average, 17 permit modifications were approved per state/territory per
year between 2011 and 2013.16 However, the distribution around this average is wide.
Exhibit 8. Substantial Permit
Actions
Substantial Modifications
(Class 2, Class 3, Major)
54%
Initial
Permit
Issuance
2%
Renewals
44%
Permit modifications impose a substantial burden on regulators and
permittees relative to permit issuance. The initial permits and
reissuances/renewals in 2011 through 2013 were calculated from
RCRAInfo data. The data shows that there are far more modifications
than permit issuances during this timeframe.
Class 3 modifications (7%) are comparable to initial permit issuance
or renewal with regard to public participation requirements. Similarly,
some of the substantial (Class 2, 3, Major) permit modifications (17%)
can be comparable to permit issuance with regard to the complexity
and workload. See Exhibit 8 for the percent of substantial
modification approvals (Class 2, 3, Major), initial permits issuance,
and permit renewals.
See Appendix 2 for additional details and background information
about RCRAInfo and the data.
15 EPA identified initial permits from RCRAInfo data for the permit determinations that occurred during 2011 through 2013 at a
facility with no prior permit determination. The renewals are calculated from the permit issuances 2011 through 2013 that followed
an initial permit issuance (prior to 2011).
16 The calculation of this number does not include data from the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, or any state with no
modifications recorded during that timeframe.
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Many factors contribute to the differences in modification numbers among states. For example, some
states have five-year permit terms versus ten-year permit terms. There is a greater likelihood that the
major changes will be incorporated in the permit reissuance if a permit is reissued at shorter intervals (as
compared to ten-year intervals). Permit fees on modifications can also sway business decisions regarding
permit modifications (for example, the facility operators may delay changes that trigger permit
modifications until the permit is renewed). States with more permitted facilities would be expected to
have more modifications, but not all permitted facilities modify their permits at the same rate (for
example, permitted facilities in post-closure care typically have fewer modifications on average). Exhibit 9
shows the number of permit modifications by EPA region.17
Exhibit 9. Permit Modification Approvals by Region (2011-2013)
Permit
Modification
Approvals
2011 through 2013
<100
100-199
200-299
300-399
400-499
500-599
Number of Modifications
2011-2013
Permitted Facilities
Modifications per
Permitted
Facilities 2011-2013
Annual Modifications Per
Permitted Facilities
Region 1
39
54
0.7
0.2
Region 2
139
97
1.4
0.5
Region 3
203
134
1.5
0.5
Region 4
241
365
0.7
0.2
Region 5
518
195
2.7
0.9
Region 6
488
262
1.9
0.6
Region 7
161
86
1.9
0.6
Region 8
244
58
4.2
1.4
Region 9
199
134
1.5
0.5
Region 10
247
44
5.6
1.9
Total
2479
1429
1.7
0.6
1 ,429 facilities were permitted as of February 6, 2014. Either the included facilities had an operating permit or post-closure permit (or units with
both) based on their specified legal status codes. Facilities were omitted if their operating status codes indicated they would not be eligible for
a permit modification. See the criteria in Section III.C.
There is a large range of annual permit modifications at individual facilities. Many states had average
numbers of modifications per facility well above or below the national averages. In some cases, a facility
may require multiple modifications in a single year; conversely some facilities may tend to save their
changes and integrate when the permit is renewed.
17 States with fewer permitted facilities may experience more variation in the number of permit modification approvals per year. This
represents an additional limitation of the three-year sample of data collected from RCRAInfo.
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C. Location of Permitted Facilities with Potential for Modifications
The majority of the "actively regulated" hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal (TSD) facilities
have been permitted.
Exhibit 10 maps the universe of actively regulated TSD facilities. All of the facilities identified below (red
and black dots) are subject to the regulations for standards for owners and operators of hazardous waste
treatment storage, and disposal facilities and are described in more detail in Appendix 2. The red dots
identify facilities that are permitted. Thus, the map shows 1,429 permitted facilities that are expected to
eventually need permit maintenance/modifications (this number is calculated for the purposes of this
report).18 The black dots identify actively regulated facilities that are not permitted, such as facilities that
are going through closure, but are not yet clean closed.
Exhibit 10. Facilities Permitted and Subject to Modifications, Versus Other Regulated Facilities
Facilities Not Shown:
Alaska - 7 Actively Regulated, 5 of those Permitted
Hawaii - 8 Actively Regulated, 3 of those Permitted
Guam - 5 Actively Regulated, 3 of those Permitted
Puerto Rico - 19 Actively Regulated, 11 of those Permitted
'- Permitted/Subject to Modifications
I - Actively Regulated, Subject to TSD
Standards, but Not Permitted
18 According to RCRAInfo, 1,429 facilities (6,245 units) have at least one unit that is permitted (according to the legal status code and
not terminated) and does not include facilities where all units are also coded as clean-closed, referred to CERCLA, completed post-
closure care, or are coded as conducting activities that do not require a permit (according to operating status codes). If the facilities
with those operating statuses were not removed from the count, this would add 400 additional permitted facilities (although
generally not active, these permits may require some permit maintenance). Legal and operating status code data as of 10-30-14.
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IV. CONCLUDING POINTS
As the majority of facilities that are treating, storing, or disposing of hazardous waste have been issued
initial permits under RCRA, the bulk of permitting activity has now shifted towards maintenance ofthose
permits. Permitting activity is now geared towards responding to business needs and changes in facility
operations while ensuring that the permitted conditions continue to be protective and prevent release. It
is critical to keep up with the permit modification workload in order to enable improved business
operations, technological upgrades, and expansions while maintaining protection of the environment.
Because RCRA permit modifications are not tracked as part of the Agency's Strategic Plan, this substantial
and vital work has gone largely unrecognized. This report thus depicts for the first time the national
perspective of permit modification work conducted throughout the country. The unpredictable nature of
permit modification complexity, frequency, and timing makes workload balancing and resource allocation
difficult to manage. While the workload for the number of modification requests cannot be projected
accurately for set goals, the workload is now being recognized in other ways. EPA believes that improved
characterization and quantification of permit modifications will enable greater understanding of the
importance of effective RCRA programs for EPA, the state agencies, the regulated community, and the
public.
In addition, better data and understanding of the permit modification work may uncover barriers, issues,
and opportunities for improvement in the permit modification process. EPA remains open to learning how
the RCRA permit modification process could be made more efficient and protective.
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Part 2
PART 2
PERMIT MODIFICATION CASE STUDIES
While ensuring protection of human health and the environment is the underlying objective for the
permitting standards, there are often business reasons - as well as environmental reasons -that compel
companies to request changes to their permits. The following case studies describe real-world examples
for the types of changes at facilities that require permit modifications across the country. They also offer a
glimpse of the content and process for different permit modifications, while illustrating how changes to
permits continue to ensure that proper safeguards remain in place and allow companies to respond to
changing business needs or pursue innovative approaches to responsible hazardous waste management.
Permit modifications vary greatly in terms of purpose and complexity. The permit modification case
studies are sorted into four broad categories of changes based on their primary outcome: A. Responding
to Changing Business Practices or Operations Responding to Business Needs; B. Improving Hazardous
Waste Management; C. Ensuring Long-Term Protection; and D. Keeping Permits Up to Date. The table
below shows an index for the case studies and their main outcomes. The following sections describe each
case study category in more detail.
The examples show a broad range of permit modifications, from very significant actions to reoccurring
administrative updates.
Overview of the Permit Modification Case Studies in these Sections
INDEX: Case Study Categories
A. Responding to Changing Business Practices or Operations
1. Improvements in Technological Efficiency
2. Economic Development and New Waste Handling Capacity
3. Ownership Changes
B. Improving Hazardous Waste Management
1. Resource Conservation
2. Reduced Risk of Release and Improved Safety
3. Replacement of Damaged or Aging Equipment
C. Ensuring Long-Term Protection
Closure, Post-Closure Care and Corrective Action
D. Keeping Permits Up to Date
1. Emergency Response
2. Updates to Permit Standards and Conditions
3. Administrative Updates
E. Modifications over the "Life of a Permit"
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Part 2
A. Responding to Changing Business Practices or Operations
INDEX A. Responding to Changing
Business Practices or Operations
Case Study Categories
1. Improvements in Technological
Efficiency
2. Economic Development and New
Waste Handling Capacity
3. Ownership Changes
One common impetus for permit
modifications is in response to facilities
that want to make changes in their
operations due to shifts in the market or
other business-related factors. They may
plan to adopt more efficient or less costly
waste handling procedures, install new
technologies, construct new units, change
the manufacturing process that results in
different wastes managed, use alternate
fuel sources, or sell the facility.
