Opinion ID: 705105
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Radioactive Pollutants in Produced Water

Text: 34 Also in relation to produced water, petitioner NRDC argues that EPA illegally refused to regulate radioactive pollutants in produced water, despite NRDC's contention that ample record evidence proves the presence and negative impacts of radionuclides. In contrast, EPA maintains that the agency was justified in its decision not to regulate radionuclides in produced water because inadequate information existed to issue rules regarding the radionuclides, Radium 226 and Radium 228 (referred to as NORM). According to the EPA, the CWA does not require the promulgation or implementation of regulations if there is not sufficient evidence on which to base those regulations. As EPA argues, the agency is continuing to gather information on radionuclides and could issue regulations in the future if the compiled information shows a need for such regulation. See Sec. 1314(e). In fact, EPA has stated its intent to require radium monitoring as part of the permitting process for offshore oil and gas producers. 35 NRDC claims that EPA already has adequate data to formulate regulations on radionuclides in produced water, pointing to the fact that EPA regulated produced sand based in part on the radionuclides present in that sand. As EPA counters, however, the only reason the agency considered the presence of radionuclides in produced sand was to accommodate fully the higher cost of disposing of produced sand containing NORM. The occasional presence of radionuclides in produced sand was not an important element of the Final Rule. However, once EPA set an effluent limitation for produced sand, it was required by the CWA to calculate the cost of disposing of such pollutant, and the high cost of radionuclides disposal required EPA's attention with regard to produced sand. 36 Finally, NRDC also points out that fewer wells were tested for the presence of oil and gas in produced water than were tested for the presence of NORM in produced water. Consequently, the NRDC argues, EPA must have enough data to formulate regulations of radionuclides in produced water because regulations were promulgated for oil and grease in produced water. The error in NRDC's argument, however, is that unlike the pollutants oil and grease, radionuclides are not linked to the production and development of oil and gas. Oil and grease will always be present in produced water. Consequently, EPA can determine on the basis of fewer samples what concentration of oil and grease will be present in produced water. However, the data available on radionuclides shows wide variation in the concentration of radionuclides in produced water. 37 The present case is unlike NRDC v. EPA, in which the Ninth Circuit concluded that EPA should not delay requiring such technologically feasible limitations as BAT in order to wait for precise cost figures. NRDC v. EPA, 863 F.2d at 1426. In this case, EPA has legitimately declined to regulate radionuclides in produced water due to the lack of data on radionuclides in produced water--particularly information on the environmental and health harms presented by NORM. In light of EPA's discretion to promulgate this Final Rule, we agree that EPA reasonably decided that insufficient evidence existed to regulate this pollutant in produced water at this time.