Every two years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) must publish a plan about revising existing effluent limitations and possible new industrial wastewater limits.
U.S. EPA has published the 2012 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan and the Preliminary 2014 Effluent Plan in the Federal Register. Public comments on the Preliminary 2014 Plan will be accepted until November 17, 2014.
Final 2012 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan
The Final 2012 Plan announces several industries set for de-listing of wastewater effluent limitations. This plan stops effluent limitation rulemaking for the Coalbed Methane Extraction industry. Existing technologies for reducing contaminants are not economically achievable.
Development of effluent limitations for Chlorine and Chlorinated Hydrocarbon manufacturing is also eliminated as part of the Final 2012 Plan.
In addition, after two years of investigation, the U.S. EPA has determined that no additional review is needed and effluent revisions are not required for the Meat and Poultry Products industry. Analysis of the industry found the majority of dischargers in compliance. The U.S. EPA also determined that no additional changes are needed for Pulp, Paper and Paperboard companies after finding dioxin discharges were below detection limits.
As part of the 2012 Plan, U.S. EPA asked for public comments on ways to encourage new technologies to improve pollution control and prevention. They received no public comment or stakeholder input about the issue.
Preliminary 2014 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan
The Preliminary 2014 Plan includes new detailed studies on two industries. The U.S. EPA has concerns about metals discharged as part of the Petroleum Refinery industry. They are requesting data from the affected companies.
Centralized Waste Treatment (CWT) plants that take wastewater from oil and gas extraction companies will also be investigated to ensure the wastes receive adequate treatment. Some of these facilities treat the wastewater for reuse in gas and oil extraction. But many CWTs discharge to municipal wastewater plants or to receiving streams. These CWT plants may not be equipped to treat some of the components in the waste, such as high total dissolved solids and radionuclides.
The U.S. EPA will also continue a review of the Metal Finishing industry due to concerns that these companies send high levels of metals to publicly owned domestic wastewater treatment plants.
Current Rulemaking
Rulemaking that is underway right now includes effluent limitations guidelines for Steam Electric Power Generation. The proposed rules limit levels of toxic metals that can be sent to publicly owned treatment works (POTWs). The final rule should be effective September 2015.
The U.S. EPA is also creating pretreatment standards for Dental Amalgam. Dental offices were found to be a major source of mercury entering POTWs—with the U.S. EPA estimating over 4 tons of mercury per year being sent to the wastewater plants. The final rule is expected to be effective by March 2016.
Another proposed rule that will be published in October 2014 affects Unconventional Extraction in the Oil and Gas Industry, including hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. The produced water from this industry contains high amounts of total dissolved solids and chemicals and can affect treatment or pass through municipal wastewater plants.
Water and wastewater managers must monitor the regulatory agendas constantly. Submitting comments on proposed rules is an important part of the job that can affect the environment as well as the bottom line.
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Photo by Peter Greenberg via Wikipedia