As with any permit modifications, it is the
role of the permitting authority to assure
that such changes will be protective of
human health and the environment.
Facilities often request these
modifications to increase operational
efficiency and compliance with permit
requirements by adapting to changing
conditions and needs. For instance, a
permitted remedial system may become
less effective overtime necessitating a
modification of the permit to allow for an
improved remedial system. In some
cases, remedial systems may be
implemented in the midst of a busy
production facility and have to allow for
compatibility with production operations
while maintaining remedial effectiveness.
Replacement of a Monitoring/Withdrawal System
with a Barrier Wall
The Axiall Corporation in Lake Charles, Louisiana requested a Class 2 permit
modification for the construction of a barrier wall to control horizontal
migration of constituents of concern in groundwater into Bayou Verdine, Barge
Slip, and the Coon Island Reach to below levels that would cause sediment or
surface water to pose an unacceptable risk. This replaces a monitoring and
shallow withdrawal system while Axiall continues to operate a Lower Aquitard
Containment System. The system will control laterally migrating groundwater
until the flow reaches a depth at which it is fully captured by the wells of the
Lower Aquitard Containment System. Many technical concerns were raised by
the public and were addressed during the modification process. The Louisiana
Department of Environmental Quality concluded that the barrier would more
effectively control the groundwater flow from the facility to the adjoining water
body than the groundwater withdrawal system that was dropping in efficiency.
Outcomes: After the replacement, the overall systems will more efficiently
contain the constituents and remove contaminated groundwater at the Lake
Charles Chemical Complex in Louisiana. The barrier wall will require less
maintenance and operational effort resulting in increased reliability. Fewer
resources will be needed to implement this remedy and it will provide greater
environmental protection of the surrounding waterbody for long-term care.
The public comment process resulted in resolution of certain technical
concerns with the approach prior to implementation.
Associated Workload:
Review/approval of the change request, design plans, construction report,
operating and maintenance plan, and annual corrective action reports
Official public review and comment, and response to comments
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Part 2
A.1. Improvements in Technological Efficiency
After facilities are permitted, they often need to make changes to their waste handling practices in order
to stay competitive and to adjust to market demands. In order to make these changes, facilities often
need to modify their permits.
Most permitted facilities originally identified their types of equipment and units used to manage
hazardous waste in their permit applications in the 1980s. Some of the equipment and processes may
now be outdated. Multitudes of technological advances have occurred since the 1980s that can produce
environmental benefits (as well as cost savings to the facility).
A number of advances have also been made in the methods to address contamination. See the
highlighted Axiall Corp case study for an example of the use of a new barrier wall to control lateral
migration. This case study, like many others, also applies to other categories. The changes at Axiall Corp
also ensure long-term environmental protection after operations cease (covered in Section C).
New equipment for more efficient waste management
A Clean Harbors facility in North Carolina received temporary authorization (while pursuing a Class 3
permit modification) from the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the
installation of a shredder to help separate containers and liquid waste more efficiently, which would in
turn offer improved environmental protections. Initially, Clean Harbors requested guidance on installing a
new shredder for processing small containers to speed up separation of the liquids and containers in
order to improve their waste management practices. The permit writer looked for guidance, consulted
counterparts, and found previous EPA determinations that using a shredder was considered treatment in a
"miscellaneous unit." The permit writer discussed this with the facility and advised them to submit a
permit modification request and to consider the temporary authorization (TA) option for Class 3
modifications. Under 40 CFR 270.42(e)(3)(ii)(E), an allowable objective for issuing a TA is to facilitate
changes to protect human health and the environment. The TA request was received, reviewed, and
approved. The facility also submitted a permit modification request to add the shredder unit to its
hazardous waste management permit.
The shredder unit was installed under the TA. The permit writer and Resident Inspector coordinated a site
visit to view the process area and testing of the shredder unit with non-hazardous materials. The permit
writer reviewed the requested changes in the permit modification application and requested some
clarifications and corrections. Final revisions were submitted by the facility and the permit writer drafted
revisions to the permit. The draft permit modification was issued for public comment and a public hearing
was held during the 45-day comment period. No comments were received and the final permit
modification was issued.
Although the TA process was streamlined relative to the typical Class 3 permit modification process, TA's
still require substantial time and effort on the part of the facility and the regulatory agency responsible for
review and approval.
Outcomes:
The facility reduced operating costs with a more efficient process of separating waste from the
containers.
The TA process allowed for quicker implementation of the proposed modification.
Coordination and technical expertise from the state permitting authority helped the facility
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Part 2
understand how the TA and modification processes could support the facility's desire to improve its
waste management practices in a timely manner while ensuring that the new technique would
continue to be protective of human health and the environment.
Associated Workload:
Review/approval of the TA and the modification request. (No comments received).
Repeated discussions with the facility about the appropriate calculations and appropriate type of
modification.
Public notice and preparation for/participation in public hearing.
Alternative fuel for a cement kiln calciner
Lone Star Industries, Inc. in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, manufactures Portland cement, the active ingredient
in concrete. The facility requested a Class 3 permit modification from the Missouri Department of Natural
Resources for a new technological solution that would allow it to replace a fossil fuel (coal) with an
alternate (hazardous waste) fuel in the facility's calciner, aka indirect kiln. As part of the permit
modification process, Lone Star first had to demonstrate the ability of the hazardous waste fuel to meet
air emissions standards. The modification request also included updates to the facility's waste codes and a
proposal to add two additional railcars and associated storage tanks. This modification enhances Lone
Star's ability to meet changing market demands.
The changes at Lone Star also result in resource conservation, which is covered in Section "B. Improving
Hazardous Waste Management."
Outcomes:
The use of alternate (hazardous waste) fuel in the calciner:
Reduced long-term facility operating costs with better technological solutions.
Reduced the amount of hazardous waste that might otherwise be disposed of in favor of beneficial
reuse for energy recovery.
Conserved and reduced the use of fossil fuels (coal).
Reduced air emissions as the hazardous waste fuels burn "cleaner" than fossil fuels.
Associated Workload:
Planning and oversight of demonstration test(s) to prove ability to meet emission standards.
Review/approval of the modification request.
Assess any comments from the 60 day public comment period on the request, and the 45-day
comment on the draft revised permit and public hearing.
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A.2. Economic Development and New Waste Handling Capacity
Modification requests by facilities are often in reaction to market changes (i.e., increase/decrease in
generation of hazardous wastes or new state/federal hazardous waste). For example, facilities may need
additional waste handling capacity, need to treat additional wastes types, need additional units to treat,
store, or dispose of wastes, or have other needs in order to meet changing market demands.
Addition of Three New Hazardous Waste Units
The Buick Resource Recycling facility requested a permit modification from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) to allow for the construction, operation, closure, and post-closure of a new onsite Subtitle C landfill and two additional
hazardous waste containment buildings. This modification was amongst 22 permit modifications that were processed from
2007-2013 as listed on the DNR website: http://dnr.mo.gov/env/hwp/permits/activepa.htm.
The Buick Resource Recycling Facility receives lead-acid batteries and other lead-bearing wastes. The wastes are recycled to
recover lead and other trace metals. In addition, the facility recycles sulfuric acid from the batteries and the plastic from the
battery cases. Prior to the modification, the facility was comprised of two container storage areas, six miscellaneous treatment
units, and five containment buildings. Slag generated from the secondary smelting process was previously treated at the facility
to meet land disposal restrictions treatment standards and then hauled off-site to a RCRA Subtitle D (solid waste) landfill for
disposal. The contiguous facility property is subject to corrective action. The facility's rotary smelter and blast furnace are
currently certified for Missouri resource recovery.
Following approval of the Class 3 Permit modification, the new on-site landfill cells were constructed to RCRA Subtitle C
(hazardous waste) standards and put into operation to manage secondary smelting slag and gypsum wastes generated at the
facility. These standards included a double liner system, leachate detection/collection systems, a groundwater detection
monitoring program, and financial assurance for closure and post-closure care of the landfill.
Outcomes:
Improved long-term economics and reduced operating costs from the new on-site waste storage/disposal capacity
(metals recycling process contained on-site; possible future slag reclamation; cost saving for on-site disposal).
Reduced potential for off-site contamination by eliminating about 98% of waste leaving the site thus reducing spill risks
associated with off-site transportation.
Improved traffic safety and reduced fossil fuel use/air emissions (about 130,000 gallon reduction in diesel fuel use
annually) by having 2,500 fewer trucks leaving the facility on an annual basis.
On-site management of wastes in compliance with RCRA Subtitle C (hazardous waste) requirements as opposed to
previous on-site treatment and transportation on public roads to off-site disposal at RCRA Subtitle D (solid waste) landfill
resulting in enhanced environmental protection and future liability protection for the Permittee.
