Opinion ID: 2630606
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Hazardous Material Includes Federally Regulated Substances

Text: ¶ 63 Substances regulated under 42 U.S.C. § 6991(2), include petroleum and any substance defined in section 9601(14) of . . . title [42] (but not including any substance regulated as a hazardous waste under subchapter III [3] of this chapter). Defining hazardous substance, 42 U.S.C. § 9601(14) states that [t]he term `hazardous substance' means ... (A) any substance designated pursuant to section 1321(b)(2)(A) of Title 33, ... [and] (E) any hazardous air pollutant listed under section 112 of the Clean Air Act [42 U.S.C. § 7412].
¶ 64 The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, at 33 U.S.C. § 1321(b)(2)(A), requires the development of regulations designating as hazardous substances... such elements and compounds which, when discharged in any quantity into or upon the navigable waters of the United States ..., present an imminent and substantial danger to the public health or welfare, including, but not limited to, fish, shellfish, wildlife, shorelines, and beaches. Although such a list was created and does contain hydrogen sulfide, see 40 C.F.R. § 116.4 (2002), the list is only applicable to substances discharged into or upon navigable waters, see 33 U.S.C. § 1321(b)(1). Such is not the case here.
¶ 65 Similarly, 42 U.S.C. § 7412, which deals with hazardous air pollutants, is also inapplicable. In 42 U.S.C. § 7412(r)(3), the statute requires the creation of a list of hazardous air pollutants containing substances that are known to cause or may reasonably be anticipated to cause death, injury, or serious adverse effects to human health or the environment. Although the statute originally required [t]he initial list [to] include ... hydrogen sulfide, id., in 1991, Congress deleted Hydrogen sulfide from this Act's list of hazardous air pollutants. Act of Dec. 4, 1991, Pub.L. No. 102-187, 105 Stat. 1285. Because hydrogen sulfide no longer meets the statutory definition of a hazardous air pollutant, the federal statute does not support a conclusion that it constitutes a hazardous material.