Acutely Hazardous Waste (subset of hazardous waste)

Commercial chemical products and manufacturing intermediates having the generic names listed in 40 CFR 261.33; off-specification commercial chemical products and manufacturing chemical intermediates which, if they met specifications, would have the generic names listed; and any residue of contaminated soil, water, or other debris resulting from the cleanup of a spill of any of these substances.  Also, even after containers of acutely hazardous waste are emptied, the containers themselves become acutely hazardous waste.

Administrative Order

A legal document signed by EPA directing an individual, business, or other entity to take corrective action or refrain from an activity.  It describes the violations and actions to be taken, and can be enforced in court.  Such orders may be issued, for example, as a result of an administrative complaint whereby the respondent is ordered to pay a penalty for violating a statute.

Administrative Record

Established and required by statute for actions on all sites of hazardous substance release or threat of release (above reportable quantities).

Air Quality Standards

The maximum limits or concentrations of pollutants permitted in air.  United States standards are based on estimates of maximum concentrations which, with an allowance for safety, present no hazard to human health or the environment.

Air Toxic

A toxic air pollutant is defined as any potentially hazardous non‑criteria air pollutant.  Criteria pollutants are SO2, NOx, CO, O3, suspended particulates, and lead.

Aquifer

A geologic formation, group of formations, or part of a formation capable of yielding a significant amount of groundwater to wells or springs.

ARAR

An acronym for “Applicable or Relevant and Appropriate Requirements. ARARs include the federal standards and more stringent state standards that are legally applicable or relevant and appropriate under the circumstances.  ARARs include cleanup standards, standards of control, and other environmental protection requirements, criteria, or limitations.

Auditing, Environmental

A systematic, documented, periodic review by regulated entities of facility operations and practices related to meeting environmental requirements.  A variety of audits can be designed to accomplish (1) compliance with environmental requirements, (2) evaluate the effectiveness of environmental management systems, and (3) assess the risk from regulated and unregulated materials and practices.

Audit, Landfill Transfer

An assessment of the conditions of a R&PP landfill prior to title transfer to the operating lessee (as committed to the Congress by the Secretary in 1988).  It is a supplement to CERCLA 120(h) requirements.

Audit, Landfill Compliance

Is expected to be a one time assessment of the compliance status of all R&PP landfills operating at the time of the audit.  This audit will evaluate compliance with 40 CFR 241 and 257 along with potential compliance with pending 40 CFR 257 and 258 rules.  This audit will provide (1) rough estimates of actions and cost to attain compliance, (2) provide the Bureau with a 600(a), (3) compliance status with data for site closure if remedial actions are required and (4) cost analysis data for lease continuation.

Audit, Internal Facilities and Procedures

At a minimum will provide an evaluation of the hazardous waste stream and procedures of each facility within a state‘ jurisdiction and of compliance with significant RCRA requirements.  This audit can be expanded to cover other safety and environmental evaluations at Bureau facilities.

Authorized Representative

The person responsible for the overall operation of a facility or an operational unit, e.g., the plant manager, superintendent, or person of equivalent responsibility.

CAA

Clean Air Act.  The primary federal law regulating air emissions.

CERCLA  (Superfund Law) *

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980

CERCLIS (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System)

A listing of sites, suspected of contamination that can be nominated for listing by any person. A preliminary assessment is required within 18 months from the time the site is placed on the list.  This list is available for public inspection and is the first step in qualifying for the national priority list (NPL).

CFR *

Code of Federal Regulations

Closure

The process in which the owner/operator of a waste management facility discontinues active operation in accordance with an approved closure plan.  Closure entails specific financial guarantees and technical tasks which are included in a closure plan and which must be implemented.

Contingency Plans

Set forth guidelines and procedures for responding to releases or potential releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants.  They are required at all major jurisdictional levels beginning with the National Contingency Plan (NCP), the Regional Contingency Plan (RCP) down to the lowest designated level within the Bureau.

