Clean Water Act Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Meat and Poultry Products Point Source Category

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY <CFR>40 CFR Part 432</CFR> <DEPDOC>[EPA-HQ-OW-2021-0736; FRL-8885-01-OW]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 2040-AG22</RIN> <SUBJECT>Clean Water Act Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Meat and Poultry Products Point Source Category</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Proposed rule and notice of public hearing. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) is proposing a regulation to revise the technology-based effluent limitations guidelines and standards (ELGs) for the meat and poultry products (MPP) point source category. The proposed rule would improve water quality and protect human health and the environment by reducing the discharge of nutrients and other pollutants to the nation's surface waters. EPA is proposing several regulatory options, including the preferred option discussed in this notice. The preferred option is estimated to cost $232 million annually and reduce pollutant discharges by approximately 100 million pounds per year. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> Comments must be received on or before March 25, 2024. <E T="03">Public hearing:</E> EPA will hold two public hearings about this proposed rule on January 24, 2024 and January 31, 2024. Visit EPA's website at <E T="03">https://www.epa.gov/eg/meat-and-poultry-products-effluent-guidelines-2024-proposed-rule</E> for additional information about the public hearings and for any potential changes to the public hearing schedule. </EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> You may send comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2021-0736, by any of the following methods: • <E T="03">Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov/</E> (our preferred method). Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. • <E T="03">Mail:</E> U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center, Office of Water Docket, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460. • <E T="03">Hand Delivery or Courier:</E> EPA Docket Center, WJC West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004. The Docket Center's hours of operations are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday (except Federal Holidays). <E T="03">Instructions:</E> All submissions received must include the Docket ID No. for this rulemaking. Comments received may be posted without change to <E T="03">https://www.regulations.gov/,</E> including any personal information provided. For detailed instructions on sending comments and additional information on the rulemaking process, see the “Public Participation” heading of the <E T="02">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION</E> section of this document. <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Steve Whitlock, Engineering and Analysis Division, Office of Water (4303T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-566-1541; email address: <E T="03">Whitlock.Steve@epa.gov.</E> </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <E T="03">Preamble Acronyms and Abbreviations.</E> EPA uses multiple acronyms and terms in this preamble. While this list may not be exhaustive, to ease the reading of this preamble and for reference purposes, EPA defines terms and acronyms used in Appendix A of this preamble. <E T="03">Supporting Documentation.</E> The proposed rule is supported by several documents, including: • Technical Development Document for Proposed Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Meat and Poultry Products Point Source Category (TDD), Document No. 821-R-23-011. This report summarizes the technical and engineering analyses supporting the proposed rule including cost methodologies, pollutant removal estimates, non-water quality environmental impacts, and calculation of the proposed effluent limitations. • Environmental Assessment Analysis for Proposed Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Meat and Poultry Products Point Source Category (EA Report), Document No. 821-R-23-012. This report summarizes the potential environmental and human health impacts estimated to result from implementation of the proposed rule. The report also describes the environmental justice analysis conducted. • Benefit and Cost Analysis for Proposed Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Meat and Poultry Products Point Source Category (BCA Report), Document No. 821-R-23-013. This report summarizes the societal benefits and costs estimated to result from implementation of the proposed rule. • Regulatory Impact Analysis for Proposed Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Meat and Poultry Products Point Source Category (RIA), Document No. 821-R-23-014. This report presents a profile of the MPP industry, a summary of estimated costs and impacts associated with the proposed rule, and an assessment of the potential impacts on employment and small businesses. • Docket Index for the Proposed Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Meat and Poultry Products Point Source Category. This document provides a list of the additional memoranda, references, and other information EPA relied on for the proposed revisions to the MPP ELGs. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Table of Contents</HD> <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">I. Executive Summary</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Purpose of Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Summary of Proposed Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">II. Public Participation</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">III. General Information</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Does this action apply to me?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. What action is the Agency taking?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. What is the Agency's authority for taking this action?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. What are the incremental costs and benefits of this action?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">IV. Background</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Clean Water Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Best Practicable Control Technology Currently Available (BPT)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Best Conventional Pollutant Control Technology (BCT)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. Best Available Technology Economically Achievable (BAT)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">4. Best Available Demonstrated Control Technology (BADCT) for New Source Performance Standards (NSPS)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">5. Pretreatment Standards for Existing Sources (PSES)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">6. Pretreatment Standards for New Sources (PSNS)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Actions Leading to Revisions to the Meat and Poultry Products Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. National Review of Nutrient Discharges From Industrial Sources</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Detailed Study of Meat and Poultry Products</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. Announcement of Rule in Preliminary Effluent Guidelines Plan 15</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">4. Litigation and Consent Decree</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">V. Meat and Poultry Products Industry Description</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. General Description of Industry</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Control and Treatment Technologies</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Conventional Pollutant Removal</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Biological/Organic Pollutant Removal</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. Phosphorus Removal</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">4. Pathogen Removal</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">5. Chlorides Removal</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">6. Solids Handling</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">VI. Data Collection</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Information From the Meat and Poultry Products Industry</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Survey</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Stakeholder Meetings and Outreach</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Economic Data</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Facility and Firm-Level Economic Data</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2"> 2. Industry and Sector-Level Economic Data </FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Other Data Sources</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Site Visits</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Wastewater Sampling</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">VII. Proposed Regulation</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Description of the Options</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Proposed Changes to Subcategories</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Rationale for the Preferred Option (Option 1)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Direct Discharging Facilities (BAT)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">a. Availability of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal Technologies</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">b. Economic Achievability of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">c. Non-Water Quality Environmental Impacts of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Indirect Discharging Facilities (PSES/PSNS)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">a. BAT Rationale for PSES/PSNS for Nutrients</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">b. BPT/BCT Rationale for PSES/PSNS for Conventional Pollutant</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">c. Technological Availability</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">d. Costs of Conventional Pollutants Removal (BPT/BCT)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">e. Non-Water Quality Environmental Impacts (BPT/BCT)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Rationale for Other Regulatory Options Proposed (Options 2 and 3)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Rationale for Rejecting Options 2 and 3 as the Preferred Option</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Additional Provisions</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. Small Business Considerations From the Small Business Advocacy Review Panel</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">VIII. Costs, BPT Wholly Disproportionate Cost Test, Economic Achievability, and Other Economic Impacts</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. BPT Wholly Disproportionate Cost Test</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. BCT Cost Test</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Economic Achievability Analysis for BAT</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Facility Closure Analysis (BAT)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. BAT Cost-to-Revenue Analyses</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Other Economic Analyses</ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 415k characters. Full document text is stored and available for version comparison. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━