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Expansion of facility operations without using new green space
The CHS Inc. Laurel Refinery in Laurel, Montana, submitted a request for a Class 2 permit modification to
the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to allow closure of a land treatment unit using
risk-based closure standards for soil and groundwater. The facility was able to close the unit and reuse the
eight-acre area for structures associated with new Coker and Coker Flare units. Restrictions preventing
residential use of the area were placed on the property deed.
The facility worked closely with DEQ to expedite the assessment and construction of the new units.
Communication between DEQ and CHS was essential to ensure refinery planning needs and all regulatory
requirements were met. Timely reviews of documents submitted in support of the modification request,
issuance of an environmental assessment, and DEQ's final decision on the request were critical for
planning and final implementation of the refinery expansion.
Outcomes:
CHS expanded its refinery operations using the footprint of the land treatment unit by demonstrating
concentrations of hazardous constituents in soil and groundwater met risk-based standards.
Use of conservative risk-based closure standards and restrictive land use controls can allow for
appropriate reuse that is protective of human health and the environment.
Associated Workload:
Technical review and approval of documents supporting the modification request, closure plan, and
closure report and certification for the land treatment unit.
Development and issuance of environmental assessment for public comment.
Issuance of final modification determination after consideration of all public comment.
New refinery process unit
Phillips 66 Company had a need for a new refinery process unit. They submitted a Class 3 permit
modification request to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for removal of an
asphalt cap on a closed surface impoundment at the Phillips 66 Billings Refinery in Billings, Montana, in
order to install a new refinery process unit at that location. Removal of the cap was necessary for
remediation and removal of contaminated soil and hazardous waste. All wastes and contaminated vadose
zone soils were removed, allowing use of the space for a new refinery process unit. Removal of the
contaminated soil and waste reduced the risk of future contaminant exposure to industrial workers and
potential leaching of hazardous constituents to groundwater.
Outcomes:
The subject area was remediated and was able to be reused.
Environmental protection was enhanced.
Expansion of treatment capacity for mixed waste
The Perma-Fix Northwest facility in Richland, Washington, requested a Class 3 permit modification from
the Washington State Department of Ecology to expand treatment capacity for mixed waste (a waste that
contains a hazardous waste component and a radioactive material component) and to install a new
evaporation system. The permit modification was to allow for the following: the installation of two new
evaporator units, increased tank storage capacity, and storage of mixed waste in tanker trucks. It also
clarified language to align the permit with current practices. Further processes would stabilize residue. An
older gasification/vitrification system was also to be replaced via the permit modification.
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Outcomes:
The installation of new units and changes in waste handling procedures would have allowed the
facility, which provides industrial and nuclear-waste management services, to expand its ability to
treat and manage mixed wastes, but this specific upgrade was no longer pursued after the facility was
informed of additional assessments needed. The upgrades need to be able to show that they
continue to be protective (i.e., demonstrate the effectiveness for treating the wastewater streams).
Associated Workload:
A great deal of assessment goes into modifications that are not eventually approved. Technical review
of documents supporting the modification request led to a determination that the request was
incomplete and a notice of incompleteness was issued to Perma-Fix Northwest. The modification was
missing a thermal risk assessment work plan, demonstration test, and information on the proposed
wastewater streams proposed to be treated in the evaporation systems.
Perma-Fix requested that the permit modification be rescinded after the letter of incompleteness was
issued.
A.3. Ownership Changes
Permitted facilities are often purchased by or merged with other companies. This tends to lead to
requests for "urgent" permit modifications for changes of ownership and/or operational control of the
facility. In order to ensure that the environment continues to be protected after an ownership or
operational control transfer, the permitting agency must ensure that the new owner or operator provides
financial assurance in a timely manner and that the amount of financial assurance is sufficient to cover
future closure or post-closure at the facility. This is essential for long-term environmental protection.
As mentioned in the accompanying case study below, many facilities have difficulty in following the
regulatory requirements and time frames to notify the permitting authorities regarding the planned
ownership transfers and to have financial assurance. This makes it difficult for permitting authorities to
process the information and ensure that the new facility owner or operator is compliant with the
applicable regulatory requirements including those related to financial assurance. Permit modifications for
changes of ownership or operational control can be relatively straightforward; however, this type of
modification can become complicated and lengthy, particularly as compared to other Class 1 type of
modifications. Substantial agency resources are often needed to review and approve these types of
modifications since, in large part, they typically require submission of information that facilities did not
anticipate. Agency enforcement actions may be initiated due to a facility's failure to follow the regulations
and/or permit requirements related to changes of ownership or operational control. This further extends
the timeline.
In some situations, only parcels of land are sold, not the whole facility. For example, facilities may request
permit modifications in order to transfer ownership of portions of property that are part of a RCRA
regulated facility but have been fully remediated (or were never contaminated). When land is removed
from the jurisdiction of a permit (parceled) via a permit modification, close coordination of permit writers
and corrective action (remedial) project managers is needed to ensure that it is appropriate to remove any
land from the permit jurisdiction. The preparation to assess the parcel also involves coordination with the
facility regarding any additional analyses or actions (e.g., property legal surveys) that need to be
conducted relative to the property proposed for parceling.
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One state has found in their experience that Class 1 modifications that involve changes in ownership
and/or operational control usually take much longer than 100 hours (the high end of ASTSWMO's
calculated range previously mentioned), especially with complex facilities that only transfer/sell the active
portions but retain portions that require corrective action and post-closure care (all under one permit).19
This situation at times
requires a new permit
for owners/operators
that do not already
have a permit.
The need for prior
financial assurance
approval is frequently
overlooked in new
ownership cases and
results in application
processing
complications and
increased timeframes.
The workload includes
technical review of the
financial assurance
mechanism and
determination that the
new operator has
provided
documentation to
show sufficient
financial resources to
operate and to
eventually close the
facility in compliance
with the permit.
Modifications are
further complicated if
they involve more
than one company
that own different
parts of the property
the property is under
one permit.
Complexities in Ownership Change and Financial Assurance
The Detrex Corporation in Charlotte North Carolina transferred facility ownership and
environmental liabilities to Trex Properties, LLC. This case study shows how a seemingly simple
Class 1 can be complex and require substantial agency resources to review and approve.
When the Detrex Corporation announced its intent to transfer facility ownership and
environmental liabilities to Trex Properties LLC, the North Carolina Department of Environment
and Natural Resources (NCDENR) reminded Detrex of the requirement to submit a Class 1
permit modification request at least 90 days prior to the transfer. Regardless, the modification
request was not received by NCDENR until nearly a month after the property transfer. When the
modification request was submitted, it was substantially incomplete; most notably the facility
had yet to submit financial assurance for Corrective Action. NCDENR issued a Notice of
Deficiency for the modification request, requiring the companies to submit all information
required for the transfer and to meet all outstanding compliance obligations before the agency
would process the modification.
The modification process in this case spanned five months, in part due to disagreement about
the amount of financial assurance required. Because Detrex had not supplied an estimate of
corrective action costs as required by NCDENR, the state agency set the financial assurance
amount at $1.2 million. Trex requested to supply an engineering affidavit in place of the
required corrective action strategic remedy, but NCDENR and the state Attorney General's
Office determined that an affidavit would not be sufficient. Ultimately, Trex funded the required
$1.2 million, and the permit modification was approved. This Class 1 modification encountered
additional complexity, but is too detailed to include.
Outcomes: Although the permit modification process in this case was lengthy and required
substantial agency resources, critical compliance issues were addressed before the modification
was approved. Ultimately, the permit modification supported long-term environmental
protection (by ensuring funding for closure and any needed cleanup of contamination) while
also facilitating administrative updates.
Associated Workload:
Assessment of the liability coverage, legal boundaries, basic facility information,
compliance information.
Development of a full remedial strategy,
Cost estimation for remediation, and related financial assurance.
19
Communication with the Waste Permits Division of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality 10-23-15.
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B. Improving Hazardous Waste Management
As hazardous waste management evolves, facilities often need to make changes to better protect the
environment while treating, storing, and disposing of hazardous waste. The changes addressed in these
permit modifications included the adoption of new methods of environmental protection, waste
reduction, resource conservation, construction of onsite units to avoid offsite impacts, reducing risk of
release, compliance with environmental standards, and other benefits for environmental protection that
reduce risks to human health and the environment. In general, "green" permit modifications not only
improve the environment, they may also improve operational efficiencies and economic development in
the long run.
