Administrative Reporting Exemptions for Certain Radionuclide Releases

The Environmental Protection Agency today is issuing amended language to a final rule published on March 19, 1998, (63 FR 13460) that granted exemptions from certain reporting requirements under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. Among other reporting exemptions, the March 19, 1998, final rule exempted from certain reporting requirements releases of naturally occurring radionuclides associated with land disturbance incidental to extraction activities, except that which occurs at uranium, phosphate, tin, zircon, hafnium, vanadium, and rare earth mines. Today's technical amendment will clarify that land disturbance incidental to extraction includes replacing in mined-out areas coal ash, earthen materials from farming and construction, or overburden or other raw materials generated from the exempted mining activities. The clarification is intended to remove misunderstanding as to which radionuclide releases are subject to the final reporting exemptions.