U.S. EPA – National Tribal Water Council Outr

Steam Electric Power Generating Effluent Steam Electric Power Generating Effluent Guidelines R

Guidelines R

to Revise Wastewater Discharge Standards

August 10 2011August 10, 2011
Outline

3⁄4 Background

3⁄4 Regulated Industry Regulated Industry3⁄4 Outdated Discharge Standards

3⁄4 Rulemaking Scope Rulemaking Scope3⁄4 Rulemaking Activities3⁄4 Tribal Considerations3⁄4 Facilities Proximity to Tribal Lands3⁄4 Participating in the Rulemaking Process3⁄4 Ctt on ac s
Background

3⁄4 Effluent Limitations Guidelines (ELG)

– National standards, based on performance of treatment an

technologies, for wastewater discharges to surface water amunicipal sewage treatment plants

– Developed on an industry-by-industry basis

– Represent pollutant reductions that are economically achie

an industry using the best available technology.

3⁄4 ELG implementation 

– Direct dischargers: Implemented through National Polluta

Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program

– Indirect dischargers: Implemented through national pretre

program
Regulated Industry

3⁄4 Steam Electric Power Generating effluent limitations 

( ) ELGs

) and standards

– Apply to a subset of the electric power industry– Plants whose primary source of revenue is distribution & s

electricity

– U ili l U

tilize nuc

lea

r- or f il oss

-f l ( l il ) fue

ls 

(coa

l, oil, gas

)

– Excludes:

• Generating units using non-fossil & non-nuclear fu

biomass tires municipal solid waste etc ) biomass, tires, municipal solid waste, etc.)

• Generating units operated by industrial sites• Non-steam processes, such as hydroelectric, solar, w
Outdated Discharge Standards

3⁄4 Clean Water Act (CWA) requires EPA to periodically 

effluent guidelines to determine if revisions are warra

3⁄4 Steam electric ELGs were last updated in 19823⁄4 During the 2005 annual review

– Steam electric 

pg g y 

ower 

generatin

g industr

y ranked as one of th

dischargers of pollutants

3⁄4 Detailed Study completed in 2009

– Current regulations fail to control pollutants that are causing 

envi t li t ironmen

t

a

l

impac

t

s

– Regulations have not kept pace with the significant changes 

occurred

• Development of new technologies for generating electric 

Development of new technologies for generating electric 

coal gasification) 

• Implementation of air pollution controls have altered exi

created new wastewater streams
Rulemaking Scope

3⁄4 Focus on the following discharges from coal-, petroleu

and oil-fired plants

– Fl d lf i ti (FGD) t t Flue gas 

desulfur

ization (FGD) was

tewa

t

e

r

– Ash pond discharges,– Leachate from ponds and landfills containing ash or FGD wa– Gasification wastewater Gasification wastewater

3⁄4 Main pollutants of concern

– Metals (e.g., mercury, arsenic, selenium)– Nitrogen– Total dissolved solids (TDS)

3⁄4 Environmental Concerns

– Impacts to ground water and surface water Impacts to ground water and surface water– Contaminated sediments and drinking water– Fish mortality & non-lethal effects (e.g., altered populations)– Bioaccu u at o aquat c o ga s s m

u

lat

i

on in aquat

i

c

o

rgani

s

m

s

– Fish advisories
Rulemaking Activities

3⁄4 Data Collection Efforts

– Indus y ques o e tr

y questi

onnair

e

• Collected operational and financial data for generator• Collected information on wastewater handling and treatm

associated costs

– Wastewater sampli l i ng to eva

luate performance of var

ious wa

treatment and pollution prevention technologies

3⁄4 Analyses of regulatory options

– Discharge requirements Discharge requirements– Projected compliance costs and economic impacts– Projected Pollution reductions and environmental benefits

3⁄4 Schedule

– Proposed Rule – July 2012– Final Action – January 2014
Potential Tribal Considerations

3⁄4 Investigating whether any affected power plants are lo

near tribal lands

3⁄4 Greater significance to plants that currently discharge 

wastewater, ash wastewater, or leachate from ash pon

3⁄4 Potential benefits and other considerations EPA 

p 

lans to a

– Reduction in fish contamination – Drinking water quality improvements– Possible changes to electricity bills– Possible effect on employment 
FGD/Ash/Leachate Discharges on Triba
FGD/Ash/Leachate Discharges within 1

on Tribal Lands
Participating in the Rulemaking Pro

3⁄4 Public comment period for proposed rule Public comment period for proposed rule3⁄4 Additional tribal outreach meetings?3⁄4 How would you like to be involved? How would you like to be involved?
Contacts

Jezebele Alicea-Virella

EPA Office of Water

Phone #:202-566-1755

E-mail: alicea jezebele@epa gov alicea.jezebele@epa.gov

Website: http://water.epa.gov/scitech/wastetech/guide/steam_inde
Appendix I

Facilities on Tribal Lands

Facility Name Tribal Land

J.E. Corette Treatment Plant Crow Reservation

Four Corners Steam Electric Station Navajo Nation ReservationHugo Choctaw OTSAFlint Creek Power Plant Cherokee OTSAGRDA Cherokee OTSAMuskogee Generating Station Cherokee OTSASooner Power Plant Otoe-Missouria OTSAMayo Electric Generating Plant Sappony SDTSAW H Weatherspoon Steam Electric Plant Lumbee SDTSA

Facilities within 10 miles of Tribal Lands

Facility Name Triba a d l L n

George Neal North Winnebago ReservationBoswell Energy Center Leech Lake ReservationValley Power Plant Forest County Potawatomi Off-Reservation Presque Isle Power Plant Sault Sainte Marie Off-Reservation Trust LShiras Sault Sainte Marie Off-Reservation Trust LSan Juan Generation Plant Station Navajo Nation Off-Reservation Trust LandInnerstate Power & Light/Lansing Generating Station Ho-Chunk Nation Off-Reservation Trust LBrame Energy Center Clifton Choctaw SDTSARoxboro Steam Plant Sappony SDTSA

l

A

C R Hunt ey Generating Station Cayuga Nation TDSA

Note: Information presented in this table is based on data collected from the Steam Electric questionnaire and the American Tribal Lfrom the US Census Bureau.