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Public Notice: Proposed Permit; Chemical Waste Management Inc. Kettleman Hills Facility

How to Comment

Comments accepted through: 11/01/2019
Date extended to: 11/22/2019

Any person may submit written comments regarding the proposed permit, Statement of Basis, Draft Environmental Justice Analysis, and other supporting determinations and documents (Related Documents). All written comments must be submitted, postmarked or emailed on or before November 22, 2019. Written comments can be submitted on www.regulations.gov [docket number U.S. EPA-R09-RCRA-2019-0088] or r9Landsubmit@epa.gov, or mailed or emailed to:
Frances Wicher (wicher.frances@epa.gov)
Kettleman Hills Project Manager
Land, Chemicals, & Redevelopment Division (LND-4-2)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 972-3957

All comments that are received by email or through www.regulations.gov will be included in the administrative record for the proposed permit without change and will be available to the public, including any personal information provided with the comments. If a commenter sends email directly to EPA, the sender’s email address will be automatically captured and included as part of the public comment. Comments submitted to the EPA through the U.S. mail or any other non-electronic delivery method will also be included in the administrative record without change and will be available to the public, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information the disclosure of which is restricted by law. Information that is considered to be CBI or otherwise protected should be clearly identified as such and should be submitted only through U.S. mail or a non-electronic delivery method; such information should not be submitted through www.regulations.gov or email. For the full EPA public comment policy, and information about CBI or multimedia submissions, please visit Commenting on EPA Dockets.

Publish Date: 08/29/2019

Summary

On August 27, 2019, EPA proposed an approval (permit) to Chemical Waste Management Inc. (CWM), as owner and operator, to store, treat for disposal, and dispose of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) waste at the Kettleman Hills Facility (KHF or Facility). KHF, a commercial hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facility, is located at 35251 Old Skyline Road (Highway 41), 3.5 miles southwest of Kettleman City, California. EPA proposed to issue the permit pursuant to Section 6(e)(1) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), 15 U.S.C. § 2606(e)(1), and 40 C.F.R. Part 761. EPA is encouraging the public to comment on all aspects of the proposed permit and its supporting determinations and analyses.

The proposed permit, if made final, would replace the Facility’s existing PCB permits; increase the approved capacity for disposal of PCB waste in Landfill B-18 to include the constructed and State-approved Phase III expansion; and contain conditions for storage and treatment of PCBs that will allow the Permittee to store PCB waste at the PCB Flushing/Storage Unit and to perform the following activities in the curbed and sealed containment areas at the PCB Flushing/Storage Unit: drain and flush PCB-containing electrical equipment; bulk and repackage PCB waste; and perform bin-top and container-top solidification of incidental liquids. The proposed permit requires the Permittee to monitor leachate, groundwater, and ambient air for PCBs and to monitor the Facility’s closed TSCA Landfills. The proposed permit has requirements for inspections, recordkeeping and reporting, closure and post-closure plans, and financial assurance.

EPA will hold a public meeting and question and answer session at 5:30 to 8:00 pm on October 10, 2019 at the Kettleman City Elementary School. The meeting will provide the public with an opportunity to informally discuss and ask questions about the proposed permit, statement of basis for the proposed permit, and the draft environmental justice analysis. Spoken and written comments on the proposed permit, in either English or Spanish, will still be accepted at the meeting. Children are welcome.

EPA will hold a public hearing at 6:00 pm on November 14, 2019 at the Kettleman City Elementary School. The hearing will provide the public with the opportunity to submit spoken comments on the proposed permit and its supporting analyses. Written comments will also be accepted at the public hearing. Children’s activities will be provided.

Simultaneous Spanish-language translation will be provided at both the public meeting and hearing. If you need additional reasonable accommodations to participate in the public meeting or hearing, please contact the Kettleman Hills Project Manager: Frances Wicher (wicher.frances@epa.gov) or (415) 972-3957.

The proposed permit, Statement of Basis (including the Draft Environmental Justice Analysis and determinations under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act that historic properties will not be affected and under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act that the activities authorized by this proposed permit will not have an adverse impact on any endangered species), and revised TSCA permit application can be found in the Kettleman Hills content area of this website, on www.regulations.gov [docket number U.S. EPA-R09-RCRA-2019-0088], or at the Kettleman City Library: 104 Becky Pease Street, Kettleman City, CA 93239.

EPA will consider all written and spoken comments submitted during the public comment period, including those provided at the public hearing, before taking final action on the proposed permit decision. All substantive comments will be responded to in writing. Our response to comments will be available in English and Spanish for comments submitted in Spanish.

Applicant or Respondent

Chemical Waste Management Inc.

Docket Number: