6678 Federal Register | Vol. 48, No. 199 | Thursday, October 13. 1983) Notices SYNTHETIC FUELS CORPORATION For Copies of the Guideliner. Section 131(e) of the Energy Security The following section (Section B) discusses the major comments received by the Corporation on its Interim Final Guidelines and the Corporation's responses thereto. Section C describes revisions made to the Interim Final Guidelines by the Corporation based on its own review. i.e., not in response to specific comments received. To the ) extent practical, the changes discussed 1. Monitoring required by the 2 Monitoring of socioeconomic and water-use impacis should be required as part of the Monitoring Outlines and Plans. The Corporation has not amended the Guidelines in response to this concem other than to incorporate a minor language change in Section IV to clarify the Corporation's previously stated intention not to require such monitoring in Outlines and Plans but rather to require such monitoring in appropriate cases as part of the Financial Assistance Agreement. The language in Section 131(e) which refers to the monitoring of environmental and bealth-related emissions" does not appear to contemplate that socioeconomic and water consumption monitoring would be required pursuant to this provision, and therefore such monitoring is not included in the Guidelines. However, other provisions of the Energy Security Act (particularly Section 131(b)) provide the Corporation with the authority to require such monitoring outside of the Section 131(e) environmental monitoring process. The Corporation recognizes the importance of such monitoring and will require, by specific terms of the Finanical Assistance Agreements, that the Project Sponsor perform socioeconomic and water consumption monitoring in appropriate cases to determine Project Guidelines is a limited one for two (2) site-specific monitoring is often & The monitoring of unit operations acceptable (Section VI). These criteria for which emissions have been well provide specificity to both the Project characterized should not be required. Sponsor and Consulting Agencies The Guidelines have been amended regarding those items which must be (Section VII.C) so that monitoring of included in acceptable Outlines and emissions will not be required for those Plans. unit operations (e.g., certain coal 4. The Corporation and the Consulting preparation operations) which are Agencies-or, alternatively, the common to other industries and for Sponsorshould have the burden of which comprehensive emissions data justifying the need to monitor specific (including data on unregulated unregulated substances and of providing substances of environmental or health threshold values above which these concern) are available. Where a substances must be monitored. No substantial emissions data base already amendment has been made in the exists, further monitoring would be Guidelines with regard to assigning a redundant. burden to any of the parties involved in 7. Monitoring of wastes disposed of developing an Outline or Plan requiring off-site should be required. The them to justify the need for specific Guidelines bave been amended to monitoring relating to unregulated require Sponsors to monitor solid or substances. The Corporation expects hazardous wastes to be shipped off-site that during the consultation process the when the receivers of such wastes are Project Sponsor and Consulting not required to monitor them (Section Agencies will provide justification to VII.D.1). This avoids the situation where one another for proposing to include or potentially bazardous synthetic fuels exclude specific monitoring activities or wastes would not be monitored either at protocols in an Outline or Plan. the generating or the receiving end, as Ordinarily, these exchanges will be would occur in the case of certain sufficient to enable the Sponsor and synthetic fuels wastes which are Consulting Agencies to resolve most presently exempted from hazardous issues among themselves. Where waste regulations under the Resource disagreement remains, the Corporation Conservation and Recovery Act. will, based on the justification provided, & A common Worker Registry format review the merits of each party's should be required or, alternatively. opinion as part of its acceptability Sponsors should be permitted to develop review of an Outine or Plan. The their own formats. The Guidelines have Corporation feels that this procedure is been amended to direct the Sponsor to sufficient to establish sound monitoring work with the Consulting Agencies to Outlines and Plans without assigning a promote a common Worker Registry formal “burden to any of the parties to format (Section VU.D.3). (DOE, in the process. particulan will focus on matters relating 8. Site-specific monitoring which is to Worker Registries.) A common not applicable to replication should be Worker Registry format would allow the required. No change has been made in data in the Worker Registries of several the Guidelines' requirements that site Sponsors to be consolidated easily, thus specific monitoring be considered where increasing the size of the data base and it would yield information relevant to improving the statistical validity of replication (Section VI.C). Language epidemiological studies utilizing the was added to Section VU.D.4 to clarify data. In addition, the Guidelines also that replication refers to development of direct the Sponsor to maintain the synthetic fuels plants in the same Worker Registry for the life of the vicinity or in similar settings. It should Project because it is essential that be noted that the exemption from site occupational bealth and safety data be specific monitoring provided for by the collected and maintained over a period 46678. Federal Register / Vol. 48, No. 199 / Thursday, October 13. 