[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 21 (Friday, January 31, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4760-4761]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-2463]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5682-7]


Regulatory Reinvention (XL) Pilot Projects

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability of Weyerhaeuser Project XL final project 
agreement and related documents.

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SUMMARY: EPA is announcing the signing of the Project XL Final Project 
Agreement (FPA) for Weyerhaeuser Company's Flint River Kraft pulp mill 
in Oglethorpe, Georgia.

DATES: The FPA was signed on 17 January 1997.

ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the Final Project Agreement, Fact Sheet, 
or Question and Answer Document, contact: Michelle Glenn; US EPA; 
Weyerhaeuser Project XL Regional Lead; 100 Alabama Street (Waste 
Division, 10th Floor); Atlanta, Georgia 30303, or L. Nancy Birnbaum; US 
EPA; Weyerhaeuser Project XL Headquarters Lead; 401 M Street, SW 
(2129); Washington, DC 20460. These documents are also available via 
the internet as the following location: ``<a href="http://www.epa.gov/
ProjectXL">http://www.epa.gov/
ProjectXL</a>''. Questions to EPA regarding the documents can be directed 
to Michelle Glenn at (404) 562-8674 or L. Nancy Birnbaum at (202) 260-
2601.
    To be included on the Weyerhaeuser Project XL mailing list to 
receive information about future public meetings, XL progress reports, 
and other mailings from Weyerhaeuser on the XL project, contact: Janet 
McElmurray; Weyerhaeuser Company; c/o Project XL; PO Box 238; 
Oglethorpe, GA 31068. Ms. McElmurray can also be reached by telephone 
at (912) 472-5230.
    Environmental Protection Agency; 3202 Mall; 401 M Street, S.W.; 
Mail Code 2129; Washington, DC 20460. The telephone number for the 
Division is (202) 260-5754. The facsimile number is (202) 401-6637. 
Additional information on Project XL, including documents referenced in 
this notice, other EPA policy documents related to Project XL, regional 
XL contacts, application information, and descriptions of existing XL 
projects and proposals, is available via the internet at ``<a href="http://
www.epa.gov/ProjectXL">http://
www.epa.gov/ProjectXL</a>'' and via an automated fax-on-demand menu at 
(202) 260-8590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Glenn; US EPA; Weyerhaeuser 
Project XL Regional Lead; 100 Alabama Street (Waste Division, 10th 
Floor); Atlanta, Georgia 30303; (404) 562-8674, or L. Nancy Birnbaum; 
US EPA; Weyerhaeuser Project XL Headquarters Lead; 401 M Street, SW 
(2129); Washington, DC 20460; (202) 260-2601.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FPA is a voluntary agreement developed 
collaboratively by Weyerhaeuser Flint River, local community members, 
and state and federal regulators. Project XL, announced in the Federal 
Register on May 23, 1995 (FRL-5197-9), gives regulated sources the 
flexibility to develop alternative strategies that will replace or 
modify specific regulatory requirements on the condition that they 
produce greater environmental benefits. EPA has set a goal of 
implementing a total of fifty projects undertaken in full partnership 
with the states.

    Through the FPA, Weyerhaeuser has agreed to implement a range of 
pollution prevention and other environmental protection measures that 
will have superior environmental and related benefits. Weyerhaeuser 
will study methods to reduce bleach plant flow by fifty percent, 
enhance timberlands management programs, incorporate ISO 14001 
standards into the upgrade of the plant's environmental management 
system, implement improved energy conservation, reduce solid waste 
generation by half, improve water quality discharged to the river, and 
decrease raw water demand. Weyerhaeuser will also conduct a variety of 
feasibility studies to further reduce the environmental impact of the 
mill, and share lessons learned with all parties to the FPA and 
stakeholders.

[[Page 4761]]

    Weyerhaeuser has requested that flexibility be granted in meeting 
reporting and testing requirements associated with a number of 
regulatory programs as well as some of the requirements of the Clean 
Air Act and the proposed EPA cluster rules. Emission and discharge 
testing will continue. Weyerhaeuser proposed, however, that routine 
reporting of such testing be replaced with mid-year and end-of-year 
compliance reports. All records of testing and results will be 
available upon request. Reporting not covered by the agreement will 
continue. Enforcement mechanisms now available to the State and EPA 
will remain in place.
    Weyerhaeuser has also requested a dual emission cap system which 
would give the facility the flexibility to make process changes or add 
equipment while providing a strong incentive to maintain or lower 
overall facility air emissions. The flexibility of the dual cap system 
should allow the facility to fully utilize several previously permitted 
units without triggering permitting requirements for otherwise minor 
changes in the plant.
    When the rule requiring the use of maximum available control 
technology (MACT) for the pulp and paper industry is promulgated (this 
is currently proposed as part of EPA's cluster rule), the parties to 
the FPA will perform an assessment to quantify the reductions in 
hazardous air pollutants required of the facility under the rule. The 
FPA contemplates that Weyerhaeuser will be given the flexibility to 
demonstrate that the required reductions of hazardous air pollutants 
can be achieved through the use of innovative pollution prevention and 
engineering approaches instead of prescribed end-of-pipe controls. 
Weyerhaeuser would be permitted to use existing voluntary actions at 
non-MACT, non-regulated emission sources as well as future reductions 
at non-MACT sources for compliance purposes. Because the MACT rule is 
not yet final, there is some uncertainty regarding the type of 
flexibility that Weyerhaeuser will request. However, the FPA 
contemplates additional or alternative enforceable mechanisms as 
appropriate, and commits the parties to engage in good faith 
discussions of the necessity, feasibility, nature, and form of these 
mechanisms.
    After careful consideration of the benefits offered by the project, 
balanced against the flexibility granted to Weyerhaeuser, EPA believes 
that the actions described in the FPA meet the criteria for an XL 
project.

    Dated: January 24, 1997.
Jon Kessler,
Director, Emerging Sectors and Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 97-2463 Filed 1-30-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-M