INDEX B. Improving Hazardous Waste Management
Case Study Categories
1. Resource Conservation
2. Reduced Risk of Release and Improved Safety
3. Replacement of Damaged or Aging Equipment
B.1. Resource Conservation
One of RCRA's primary objectives is to conserve valuable material and energy resources. There have been
many improvements to waste management activities overtime that improve efficiency of processes and
thus contribute to this goal. In addition, facilities also often find cost savings when employing these types
of improvements to their operations.
Operational change to treat hazardous waste-contaminated metal
A hazardous waste burning cement kiln located at a facility in Missouri has a scrap metal waste stream
from crushed and shredded drums. Prior to its permit being modified, this was the only waste stream that
continued to be sent off-site for disposal as a hazardous waste since there was simply too much
hazardous waste residue on the metal for it to be recycled as scrap. The facility initially explored several
methods for cleaning the metal to remove enough of the hazardous waste residue so that it could be
recycled.
After initial exploration of various metal cleaning methods, the facility requested (and the Missouri
Department of Natural Resources approved) a Class 3 Modification to build a gasifier unit in order to
clean the metal (gasify the residuals on the metal). This would create gas that the facility could use as
supplemental fuel to fire their hazardous waste burning cement kiln and render the metal, after post-
gasification rinsing, clean enough that it could be recycled as a non-hazardous material as opposed to
being disposed of off-site as a hazardous waste.
The facility adapted the gasifier technology from another industry for this modification and set about
constructing and pilot testing the operation. Several technical issues had to be assessed and overcome
during the pilot-testing phase. Ultimately, while the process was successful in cleaning the metal to the
degree necessary for recycling, the gas production rates and volume of metals that could be processed
were not consistent with the original design projections. As a result, this process has not yet been put into
full operation and it is unknown if the limitations identified during pilot testing can be overcome to the
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extent necessary to support full operation. Nevertheless, this permit modification allowed for research,
development, and demonstration of a novel approach to metal decontamination that resulted in an end
product that could be recycled and that created supplemental fuel to fire the cement kiln.
Outcomes:
Encouraged innovation and research, development and demonstrations of a novel approach to
cleaning metal so that it could be recycled as metal scrap instead of being sent for off-site disposal as
a hazardous waste.
If technical issues can be overcome, the hazardous waste generation at this facility can be eliminated
and large volumes of clean scrap metal can be recycled/put back into productive use.
Associated Workload:
Technical review and approval of documents supporting the modification request, closure plan.
Assess any comments from the 60 day public comment period on the request, and the 45 day
comment on the draft revised permit and public hearing.
B.2. Reduced Risk of Release and Improved Safety
Hazardous waste management standards are designed to prevent the release of hazardous wastes.
Changes are often made via permit modifications to improve waste handling practices and further reduce
the risk of releases to the environment. Other changes are made to specifically address safety concerns.
Improvements to hazardous waste handling can also be triggered by other environmental requirements.
In particular, recent air pollution control regulations have driven environmental improvements to the
management of certain hazardous wastes. See the highlighted case study.
Material and waste management requirements not governed by RCRA can sometimes trigger RCRA
permit modifications. A case study in another section (Section D.2.) shows how the addition of non-RCRA
tanks triggered the need for a RCRA permit modification (since it could influence the secondary
containment needed for RCRA waste).
Fire detection and prevention
A fire occurred at the Stericycle Tacoma facility in Washington that caused the re-examination of current
permitted procedures. The permit was modified by the Washington State Department of Ecology to
include new requirements to reduce the likelihood of a future fire at Stericycle Tacoma during flammable
liquid pump-up operations, including the installation of new lower explosive limit monitors. In addition,
new pump-up procedures were instituted at this facility.
Outcome:
Reduced risk of fires and better detection of potentially dangerous conditions.
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Supported Compliance with Ambient Air Quality Standards for Lead
The Quemetco facility in Industry, California recycles batteries. The Battery Wrecker Process Area at this facility includes
several permitted units, including the facility's battery wrecker, multiple tanks, and a clarifier. In March 2010, Quemetco
submitted a request for a Class 1 permit modification to construct an enclosure around the Battery Wrecker Process Area to
California's Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC).
The enclosure was necessary for Quemetco to comply with a new EPA standard for lead in ambient air and with local air
quality regulations for Large Lead-Acid Battery Recyclers. Construction of the enclosure would capture fugitive lead dust
emissions from the battery wrecker process. The permit modification would not affect the type or quantity of lead-acid or
batteries recycled at the facility.
As part of the permit modification process, Quemetco was required to submit a copy of its financial assurance for closure of
the Battery Wrecker Process Area Enclosure within 60 days of the modification approval. The process also required
Quemetco to send a notice of the modification to all contacts on the facility's mailing list and the appropriate state and
local government contacts. The modification was approved in November 2010.
Outcome: Reduction in the amount of lead in the ambient air and compliance with new air requlations.
Relocation of hazardous waste handling from dense urban area to an industrial area
A commercial waste treatment facility commenced operation in 1980 in what was, at that time, a rural area
in the state of Washington. Over time, residential and other commercial land uses in the immediate
vicinity of the facility have greatly increased. A permit modification by the Washington State Department
of Ecology at the Stericycle Kent facility transferred a significant portion of the waste handling (free liquid
pump-up operations and shredding of RCRA wastes) to another facility located in an industrial area away
from more populated areas.
Outcomes:
Reduced risk to the populated urban area.
Responded to local community concerns and urban encroachment issues.
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Enclosed lead smelting structures due to changes in the air regulations
Recent air regulations were applied to the secondary lead smelters that required that the storage of lead
containing materials/wastes be totally enclosed. The air regulations required that materials/wastes being
stored prior to re-smelting be managed in enclosed containment structures under negative air pressure.
Containment structures/buildings necessary to meet the air requirements had to be constructed in
accordance with the RCRA containment building regulations. This necessitated issuance of temporary
authorizations and permit modifications by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to facilitate
construction completion by deadlines associated with the air regulations. The new structures better
prevent releases to the environment and, in many cases, replaced outdoor storage of lead-bearing
materials.
Outcomes:
Improved environmental conditions for ambient air quality by reducing the amount of lead in the
ambient air.
Diminished the potential for airborne lead to be deposited and accumulated on the land and in
nearby water bodies, which in turn, protected nearby populations and diminished the potential need
for corrective action investigation and remediation.
B.3. Replacement of Damaged or Aging Equipment
As equipment to manage hazardous waste ages, it needs to be periodically replaced. The equipment can
eventually show signs of corrosion from the natural elements and from "wear and tear." This equipment
must be routinely inspected, maintained, and replaced as necessary to minimize the potential for releases
of hazardous waste to the environment.
Replacement of New Equipment
A Class 2 permit modification was requested for the replacement of old sink/float tanks with new washers
at the Quemetco facility in Industry, California. This was approved by California's Department of Toxic
Substance Control (DTSC). The replacement of aging sink/float tanks normally requires a permit
modification and is necessary to minimize the potential for ensuring the appropriate washing separation
of hazardous waste from the other materials to protect the quality of the finished recyclable products. The
plastic from the battery casings crushing operation are later recycled into paint cans.
Outcomes:
Prevention of leaks or other releases by replacing old tanks with new tanks.
Improvement of air quality by ensuring that less lead is attached to the plastic components of
batteries prior to smelting
Increase of the quality of finished recyclable products by reducing the lead components of the
recyclable products.
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C. Ensuring Long-Term Protection
Hazardous waste permits (and other regulatory instruments) have requirements for facilities to: (1) update
closure or post-closure plans and financial assurance instruments/amounts to address future long-term
environmental obligations; (2) conduct corrective action to address historical releases to the environment;
and (3) provide notification of and address, as appropriate, any new releases and/or discovery of
previously unidentified releases. This section discusses the different modifications used to address those
issues.
INDEX C. Ensuring Long-Term Protection
Case Study Categories
Closure, Post-Closure Care and Corrective Action
Closure, Post-Closure Care, and Corrective Action
This category includes updates to closure and post-closure plans and selection of final remedies for
corrective action.
Compliance with the closure and post-closure plans ensure that the environment will be protected long
after the facility closes its permitted hazardous waste management units. If facilities do not clean close
their unit(s), they will need to comply with standards for units closed with waste in place, including
providing post-closure care. Additionally, RCRA permits must include requirements for facility-wide
corrective action to address releases of hazardous waste and constituents. Certain key stages of the
corrective action process (e.g., final remedy selection and implementation) often require modification of
the permit to incorporate requirements into the permit, because they are frequently not identified at the
time of permit issuance. The modification procedures involve public review and comment on proposed
final remedy actions.
