P. 1 

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UNIO N CARBID E CORPORATIO N P . O . BO X8361 , SOUT H CHARLESTON . W . VA . 2530 3 Septembe r 17 , 198 6

Mr . Jame s M . Seif , Regiona l Administrato r U.S . Environmenta l Protectio n Agenc y 84 1 Chestnu t Buildin g Philadelphi a PA1910 7 Nationa l Respons e Cente r Commandan t - GTG C - 2 210 0 Secon d Stree t S W Washingto n D C 2059 3

Re : Superfun d Reportin g - Continuou s Release s

A s yo u ar e aware , ther e ha s bee n considerabl e confusio n regardin g th e hazardou s substanc e releas e reportin g requirement s unde r th e Superfun d o r th e Comprehensiv e Environmenta l Response , Compensation , and Liabilit yAc t o f 198 0 (CERCLA ) provision s addressin g continuou s release s [Sectio n 103(f) ] an d federall ypermitte d release s [Sectio n 101(a)(10)] . Indeed , i n EPA' s promulgatio n o f th e fina l regulation s addressin g reportin g requirement s generally , EP Astate d tha t "du e t o th e complexit yo f th e issue s involved , th e Agenc yha s decide d t o study[thes e issues ] further ; today' s rul e doe s no t resolv e [thes e issues]" . 5 0 Fed . Reg . 13458 , Apri l 4 , 1985 .

Th e mos t recen t Regulator yAgend a indicate d tha t EP Aintend s t o propos e regulation s o n bot hsubject s b yth e end o f thi s year . Unio n Carbid e Corporatio n i s attemptin g t o assis t EP Ai n developin g technicall ysound and consisten t regulations . T o tha t end , Unio n Carbide , togethe r wit hsevera l othe r intereste d companies , hav e me t wit hEP Ai n Washingto n and explore d variou s issue s and concern s regardin g continuou s and federall ypermitte d releas e matters . W e intend t o continu e thes e discussions .

In addition , th e Sout hCharlesto n Technica l Cente r o f Unio n Carbid e wishe s t o shar e wit hEP Aan d th e Nationa l Respons e Cente r dat a and informatio n regardin g certai n ai r release s whic hi t believe s ma yfi t withi n th e continuou s releas e o r federall ypermitte d releas e reportin g exemptions . Thi s dat a and information , whic har e enclosed , relat e t o th e norma l manufacturing , treatmen t processes , an

d operatio n o f facilitie s and vessel s a t th e Sout hCharlesto n Technica l Center . Thes e releases , whic hma yequa l o r excee d th e applicabl e reportabl e quantity , ar e stabl e i n quantit yand rat e and ar e generall y predictabl e durin g norma l operations . Al l o f th e enclose d dat a wer e previousl ysubmitte d t o th e stat e agenc yi n th e for mo f an Ai r Emission s Inventory , date d 8/16/85 .P. 2

Superfun d Reportin g 

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- Septembe r 17 , 198 6

I t mus t b e recognize d and emphasize d tha t th e emissio nvalue s (whic h ar e reporte d i nth e attache d dat a a s range s o f emissions ) ar e estimate s o f actua l releases . Thes e estimate s ar e base d o non e o r mor e variabl e factor s an d sources , whic hma yinclud e proces s desig ncalculation s (bot hoperationa l and treatment) , samplin g data , emissio nfactor s and ofte nrequir e individua l engineerin g judgements . Fo r example , th e us e o f controversia l emissio n factor s i ncalculatin g fugitiv e losse s [(a s required , fo r example , i nou r Ai r Emission s Inventory) ] ca nlea d t o widel yvaryin g results .

Inth e absenc e o f guidanc e fro m EP Aa s t o wha t constitute s a "statisticall ysignifican t increase " fo r a continuou s release , th e Sout h Charlesto nTechnica l Cente r intend s t o repor t anyrelease s whic har e know nt o excee d th e uppe r limi t o f th e identifie d range . Reportabl e release s no t covere d byth e (enclosed ) informatio nwil l continu e t o b e reporte d o nan individua l basis .

Inth e cours e o f ou r dat a compilatio nand review , w e identifie d an issu e o f broa d applicatio nwhic hw e wis ht o brin g t o you r attention . A s yo u ar e aware , nitroge ndioxide , whic hi s bot ha hazardou s substanc e unde r CERCL A and a criteri a pollutan t unde r th e Clea nAi r Act , i s generate d a s a produc t o f combustioni nindustria l boilers , flare s and other'combustio n devices . Fro m al l suc hsources , nitroge ndioxid e i s produce d a t rate s ofte nmeasure d i nton s pe r day . Unio nCarbid e assume s tha t thes e combustionproduc t emission s wer e no t intende d t o b e include d i nCERCLA' s reportin g requirements . A s a criteri a pollutant , nitroge ndioxid e emission s ar e neithe r directl ypermitte d o r generall yregulate d (fo r th e large r sources ) unde r Stat e Implementatio n Plans . I neithe r case , EP Ai s awar e o f thei r existenc e and ha s n o reaso nt o exercis e it s authorit yunde r CERCL Ai nrespons e t o suc hemissions . Accordingly , w e ar e no t submittin g anydat a regardin g suc hnitroge ndioxid e emissions . 

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Th e Unio nCarbid e Sout hCharlesto nTechnica l Cente r believe s th e dat a and informatio ncontaine d i nthi s submissio nestablis hfo r i t th e identifie d ai r emission s a s continuou s release s unde r CERCLA . I f NR C o r EP Awant s t o receiv e additiona l dat a o r information , o r i f yo u hav e anyquestion s regardin g th e content s o f thi s lette r o r it s attachments , pleas e advis e me . Ver ytrul yyours ,

L . L . Bisset t Sit e Manage r Unio nCarbid e Corporatio n Sout hCharlesto nTechnica l Cente r Attachmen t LLB:ra b 1704 P CC : Mr . Car l Beard , WVAPC CP. 3

SUWAR YO FCONTINUOU S EMISSION S FO R TH E SOUT H CHARLESTO N TECHNICA LCENTE R 

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Chemica l 

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Caus e o f Releas e (4 )

No . o f time s R Q equalle d o r exceede d pe r yea r 

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Rang e o f Releas e MinimunMaximi m Name CA S No . Ethylen e Oxid e 7521 8 (Proces s Unit , Facilit y ID , etc. ) Ethylen e Oxid e Pilo t Activitie s Bldg . 7708.77 1 Fugitive Emission s Analyze r Vent s Glyco l reacto r ven t 

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