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TITLE 30ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
PART 1TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
CHAPTER 7MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING
RULE §7.117Memorandum of Understanding between the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)

operators, and advise industrial operators of the TCEQ External Relations Division services.

  (2) Treatment of wastes under RRC jurisdiction at facilities authorized by the TCEQ under Chapter 334, Subchapter K of this title (relating to Storage, Treatment, and Reuse Procedures for Petroleum-Substance Contaminated Soil).

    (A) Soils contaminated with constituents that are physically and chemically similar to those normally found in soils at leaking underground petroleum storage tanks from generators under the jurisdiction of the RRC are eligible for treatment at TCEQ regulated soil treatment facilities once alternatives for recycling and source reduction have been explored. For the purpose of this provision, soils containing petroleum substance(s) as defined in §334.481 of this title (relating to Definitions) are considered to be similar, but drilling muds, acids, or other chemicals used in oil and gas activities are not considered similar. Generators under the jurisdiction of the RRC must meet the same requirements as generators under the jurisdiction of the TCEQ when sending their petroleum contaminated soils to soil treatment facilities under TCEQ jurisdiction. Those requirements are in §334.496 of this title (relating to Shipping Procedures Applicable to Generators of Petroleum-Substance Waste), except subsection (c) of this section which is not applicable, and §334.497 of this title (relating to Recordkeeping and Reporting Procedures Applicable to Generators). RRC generators with questions on these requirements should contact the TCEQ.

    (B) Generators under RRC jurisdiction should also be aware that TCEQ regulated soil treatment facilities are required by §334.499 of this title (relating to Shipping Requirements Applicable to Owners or Operators of Storage, Treatment, or Disposal Facilities) to maintain documentation on the soil sampling and analytical methods, chain-of-custody, and all analytical results for the soil received at the facility and transported off-site or reused on-site.

    (C) The RRC must specifically authorize management of contaminated soils under its jurisdiction at facilities authorized by the TCEQ under Chapter 334, Subchapter K of this title (relating to Storage, Treatment, and Reuse Procedures for Petroleum-Substance Contaminated Soil). The RRC may grant such authorizations by rule, or on an individual basis through permits or other written authorizations.

    (D) All waste, including treated waste, subject to the jurisdiction of the RRC and managed at facilities authorized by the TCEQ under Chapter 334, Subchapter K of this title will remain subject to the jurisdiction of the RRC. Such materials will be subject to RRC regulations regarding final reuse, recycling, or disposal.

    (E) TCEQ waste codes and registration numbers are not required for management of wastes under the jurisdiction of the RRC at facilities authorized by the TCEQ under Chapter 334, Subchapter K of this title.

  (3) Processing, treatment, and disposal of wastes under RRC jurisdiction at facilities authorized by the TCEQ.

    (A) As provided in this paragraph, waste materials subject to the jurisdiction of the RRC may be managed at solid waste facilities under the jurisdiction of the TCEQ once alternatives for recycling and source reduction have been explored. The RRC must specifically authorize management of wastes under its jurisdiction at facilities regulated by the TCEQ. The RRC may grant such authorizations by rule, or on an individual basis through permits or other written authorizations. In addition, except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, the concurrence of the TCEQ is required to manage "special waste" under the jurisdiction of the RRC at a facility regulated by the TCEQ. The TCEQ's concurrence may be subject to specified conditions.

    (B) A facility under the jurisdiction of the TCEQ may accept, without further individual concurrence, waste under the jurisdiction of the RRC if that facility is permitted or otherwise authorized to accept that particular type of waste. The phrase "that type of waste" does not specifically refer to waste under the jurisdiction of the RRC, but rather to the waste's physical and chemical characteristics. Management and disposal of waste under the jurisdiction of the RRC is subject to TCEQ's rules governing both special waste and industrial waste.