Cleanup and final remedy selection
The U.S. Army Redstone Arsenal (the Arsenal) located in Huntsville, Alabama, requested a permit
modification for numerous changes that included: (1) the addition of a new permittee; (2) removal of
seven solid waste management units (SWMUs) from a list of units needing investigation; (3) addition of
two SWMUs that require investigation; and, (4) the removal of three SWMUs from a table specifying that
corrective measures are needed. The new operator of the permitted open burn/open detonation areas of
the Arsenal needed to be included as an additional permittee in order to better define the responsibilities
of the onsite entities. This permit modification by the Alabama Department of Environmental
Management also included the incorporation of the selected remedies to reduce contamination at six
SWMUs within the Arsenal.
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Final Remedy Selection for Corrective Action\EPA
Joint Permit
A final remedy selection for corrective action was approved as a Class 3
permit modification for Lafarge in Fredonia, Kansas. EPA Region 7 processed
the modification in 2013 under the EPA portion of the permit (because Kansas
was not authorized for corrective action in 2013).
Three solid waste management units were used for on-site cement kiln dust
repositories and they contain elevated levels of heavy metals and volatile
organic compounds. The investigation of the units identified a threat to the
following if left unaddressed: direct contact, groundwater, and ecological
receptors.
The selected remedy for each unit is capping with soil and vegetative cover,
perpetual cap maintenance, groundwater monitoring, and institutional
controls restricting cap disturbance and residential land use in the future.
Part 2
The permit modification requests
with the completed investigation
reports were included in the
corrective measures implementation
(CMI) plans for the respective
SWMUs. The associated
investigations were completed in
about a year and area specific
conditions of these units, from the
CMI work plans, were added to the
permit. These area specific
conditions included summaries of
the remedy, any land use restrictions
for the site, and any long-term
monitoring and maintenance
activities required.
This addition to the permit of two
new SWMUs that require
investigation required the submittal
of a SWMU assessment report. These
modifications were needed for the
areas to be properly investigated.
Outcomes:
By adding a new permittee, the
responsibilities were better
defined, including a requirement
to comply with submittal dates
and schedules of compliance.
Final remedy selection for 6 units
was approved that resulted in
the excavation and removal of
contaminated soil and
reduction/elimination of
groundwater contamination
sources.
The selected remedies included
the excavation and offsite
disposal of about 2,870 cubic yards of perchlorate-contaminated soil, 45 cubic yards of TCE-
contaminated soil and about 42 cubic yards of soil contaminated with benzo(a)pyrene and
dibenz(a,h)anthracene.
Associated Workload:
To complete this modification, several documents had to be reviewed: correspondence letters, RCRA
Facility Investigation Reports, CMI work plans and SWMU assessment reports.
Comment letters and notice of deficiencies were prepared to highlight missing information and to
request clarity regarding the Army's submissions. Revised documents were submitted to the Alabama
Outcomes: Improved long-term environmental and human health protection.
Reduced risk of release of the heavy metals and volatile organic compounds.
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Department of Environmental Management for review.
After the Department concurred with the Army's various documents, the permit was opened for
modification. While incorporating the information and modifications described above, all references
to those particular sections throughout the permit were checked for accuracy and modified where
necessary to ensure proper reference.
The draft permit was placed on public notice and no comments were received.
Addition of a risk management plan
The Occidental Chemical Company requested a Class 3 permit modification for its Geismar, Louisiana,
facility to incorporate a Risk Management Plan as part of the final remedy being implemented under their
post-closure permit. Financial assurance was put in place as part of this permit modification to ensure that
there is funding to address contamination through corrective action.
The RMP includes beneficial reuse provisions for on-site soils that meet Risk Evaluation/Corrective Action
Program (RECAP) soil standards. This is a common beneficial reuse practice that allows the facility to save
money by not having to purchase additional soil for on-site use, or having to pay for disposal of certain
soils as long as they meet the RECAP standards. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
approved this request.
Outcomes:
The Risk Management Plan specified the corrective action final remedy and ensured the continuation
of standards for protection of environmental quality after unit closure.
Financial assurance was put in place for future corrective action activities to ensure funds will be
available to conduct those activities even if the facility should experience financial difficulty or
insolvency.
The Risk Management Plan provides for beneficial reuse of soils on-site and cost savings for the
facility.
Associated Workload:
Public participation for this Class 3 modification included review and response to comments from the
following: the required a pre-application public meeting with the, 60-day public comment period for
the application, then a 45-day public comment period for the actual draft permit modification
decision to be made.
This modification required technical review by both a permit writer and geologist in order to make the
final permit revisions.
Comprehensive risk reassessment, NPL-listing avoidance, and further investigation in
support of an updated final remedy and facility property reuse/redevelopment
The National Nuclear Security Administration at the Bannister Federal Complex in Kansas City, Missouri,
requested a Class 3 permit modification to add adjacent, previously unpermitted U.S. General Services
Administration (GSA) property to their existing Hazardous Waste Management Facility Part I and EPA
Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments Part II Permits. This was intended to facilitate performance of a
holistic environmental reassessment of the combined property in light of the pending move of the
National Nuclear Security Administration and GSA personnel to new work locations. The modification was
also needed to implement further remediation and potential near-term transfer of a portion of the
permitted property to a private entity for subsequent reuse/redevelopment. This modification also served
to keep the facility from being proposed for listing on the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL).
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This modification to the permit by Missouri Department of Natural Resources was inherently complex
since there were/are multiple owners/operators (including a new owner/operator being added), many
prior uses of the land by many past owners that led to contaminant releases (primarily chlorinated
solvents, polychlorinated biphenyls and petroleum hydrocarbons). A "Formerly Used Defense Site" located
on the "annexed" GSA property is being handled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and there is a great
deal of public and political interest in the cleanup, disposition, and redevelopment of this aging (over 70
year old) federal complex.
Outcomes:
Permit modification elements related to groundwater and the updated plan have been implemented.
The other elements are in various stages of the review and approval process.
There are weekly coordination calls on this project between the Department and EPA and monthly
coordination meetings among all project stakeholders including the preferred private developer.
In addition to the activities required of the current permittees by the permit modification, the
preferred developer is in the process of:
o Performing confirmatory due diligence investigations to independently assess
environmental conditions.
o Assessing updated final remedies in light of anticipated future reuse/redevelopment of the
property.
o Assessing the associated future costs as the basis for financial assurance needed to facilitate
the early dirty (negative equity) transfer of this federal property to the private developer
and thereafter ensure adequate financial assurance is provided for post-closure care and
corrective action after the permit is transferred.
Associated Workload:
The primary permit modification elements included the following:
Implementation of a groundwater remedy optimization plan and revised groundwater sampling and
analysis plan to incorporate new wells on the "annexed" property,
Implementation of updated groundwater analysis and reporting requirements,
Revision and implementation of an updated Community Involvement Plan (CIP),
Update the conceptual site model and identify any data gaps that required further investigation
given the land area added to the permitted facility (Missouri DNR submitted a facility-wide report:
"Description of Current Conditions Report and Screening Level Risk Assessment"), and
Assessed a facility-wide polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) fate and transport study in order to inform
the permit modification decision.
Soil and groundwater sampling requirements in closure plan
The Aerojet facility, in Rancho Cordova California, requested a Class 2 permit modification in order to
update the soil and groundwater sampling requirements in the closure plan. The closure plan revisions
included additional sampling and analysis in order to further investigate the underlying soils. The closure
plan also included changes in the closure cost estimate. California's Department of Toxic Substance
Control assessed the permit modification request.
Outcomes:
The vertical and lateral extent of perchlorate contamination in soils and the impact of perchlorate to
the water table were identified.
The results were used to determine if the unit could be clean closed or would need to be addressed
through post-closure requirements.
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Associated Workload:
Public notice and preparation for/participation in public meetings.
Assess groundwater reports and follow up on them.
Financial assurance assessment.
Remediated Area for the Construction of New Warehouse
Loveland Products, Inc. (LPI), in Billings, Montana, requested a permit modification to change post-closure care and corrective
action requirements for a closed surface impoundment. The existing permit requirements limited use of the space occupied by
the surface impoundment and presented geotechnical problems for construction of a new warehouse. A permit modification
was necessary to allow removal of the asphalt cap and excavation and shipment of the enclosed waste to an off-site permitted
hazardous waste landfill. LPI requested a temporary authorization to allow excavation work to begin while permit modification
procedures were being conducted. DEQ granted the authorization following public notice to all persons on the facility mailing
list and to appropriate units of state and local governments. The temporary authorization allowed excavation and shipment of
the waste to be accomplished during Montana's short construction season, avoiding environmental and human health
exposure issues associated with excavations left open through the winter months.
