The Ultimate Guide Navigating EPA's Coal Combustion Residuals Ruling
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Transcript of The Ultimate Guide Navigating EPA's Coal Combustion Residuals Ruling
The Ultimate Guide:Navigating EPA’s Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) Ruling
EPA’s CCR Ruling
On April 17, 2015 the
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)
published the final rule
for the regulation and
management of coal
combustion residuals
(CCR) under the Resource
Conservation and
Recovery Act (RCRA).
The rule—effective on
October 19, 2015—applies
to electric utilities and
independent power
producers that fall within
NAICS code 221112, and
the facility produces or
stores CCR materials in
impoundments or landfills.
Checklist for Existing CCR Landfill Compliance
October 19, 2015 F Fugitive dust control plan
F Initial weekly inspection of CCR unit
F Conduct required recordkeeping
F Provide required notifications
F Establish CCR website
January 19, 2016 F Complete the initial annual inspection of the CCR unit
October 17, 2016 F Prepare initial run-on and run-off control system plan
F Prepare written closure and post-closure care plans
October 17, 2017 F Install the groundwater monitoring system
F Develop the groundwater sampling and analysis program
F Initiate the detection monitoring program
F Begin evaluating the groundwater monitoring data for statistically significant increases over background levels
October 17, 2018 F Complete demonstration for unstable areas
Major CCR Compliance Milestones
Checklist for Existing CCR Surface Impoundments Compliance
October 19, 2015 F Prepare fugitive dust control plan
F Conduct required recordkeeping
F Provide required notifications
F Establish CCR website
F Initiate weekly inspections of the CCR unit
F Initiate monthly monitoring of CCR unit instrumentation
December 17, 2015 F Install permanent marker
January 19, 2016 F Complete the initial annual inspection of the CCR unit
October 17, 2016 F Document whether CCR unit is either a lined or unlined CCR surface impoundment
F Compile a history of construction
F Complete initial hazard potential classification assessment
F Complete initial structural stability assessment
F Complete initial safety factor assessment
F Prepare initial inflow design flood control system plan
F Prepare written closure and post-closure care plans
April 17, 2017 F Prepare emergency action plan
October 17, 2017 F Install the groundwater monitoring system
F Develop the groundwater sampling and analysis program
F Initiate the detection monitoring program
F Begin evaluating the groundwater monitoring data for statistically significant increases over background levels
October 17, 2018 F Complete demonstration for placement above the uppermost aquifer
F Complete demonstrations for wetlands
F Complete demonstrations for fault areas
F Complete demonstrations for seismic impact zones
F Complete demonstrations for unstable areas
Major CCR Compliance Milestones
Requirements At A Glance By Facility Type
E XIS T I N G CCR L A N D FI L L S N E W L A N D FI L L SE XIS T I N G CCR S U R FACE I M P O U N DM EN T S
N E W CCR I M P O U N DM EN T S U N I T S & L AT ER A L E X PA N S I O N S
I N AC T IV E S U R FACE I M P O U N DM EN T S
Location Restrictions
Unstable areas
• Placement above the uppermost aquifer
• Wetlands • Fault areas • Seismic impact zones • Unstable areas
• Placement above the uppermost aquifer
• Wetlands • Fault Areas • Seismic impact zones • Unstable Areas
• Placement above the uppermost aquifer
• Wetlands • Fault areas • Seismic impact zones • Unstable areas
• None if closed by April 17, 2018 • If not, same as existing CCR
surface impoundments
Design Requirements
Not required • Leachate collection &
removal system • Two component liner
Unlined impoundments must: • Meet groundwater protection
standards • Retrofit with a composite liner
system or be closed
Two component liner • None if closed by April 17, 2018 • If not, same as existing CCR
surface impoundments
Structural Analysis
Not required Not required
• Hazard potential classification assessments
• Spillway adequacy assessments • Structural stability assessments • Safety factor assessments • Emergency action plan • Weekly & annual inspections
• Hazard potential classification assessments
• Spillway adequacy assessments • Structural stability assessments • Safety factor assessments • Emergency action plan • Weekly & annual inspections
• None if closed by April 17, 2018 • If not, same as existing CCR
surface impoundments
Operating Criteria
• Fugitive dust controls • Run on, run off control • Surface water protection • Inspection requirements
for landfills
• Fugitive dust controls • “Wetting” of CCR • Run on, run off control • Surface water protection • Inspection requirements
for landfills
• Fugitive dust controls • Inflow control • Surface water protection • Inspection requirements for CCR
