![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Land Ban Exemption Granted to Cabot Corporation
Underground Injection Control Program; Hazardous Waste Disposal Injection Restrictions; Petition for Exemption--Class I Hazardous Waste Injection; Cab-O-Sil Division, Cabot Corporation, Tuscola, ILAGENCY: United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).
ACTION: Notice of final decision on exemption petition.
---------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given by the USEPA that an exemption to the land disposal restrictions under the 1984 Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) has been granted to Cab-O-Sil Division, Cabot Corporation (Cabot), of Tuscola, Illinois, for continued use of Well No. 2. As required by 40 CFR part 148, Cabot has demonstrated, to a reasonable degree of certainty, that there will be no migration of hazardous constitutents from the injection zone for as long as the waste remains hazardous. This final decision allows the continued underground injection by Cabot of specific restricted hazardous wastes, including hydrochloric acid and wastewaters contaminated with hydrochloric acid which are hazardous because they are corrosive (i.e., Ph is less than or equal to 2.0, hence its waste code is D002 under 40 CFR 261), a multi-source leachate (Code F039) contaminated with small amounts of 1,1-dichloroethylene, 1,2-dichloroethylene, methylene chloride, phenol, tetrachloroethylene, and trichloroethylene from a closed waste storage impoundment, and low concentrations of residual, spent acetone (Code F003) rinsed from laboratory glassware cleaned with solvent, into a Class I hazardous waste injection well, specifically identified as Well No. 2, at the Tuscola facility. This decision constitutes a final USEPA action for which there is no administrative appeal.
BACKGROUND: Cabot submitted a petition on April 14, 1988, requesting exemption for its two injection wells located in Tuscola, Illinois, from the land disposal restrictions for hazardous wastes. USEPA personnel reviewed all data pertaining to the petition, including, but not limited to, well construction, regional and local geology, seismic activity, penetrations of the confining zone, and the mathematical models submitted by Cabot to demonstrate that no migration from the injection zone would occur. The USEPA has determined that the geological setting at the site as well as the construction and operation of Well No. 2 are adequate to prevent fluid migration out of the injection zone within 10,000 years, as required under 40 CFR Part 148. The injection zone at this site includes the upper part of the Franconia, all of the Potosi and Eminence, and the lower part of the Oneota Dolomite between the depths of 5,400 and 4,442 feet. The immediately overlying confining zone is the Shakopee Dolomite between 4,442 and 4,124 feet. The confining zone is separated from the lowermost source of underground drinking water at a depth of 2,750 feet by sequences of permeable and less permeable sedimentary rocks which provide additional protection from fluid migration into underground sources of drinking water. A fact sheet containing a complete summary of the decision now being finalized was published in the Federal Register of August 24, 1990.
A public notice of the proposed decision was issued on August 10, 1990, pursuant to 40 CFR 124.10, and a public hearing was subsequently held in Tuscola on September 10, 1990. The public comment period expired on September 24, 1990. A number of comments were received and all comments have been considered in making the final decision. Condition 6 of the proposed exemption required that the petitioner must restore the mechanical integrity of Well No. 1 before the exemption becomes final. Since this condition has not been met and the absence of mechanical integrity on the part of Well No. 1 does not pose a threat during operation of Well No. 2, the condition has been deleted, but the exemption has been limited to Well No. 2. When a demonstration of the mechanical integrity of Well No. 1 has been made, an exemption can be granted for the operation of that well, provided all other factors remain the same.
After considering all comments received, the USEPA has determined that its reasons for granting the exemption as set forth in the original fact sheet remain valid; accordingly, a final exemption is granted with specific conditions listed in this notice. A responsiveness summary has been prepared for distribution to all commentors and those who signed in at the public hearing.
Conditions
For this exemption to be effective, Cabot must meet the following conditions: (1) The monthly average injection rate must not exceed 400 gallons per minute.
(2) The concentrations of the constituents included in the injected leachate will not exceed the amounts listed as proposed maximum allowable concentrations in Table 8-6 in the petition document;
(3) Injection shall occur only into the Franconia, Potosi, and Eminence Dolomites and the Gunter Sandstone;
(4) The injection zone shall consist of the Franconia, Potosi, Eminence, and Oneota Dolomites and the Gunter Sandstone, found between 5,400 and 4,442 feet in Cabot's Well No. 2; and
(5) Cabot must be in full compliance with all conditions of its permits and other conditions relating to the exemption found in 40 CFR Parts 148.23 and 148.24.
DATES: This action is effective as of November 6, 1990.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harlan Gerrish, Lead Petition Reviewer, USEPA, Region V, telephone (312) 886-2939. Copies of the petition and all pertinent information relating thereto are on file and are part of the Administrative Record. It is recommended that you contact the lead reviewer prior to reviewing the Administrative Record.
Dale S. Bryson, Director, Water Division.
(FR Doc. 90-27812 Filed 11-26-90; 8:45 am)
BILLING CODE 6560-50-M Underground Injection Control Topics | Other Local Water Topics