Land Disposal Restrictions: Treatability Variance for CITGO Petroleum Refinery, Lake Charles, Louisiana

The EPA is granting a site-specific variance from the Land Disposal Restrictions (LDR) treatment standards for two hazardous petroleum refinery wastes (EPA Hazardous Waste Codes F037 and F038). The variance applies to F037 and F038 nonwastewaters that are removed from a 26 acre surface impoundment (the Surge Pond) located at the CITGO Corporation petroleum refinery outside Lake Charles, Louisiana. EPA is taking this action because the LDR treatment standards that otherwise would apply are based on the performance of technologies that are not appropriate for these wastes at this site. EPA believes that requiring use of the technologies that were the basis of the treatment standards would likely result in net environmental detriment, namely, impeding or preventing the assured remediation of the Surge Pond, including removal and substantial treatment of all remaining Surge Pond sludge. Granting this variance will enable CITGO to complete the removal, treatment, and disposal of the Surge Pond sludge, provided they comply with the alternative treatment standards specified in this rule. EPA has found that removing, treating, and disposing of the sludge in a secure facility is more protective to human health and the environment than the likely alternative, leaving the untreated hazardous waste sludge in place. EFFECTIVE DATE: This final rule is effective on October 22, 1996.