surface impoundments
• Fugitive dust controls • “Wetting” of CCR • Inflow control • Surface water protection • Inspection requirements for CCR
surface impoundments
• None if closed by April 17, 2018 • If not, same as existing CCR
surface impoundments
Groundwater Monitoring
Systems
• Groundwater monitoring program • Groundwater monitoring wells • 8 rounds of sampling data
(by October 17, 2017) • Calculate background levels
• Groundwater monitoring program • Groundwater monitoring wells • 8 rounds of sampling data
(within 6 months & before accepting CCR)
• Groundwater monitoring program • Groundwater monitoring wells • 8 rounds of sampling data
(by October 17, 2017)
• Groundwater monitoring program • Groundwater monitoring wells • 8 rounds of sampling data (within
6 months & before accepting CCR)
• None if closed by April 17, 2018 • If not, same as existing CCR
surface impoundments
STOP
Closure & Post Closure
Requirements
• Equivalent to liner system • Alternative designs if infiltration criteria
is met • 30 years landfill cap & leachate
collection maintenance • 30 years of groundwater monitoring
• Equivalent to liner system • Alternative designs if infiltration
criteria is met • 30 years landfill cap & leachate
collection maintenance • 30 years of groundwater monitoring
• Equivalent to liner system • Alternative designs if infiltration
criteria is met • 30 years landfill cap maintenance • 30 years of groundwater monitoring
• Equivalent to liner system • Alternative designs if infiltration
criteria is met • 30 years landfill cap maintenance • 30 years of groundwater
monitoring
• None if closed by April 17, 2018 • If not, same as existing CCR
surface impoundments
Recordkeeping, Reporting &
Communication
• Compliance documents maintained for 5 years
• State agency notification of comprehensive list of actions
• All unit documentation publically available on website, titled “CCR Rule Compliance Data and Information”
• Compliance documents maintained for 5 years
• State agency notification of comprehensive list of actions
• All unit documentation publically available on website, titled “CCR Rule Compliance Data and Information”
• Compliance documents maintained for 5 years
• State agency notification of comprehensive list of actions
• All unit documentation publically available on website, titled “CCR Rule Compliance Data and Information”
• Compliance documents maintained for 5 years
• State agency notification of comprehensive list of actions
• All unit documentation publically available on website, titled “CCR Rule Compliance Data and Information”
• Compliance documents maintained for 5 years
• State agency notification of comprehensive list of actions
• All unit documentation publically available on website, titled “CCR Rule Compliance Data and Information”
E XIS T I N G CCR L A N D FI L L S N E W L A N D FI L L SE XIS T I N G CCR S U R FACE I M P O U N DM EN T S
N E W CCR I M P O U N DM EN T S U N I T S & L AT ER A L E X PA N S I O N S
I N AC T IV E S U R FACE I M P O U N DM EN T S
Location Restrictions
Unstable areas
• Placement above the uppermost aquifer
• Wetlands • Fault areas • Seismic impact zones • Unstable areas
• Placement above the uppermost aquifer
• Wetlands • Fault Areas • Seismic impact zones • Unstable Areas
• Placement above the uppermost aquifer
• Wetlands • Fault areas • Seismic impact zones • Unstable areas
• None if closed by April 17, 2018 • If not, same as existing CCR
surface impoundments
Design Requirements
Not required • Leachate collection &
removal system • Two component liner
Unlined impoundments must: • Meet groundwater protection
standards • Retrofit with a composite liner
system or be closed
Two component liner • None if closed by April 17, 2018 • If not, same as existing CCR
surface impoundments
Structural Analysis
Not required Not required
• Hazard potential classification assessments
• Spillway adequacy assessments • Structural stability assessments • Safety factor assessments • Emergency action plan • Weekly & annual inspections
• Hazard potential classification assessments
• Spillway adequacy assessments • Structural stability assessments • Safety factor assessments • Emergency action plan • Weekly & annual inspections
• None if closed by April 17, 2018 • If not, same as existing CCR
surface impoundments
Operating Criteria
• Fugitive dust controls • Run on, run off control • Surface water protection • Inspection requirements
for landfills
• Fugitive dust controls • “Wetting” of CCR • Run on, run off control • Surface water protection • Inspection requirements
for landfills
• Fugitive dust controls • Inflow control • Surface water protection • Inspection requirements for CCR
surface impoundments
• Fugitive dust controls • “Wetting” of CCR • Inflow control • Surface water protection • Inspection requirements for CCR
surface impoundments
• None if closed by April 17, 2018 • If not, same as existing CCR