Approximately 12,000 tons of hazardous waste and contaminated vadose zone soil was removed from the surface
impoundment and disposed in a permitted hazardous waste landfill. The hardcover cap, originally installed to protect industrial
workers and groundwater, is no longer required. LPI was able to construct a warehouse in the area, reusing space within the
footprint of its facility.
Outcome: The modification demonstrates that regulated hazardous waste units can be remediated and the area reused. All
wastes and contaminated vadose zone soil were removed from the surface impoundment area to make the area safe for
construction and reuse.
Coordination, timing, and complexity: This permit modification was multi-faceted, requiring coordination between the
Montana Department of Environmental Quality, the facility, EPA, and the state environmental contact for the facility receiving
the excavated waste. Meetings to discuss the project were held several years prior to implementation. Timely review and
approval of the modification request was necessary and important to accommodate the planned construction schedule.
The permit modification was complex; it involved a shortening of the post-closure care period, a change in the approved
remedy, a determination of Corrective Action Management Unit eligibility, temporary authorization, and final modification
approval. The modified remedy required extensive understanding of the requirements needed to address waste disposal.
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D. Keeping Permits Up to Date
Permit modifications are often required for straightforward updates to align the permit with current
conditions and operations at facilities. It is important for the permit to reflect the current facility
information, provisions, and standards in the event that emergency situations arise. This also facilitates
appropriate facility inspections by state and federal regulators.
One common type of permit modification relates to changes to the "General Permit Provisions" and
"General Facility Standards" as outlined in 40 CFR 270.42 Appendix I. These updates are generally Class 1
modifications (some of these Class 1 modifications need prior Director's approval).
Many of these changes are administrative updates. Some of these are needed for emergency response
(including changes to facility contacts), waste sampling changes, and other changes needed to keep the
permit current and compliant.
INDEX D. Keeping Permits Up to Date
1. Emergency Response
2. Updates to Permit Standards and Conditions
3. Administrative Updates
D.1. Emergency Response
It is important to have current safety and emergency response information available and related
equipment ready in the event there is a fire, spill, or other emergency at a permitted facility. There are
permit modifications that owners and operators of permitted facilities must propose when certain
changes are made at the facility. These changes include things such as updated emergency/contingency
plans, emergency contacts, and emergency equipment. In addition, EPA has continued to emphasize the
"Preparedness and Prevention Requirements for RCRA TSDFs" including ongoing communication and
coordination with State Emergency Response Commissions, Local Emergency Planning Committees, local
fire departments, and other state and local emergency response authorities, as appropriate.20
Coordination of emergency services, emergency contacts, and other updates
Rho-Chem LLC implemented a Class 1 permit modification to update facility information in the
contingency plan. This included the following updates: the coordination of emergency services, spill
control equipment, artificial night lighting, compliance history, and emergency coordinator (including
alternates). This facility in Inglewood, California worked with California's Department of Toxic Substance
Control on the permit modification. Public notices were sent as required by the regulations to state and
local agencies and the mailing list within seven days of implementing the changes.
20 A March 5, 2010 EPA memo was sent from Matt Hale to the EPA RCRA Directors on "Preparedness and Prevention Requirements
for RCRA TSDFs (Response to Chemical Safety Board Recommendation 2007-01-I-NC)." The memo states that "this guidance
recommends that the TSDF permit explicitly require that the owners and operators provide up-to-date written information about the
facility and hazardous waste located there to State Emergency Response Commissions (SERCs), Local Emergency Planning
Committees (LEPCs), local fire departments, and other state and local emergency response authorities, as appropriate." This
guidance was also communicated to state programs through ASTSWMO.
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Outcomes:
Changes were made to update important safety/emergency response information at the facility.
The regulators and public were notified of those changes to help facilitate timely coordination of
emergency services and deployment of emergency equipment in the event of an emergency
response.
D.2. Updates to Permit Standards and Conditions
The conditions governing management of hazardous waste in treatment, storage, and disposal units are
specified in facility permits. Minor changes at any unit (or general facility standards) may trigger permit
modifications. Seemingly simple Class 1 modifications can, after review by regulators, require substantial
time and effort on the part of both regulators and permittees to complete. Sometimes proposed permit
modifications are initially misclassified (i.e., a Class 1 modification request comes in from the facility but is
determined by the regulatory agency to actually be a Class 2 or 3 modification). A great deal of the
coordination with facilities often takes place before a complete permit modification request is even
submitted. In addition, some permit modifications are actually precipitated by changes to requirements of
other non-RCRA regulatory programs. A case study is described below how a non-hazardous unit addition
could trigger a RCRA permit modification for secondary containment.
Addition of a Non-RCRA regulated tank to the secondary containment area for a RCRA
regulated tank
A facility submitted a modification on October 30, 2013, to increase the capacity of their secondary
containment for their tank farm. The increase was requested because they were replacing one non-RCRA
regulated tank with two non-RCRA regulated tanks and the RCRA secondary containment volume
requirements could be affected. The facility proposed raising the secondary containment wall with four-
inch angle iron.
In order for North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) to assess the
proposed modification, the facility needed to submit the following additional information: new permit-
related drawings; inspection procedures; updates to the secondary containment volume calculations;
angle iron installation specifications; and information regarding use of secondary containment sealants
and inspection details for the altered secondary containment.
NCDENR and the facility had multiple discussions on the proposed changes to resolve issues so that the
agency could begin processing the request. These discussions included helping the facility with the
secondary containment calculations and requests for additional information. Because of the technical
assistance provided by NCDENR, the facility ultimately determined that the angle iron extension was not
needed as the secondary containment calculations contained an incorrect assumption regarding the
shape of the bottoms of the new tanks. The existing secondary containment volume was sufficient since
the new tanks had spherical bottoms and NCDENR agreed that a Class 2 modification was not needed to
increase the secondary containment capacity, though a Class 1 modification was still needed for the
changes. A revised permit modification request was submitted in December 2013 and the Class 1
modification was approved by NCDENR in May 2014.
Outcomes:
NCDENR provided significant technical assistance to the facility to address issues associated with their
proposed Class 2 permit modification to add new tanks.
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NCDENR determined that the facility's secondary containment calculations showed that the existing
secondary containment volume was sufficient and thus the proposed changes would require a Class 1
permit modification with prior Director's approval in lieu of the proposed Class 2 modification.
Keeping the facility information updated in the permit
The HGST, Inc., facility in San Jose, California, requested several Class 1 permit modifications over a short
period of time and all necessitated individual notices to the mailing list. The modifications included the
following: (1) revised closure plan for three tanks including clarification of decontamination procedures
and connecting piping system; (2) revised closure plan for seven tanks including clarification of the
decontamination procedures for new equipment used to manage waste; (3) installation of tie in valves to
improve the support and transfer function of a heavy metal waste pipeline; (4) owner's, operator's and
facility name change from Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Inc. to HGST Inc.; and (5) administrative
changes to update the inspection checklist for units and update training plan job titles. The permitting
agency, California's Department of Toxic Substance Control, processed the permit modifications.
Outcomes:
Closure decontamination procedures were clarified and improvements were implemented to the
support and transfer of a portion of the waste handled.
The permit and related documents was updated to reflect current information, including current
facility owner/operator information.
Replace hazardous waste storage unit containers with ones of a different type and size
This Class 2 permit modification request from Rho-Chem LLC resulted in replacement of certain hazardous
waste storage unit containers with others of a different type and size but did not increase the storage
capacity at the facility. California's Department of Toxic Substance Control modified the permit.
Outcome:
Replacement of hazardous waste storage container units with different types that were better suited
for the ongoing operations at the facility.
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D.3. Administrative Updates
Permit modifications are often requested for administrative or informational purposes that are not related
to physical improvements that need to occur at the facility. Although informational changes are typically
simple and straightforward, they can require a surprising level of administrative effort from permittees
and regulatory officials. For example, facility name changes are common and often trigger substantial
additional review effort on the part of regulatory officials to confirm that the name change does not stem
from a change in facility ownership or operational control, which would require updates to financial
assurance or other compliance mechanisms.
Facility Name Change
In 2014, Evoqua Water Technologies LLC requested a Class 1 permit modification for its hazardous waste
management facility in Vernon, California, to change the name of the owner and operator from "Siemens
Water Technologies LLC" to "Evoqua Water Technologies, LLC." This is a common modification and
seemingly easy, but as part of the modification process, Evoqua was required to notify all contacts on the
facility's mailing list and the appropriate state and local agencies of the name change. California's
Department of Toxic Substance Control permitting staff also had to review the request to ensure that it
was not an ownership change and that the current financial assurance was adequate.
Outcomes:
The permit and related documents were updated to reflect the new owner.
