Document ID: EPA-HQ-RCRA-2008-0737-0001
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Notice of Availability of RCRA Closure and Post-Closure Care Cost Estimating Software
Posted Date: 2009-05-20T04:00Z

[Federal Register: May 20, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 96)]
[Notices]               
[Page 23712-23713]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20my09-53]                         

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-RCRA-2008-0787; FRL-8906-6]

 
Notice of Availability of RCRA Closure and Post-Closure Care Cost 
Estimating Software

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the 
availability of a software package, referred to as CostPro, which will 
estimate the costs of RCRA Closure and Post-Closure care. Persons 
interested in obtaining a copy of the software package can contact EPA 
for a copy of this software.

DATES: This software will be available on or after May 1, 2009.

ADDRESSES: The official public docket is identified by Docket ID No. 
EPA-HQ-RCRA-2008-0737. All documents in the docket are listed in the 
http://www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some 
information is not publicly available, e.g., Confidential Business 
Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted 
by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, will 
be publicly available only in hard copy. Publicly available docket 
materials are available either electronically in http://
www.regulations.gov, or in hard copy at the RCRA Docket, EPA/DC, EPA 
West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington DC. The Public 
Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public 
Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the RCRA 
Docket is (202) 566-0270.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding 
distribution of this software, contact Bob Maxey, Office of Resource 
Conservation and Recovery, (703) 308-7273, maxey.bob@epa.gov. Mail 
inquiries may be directed to the Office of Resource Conservation and 
Recovery, (5303P), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.

[[Page 23713]]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

A. What is the regulatory basis of this software?

    Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) 
establishes financial assurance requirements for owners or operators of 
hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal facilities (TSDF). The 
RCRA hazardous waste regulations, (40 CFR parts 264 and 265), require 
that the owner or operator of a TSDF which seeks a Part B permit or has 
interim status to prepare an estimate of the costs required to close 
the facility and the cost to perform post-closure care at the facility 
based on the costs of a third-party performing the work.

B. How was the cost estimating method developed?

    In 1986, EPA developed a methodology to evaluate closure and post-
closure cost estimates. The methodology is discussed in detail in Cost 
Estimates for Closure and Post-Closure Care Plans (EPA/530-SW-87-009). 
The methodology provides EPA and state permit writers with a 
consistent, accurate and rapid method of evaluating cost estimates for 
closure and post-closure care of TSDFs. The software resulting from 
this effort is called CostPro.

C. How long has CostPro been used?

    EPA first issued CostPro in 1996; it has been updated four times, 
the last of which was completed in 2001.

D. Does this action apply to me?

    The methods and procedures set forth in CostPro are intended 
primarily for the use of EPA and state personnel in evaluating the 
adequacy of current cost estimates for closure and post-closure care of 
typical hazardous waste TSDFs. EPA has received a number of inquiries 
about CostPro from industry. To provide industry with our basis for 
these estimates, EPA will provide copies of CostPro upon request, as 
described in this notice.

E. What are the benefits to the update of CostPro?

    The primary benefits to the update of CostPro are that (1) it will 
be on a MS.NET 2.0 platform in C, which is a contemporary 
software platform and (2) the program data have been updated to 2009 
values.

F. How is a CostPro estimate developed?

    CostPro's general procedure for evaluating a cost estimate for a 
TSDF involves:
     Identifying each facility waste management unit (e.g., 
container storage unit, tank, landfill, etc.) requiring closure or 
post-closure care;
     Identifying the closure or post-closure care activities to 
be conducted at each waste management unit;
     Completing inventory worksheets provided for each waste 
management unit;
     Completing closure or post-closure care worksheets for 
primary and support worksheets for each waste management unit (e.g., 
removal, transportation and disposal of waste, building 
decontamination, and sampling and analysis, etc.); and,
     Evaluating total cost summary worksheets for each waste 
management unit and for the facility as a whole.

G. What are the sources of CostPro data?

    The primary sources of cost information include the 2009 R.S. Means 
Means Building Construction Cost Data and Means Site Work and Landscape 
Cost Data guides and the 2006 Azimuth ECHOS (Environmental Cost 
Handling Options and Solutions) Environmental Remediation Cost Data 
guide. EPA has paid a fee to these companies for the use of these data 
by EPA and state government personnel only. Some data, e.g., costs for 
geotextile netting and geomembranes for landfills have been supplied by 
vendors.

H. How can the public obtain a copy of CostPro?

    Because EPA's license for use of the program data extends only to 
EPA and one copy for each state government, public users who want to 
obtain a copy of the software package (or state governments that want 
to obtain more than one copy of the software package) will be asked to 
pay a fee to R.S. Means for its use, and submit proof to EPA that 
appropriate permission has been obtained from the R.S. Means Company. 
Contact Peter Cholakis of R.S. Means at 
peter.cholakis@reedbusiness.com. EPA will then mail a CD to the 
requester. See EPA contact information above.

    Dated: May 11, 2009.
Matt Hale,
Director, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery.
[FR Doc. E9-11741 Filed 5-19-09; 8:45 am]

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