Aug-:ZS-·00 04:J.::ZP CMA . A f3 · ir-mingham, AL_ ]. 205 985 0042 --\ I \ 

# .. "' UNJTE'D STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION WASHINCTON. D.C. 20410 !"**Con~tance** 

### B.**H~rri~3n, At~Y**  

### Steptc•**~ ~ohnaon**  

### 1330**conn~ctlcu~** 

### AVGnue W8shinqton, D.C. 20036-1795 

### DQar**M~-** 

### Harriman: 

## JUN I P.06


### we art writin9 

### in 

### respon3e to 

### your 

### inquiries to 

### the**~gency'~** 

### o£fice of 

### General**Couns~l** 

### seeking**9uidan~** 

### concerning the applicability of EPA's**r~laticns a~**  

### 10 CF.R 

### Part 435, Subpart 

## c**(0~1** 

### and Gas 

### Extraction Point Source Category,**O~hore** subcategory) 

### to coal**~ed mothan~**  

### production**facilitie~-** 

### Your 1nqu1r1e8**~Qlate** 

### to a pendinq action by 

### the**s~at~** of**Alab~~. ~bich**  

### has proposed but not yet iccugd 

### a National 

### Pollutant Discharge £limination.Symtqm (NFOES) permit 

### !or a**eon~** 

### bed**methan~ product~on** **!~cility** 

### operated by 

### your client,**Riv~r Ga~** **Corpora~ion.** 

### It is our**una~r~tandin9** 

### that the 

### State ha9 not**appli~d** 

### 40 CFR**Par~** 

### 435, Subpart 

## c in**th~** 

### proposed permit. The Lega1**En~ironmontal ARoi~tanoQ**  

### Foundation, Inc., ftn environmental 

### group, 

### has brou9ht 5uit 

### in the 

### u.s. District 

### court seeking to**Gn~oin** 

### the i5suance or the 

### permit 

### on the basis, amonq 

### other**th~nq~,** 

### that 40 CFR 4l5.32 niB 

### applicable to and prohibits 

### the**di~chargQ** 

### of_ .• pollutants"**~roD** 

### •£aciliti•s 

### en9aqed in 

### the extract: 

### ion and production 

### ot methane gas .•. " ( Icsfqal 

### £nyiroomental**J\~!iitanc•** Fc;rnodiltion. Incx v. Le.i,qhEegu•ra, at gl., M.D. Ala., No_ 69-H-263-N). As 

### you knov, 

### the hqency**ha~** 

### advised**~he s~ate**  

### ot**Alaba~a** 

### in the**pas~** 

### 't.llat 40 CFR P11rt 4J5, Subpart C 

### does net :apply 

### to coal**b~d met~ane** **p~oduction** 

### facilities. The**Agency'~** 

### view 

### is one of 

### long**~tandinq.** 

### (See EPA's 

### letters of February 23, 

### 19S9 to the 

### AlabaMa OQpartment of Environmental**Manage~en~** 

### and o£ February 

## a,**1~82** 

### to the 

### Alabama**W~tmr I~prov~ment** **Co~ission, ~opieK**  

### of which are attached.) EPA has 

### not chanqRd its. 

### view that 40 

### CFR Pan: 4)5 

### doe$ not apply to coal bed**me~hane produc~ion** **fa~ilities. ~PA'G** **regula~ions** 

### at 40 CFR**P~r~** 

### 4JS; 

### Subpart C 

### provide that**"th~ra** shall 

### be no <lls:cnarge 

### ot:**'lo/aS~Q** waeer 

### pollutants into 

### navi9able waters 

## rrom any source**a~~ociatgd** 

### vith 

### production;Auc-<25-00 04:12P Ct'-1A.A Bir-mingham, AL**~** 1 2.05 985 0042 p_Q7 - 2 - tiald**~xplo~ation,** drilling,**Y~ll** completion. or well**trllll4t-mem•·~** •• • •o CFR .qJS.:Jl. Those r-equlAtions Are technologyh3•ed**gui~!nee a~**  tho BPT**(Be~t ~acticablft**  control T•chnology**curren~lyAvail&ble)** lavQl of control-**S~ction 304(~)(1)**  (B) or the Clean**wa~ar** Act ruqQires EPA. in eatabliehinq BPT**quid•linG~.**

to**conAi~Ar ·~e**  ectal coct**o~ applicatio~**  of**t~chnology** in relation to the e!tluent reduction b•n•fit• to he 4cbieved**!ro~** such appliootion, mnd .•. the. aqe cf the**uqqi~en~** and facilities**invol~ed,** the procesa**~loyed, th~**  Gngineerinq a•pect• of the application ot variou•**~yp6e** of control**techni~·D•** praC86S**change~,** non-water quAlity**~nviro~ental** impact (includinq**en~r~ r~quir~enta)**  and aueb**o~ber** factors**a~** the**Ad=ini~tratcr ~eams**  appropr btt•- - - - " Nothing in thB rulemaking racord, includinq the**technic~l.** economic, and**~vironmental asse~~mont**  support**docu=~nt5, suqqe!it~**  that tlle Agency con,;idered any ot.**th~t! a~pec:ts**  o!**~ath~ne** production**~rom** coal beds in developing thQ oil and qas**ex~raction** regulations at 40 CFR Part**~35.** The**e~ist~nce** o! a

