Dive Brief:
- SWANA and the NWRA have submitted joint comments to the U.S. EPA on the proposed revisions of the Emissions Guidelines and Compliance Times for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills, as well as to the supplemental proposal to the Standards of Performance for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills.
- The proposed emissions guidelines — which will apply to landfills built on or before July 17, 2014 — will be the first major update since its promulgation in 1996. The supplemental proposal to the new source performance standards lowers the emissions threshold to 34 metric tons per year, keeping it in line with the emissions guidelines, according to a press release.
- The comments express concerns that the proposed lower threshold will not provide benefits that are sufficient enough to warrant additional costs, however the organizations are supportive of the operational flexibilities proposed. SWANA and NWRA outlined a number of options for the EPA to consider in the new emissions guidelines to "advance economically and environmentally sound landfill gas collection and control," according to a press release.
Dive Insight:
While SWANA and the NWRA have written that they generally agree with the EPA's revisions, both associations believe it is important to speak out on behalf of industry professionals in ensuring that new requirements are cost effective and have the correct focus.
"As EPA writes amendments to the existing regulations, it is important to build on the significant successes the industry has achieved during the past 19 years. We believe EPA should streamline the standards to eliminate the historical bureaucracy that has hampered effective implementation of NMOC/methane controls," SWANA and NWRA write in the comments.
SWANA CEO David Biderman told Waste Dive that he is happy to have worked with NWRA on a joint submission to the EPA. "The fact that we're working together on these important issues is important," he said. "It's better to speak with one voice."