1983 / Notices of time sufficient to assess the chronic, (Section X). To facilitate release of non Agencies regarding generic issues, i.e. as well as the acute, occupational health confidential information, the those which are not specific to any and safety impacts resulting from the Corporation will work with each particular Outline of Plan. Also, such construction and operation of synthetic Sponsor to determine, in advance of agencies can provide (and in some cases fuels facilities submission of information, generic areas already bave provided) input relating to 9. The reporting requirements are of information to be generated during project-specific matter to the excessive. The Guidelines (Section LX) monitoring that should not be treated as Consulting Agencies. eliminate the requirement for monthly confidential. Advance determinations The formal mechanism for review of monitoring reports. Requiring monthly will be require Sponsors to make monitoring data and developing reports would place an unreasonable Information publicly available which is recommendations for modification of burden on the Sponsor relative to the properly designated confidential; Monitoring Plans is the Monitoring value of obtaining data on a monthly further, a stamp of "confidential" in Review Committee, which is comprised basis. The data summaries required in accordance with an advance of representatives of the Sponsor, the the Sponsor's quarterly reports will determination will not restrict the Consulting Agencies, and the provide sufficient detail for developing Corporation from reviewing the Corporation (Section XI). Other agencies the Corporation's information base. Lo appropriateness of any claim of and the public can review such data any event, the Corporation will retain confidentiality in accordance with its through access to quarterly and annual the right of access (through terms of the “Guidelines on Disclosure and monitoring reports and minutes of the Financial Assistant Agreement) to the Confidentiality." Where information is Monitoring Review Committee meetings. Sponsor's raw monitoring data should properly designated as confidential, the Further, other agencies and the public the need arise to review these data. The Corporation may, where appropriate may submit comments on any aspect of Guidelines (Section LX) also eliminate encourage a Sponsor to make a Project's monitoring activities. the requirement for analysis of data in information available to interested 12. Supplemental monitoring should quarterly reports, because the amount of agencies upon conditions acceptable to be limited by a cost ceiling or a time monitoring data generated during each the Sponsor. limitation. The Guidelines were not quarter generally would not be sufficient The Corporation anticipates that most amended to require a cost ceiling for 1o provide the basis for meaningful monitoring information can be made Supplemental Monitoring because the statistical analyses of trends and available to the Consulting Agencies Corporation feels that in order for patters. Data analyses continue to be and, as appropriate, to other interested Supplemental monitoring activities to be required in annual reports. agencies without requiring a separate scientifically sound they should be 10. Supplemental Monitoring data formal request to the Corporation to developed independent of the should be treated as confidential receive each data submittal made by a constraints of such a ceiling. Also, no information or, alternatively, Sponsor. The public will have access to single method or formula for setting a Supplemental Monitoring data should non-confidential information through cost ceiling could properly be applied to be publicly available. No amendment minutes of Monitoring Review all Projects, since the proper level of has been made in the Guidelines' Committee meetings, quarterly reports, Supplemental Monitoring required for requirements that monitoring annual reports, and requests for Projects will vary according to their information will be made available as information made under Section 121 of processes, feedstocks, control authorized by law and that public the Energy Security Act. technologies, etc., as they relate to information requests will be handled in 11. Interested citizens and agencies potential environmental concerns. accordance with !he Corporation's other than the Consulting Agencies do Additionally, the Corporation does not Guidelines on Disclosure and not have opportunities to provide believe that fixing a cost ceiling for Confidentiality. Several points are meaningful input to (1) the development Supplemental Monotoring is essential relevant to the comments received. The of Environmental Monitoring Outlines because once Outlines and Plans are monitoring information submitted to the and Plans, and (2) the review of data found acceptable by the Corporation, Corporation