.domestic coal bed**•e~h~ne** production industry was**no~** known**~o** ·the AgeTicy durinq th4 deVQlOplno:nt of tho 1.979 regul.:!tions for oil and**ga~** extraction.**Non~** of the**opor•tion~** aasociated with exploration, d•l.ineation, Yell**~rilling,** or production of methane from coal b•d•·wan visited,**~ampled, prcfil~.**  or otherwise conaid•r•d during the d•volopment.or the oil and**q~a** extraction rsqulAtiOn8.**Becau~e** EPA did**no~** Btudy or consider thQ coal bed methane**product~on indu~try**  in the**dev~lopment** or th•**regula~ions,** the Agency made no tindiM93 with respect to the production**~qthod~ gcploy~d,** **materi~~~ u~ed,**  volumea,**~ype5 an~** **char~ctari9tica** of wastaz gQnQrated, pollutants of concern,**pollu~ion ~itigation** **mea~urea,** or practicable treatment t:echnologigs. In**addition~ ~he** **co~t~** of compliance Yith**t~** BPT "taro**dischar~u~ requira~ent**  to the eoal bed**~ethane** prcductlon industry**w~rQ** unknown to EPA at the**ti~e** or**promulqa~ion** o! the Part 4J5**regulaeion~.** Therefore. the Agency**~id** not**d~t•rmin~** WhQther**~z•ro** diachargQ"**i~ ~ppropriate**  !or coal bed methane productico operation& in light ot the BPT**st~tutory** mandate that tha**~otal** co•t of the application or the**trea~ment tecbn~logy**  bQ**eonsid~r*«i** in "t:'ll.atlon to effluent reduction**be.nar·lt:.~.** Finally,**th~ Dav~lcpment** **Oo~ent** tor tne Part 4JS regulations**(~velopment** OocumQnt for_ln!erim final**£t!lq£~t tJ~itation'** **Guideline~** and**fropo~e~ HQ~** **~yrc9 Pvrform~o~e**  ·**s~andards to~**  the Oil and**9~S ~xtr~ction**  Point**Sou~ca Cateqc~y.**  EPA 440/1-76/005-a,**Septemb~r** 1976), makes claar that only "certain**~~ents** o! thQ**p•~rolau= indu~t4Y"**  VQro covarad by the $tudy_ Development**Docu~~nt,** section**X~I** pp. 8-9. This**~ould** include**n~t~ral** gaa**produc~ion a~eociatvd** **~ith** pQtroloum**depo~it~,** but not methane gas**produc~ion** from coal dQposits_Aug _ _ z S - 00

