United States Office of Water EPA 821-F-02-008

Environmental Protection 4303T May 2002 

Agency

Fact Sheet

Amendmentto the Cluster Rules for the

Pulp, Paper and Paperboard Point Source

Category:Chloroform Monitoring

Summary

EPA is publishing a regulatory amendment to reduce monitoring requirements for chloroform for

facilities in the Bleached Papergrade Kraft and Soda Subcategory (Subpart B) by allowing those

mills to demonstrate compliance using self-certification. EPA is also publishing a technical

amendment to the OMB approvals under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) to account for the

minimum monitoring requirements for facilities in Subpart B and the Papergrade Sulfite

Subcategory (Subpart E).

Background

On April 15, 1998, EPA promulgated effluent limitations guidelines and emissions standards

(ELGs) to reduce the discharge of toxic, conventional, and nonconventional pollutants in

wastewaters and to reduce emissions of hazardous air pollutants from the pulp, paper, and

paperboard industry. As part of the ELGs, minimum monitoring requirements were promulgated

for several pollutants. This technical amendment allows EPA to publish an Information

Collection Request (ICR) covering these requirements for facilities covered by Subparts B and

E. 

Chloroform discharges are among the controlled pollutants. To demonstrate compliance with the

chloroform effluent standards, dischargers may follow a monitoring schedule that the April 1998

regulation established, or reduce their monitoring burden by choosing this new certification

option.

This regulatory amendment applies only to mills in Subpart B. It does not otherwise change the

existing regulations.
Summary of the Amendments

The technical amendment updates the table listing OMB control numbers for approved ICRs,

codified at 40 CFR Part 9, to account for the minimum monitoring requirements for Subparts B

and E, codified at 40 CFR 430.02. 

The new regulatory requirement allows mills to demonstrate compliance with the chloroform

standards by certifying to certain process conditions. The discharger may choose this option for

individual fiber lines.

The requirements include (i) a certification regarding use of bleaching chemicals, (ii) data

collection during an initial compliance demonstration period, and (iii) recordkeeping on process

and operating conditions.

Impacts of the Technical Amendment

There are 94 mills that are anticipated to be covered by the minimum monitoring requirements of

40 CFR 430.02. EPA estimates the annual costs to these mills at $20 million, which includes

capital and operation and maintenance expenses.

Benefits of the Regulatory Amendment

There are 80 mills that could take advantage of this opportunity to reduce their monitoring costs

and associated burden. EPA estimates the annual cost savings to be at least $4.4 million.

Additional Information

For more information regarding these amendments, contact Ahmar Siddiqui at the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, Engineering and Analysis Division,

(4303T), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, (202) 566-1044 or send an e-mail

to 

siddiqui.ahmar@epa.gov. You can view or download the complete text of the Federal Register

notice on the Internet at http://epa.gov/waterscience/pulppaper.