will primarily relate to generated by monitoring activities. No the scope of the Supplemental emissions and ordinarily is not revisions to the Guidelines were deemed Monitoring programs, including specific considered to be confidential because it necessary to address this comment. The monitoring tasks, monitoring generally cannot be used, absent other Corporation makes all Outlines and frequencies, and duration of monitoring. data. to deduce proprietary process Plans (including drafts) and Consulting is defined. Furthermore, the offset information. In addition, most Agency comments publicly available provision of the Guidelines (Section monitoring information will be through the Corporation's Public XI.B.2), which limits the extent of presented in the form of summaries and Reading Room (Section X), and Supplemental Monitoring under normal analyses, which removes it and encourages state Consulting Agencies to circumstances to that specified in the additional step from compromising make Outlines and Plans available Plan, will prevent increases in proprietary process information. With locally (Footnote 10). The public may Supplemental Monitoring costs (see regard to the specific case of data from comment at any time on these following section). the monitoring of environmental control documents. With regard to input by While no costs ceilings will be systems which may be considered agencies not designated as Consulting imposed, the Guidelines continue to proprietary, a footnote has been added Agencies (Section 131(e) designates provide that the Corporation will (Footnote 9) which provides for EPA, DOE, and the appropriate state consider the costs to the Sponsor of Submission of non-proprietary agencies as the Corporation's sole Supplemental Monitoring relative to its summaries. Consulting Agenices), the Guidelines do potential benefits as part of its The Guidelines have been amended to not provide for project-specific determination of acceptability of both require that a Sponsor's Environmental consultation from other agencies. Outlines and Plans (Section VI). Monitoring Plan identify those types of However, the Corporation has sought, However, any explicit cost/benefit information that are expected to be and will continue to seek; input by approach to setting a cost ceiling would proprietary and those that are not agencies not designated as Consulting not be practical because the benefits of each Supplemental Monitoring task monitoring focuses on those areas of cannot readily be quantified, greater health or environmental concem. particularly prior to evaluating the It is anticipated that over time some results of its implementation. Supplemental Monitoring activities will. With respect to imposing a time in relative terms, be of diminishing limitation on Supplemental Monitoring. importance and can be eliminated or one of the acceptability criteria added to reduced in frequency when important the Guidelines (Section VN indicates aew monitoring activities are deemed that Supplemental Monitoring should necessary. In the event that all _continue only as long as necessary to monitoring activities appear to be produce a statistically sound body of essential and none should be eliminated data. The Corporation's intention is that or reduced in frequency-a situation Supplemental Monitoring is not which the Corporation does not necessarily required for the entire life of "normally" expect to find-important a Project, but rather should be continued Supplemental Monitoring activities can until consistency in trends and patterns still be added to a Sponsor's monitoring in the Project's emissions can be program because the Guidelines give the established with a high degree of Corporation the flexibility not to provide certainty. (This does not apply to worker for comparable reductions where exposure monitoring, medical appropriate. surveillance, or maintenance of Worker 14. Proper maintenance of the Registries since long-term monitoring. Sponsors' monitoring programs is not i.e., for the life of the Project, is assured after termination of the necessary for meaningful Corporation. The Energy Security Act characterization of occupational health directs the U.S. Department of Treasury and safety impacts.) The Guidelines to carry out the Corporation's function were amended (Section V.B) to direct after termination of the Corporation. the Sponsor to state the approximate C. Other Revisions to the Guidelines duration of each monitoring task in the Outline, and to provide more specific The Corporation has made a number of additional revisions to the Guidelines details on duration in the Plan. The based on its experience in implementing duration specified in the Plan can be the Interim Final Guidelines and not in subsequently modified, as appropriate, to achieve the statistically sound body response to any particular comments received. of data referred to in the Guidelines. 