Regulatory Alert: EPA Proposes New Steam Electric Effluent Guidelines; Comment Period Extended

By Office of Advocacy On Jun 20, 2013

On June 7, 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed revisions to its Steam Electric Power Generating effluent guidelines and standards (40 CFR Part 423). The guidelines were first published in 1974, and amended in 1977, 1978, 1980 and 1982. The regulation covers wastewater discharges from power plants operating as utilities. The Steam Electric effluent guidelines and standards are incorporated into NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permits for plants that discharge into waters of the United States. This rulemaking will affect small independently owned utilities, small rural electric cooperative owned utilities, and small municipal owned utilities.

EPA will also conduct a public hearing on the proposed pretreatment standards on July 9, 2013, at 1 p.m. in the EPA East Building, Room 1153, 1201 Constitution Avenue N.W., Washington, D.C. EPA has announced an extension of the public comment period to September 20, 2013.

To submit comments:

Read the complete notice here: Federal Register notice
Submit your comments electronically at Regulations.gov (Docket No. EPA-HQ-OW-2009-0819)
Or submit your comment by email to OW-Docket@epa.gov citing this docket.

To learn more:

Contact the Office of Advocacy’s Assistant Chief Counsel Kevin Bromberg, 202-205-6964.