[Federal Register: January 22, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 14)] [Notices] [Page 3511] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr22ja99-62] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-6223-3] RCRA Hazardous Waste Biennial Reporting: Notice of Intent to Privatize Development of Reporting Software AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency. ACTION: Notice of public meeting. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Office of Solid Waste will hold a public meeting on February 24, 1999, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., to make information available on the EPA's efforts to privatize the development of software required by State and Federal Agencies for biennial reporting to the EPA about the generation, management and final disposition of hazardous waste regulated by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). This meeting will focus on providing information to potential software vendors to encourage them to provide the reporting software to the State and Federal Agencies for use in meeting their 1999 biennial reporting requirements. DATES: The public meeting will be held on February 24, 1999 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in EPA's Crystal City office; Conference Room A, Second Floor, 2800 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22202. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information and registration matters, contact Ms. Dina Villari of the EPA's Office of Solid Waste at (703) 308-7912; e-mail: villari.dina@epamail.epa.gov. For general information regarding RCRA biennial reporting requirements, contact the RCRA Hotline at (800) 824-9346 or TDD (800) 553-7672 (hearing impaired). In the Washington, DC metropolitan area, call (703) 412-9810 or TDD (703) 412-3323. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EPA, under the authority of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976, and its amendments of 1980 and 1984 called the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA), is required to collect information on a biennial basis from generators of hazardous waste and treatment, storage and disposal facilities. As part of this effort, EPA and the States collect and maintain information about the generation, management and final disposition of the nation's hazardous waste regulated by RCRA. Analysis of this information serves as a means of: reporting to Congress and the public on the location, quantities, and disposition of hazardous wastes; assessing the effectiveness of existing Agency regulations; and assisting the Agency in measuring nationwide progress in its mission to protect human health and the environment. The EPA previously developed reporting software, the Biennial Reporting System (BRS), for use by State and Federal Agencies for the 1989 through 1997 Biennial Reporting cycles. The EPA is now preparing for the 1999 biennial reporting cycle. Although the EPA does not require electronic submission of data from the regulated community, recent biennial reporting cycles have become more automated, with both the regulated community and the State/Federal implementers of the biennial reporting requirements using electronic data submissions to prepare the State data files that ultimately comprise the BRS National Oversight Database. Although the EPA has provided BRS implementer software to State/Federal Agencies, private software vendors have recently begun providing software which meets the needs of both the regulated community and State/Federal implementers of the RCRA program. A total of 35 State/Federal Agencies used either their own State- developed software or one of the electronic software packages provided by private software vendors for the implementation of the 1997 biennial reporting requirements. Consistent with the intent of the Information Technology Management Reform Act (ITMRA) of 1995, also known as the Clinger-Cohen Act, the EPA is encouraging the privatization of the entire implementer component of the biennial reporting process. ITMRA requires that Federal Agencies make the maximum use of commercial, Off- the-Shelf technology if the private sector can efficiently support the function. The EPA has made the determination that the software developed by private vendors, or State-developed software, is an efficient and cost-effective way of implementing the RCRA biennial reporting requirements and, therefore, the EPA will no longer develop and provide the BRS implementer software. The purpose of this public meeting is to explain to interested private software vendors the biennial reporting process and implementation schedule for the 1999 biennial reporting cycle, with particular emphasis on the output flat file specifications. This is necessary to ensure the data entry software and implementer database are in a standard format for proper data loading into EPA's National Database. Subsequent to the February 1999 meeting, the EPA intends to sponsor a June 1999 national conference with the State/Federal Agencies who implement the biennial reporting requirements. EPA will provide interested private software vendors with an opportunity for exhibition of their software products during this June 1999 national conference. Additional details will be provided at the February 1999 meeting. Dated: January 13, 1999. Matthew Hale, Acting Director, Office of Solid Waste. [FR Doc. 99-1478 Filed 1-21-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P