Opinion ID: 338698
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: bod 5

Text: 28 We consider initially whether the conclusion of the EPA that the 20-pound BOD 5 standard can be met, is arbitrary and capricious. 5 29
30 On remand, data from the Clinton Corn plant became available. Clinton Corn is a large corn wet milling plant at which a new waste treatment facility has been constructed. It utilizes much of the EPA proposed technology, including deep bed filtration. The Clinton treatment facility began operations on January 1, 1974, and data for the period from November, 1974 to September, 1975, was utilized by the EPA in setting the proposed standards. 31 The parties disagree as to the results achieved at Clinton. 6 The EPA concludes that a monthly average of 7.1 pounds per MSBu of BOD 5 for the eleven-month period and a monthly average of 4.5 pounds for the last seven months was achieved. The petitioners conclude that the averages were 15.0 and 7.5 pounds, respectively. Even if the petitioners' higher figures are used, it appears that: 32
33 (2) the seven-month average is at least 60% below the standard set by the EPA; 34 (3) only one month in the last seven exceeded 50% of the standard set by the EPA; and 35 (4) the treatment facility removed an average of 98% of the BOD 5 in the wastewater. 36 Moreover, the record supports the EPA's view that lower effluent standards can be reached if all known in-plant controls to prevent spills and to equalize the effect upon the treatment facility if spills do occur are incorporated in the new plant. 37 The petitioners assert, however, that because only 65 5. This waste must then be treated in the regular treatment facility. 38 The EPA projected model plant, discussed infra, has a production capacity of 30,000 bushels and a proposed treatment facility capable of handling a wasteflow of 1.0 million gallons a day (mgd). The Clinton plant has a production capacity of 120,000 bushels or four times that of the model, but its present treatment facility is designed to treat only 3.0 mgd. As Clinton changes over to surface condensers, its treatment facility will have to be enlarged accordingly. There is no evidence in this record to suggest that this additional waste volume cannot be treated in the enlarged facility as effectively as the waste now being treated at Clinton. For our purposes, the crucial factor is that the Clinton treatment facility is effectively treating the BOD 5 wasteload it is designed to treat at a level which is consistent with the EPA proposed standards. 39 The petitioners also argue that the Clinton data should not be used because its treatment plant includes a double stage treatment process before filtration while the EPA model facility consists of a single stage. They argue that even if the Clinton plant performance for BOD 5 removal approaches that of the EPA standard, it does so only with more extensive technology at a higher cost than the EPA model facility. 7 40 The EPA concedes that Clinton uses a double-stage pretreatment facility but properly notes that the raw waste equalization basin at Clinton is not designed to hold the raw wastes for the time required. It again calls attention to the lack of good in-plant controls. 41 We are convinced that the record supports the EPA's conclusion that the performance of the Clinton plant demonstrates that new plants designed and built to EPA standards can meet the BOD 5 standard of 20 pounds per MSBu.2. EPA's Model Plant. 42 In preparation of the standards, the EPA synthesized a model corn wet milling plant and corresponding treatment facility from data received from the corn wet milling industry and from other industries that encounter similar wastewater. The model contained most of the best technology and procedures presently used or practiced in the industry. It is from this model and its estimated ability to reduce the projected wasteloads that the EPA set the proposed new plant standards. 43 The petitioners challenge two of the projections made by the EPA in synthesizing its model plant. First, they assert that the EPA erred in not considering the additional wastewater flows of between 90 and 250 pounds of BOD 5 per MSBu that result from the use of wet water scrubbers. Second, they assert that the EPA erred in failing to accurately account for the higher concentrations of BOD 5 that result from the production of modified starches. These errors, they assert, render the effluent-level reductions inaccurate. 44 The petitioners do not dispute that the alleged additional wastewater flows could not be effectively treated by the proposed technology. They argue only that the capacity of the model treatment plant may be insufficient to handle the volumes or concentrations of this additional wastewater. 45 Our review of the record discloses that the petitioners' conclusion on the increased wastewater generated by the wet water scrubbers is based upon preliminary and conflicting data. The most persuasive of these inconclusive estimates is that an additional flow of 90 pounds of BOD 5 per MSBu may be created. 8 As set forth above, the Clinton treatment facility has consistently achieved a 98% BOD 5 reduction over an eleven-month period during which the influent has varied considerably in terms of concentration and amount. If this additional 90 pounds were treated at the Clinton facility, the seven months BOD 5 effluent averages of 4.5 of the EPA and 7.5 of the petitioners would be increased to 6.3 and 9.3, respectively. Both of these figures remain well below the EPA proposed standard of 20 pounds of BOD 5 per MSBu. 46 The record also discloses that the EPA did take into consideration the increased wasteloads generated by the production of modified starches. The EPA compiled data of actual performance results from newer existing mills that produce both conventional corn syrups and modified starches and also the projections for new plants, submitted by the industry, in order to determine the wastewater flow and influent levels for the model plant. Moreover, it is undisputed that the Clinton plant produces a variety of end products including modified starches. Both the Clinton wastewater load and influent levels of BOD 5 approximate the projections set out for the EPA's model plant. 47 Furthermore, the data relied upon by the petitioners to show increased wasteloads because of modified starch production must be contrasted with other data showing no appreciable influent increase. As stated by a representative of CPC in a report to the EPA, there were a number of occasions when the production of modified starches increased the wasteload substantially and: 48 about an equal number of times when there did not seem to be any effect. No explanation has been found for this problem. 