Financial assurance was reviewed and confirmed as still viable/applicable.
Extend closure period due to funding delays
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in New Orleans, Louisiana, requested a Class 1
permit modification to extend the closure period for three tanks by 180 days. This modification was
necessary to accommodate funding delays resulting from the Federal government sequestration.
Outcome:
Delays in the enforceable closure schedule were approved by the Louisiana Department of
Environmental Quality.
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E. Modifications over the "Life of a Permit"
A case study of permit modifications over the life of a permit shows the volume of permit
modification work as compared to the individual case studies listed above.
ENVIROSAFE SERVICES OF OHIO INC, (OHD045243706)
This facility is located in Oregon, Ohio and has been permitted since 1988. It has more modifications per
year than most facilities, but they are largely Class 1 's. Although the table below shows the permit
modifications that were entered in the national database, it does not show all the permit maintenance
involved (for example, compiling environmental impact statements).
This facility has eleven hazardous waste management units that are permitted. It also has expansive
facility-wide corrective action that is being addressed under the authority of the permit. This facility has
permitted storage and treatment units in addition to a landfill that will continue to need post-closure care
under the permit when closure obligations have been satisfied.
Note that the permits below were issued by both EPA Region 5 and Ohio EPA. As states have become
authorized for all of the RCRA programs, joint permits between the State and EPA have become less
common. The information about the individual permit modification approvals often references a specific
section of the permit and the unit or well referenced in the change to the permit. The vast majority of
these modifications are requested by the permittee, but the permit modification workload has included
Agency-initiated modifications as well. Ohio EPA has historically used Director-initiated modifications for
selection of corrective measures for RCRA Corrective Action. For this facility, a Director-initiated
modification selecting a containment strategy for historic waste management units on a portion of the
facility was approved September 12, 2006. These rare Director-initiated modifications generally require a
similar process to issuing a full permit and are typically as complex as Class 3 modifications.
Type of Permit Modification (Mod)
Dates
11/8/88 Federal portion of the permit issued by EPA Region 5
5/8/91 State portion of the permit issued by Ohio EPA
Mods under the First set of Permit Issuances by EPA and the State
1 Mod Approval for Additional Capacity.
2 Class 3 mod approval for vertical expansion.
6 Mod Approvals for Groundwater Monitoring.
58 Mod approvals for unspecified ("Other") mods.
12/29/05
2/21/06
Note: No mods were documented for the first 10 years; there may have been some mods, but not captured in the early ears of
tracking RCRA data.
Joint Permit issued by the state program, Ohio EPA (Renewal)
Joint Permit Issued by the EPA, Region 5. (Renewal)
(Federal portion of joint RCRA permit covering 40 CFR Subparts BB, CC, and DD)
Mods under the Second set of Permit Issuances by EPA and the State
2006 Mods
2/3/06
2/21/06
3/16/06
4/3/06
5/3/06
Update facility annual closure/post closure cost estimate.
Mod Approval (Other Mod)
Class 1A Mod approval to install a portable high capacity vacuum system.
Class 1A approval for (PQL's), addition of statistical comparison standards,
addition of method 420.1
revised well construction logs for monitoring, and
Mod regarding analytical methods.
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5/18/06
6/9/06
8/17/06
9/12/06
Approval to remove ground water monitoring wells SW-3D and MR-4S and add ground water monitoring well F-2D to affected
well list for Total Phenols.
Approval to add previously approved and/or acknowledged mod to ESDI's December 29, 2005 permit.
Class 1A mod approval to replace outdated HOPE liner specifications on Table 1 of Appendix D.7.4 of permit application with
standard HDPE specifications.
This permit mod was initiated by Ohio EPA to incorporate permit specific corrective action measures that collectively represent a
containment strategy for old waste management units in the northern portion of the facility.
10/20/06
Class 1 mod approval to update City of Toledo RawWaterline Security Agreement Weekly Inspection form.
10/20/06
Class 1 mod approval to remove the form of precipitation from permit condition J.7(b)(iii).
11/10/06
Class 1 mod to allow facility to utilize analysis of wells which are sampled in accordance with the permit and in the calendar month
preceding an April and/or October semi-annual sampling event.
11/10/06
Class 1A mod approval to add and remove monitoring wells, remove benzene and selenium & fluoride
2007 Mods
2/6/07
Class 1 mod approval to make changes to the inspection forms MF-02b (Containment Building) & MF-13 (Groundwater Monitoring
Wells).
3/13/07
Class 1 mod approval for complete clean copy of the permit application.
3/16/07
Class 1A mod approval to add leachate collection and removal system performance objectives for WMSs 5, 6, & 7.
3/21/07
Class 1A mod for change in the methodology for determining hydraulic gradients and travel distances used in the ACL model.
3/29/07
Class 1A mod approval to replace the June 30, 2006 permit application with the former permit application dated August 15,1983.
4/13/07
Class 1A mod approval to update affected and adjacent well listing at Appendix E.9 to add R-23, G-1DA, and G-1S as wells nested
or adjacent to affected wells.
4/20/07
Class 1 mod approval for information on two newly installed monitoring wells.
5/8/07
Class 1A mod approval for data validation definitions in Appendix E.12 of Part B.
5/17/07
Class 1 mod approval for the Contingency Plan emergency contact information.
5/17/07
Class 1 mod approval for changes to Table of Contents to update reference to inspection forms MF-02b & MF-13.
5/17/07
Class 1 mod approval for changes to the closure/post closure cost estimate.
6/6/07
Class 1 mod approval to replace Part A RCRA Subtitle C Site I.D. form with EPA Form 8700-23.
6/20/07
Class 1 mod approval to correct revision numbers for detail drawings.
8/10/07
Class 1A mod approval to establish a target leachate head level for the west area of SWMU 5.
10/5/07
Class 1A mod approval to update dioxin/furan analysis.
11/9/07
Class 1A mod approval for update to add procedures to prevent inadvertent introduction of petroleum constituents to
groundwater samples when using fueled field equipment.
11/9/07
Class 1A mod approval to include total metal prediction limits.
11/9/07
Class 1A mod approval to clarify that the ACL for areas subject to corrective action will not need to be reevaluated unless
conditions change
12/5/07
Class 1 mod for informational changes (revise Permit Condition F.5 on page 91 of 165).
12/5/07
Class 1A mod approval for correction of conflicting information in the permit application regarding how earthen dikes will be
constructed and managed on Hazardous Waste Landfill Cell M.
12/11/07
Class 1 mod to revise cover page for Appendix F.8 "Rail Line Inspection Forms" and revise forms MF-16(a).
2008 Mods
1/7/08
1/31/08
Class 1A mod approval to update the statistical prediction limit at monitoring well
Class 1A mod to change the timing requirements for 3rd party data validation of semi-annual groundwater monitoring reports.
2/1/08
Class 1 mod approval to update Section G, Contingency Plan.
2/5/08
2/8/08
Class 1 mod approval to revise cyanide & sulfide testing methods and concentration limits.
Class 1A mod approval to include a Master Boring Log & Well Summary Table, Master Boring & Well log Location Drawings and
well construction logs.
3/6/08
Class 1 mod approval for historical log submittal to ensure facility permit contains all boring, well construction, and well
abandonment information.
3/6/08 Class 1A mod approval for Sampling and Analysis Plan updates.
4/10/08
Class 1 mod approval to add 1,4 dioxane to the affected constituent list for Monitoring Well SW-3D and to add Monitoring Well
SW-3S to the affected well list for 1,4 dioxane.
5/8/08
Class 1A mod approval to add geologic cross section drawings 1 thru 10 covering the Integrated Ground Water Monitoring
Program.
5/8/08
Class 1A mod approval.
5/28/08
Class 1 mod to update emergency coordinator info & revise fire brigade response personnel.
5/29/08
Class 1 mod to update closure/cost-closure cost estimates.
6/26/08
Class 1A mod approval total metals prediction limits for monitoring well R24 added to Integrated Ground Water Monitoring
Program.
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6/26/08
8/20/08
9/22/08
Class 1 mod to update list of boring and monitoring well information on page E.13-24.
Class 2 mod approval to discontinue the semi-annual analysis of the naturally occurring constituents: sodium, chloride, and
fluoride as early warning indicators of a potential release from regulated units.
Class 1A mod approval to add 1,4-Dioxanne, add MR-3S, add nickel to the affected constituent list, and remove MR-4D and SW-
2D.
9/22/08
Class 1A mod approval to update the dissolved barium comparison standards for all IGWMP wells excluding M-18S, R-23, and R-
24.
9/25/08
Class 1A mod approval to update the Master Boring and Well log, update the cover page, and add well abandonment logs.
