Opinion ID: 2966492
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: CERCLA and SARA

Text: Passed by Congress in 1980, CERCLA establishes a cleanup program for hazardous waste which has already been disposed of improperly. CERCLA created a fund of federal money available for state cleanup efforts (Superfund). Finding that more was still needed to address the hazardous waste problem, Congress amended CERCLA in 1986 by enacting SARA. SARA requires that each state submit a proposal to EPA demonstrating that over a 20-year period the state will have either: (1) adequate capacity available to dispose of hazardous wastes generated within the state; or (2) arrange for the disposal of wastes generated in-state in other states through interregional agreements. 42 U.S.C. § 9604(c)(9) (1995).6 The required plans are referred to as Capacity _________________________________________________________________ (a) Any aspect of the State program which unreasonably restricts, impedes, or operates as a ban on the free movement across the State border of hazardous wastes from or to other States for treatment, storage, or disposal at facilities authorized to operate under the Federal or an approved State program shall be deemed inconsistent. 6 42 U.S.C. § 9604(c) provides: (9) Siting Effective 3 years after October 17, 1986, the President shall not provide any remedial actions pursuant to this section unless the State in which the release occurs first enters into a contract or cooperative agreement with the President providing assurances deemed adequate by the President that the State will assure the availability of hazardous waste treatment or disposal facilities which-- (A) have adequate capacity for the destruction, treatment, or secure disposition of all hazardous wastes that are reasonably expected to be generated within the State during the 20year period following the date of such contract or cooperative agreement and to be disposed of, treated, or destroyed, (B) are within the State or outside the State in accordance with an interstate agreement or regional agreement or authority, 7 Assurance Plans (CAPs). Failure to submit an acceptable CAP results in the state becoming ineligible to receive Superfund money for remedial cleanup of hazardous waste within the state. Congress promulgated no other sanctions or incentives for states to submit CAPs.7 C. South Carolina's Restrictions on the Interstate Flow of Hazardous Waste Because South Carolina is one of the few states which has large existing hazardous waste treatment and disposal facilities, it contends that it has borne an unfair share of the national hazardous waste burden. As a result, South Carolina has attempted, through a series of measures, to reduce the amount of hazardous waste entering its borders. South Carolina's legislature passed two statutes, its Governor signed two Executive Orders, and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) promulgated one regulation--all of which were designed to limit the level of out-ofstate hazardous wastes entering South Carolina for burial within the state. The first measure enacted was a blacklisting provision, prohibiting entry into the state of certain out-of-state wastes. Section 9 of Act No. 196 of 1989 prohibits any person who owns or operates a waste treatment facility within South Carolina from accepting any hazardous waste generated in any jurisdiction which prohibits by law the treatment of that hazardous waste within that jurisdiction or which has not entered into an interstate or regional agreement for the safe treatment of hazardous waste pursuant to the federal [CERCLA]. _________________________________________________________________ (C) are acceptable to the President, and (D) are in compliance with the requirements of subtitle C of the Solid Waste Disposal Act. 7 The court refers the reader to its prior opinion in this litigation, HWTC, 945 F.2d at 783-85, for further background on RCRA, CERCLA, and SARA. 8 The Act codified a prior executive order, No. 89-17. The second measure, Act No. 590 of 1990, established a limit on all waste buried within the state.8 The limit reduces the existing statutory authorization for hazardous waste disposal by burial from 135,000 tons within the state in a year to 120,000 tons from July 1, 1990 to July 1, 1991. After July 1, 1991, the authorization drops to 110,000 tons per year. The limit on waste burial can be lifted, however, upon certification that the burial of more waste is necessary to protect the health and safety of the citizens of South Carolina or that 110,000 tons of the waste buried in South Carolina during the relevant time period was generated in South Carolina only. The same Act also discriminates between waste generated in-state versus out-of-state by establishing a floor for in-state wastes and a ceiling for out-of-state wastes. All hazardous waste facilities must reserve for waste generated in-state at least the same capacity used during the previous year. On the other hand, no more hazardous waste may be buried from out-of-state than the amount buried in the previous year. The third measure, executive order No. 89-25, promulgated on July 6, 1989, imposes quota preferences for in-state wastes. It requires instate facilities to reserve at least 54,000 tons per year of the thencurrent statutory maximum of 135,000 tons for waste generated within South Carolina. It also limits the waste generated from any one state to 35,000 tons per year, and 10,000 tons per quarter. The fourth and final measure, DHEC Regulation 61-99, effective January 12, 1990, imposes a needs requirement for all permits to establish or expand hazardous waste treatment and storage facilities. Need may be demonstrated by reference to only in-state need. _________________________________________________________________ 8 The limit is most often referred to as a cap. We have used the term limit here in order to prevent confusion between cap and the acronym for Capacity Assurance Plan, CAP. 9 D. EPA's Response In 1985, EPA approved South Carolina's hazardous waste program under RCRA despite the presence of a discriminatory fee imposed on waste generated out of state. 50 Fed.Reg. 46437 (1985); HWTC, 945 F.2d at 785 & n.2.9 In 1989, EPA expressed concern that the blacklisting provision (Act No. 196 and Exec. Order No. 89-17) could render South Carolina's hazardous waste management program inconsistent with RCRA. Thus, the EPA requested an opinion from the South Carolina Attorney General and certification by the state that the provision was consistent with RCRA. The South Carolina Attorney General responded with an opinion that the provision wasconsistent. The record contains no response by EPA or further EPA action. Shortly thereafter, on October 17, 1989, South Carolina submitted to EPA its proposed CAP. EPA approved the CAP in May 1990, with certain conditions. That approval was granted in the context of an EPA policy of using the CAP process as its first step in addressing state actions which may be inconsistent with RCRA. 10 Subsequently, in 1995, EPA issued a notice that it had made a final decision, subject to public review and comment, that the agency intended to find that South Carolina's hazardous waste program revisions satisfied all of the requirements necessary for final authorization under RCRA. 60 Fed.Reg. 42046 (Aug. 15, 1995). While the notice does not directly address the provisions at issue here, the notice does indicate that the EPA continues to approve South Carolina's hazardous waste program under RCRA.11 _________________________________________________________________ 9 That fee is not challenged in the instant lawsuit. 10 Memorandum from Lee M. Thomas to Regional Administrators, Policy Regarding Hazardous Waste Management Capacity and RCRA Consistency Issues (December 23, 1988). 11 At oral argument, South Carolina asserted that the EPA 1995 RCRA approval specifically addressed one of the challenged provisions at 60 Fed.Reg. 42048, checklist item 17E. Checklist item 17E addresses the federal requirement for location standards for salt domes, salt beds, underground mines and caves. The federal RCRA regulations addressed were promulgated by EPA on July 15, 1985. The state authority to 10