1. Soil Monitoring. The Corporation 13. The offset provision is bas amended the Guidelines to clarify scientifically unsound. The Guidelines and limit soil monitoring requirements have not been amended with respect to (Section VII.D.2) so as not to require the the basic approach of the "offset Sponsor to monitor soil when no provision" (Section XI.B.2) which states contamination has actually taken place. that under normal circumstances the Soil monitoring, other than that required Corporation will not require by permit, is required only when Supplemental Monitoring beyond that unregulated substances which have the specified in the Plan unless the costs of potential to contaminate soil actually the additional requirements have been, come into contact with it (as in the case or are being. offset by the elimination of of a product spill) and have a comparable costs. (The Guidelines' reasonable likelihood of being present in offset provision applies only to concentrations of environmental or Supplemental Monitoring: the health concern. Corporation will not, and indeed cannot, 2 Toxicological Testing. The authorize any changes to a Sponsor's Guidelines no longer require that Compliance Monitoring tasks.) A minor toxicological testing be considered by revision was added in the form of a the Sponsor. This change was made footnote (Footnote 12) which specifies because: (1) Toxicological testing is that offsets will not apply when often open ended and could represent monitoring tasks are modified or added an unreasonable cost burden relative to because of changes in production, other parts of the monitoring program; process, pollution control, or feedstock. and (2) such testing is in the nature of a In the Corporation's view, the research and development function fundamental reason that "new" which is more appropriately addressed Supplemental Monitoring should not be by federal agencies and research required without a comparable institutions. reduction in existing Supplemental 3. Other Supplemental Monitoring. Monitoring requirements is to assure the The Guidelines have been amended to Sponsor that it will not be subject to the provide that certain types of prospect of an ever increasing Supplemental Monitoring, such as monitoring burden. Moreover, this ecological monitoring and monitoring of approach will ensure that a Sponsor's public nuisances (e.g., noise and odor). are not required except where source emissions data and other information indicate there is reason to believe that the Project could cause significant impacts in these areas (Section VII.D.4). The Sponsor is required only to indicate its commitment, in both the Outline and Plan, to perform such monitoring when circumstances warrant, as determined by the Sponsor or the Monitoring Review Committee. Requiring such monitoring when there is no indication of a potential problem would be inappropriate and burdensome. 4. Monitoring Review Committee. Two amendments were made to the Guidelines to ensure the timeliness of action of the Monitoring Review Committee and proper documentation of its meetings. First, the Monitoring Review Committee shall meet shortly after the issuance of the annual monitoring report by the Sponsor (Section XI.A). Second, minutes of each Committee meeting will be prepared by the Corporation (Section XI.B.1). 5. Clarity. The Corporation has added a definitions section and made oumerous organizational and editorial changes to the Guidelines to improve their clarity. Also, specific acceptability criteria have been added (Section VI) to define the basis on which the Corporation's acceptability determinations will be made. Overall, all of the changes made, whether in response to comments or otherwise, have been designed to set forth a clear basis by which the Sponsor can achieve a sound monitoring program. United States Synthetic Fuels Corporation Environmental Monitoring Plao Guidelines Contents Section 131(e) Outlines and Plans D. Development of Plans A General 1. Source Monitoring 4. Other Monitoring Requirements 46680 Federal Register | Vol. 48. No. 199'/ Thursday, October 13: 1983 j Notices X. Confidential Information Financial Assistance Agreement and XI. Monitoring Review Committees synthetic fuels project. • • will help to any dedicated mining operation at the A Membership: Meetings characterize and identify areas of concern Project site which is wholly or & Functions and develop an information base for the 1. Data Review mitigation of problems associated with the principally controlled by the Sponsor. 2 Modification of Monitoring replication of synthetic fuels projects. The K. Quality Assurance/Quality Requirements Corporation is not expected to involve itsell Control: Activities and procedures XI. Amendmenu to Guidelina in the development or execution of such designed to ensure that all information plans except for the necessary approval. The L Purpose data, and analyses resulting from conferees intend that development of the monitoring are technically valid. Section 131(e) of the Energy Security plans and actual data collection be reserved accurate, precise, and reliable. Act (Pub. L 98–294, 42 U.S.C. 8701, 8731) to the applicants for financial assistance after L Source Monitoring: Monitoring of specifies that a Project Sponsor or state agencies. Goint Explanatory Statement air emissions, water effluents, and solid Sponsors receiving financial assistance of the Committee of Conference: pp. 208–200 wastes which are released from a from the United States Synthetic Fuels of Compilation of the Energy Security Act of Project's vents, stacks, pipes, etc., as Corporation (the "Corporation") shall 1980) well as the monitoring of fugitive air develop, in consultation with the IIL. Definitions emissions from Project-related activity. Environmental