The Department of Environmental Quality, Solid and Hazardous Waste Division, is soliciting public comment on proposed amendments to Chapters 1 through 14 of the Hazardous Waste Management Rules and Regulations to incorporate federal rules promulgated by the U.S. EPA. There are nine proposed rule provisions considered more stringent than federal rules. Pursuant to the Wyoming Environmental Quality Act [W.S.§35-11-503(a)(v)], the Department has prepared a petition to the Environmental Quality Council to approve these more stringent rule provisions. Comments are due April 15, 2008.

The Department of Environmental Management amended numerous rules concerning USTs, and adopted one new UST rule, 335615.45, Delivery Prohibition. http://www.alabamaadministrativecode.state.al.us/UpdatedMonthly/AAM-MAR-08/CERTIFIEDRULES.pdf pp. 1-2.

The commissioner of the Department of Fish and Game adopted under a delegation of authority from the Board of Fisheries, under AS 16.05.270, as emergency regulations, changes in Title 5 of the Alaska Administrative Code dealing with the prohibition of the use of certain commercial fishing gear during state managed fisheries in certain essential fish habitat areas, including adopting by reference the current federal regulations that were amended on March 20, 2008. Comments on these regulations are due May 30, 2008.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is soliciting public comment on proposed regulation changes in Title 11 of the Alaska Administrative Code dealing with the Alaska Surface Coal Mining Program. DNR proposes to amend existing sections and to adopt new sections in Title 11, Chapter 90.

The Department of Environmental Quality gives notice of a rulemaking docket opening concerning amendments to its rules that require reductions in mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants (A.A.C. R18-2-733, R18-2-733.01 and R18-2-734) to take into account the decision of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Jersey v. EPA, No. 05-1097 (D.C. Cir. Feb. 8, 2008) in which it vacated EPA's Clean Air Mercury Rule. The amendments would adopt state-enforceable program requirements, including monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting.

The Department of Environmental Quality gives notice of a rulemaking docket opening concerning amendments to the regulations governing the management, treatment, storage, and disposal of special waste. The Department proposes to combine Title 18, Chapter 13, Article 13 (Special Waste) with Chapter 13, Article 16 (Best Management Practices for Petroleum Contaminated Soil) into one rule as Title 18, Chapter 13, Article 13 (Special Waste).

The Department of Environmental Quality gives notice of the opening of a rulemaking docket concerning amendments that would add a new Article 7 on Engineering Controls. These proposed rules would provide details on how to implement the provisions of A.R.S. § 49-152.01, which specify requirements for an engineering control plan and for financial assurance mechanisms that are intended to cover the costs of maintaining and restoring an engineering control.

The Department of Environmental Quality held public hearings to consider a rulemaking to incorporate EPA's safe drinking water regulations by reference. The rulemaking would update Arizona's safe drinking water rules by incorporating the rule amendments that EPA has adopted since the department last updated its safe drinking water rules and facilitate future updates to the department's safe drinking water rules. The hearings were held April 1 and 3, 2008. http://www.azdeq.gov/function/laws/draft.html.

The Department of Environmental Quality proposed the adoption of amended and new regulations to Surface Water Quality Standards to comply with §303(c) of the CWA, which requires all states to, where appropriate, adopt and revise water quality standards at least once every three years.

The Pollution Control and Ecology Commission (PC&EC) will hold public hearings to receive comments on a third-party proposal by Central Arkansas Water (CAW) to change PC&EC Regulation No. 6, which deals with the NPDES in Arkansas. CAW proposes to change Regulation 6 by adding language that would prohibit all surface discharges of wastewater, except storm water discharges permitted under the NPDES program, into the Lake Maumelle Basin.