THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
BUREAU OF WASTE PREVENTION

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

310 CMR 7.00

Notice is hereby given that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), under its authority pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 111, Sections 142A through 142N, and in conformance with M.G.L. Chapter 30A, will hold a public hearing on proposed amendments to:

1) 310 CMR 7.25(12), Consumer Products, to add an Alternative Compliance Plan (ACP) option to the existing consumer products regulations that allows manufacturers of consumer products to average VOC emissions among products to meet VOC limits;

2) 310 CMR 7.00, Definition of VOC, to add the compound HFE-7300 to the list of exempt compounds in the current definition of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) in 310 CMR 7.00 in order to be consistent with EPA's definition of VOC;

3) 310 CMR 7.03(16), Paint Spray Booths, to make a technical correction to paint spray booth regulations, 310 CMR 7.03(16)(g), by deleting a sentence to clarify the regulation's intent; and

4) 310 CMR 7.18(8), Solvent Metal Degreasing, to impose a vapor pressure limit on cold cleaning solvents.

The ACP regulation will provide additional flexibility to consumer product manufacturers in meeting VOC requirements.  The VOC definition change will eliminate, for any facility that uses HFE-7300, the requirement to count HFE-7300 as a VOC in determining whether the facility meets its regulatory VOC obligations.  The vapor pressure limit for cold cleaning solvents will reduce VOC air emissions and help bring Massachusetts into attainment of the ground-level ozone standards established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

A public hearing will be conducted on the following date at the following location to receive comments on the proposed amendments.  Testimony may be presented orally or in writing at the hearing.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008
1:00 p.m.
MassDEP Headquarters
2nd Floor Conference Rooms B & C
One Winter Street
Boston, MA 02108

MassDEP will accept written comments until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 5, 2008.  Please send written comments electronically via email to: Azin.Kavian@state.ma.us.  Paper copies of written comments also may be sent to: Azin Kavian, Environmental Analyst, MassDEP, One Winter Street, Boston, MA 02108, RE: ACP/Solvent Metal Degreasing.

For special accommodations for these hearings, please contact Donald M. Gomes, MassDEP ADA coordinator, at 617-556-1057, TDD Service 1-800-298-2207, One Winter Street, Boston, MA 02108. This information is available in alternative format upon request.

A copy of the proposed amendments and technical support documents is available on the MassDEP website at: www.mass.gov/dep/public/publiche.htm.  Copies also may be obtained by calling Azin Kavian at 617-574-6801.

By order of the Department.
Laurie Burt, Commissioner