surface impoundments
Groundwater Monitoring
Systems
• Groundwater monitoring program • Groundwater monitoring wells • 8 rounds of sampling data
(by October 17, 2017) • Calculate background levels
• Groundwater monitoring program • Groundwater monitoring wells • 8 rounds of sampling data
(within 6 months & before accepting CCR)
• Groundwater monitoring program • Groundwater monitoring wells • 8 rounds of sampling data
(by October 17, 2017)
• Groundwater monitoring program • Groundwater monitoring wells • 8 rounds of sampling data (within
6 months & before accepting CCR)
• None if closed by April 17, 2018 • If not, same as existing CCR
surface impoundments
STOP
Closure & Post Closure
Requirements
• Equivalent to liner system • Alternative designs if infiltration criteria
is met • 30 years landfill cap & leachate
collection maintenance • 30 years of groundwater monitoring
• Equivalent to liner system • Alternative designs if infiltration
criteria is met • 30 years landfill cap & leachate
collection maintenance • 30 years of groundwater monitoring
• Equivalent to liner system • Alternative designs if infiltration
criteria is met • 30 years landfill cap maintenance • 30 years of groundwater monitoring
• Equivalent to liner system • Alternative designs if infiltration
criteria is met • 30 years landfill cap maintenance • 30 years of groundwater
monitoring
• None if closed by April 17, 2018 • If not, same as existing CCR
surface impoundments
Recordkeeping, Reporting &
Communication
• Compliance documents maintained for 5 years
• State agency notification of comprehensive list of actions
• All unit documentation publically available on website, titled “CCR Rule Compliance Data and Information”
• Compliance documents maintained for 5 years
• State agency notification of comprehensive list of actions
• All unit documentation publically available on website, titled “CCR Rule Compliance Data and Information”
• Compliance documents maintained for 5 years
• State agency notification of comprehensive list of actions
• All unit documentation publically available on website, titled “CCR Rule Compliance Data and Information”
• Compliance documents maintained for 5 years
• State agency notification of comprehensive list of actions
• All unit documentation publically available on website, titled “CCR Rule Compliance Data and Information”
• Compliance documents maintained for 5 years
• State agency notification of comprehensive list of actions
• All unit documentation publically available on website, titled “CCR Rule Compliance Data and Information”
Next StepsIf your facility produces and stores CCR materials in impoundments and/or landfills, now’s the time to start planning for future compliance:
Understand your site-specific issues by defining baseline conditions and evaluating the impacts of the rules on site specific conditions and facilities.
Evaluate the costs, benefits and risks associated with compliance, closure, long-term disposal alternatives and beneficial reuse. Performing these evaluations early provides a solid path forward for advance planning and budgeting.
Site specific factors, coupled with the CCR and ELG rule changes, impact the decisions related to choosing the best transport and disposal systems design. Performing the economic and technical comparison of options early allows for advance planning and budgeting and easier implementation once the CCR rule is finalized.
Create a master compliance schedule for site-specific activities to help prioritize and keep you on track. Separate schedules for any plant design or operations modifications, such as converting from wet to dry ash handling, should also be developed and incorporated into the master compliance schedule.
Assess Your Current Situation
Conduct a Cost Benefit Analysis and
Risk Assessment
Consider the Impact of Other Regulations
Develop Compliance Schedules
How We Can Help
Equipped with the resources to streamline every step in the project life cycle, we’ll partner with you to create a clear, safe, cost-effective CCR management plan. Together, we can:
• Navigate the implications of the EPA rule for your specific facilities
• Complete a risk assessment profile addressing technical, financial and safety concerns
• Plan for the potential need to close and dewater impoundments, including removal of solids and meeting land disposal requirements
• Retrofit impoundments with liners
• Implement liner and/or groundwater monitoring programs
• Implement and execute a safety inspection program
• Convert wet CCR handling to dry handling systems
• Execute remediation programs for any detected contaminants
• Investigate options for beneficial use of CCR materials
Erich Zimmerman Groundwater Monitoring Practice Leader [email protected]
Kevin De Lange, P.E. Waste Practice [email protected]
Contact Us
Jim Devereaux, P.E. Geotechnical Practice [email protected]
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