49 Letter from R. L. Hap of CPC International to Dr. H. E. Schwartz, Jr., June 25, 1975. 50 Based on the model plant data, we cannot say that the EPA ignored the effects of additional waste produced by the production of modified starches nor did it act in an arbitrary or capricious manner in calculating the effect of this waste in preparing its model plant. 51 3. Variability and Excursions. 52 The petitioners also assert that the EPA's standard for the average maximum values for thirty consecutive days of 20 pounds of BOD 5 per MSBu fails to adequately account for variability factors. They argue that if the EPA desires to set short-term thirty-day standards based on long-term averages, that the EPA must ensure that mills not violating the annual averages will also not violate the thirty-day average and daily maximums. The petitioners argue that the EPA considered variability factors only upon the expected results of its model plant and that the EPA failed to adequately consider the variability factors realized at existing plants. 53 The record discloses that the EPA did adequately consider variability. It took the long range effluent data from the CPC-Pekin and American Maize plants and determined the 99% to the mean monthly variability factor to be 2.7 and 1.9, respectively. This range encompasses the 2.6 variability factor for the Clinton plant estimated by the petitioners. Multiplying these factors upon the monthly average for the last seven months at Clinton as increased by additional effluent from the wet scrubbers, the range is between 12 and 17 pounds of BOD 5 per MSBu utilizing the EPA's figures and between 17.7 and 25.1 pounds utilizing the petitioners' conclusions of the Clinton data. All but the last projection is within the proposed BOD 5 standard. 54 Moreover, there is support for the EPA's contention that strict statistical computation of the variability factor for new plants based upon existing plant results creates an artificially high number. New plants equipped with complete in-plant controls and a properly designed and operating treatment facility should be less prone to the variations of influent created by the lack of similar facilities in existing plants and, therefore, the variation factor in a new plant should be lower. 55 There is also support in the record for the maximum value for any single day of 60 pounds of BOD 5 per MSBu. This single day allowance of three times the thirty-day average provides sufficient flexibility for high effluent days. 56 Finally, the petitioners contend that even if the variability factors utilized by the EPA are accurate and provided that the maximum day and thirty-day averages can be met, the EPA has not included sufficient consideration for the excursions above these levels that will occur in setting these standards. They argue that the variability factors utilized account for 99% of all predictable performance with the remaining one percent of the results from a plant expected to exceed the value calculated as the 99% maximum. The petitioners assert that because the EPA has not provided any variances for these excursions, effluent levels may exceed the allowable maximum daily level several days within a year despite the fact that the plant is meeting the yearly average. 57 The record reflects that this complaint is not well founded. The excursions in this industry are primarily the result of inadequate facilities, including insufficiently-sized aeration or retention basins and the failure to provide dikes and other in-plant controls to reduce the effect of in-plant spills. New plants, properly designed and constructed, should not experience this same difficulty. Dr. Raymond C. Loehr, an expert in the treatment of high strength organic wastes, has concluded: 58 No excursions are necessary. The variability factors that are developed are based upon existing data. There are many steps that industry can take to reduce the variability and not exceed the limitations. It is reasonable to expect that based upon the use of better treatment technology and control, attention to treatment plant maintenance and operations, and concern about in-plant waste control, industry can reduce the existing variability by at least 1%, the amount inferred by the use of the 99/50 ratio, to obtain the limitations. In fact it is reasonable to expect that such variability can be reduced by perhaps 5% by means of the variability controls identified earlier. 59 R. C. Loehr, EPA Memorandum on Effluent Variability Factors, (June 26, 1975). 60 The record indicates that there remains the possibility of a rare occasion when the daily effluent level may exceed the maximum daily standard of 60 pounds because of inadvertent error or Act of God. The EPA has established the policy of informally working with the plant that suffers from such infrequent or isolated violations to attempt to remedy the problem causing the violation without the necessity of bringing any formal or court action. See EPA, Guidelines for Water Pollution Enforcement, 8 (July 23, 1974). If the effluent limitations in a federally-issued permit prove to be unreasonable or cannot be met for cause beyond the control of the permittee, the permit may be revised. Id. See also, § 306(b)(1)(B), 33 U.S.C. § 1316(b)(1)(B). 61 The EPA has not acted arbitrarily or capriciously in its consideration of variability or excursions. 62 4. Conclusion. 63 The EPA has set the new plant effluent standards for BOD 5 at 20 pounds per MSBu as a maximum average daily value for thirty consecutive days and 60 pounds per MSBu as the daily maximum. The Clinton Corn plant treatment facility contains much of the end of the pipe technology proposed by the EPA. During the last seven months of available operational data, the Clinton plant achieved a thirty-day average BOD 5 effluent of 4.5 pounds, utilizing the calculations of the EPA or 7.5 pounds if the calculations of the petitioners are used. If these amounts were increased because of additional waste flow from the wet scrubbers and when a variability factor of between 1.9 and 2.7 is applied, the results range from 12 to 17 pounds of BOD 5 per MSBu utilizing the EPA's calculations and 17.7 and 25.1 pounds if the calculations of the petitioners are used. 64 When these final totals are considered in the light of the problems experienced in the Clinton treatment facility and the lack of in-plant controls in the Clinton processing plant, they provide adequate support for the EPA's proposed standard of 20 pounds of BOD 5 per MSBu as a thirty-day average. We find, on the basis of this record, that the BOD 5 standard set by the EPA is neither arbitrary or capricious and is in accordance with law.