10/17/08 Class 1 mod approval for revisions to Section E for typo corrections.
2009 Mods
3/6/09
4/16/09
ClassIA mod approval to remove existing cover page for appendix D.2, add pages D.2-1 and D.2-2, and replace Section D cover
page and Table of Contents pages D-viii thru D-xi.
Class 1A mod approval benzene, chloroethane, and vinyl chloride from the COSs from affected well F-2S.
4/23/09
Class 1A mod approval to add total metals predictions limits for monitoring wells G-1DA, M-18S, and M-17D.
5/21/09
Class 1 mod to update the closure & post-closure cost estimate.
6/1/09
Class 1 mod for replacement and relocation of CSF safety showers with equivalent units.
6/2/09
Class 1A mod for implementation of schedule and final design plans for SWMII (Cell F).
6/8/09
Class 1 mod for recalculating of secondary containment for Caustic Building and Tanks 70, 73 and 74.
7/17/09
Class 1 mod to clarify notification requirements of the Response Action Plan for Containment building.
7/17/09
7/21/09
Class 1 mod to replace existing appendix F.10, F.10-1, and F-1(p) pages in the permit application.
Class 1A mod to require security at gates only when open or unlocked, and typo corrections.
8/20/09
Class 1 mod to replace Section D Table of Contents, replace existing Appendix D.5, and add pages D.5.1.
8/20/09
Class 1 mod to include the "Cell M Transducer Certification Report - May 2009."
9/8/09
Class 1A mod to Appendix D.15 Submersible Pumps and Transducer Specifications of Part B application.
9/15/09
Class 1 mod to replace existing pages D-12 through D-15,17, 23, and 58.
10/7/09
Class 1A mod to revise and relocate the Stone Drain Column Specifications from Appendix D.31.
10/21/09
Class 1A mod for changes to Appendix E.13, Boring and Monitoring Well Information.
10/21/09
Class 1 mod to Appendix E.9 from affected well list, removal of benzene from affected constituent list and removal of
trichlorofluoromethane.
11/6/09
Class 1A mod approval to allow for management of mixed RCRA & TSCA remediation waste with total PCBs concentrations.
11/27/09
Class 1 mod approval for changes to the Table "Maximum PQLs" located in Attachment C to Appendix E.9.
12/9/09
Class 1 mod approval for changes to ground water monitoring well reference point elevations.
12/17/09 Class 1A mod approval for changes in total metals prediction limits for monitoring wells and total cyanide prediction limit.
2010 Mods
2/1/10
Class 1A mod to Module G (waterline trench monitoring program) to clarify the inspection, record keeping, and reporting
requirements.
2/10/10
Class 2 mod approval to reduce height of Cell M landfill from 714 feet MSL to 700 feet MSL
2/26/10
3/3/10
Class 1 mod for administrative and correctional updates i.e. revise pages G-1 and G-33. Update emergency coordinator
information and update the Fire Brigade response personnel.
3/12/10
Class IA mod to replace Module K permit pages 140 to 156 with revised pages having the same page number.
Class 1 mod for page replacement in the Part A Application.
4/14/10
Class 1A mod for removal of dissolved barium from the affected constituents of concern list for affected well SW-2S.
4/21/10
5/18/10
Class 1A mod for revisions to Module J of the Permit regarding pumping inspection, reporting & maintenance requirement for Cell
M's leachate collection system,...
Class 1 mod for administrative and informational changes.
6/22/10
Class 1A mod approval to add prediction limits for total metals for Monitoring Wells I-5SA and MR-3S.
6/22/10
Class 1A mod approval to clarify miscellaneous groundwater items in the Permit and Part B Permit Application.
7/6/10
Received request from facility on 7/6/10 to WITHDRAW previous mod to provide updated performance monitoring for leachate
extraction at SWMU's 5, 6 & 7.
8/23/10
Class 1A mod approval to upgrade the leachate extraction systems.
8/23/10
Class 1 mod approval to update the closure and post-closure cost estimates.
10/14/10
Class 1A mod to update Appendix E.9, Groundwater Monitoring Program Sampling and Analysis Plan
10/27/10
Class 1 mod to replace existing pages D.49-8 and D.49.9 and replace the existing Appendix D.49 Cover Page.
11/15/10
Class 1 mod replace module conditions J.1dv and J.ldva on page 119 of 165 and J.4ei and J.4eii on page 127 of 165. Also, replace
existing permit application page G.1-3 with revised page dated September 27, 2010.
Class 1 mod to remove outdated info from the Container Storage Area Inspection form MF-07 of the Part B Permit Application.
11/24/10
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2011 Mods
1/11/11
2/11/11
3/21/11
5/12/11
Class 1 mod to permit conditions B.5 and B.5(b) & B.5(b)(iv) to specify inspection frequencies.
Class 1 mod to allow for container storage in any of the designated storage areas within the Stabilization/Containment Building up
to the aggregate total storage capacity of 1185 cubic yards.
Class 1A mod approval to clarify language for Table B-1 and allows the processing of certain soil and debris wastes.
CLASS 1A Mod to update Attachment D, Affected and Adjacent Well Listing. Chloroethane has been added to monitoring Well F-
2S.
6/20/11
CLASS 1A Mod to update the OMPM Plan for leachate extraction at SWMU 5, 6, and 7.
7/29/11
CLASS 2 Mod to treat hazardous waste containing free liquids and to add chemical oxidation, chemical reduction, and activated
carbon treatments in the Stabilization/Containment BLDG.
7/29/11
CLASS 2 Mod to treat hazardous waste using encapsulation technology within 4 open-top metal tanks in Cell M.
2012 Mods
1/25/12
CLASS 1 Permit Mod - Groundwater monitoring program sampling and analysis plan - Changes to plan as it related to sampling
wells with high turbidity water.
1/25/12
CLASS 1A Permit Mod - Groundwater monitoring program sampling and analysis plan - changes to plan - affected and adjacent
Well listing, 1,4 - Dioxane was removed from the affected constituent list at Well MR-ISA.
2/7/12
CLASS 1A PERMIT MOD - Revision of permit condition B.3(J)(I) to correct the citation reference to the mixture and derived-from
rule in OAC 3745-51-03.
3/21/12
3/21/12
CLASS 1 Permit Mod - Updating the facility closure and post-closure cost estimates for inflation.
CLASS 1 Mod - Updating several inspection checklists used by the facility to reduce duplication and remove irrelevant questions.
8/2/12
CLASS 1A Mod to update prediction limits for barium (dissolved) at Well G-2DA and cyanide at Well R-6.
2013 Mods
3/19/13
4/10/13
4/10/13
10/1/13
CLASS 1A Mod to change prediction limits for each qualifying monitoring well and a detailed description of the methods used to
calculate the statistical comparison standards for the monitoring wells.
CLASS 1A Mods to Update:
1) Addition of tetrahydrofuran to the Affected Constituent List for Well SW-025
2) Removal of tetrahydrofuran from the Affected Constituent List for Well SW-03D
3) Removal of nickel from the Affected Constituent List for Well SW-035
Class 1A Mod to remove nickel from the affected constituent list for Well MR-045.
Class 1A mod approval to change attachment D, affected and adjacent well listing.
11/25/13
Class 1 mod approval to change EL and EH definitions and update well logs due to maintenance of well DUG-1.
11/26/13
Class 1A mod approval to reduce waste minimization requirements and reduce the required submittal of waste minimization
reports to OEPA from every two years to every five years.
12/24/13
Class 1 mod approval to update permit conditions b.25 and k.7 to correct rules citations and update to current language for
biennial reporting and to update section E.9 and section J of the permit application to correct rules citations and update for
biennial reporting.
12/24/13
Mod approved to
1)Update dates of closure for cell M, Storage areas H and K and storage tanks s100, s200 and s400 in section 1 of permit app.
2) Correct typographical errors and remove outdated language from section 1 of permit app and
3) Update closure and post closure cost estimates and financial requirements for inflation in appendix 1.5 of the permit app.
This information came from RCRAInfo event codes on permit determinations and mod approvals. The detail about the mods was taken
verbatim (in most cases) from the notes section for the permit mod approval event codes.
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APPENDIX
1. Modification Types Based on Regulatory Descriptions
This document includes: (1) the regulatory classifications for types of permit modifications and a
crosswalk to applicable regulations, and (2) a table with the classification of permit modifications
(Appendix I to §270.42).
2. Permit Modification Data: Background and Details
This document provides additional information and background on how the data for this report
was collected, including the specific method for how information was retrieved and analyzed from
EPA's national hazardous waste database (RCRAInfo).
The materials in the appendix are contained in separate documents
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