**0~** : l Z P C M.IAA B i r1n i ngh a m • AL 1 

### zos 986 0042


## - ) 

## -

**Th•~ ~hat**  

### the 

## Part 4JS r•gulationa do not **~pply** 

### to
**~oal**

**be4 •·~~taeili~i~**  

### do•• not -e3n that 

### these 

### racilities aro

**exaap~ t~~pp~opri8taly**  **3trinqen~ r~la~ion.**  

### Priar 

### to the
**prowu~qatton ·**  

### ·or nationally applicable **ind~stry-w!d•** 

### •rn.uent
**li•i~ations qqideline~,**  

### such **l~i~ationo ~r•**  

### to

**b~** 

### applied in 

### individual **p•rmit~** 

### Qn

**~ cas~-by~c~3e,**  

### best **prof~ssional ju~qment** 

**(•~PJ~)** 

### basia- Section **~Ol(a)(l)** 

### ot

**~he Cle~n**  

### Water Act; 

### HRDC v_ 

## £EA, 859 T.24 156, 197-202 

### (D.c. cir. 19B8): 

## Am•ricaa **P~~XQleYD** 

### Inatitutm y, **~PA,** 

### 787 F.2d 963, 

### 969, 971 (Sth Cir. 1986). This 

### requirement iB 

### applicable to both 

## EP•-issuad

**~nd •tat~-is~ued**  

### permits -
**~0** 

### CFR **1~2.4•(a);** 

### 12S.J(c)

**(~).** 

### The
**ba~s** 

### tor 

### th• technoloqy-bas•d 

### effluent 

### limitation• and 

### atandarda and th• 

### deadline•

**~hat Ccng~o•a**  **~t** 

### tor 

### tb•ir **achievem~nt** 

### are set 

### rorth in 

### Sactiona **30~(b),** 

### J04(b) and 

### 306(b) of tha Clean Water Act. 

### P_oe We vould 11ke to p9int out in 

### cloeing

**~hat** 

## &• tha 

### pcr2itting authority in 

## tn1s case, the 

### Stat@ o! **Alaba~a** 

### may datermlne 

### in tha 

### first **inst~nc&** 

### whether or not 

### the **~qulations** 

### in
**i~•u~** 

### must ba

**appli~d-** 

### Aocordinqly, 

### thi$
**lctt~r** 

### constitutes 8av1cs 

## hy th• 

### AQency

**t~at** 

### it
**raad~** 

### the

**Pa~ ~J5**  **regulation~** 

### a$ being 

### inapplicabla 

### to coal 

### bed methane **pro~uction** 

### fDcil1ties, 

### not a formal Agency **dQtermin~tian** 

### that

**i~ ~andatory**  

### at 

### this intermediatG stage of

**th~** 

### permittinq **proces~.** 

### EPA's rola 

### in tbc review of NPDES **pormit~ing** 

### by 

### delegated **8tatR~** 

### is £at forth at 

### 40 CFR Part 123, 

### SUbpart C. 

### I hope

**thi~ l~tter**  

### fully **addresse~** 

### your **conc~rn~.** 

### If ve

**c~n** 

### bill or 

### !Ut""t.hQr **as.s~istance, plea~•**  

### do not **he1ci~ate** 

### to contact 

### Marvin Rubin, 

### Chiof, Chemicals **~us~ry** 

### Branch at **20~-382-7124.** 

### Very truly yours,



# ~JL q lJ 

# f,_Qf

**Tho~a~** 

### P. O'Farrell 

### Direct: 

## or Industrial Technology 

### Division

**~c :**  **Fou~i~r** 

### J. Gale, III, Esq_ 

## Olivia H. **J~nkins** 

### (ADEM) David

**~.** 

### Ludder, Esq- {LEAF)Aug -- 2 s- 00 04: 1l. P Cf"lAA S i rrni ngham, AL 1 205 985 0042 UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WASHINGTON. D . C . 20460 Mr. Rodney D. Hames Water Improv@ment Commission of the State of **A1ab~~** Public Health Services Building Montgomery, Alabama 36130 Dear ,.,r_ HamQ!>: I received JOur letter dated January 19 1 1982 regarding the applicabi1ity of 40 CFR Part 435 to **w~stewater** from coal bed degasification facilities. As discussed during our earlier **~e1ephone** conversation, tha U. S. Environmenta1 Protection Agency did not consider wAStewater from such operations in the development of effluent guidelines for the Oi1 and Gas **(~traction** Point Source Category; therefore, 40 CFR Part 435 is not directly applicable to the coal bed aegasification **fac11~ties.** I hope this is responsive to your request. lf you have any questions, **plea~~** call me **~t** (202} 426-4617. cc: Williilm **Jord~n** (OWE) " \ \ ·. - \ ' • \ -· ,.... , . . . . .. , **-~** : .· Yi . · • : . _

**~** · "" ::_r-: **CONJ.' !SS:C:-.~**  .Aug-25-00 04: llP CMAA B · lrmingham, AL ). 205 985 0042 P.O 

## wATER 

# IMPROVEMENT

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# \Aug-ZS-00 04:11P CMAA e;rm;ngha.m, AL l 205 985 0042 **J~** H. 1982 .,.._.. 2 1. tb$ ... IIIKJ cU.• DCC **•~7** a eo-.1 **~~** da.utfieation aiea clttrbtt UUI **~t** ct **~ JUida~;**  1. Jlor waa dle teuihi.l1 **~** at **~** .U...cb.alrga fro. **~Nc;:b** a !ad..lity emu .ida red; .3. .U..O. th. epecl.alisad **pr~•••._** mad the OC'¢C.G .an4 **~t:ur•** at. **~ .-~.at..r,..**  cgt **eopidu~.** 14 Y14W of theM **~iW.,** th1.• ot!1ca 1• gf tha ap11\ion that 40 en. **14~** t.. JW)t **~lleabla** to t.b. eo&l hoed ctasa-Uic.at:1on UdU..tr1 ad, t1w·n.f1DH, the ..x"' **cH.Ja~p ~d..at•**  tm4e:r •o C71 14)5.32 U tWt **bi.n41n~** to **t~** t.ac.Ui.u ... In t.l:tU r.prt1 1014 ill a **ceo~~** lfith . t:h1..e **~** '• **Mo-or~** of **~t:** wtth · &:!.£ **l'~** tM liPniS **ftro~.** wa nqu-1: a -.rrit.uc **•c.a~r or~_.**  dcnhl vi.z:h **ru~~t ~ad:**  **efo~tl.DDa&**

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