[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 171 (Tuesday, September 6, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 53008]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-17614]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-7964-8]
Reissuance of the NPDES General Permit for the Territorial Seas
Off Texas (TXG260000)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of Final NPDES General Permit Reissuance.
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SUMMARY: The Regional Administrator of Region 6 today issues the final
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) ``General
Permit for the Territorial Seas off Texas'' (No. TXG260000) for
discharges from existing and new dischargers and New Sources in the
Offshore Subcategory of the Oil and Gas Extraction Point Source
Category (40 CFR part 435, subpart A) as authorized by section 402 of
the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1342. The permit supercedes the previous
general permit (TX0085651) issued on September 15, 1983 and published
in the Federal Register at 48 FR 41494. That permit authorized
discharges from exploration, development, and production facilities
located in and discharging to the territorial seas off Texas. Through
this reissuance, EPA includes current technology and water quality
based effluent limitations consistent with National Effluent
Limitations Guidelines, Federal Ocean Discharge Criteria, and State
Water Quality Standards.
A copy of the Region's responses to comments and the final permit
may be obtained by mail from the address listed below or from the EPA
Region 6 Internet site: http://www.epa.gov/earth1r6/6wq/6wq.htm.
A Record of Decision which completes the Environmental Assessment
process required by the National Environmental Policy Act is also
available at the above Internet address or by mail from the address
listed below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Diane Smith, EPA Region 6, 1445
Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75202, Telephone: (214) 665-7191, or via e-
mail to the following address: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Regulated Entities. Entities potentially regulated by this action
are those which operate offshore oil and gas extraction facilities
located in the territorial seas off Texas.
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Examples of regulated
Category entities
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Industry.................................. Offshore Oil and Gas
Extraction Platforms.
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This table lists the types of entities that EPA is now aware could
potentially be regulated by this action. Other types of entities not
listed in the table could also be regulated. To determine whether your
(facility, company, business, organization, etc.) is regulated by this
action, you should carefully examine the applicability criteria in part
I. section A.1. of the general permit. If you have questions regarding
the applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the
person listed in the preceding FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
Pursuant to section 402 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), 33 U.S.C.
1342, EPA proposed and solicited comments on NPDES general permit
TXG260000 at 66 FR 29948 (November 17, 2003). Notice of this proposed
permit was also published in the Houston Chronicle on November 20,
2003. The comment period closed on January 16, 2004.
Region 6 received comments from the Offshore Operators Committee,
the International Association of Drilling Contractors, and the Railroad
Commission of Texas.
EPA Region 6 has considered all comments received. In response to
those comments the following changes were made to the proposed permit.
Ambient density stratification data were examined and the critical
dilutions required for the produced water toxicity limits were
recalculated. The proposed 48-hour acute toxicity limit was replaced
with a seven day chronic toxicity limit in the final permit. An
exemption for toxicity caused by total dissolved solids was included
for the 24-hour acute toxicity limits. The permit allows collection of
a single grab sample for toxicity testing. The State lease and well
numbers are required to be reported on the notice of intent to be
covered. Unmeasurable de minimis discharges of drilling fluids such as
wind blown splatters from pipe racks are authorized. A number of minor
typographical changes and clarifications were also made to the permit's
language.
Dated: August 26, 2005.
Miguel I. Flores,
Director, Water Quality Protection Division, Region 6.
[FR Doc. 05-17614 Filed 9-2-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P