The Pacific Marine and Supply Company
Letter from David Gardiner to Senator Daniel K. Inouye
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
April 30, 1996
Honorable Daniel K. Inouye
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator Inouye:
Thank you for your letter of February 2, 1996, to Vice President Gore
in support of Pacific Marine and Supply Company's proposal to participate
in the Project XL pilot program. We share your enthusiasm for Project
XL and for the development of new technologies in hazardous waste management.
We currently have many regulatory reinvention initiatives underway at
EPA which will help to promote environmental technology innovation.
Over the past few months we have conducted an extensive agency-wide
evaluation of the Pacific Marine proposal. EPA's Office of Solid Waste,
Office of General Counsel and Region 9 have worked closely with one
another to evaluate the potential of the vitrification process and the
regulatory flexibility that Pacific Marine requests. While we believe
hazardous waste vitrification technology holds great promise, we conclude
that the specific project proposal would not produce, in our judgment,
superior environmental results, which is the standard for participation
in Project XL. Therefore, EPA has made the decision to reject the Pacific
Marine and Supply Company Proposal. However, there are a number of options
that Pacific Marine can pursue to conduct their demonstration project.
For regulatory reinvention to be a success, some innovative ideas need
to be embraced within the agency's existing programs. Pacific Marine's
demonstration project provides an excellent opportunity to look for
currently available mechanisms that permit innovation. Ray Sarasino
in EPA's Region 9 has been working with Pacific Marine to determine
the most appropriate regulatory mechanism to allow testing of the vitrification
technology and the glass silicate end product. Region nine and Pacific
Marine have mutually agreed that a Research and Development Permit is
the optimal path to pursue. EPA will continue to work closely with Pacific
Marine to expedite the administrative process for obtaining the permit.
We look forward to forging a new relationship with Pacific Marine and
the State of Hawaii.
Thank you again for your interest in Project XL. If you have any further
comments or questions please feel free to contact Ray Sarasino at (415)
744-2040.
Sincerely,
David Gardiner
Assistant Administrator
Cynthia Cummis; OPD/ESSD; 2129; 260-6915 AL-9600467