    (C) If the TCEQ regulated facility receiving the waste does not have approval to accept the waste included in its permit or other authorization, individual written concurrences from the TCEQ shall be required to manage wastes under the jurisdiction of the RRC at TCEQ regulated facilities. Recommendations for the management of special wastes associated with the exploration, development, or production of oil, gas, or geothermal resources are found in TCEQ Regulatory Guidance document RG-3. (This is required only if the TCEQ regulated facility receiving the waste does not have approval to accept the waste included in its permit or other authorization provided by the TCEQ.) To obtain an individual concurrence, the waste generator must provide to the TCEQ sufficient information to allow the concurrence determination to be made, including the identity of the proposed waste management facility, the process generating the waste, the quantity of waste, and the physical and chemical nature of the waste involved (using process knowledge and/or laboratory analysis as defined in Chapter 335, Subchapter R of this title (relating to Waste Classification)). In obtaining TCEQ approval, generators may use their existing knowledge about the process or materials entering it to characterize their wastes. Material Safety Data Sheets, manufacturer's literature, and other documentation generated in conjunction with a particular process may be used. Process knowledge must be documented and submitted with the request for approval.

    (D) Domestic septage collected from portable toilets at facilities subject to RRC jurisdiction that is not mixed with other waste materials may be managed at a facility permitted by the TCEQ for disposal, incineration, or land application for beneficial use of such domestic septage waste without specific authorization from the TCEQ or the RRC. Waste sludge subject to the jurisdiction of the RRC may not be applied to the land at a facility permitted by the TCEQ for the beneficial use of sewage sludge or water treatment sludge.

    (E) TCEQ waste codes and registration numbers are not required for management of wastes under the jurisdiction of the RRC at facilities under the jurisdiction of the TCEQ. If a receiving facility requires a TCEQ waste code for waste under the jurisdiction of the RRC, a code consisting of the following may be provided:

      (i) the sequence number "RRCT";

      (ii) the appropriate form code, as specified in Chapter 335, Subchapter R, §335.521, Appendix 3 of this title (relating to Appendices); and

      (iii) the waste classification code "H" if the waste is a hazardous oil and gas waste, or "R" if the waste is a nonhazardous oil and gas waste.

    (F) If a facility requests or requires a TCEQ waste generator registration number for wastes under the jurisdiction of the RRC, the registration number "XXXRC" may be provided.

    (G) Wastes that are under the jurisdiction of the RRC need not be reported to the TCEQ.

  (4) Management of nonhazardous wastes under TCEQ jurisdiction at facilities regulated by the RRC.

    (A) Once alternatives for recycling and source reduction have been explored, and with prior authorization from the RRC, the following nonhazardous wastes subject to the jurisdiction of the TCEQ may be disposed of, other than by injection into a Class II well, at a facility regulated by the RRC; bioremediated at a facility regulated by the RRC (prior to reuse, recycling, or disposal); or reclaimed at a crude oil reclamation facility regulated by the RRC: nonhazardous wastes that are chemically and physically similar to oil and gas wastes, but excluding soils, media, debris, sorbent pads, and other clean-up materials that are contaminated with refined petroleum products.

    (B) To obtain an individual authorization from the RRC, the waste generator must provide the following information, in writing, to the RRC: the identity of the proposed waste management facility, the quantity of waste involved, a hazardous waste determination that addresses the process generating the waste and the physical and chemical nature of the waste, and any other information that the RRC may require. As appropriate, the RRC shall reevaluate any authorization issued pursuant to this paragraph.

    (C) Once alternatives for recycling and source reduction have been explored, and subject to the RRC's individual authorization, the following wastes under the jurisdiction of the TCEQ are authorized without further TCEQ approval to be disposed of at a facility regulated by the RRC, bioremediated at a facility regulated by the RRC, or reclaimed at a crude oil reclamation facility regulated by the RRC: nonhazardous bottoms from tanks used only for crude oil storage; unused and/or reconditioned drilling and completion/workover wastes from commercial service company facilities; used and/or unused drilling and completion/workover wastes generated at facilities where workers in Cont'd...

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