Protection Agency M. Sponsor. The entity or ent ("EPA"), the Department of Energy A. Ambient Monitoring: Monitoring of seeking financial assistance for a Project (“DOE“), and appropriate state substances found (or projected to be from the Corporation. agencies, an Environmental Monitoring found) in a project's emissions and N. Supplemental Monitoring: Plan acceptable to the Corporation's discharges in the unconfined Monitoring specified in an Outline or Board of Directors. In implementing this environment, including the air, water, Plan which is not required by statutory mandate, the Corporation is and land in the vicinity of the Project Compliance Monitoring. utilizing a two-stage approach under B. Comparable Permit. A permit for a O. Worker Registry (or Registry): A which the Sponsor: (1) Develops an similar synthetic fuels facility or record-keeping system which integrales Outline of its Environmental Monitoring process, or an analogous facility or different types of occupational health Plan, which will be incorporated into the process in a non-synthetic fuels and safety information, including Financial Assistance Agreement, and (2) industry. C. Compliance Monitoring: worker exposure data, médical records, develops an Environmental Monitoring Plan (based on the Outline) after the Environmental and health monitoring demographic data, and job classification Financial Assistance Agreement is required by federal, state, and local executed. permits, approvals, and other regulatory IV. General Approach to Implementing The purpose of these Guidelines is to obligations, including (1) monitoring Section 131(0) set forth the procedural steps to be specified in any federal or state The Corporation views the taken and the broad substantive areas environmental impact statement or identification and characterization of to be addressed in developing Outlines agency record of decision relating areas of concern and the development of and Plans. The Guidelines provide the thereto, and (2) monitoring pursuant to an information base for the mitigation of federal or state lease requirements. basis on which the Corporation will problems associated with the replication D. Consulting Agencies: The determine the acceptability of Outlines Administrator of the Environmental of synthetic fuels projects to be the and Plans. However, the Guidelines do fundamental purpose of environmental Protection Agency, the Secretary of not specify the substantive details and health monitoring pursuant to required for an acceptable Outline or Energy, and appropriate state agencies. Environmental Monitoring Plans under Plan since the actual development of an the Governor of the state in which the Section 131(e). Toward this end, the Outline and Plan is the responsibility of Project is located each designate a Corporation requires that the Sponsor the Sponsor, in consultation with the appropriate agencies, and their contents representative to perform the function of perform a broad range of monitoring the respective Consulting Agency. activities related to potential will depend, in part, on the project environmental and health impacts of its (The) Corporation: The United specific factors. States Synthetic Fuels Corporation. Project. While socioeconomic and water II. Statutory Basis F. Environmental Monitoring Outline consumption monitoring are not Section 131(e) of the Energy Security (or Outline): A summary of a Sponsor's required pursuant to Section 131(e) monitoring obligations, as described in (which addresses environmental and Act requires that: Section V.B. health-related emissions), such Any contract for financial assistance shall require the development of a plan, acceptable G. Environmental Monitoring Plan (or monitoring will be required, as to the Board of Direcion, for the monitoring Plan): A detailed description of a appropriate, by separate terms of a of environmental and health-reluted Sponsor's monitoring obligations, as Project's Financial Assistance emissions from the construction and described in Section V.B. Agreement. operation of the synthetic fuels project. Such H. Financial Assistance Agreement: Environmental monitoring pursuant to plan shall be developed by the recipient of An agreement between the Corporation Section 131(e) shall include Compliance financial assistance after consultation with and the Sponsor providing for loans, Monitoring and, as appropriate, the Administrator of the Environmental loan guarantees, price guarantees, or Supplemental Monitoring. Compliance Protection Agency, the Secrelary of Energy. joint venture assistance or a Monitoring. whose fundamental purpose and appropriate state agencies. combination thereof. is to fulfill the Sponsor's regulatory The Conference Committee's Joint 1. (The) Guidelines: The obligations, is included as part of Explanatory Statement relating to this Environmental Monitoring Plan Section 131(e) environmental monitoring privision states, in pertient part: Guidelines of the United Sta!es because the results of such monitoring the monitoring of emissions-gaseous, liquid Synthetic Fuels Corporation are necessary both to provide the or solid and the examination of waste J. Project: Facilities for the production Corporation with a broad information problems. worker health issues and other of synthetic fuels as described in the base that is relevant to replication of |