CWA  *

Clean Water Act

Disposal (RCRA Section 1004)

Means the discharge, deposit, injection, dumping, spilling, leaking, or placing of any solid waste or hazardous waste into or on any land or water so that such solid waste or hazardous waste or any constituent thereof may enter the environment or be emitted into the air or discharged into any waters, including ground waters.

Docket (Federal Agency Hazardous Waste Compliance Docket, CERCLA Section 120(2) )

EPA special listing of federal facility sites that is published in the Federal Register every six months.  A preliminary assessment is required within 18 months from the time the site is placed on the docket.  This docket is available for public inspection.

DOT

Department of Transportation

EPA

Environmental Protection Agency

EPCRA

Emergency Planning and Community Right‑to‑Know Act

Facility (CERCLA Section 101) *

Means any building, structure, installation, equipment, pipe or pipeline (including any pipe into a sewer or publicly owned treatment works), well, pit, pond, lagoon, impoundment, ditch, landfill, storage container, motor vehicle, rolling stock, or aircraft, or any site or area where a hazardous substance has been deposited, stored, disposed of, or placed, or otherwise come to be located; but does not include any consumer product in consumer use or any vessel.

FIFRA

Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act

Fugitive Emissions

Emissions to the atmosphere from pumps, valves, flanges, seals, and other process points not vented through a stack.  Also includes emissions from area sources such as ponds, lagoons, landfills, and piles of stored material.  These emissions often are not regulated.

Generator

A person, by site, whose act or process produces hazardous waste identified or listed in 40 CFR 261, or whose act first causes hazardous waste to become subject to regulation.

Hazardous Material (generic definition) *

This is an all encompassing term that includes:  hazardous substance, hazardous waste, hazardous chemical substance, toxic substance, pollutant or contaminant and imminently hazardous chemical substances or mixtures.  This term is used by industry and adopted by the Bureau.

Hazardous Material Incident (generic definition)

An unexpected event rising out of or from raw product preparation, manufacturing, processing, packaging, warehousing, transportation, or merchandising; the use, application, or disposal of hazardous material or residues thereof, any of which result in the release of hazardous materials and the imminent and substantial endangerment of life, property, to the environment.  See Release for additional detail.

Hazardous Material Site (any place with hazardous materials)

A physical location containing hazardous wastes or substances that are being stored, treated or disposed of, or where there has been a release or there exists the threat of a release of hazardous wastes or substances.

Hazardous material site, defined for the purpose of the employee none‑access policy, is any location, whether or not formally designated as a site, where, because of unauthorized or uncontained hazardous substances or wastes, protective equipment must be worn, or where an unknown, but potentially hazardous condition may exist.  Transportation corridors through a hazardous material site are considered to be unsafe until an appropriate hazardous material or public health agency has demonstrated that no hazard from hazardous substances or wastes exist and that protective equipment is not needed.

Hazard Ranking System (HRS)

The method EPA uses to determine which sites should be listed on the National Priorities List (NPL) under CERCLA.  The HRS ranks sites by means of a mathematical rating scheme that combines the potential of a release to cause hazardous situations with the severity/magnitude of these potential impacts and the number of people who may be affected.

Hazardous Substance (CERCLA Section 101) *

Means (1) any substance designated pursuant to section 311(2)(A) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, (2) any element, compound, mixture, solution, or substance designated pursuant to Section 102 of the CERCLA, (3) any hazardous waste having the characteristics identified under or listed pursuant to Section 3001 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (but not including any waste the regulation of which under the Solid Waste Disposal Act has been suspended by Act of Congress), (4) any toxic pollutant listed under Section 307(a) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, (5) any hazardous air pollutant listed under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act, and (6) any imminently hazardous chemical substance or mixture with respect to which the Administrator has taken action pursuant to Section 7 of the Toxic Substances Control Act.  The term does not include petroleum, including crude oil or any fraction thereof which is not otherwise specifically listed or designated as a hazardous substance under subparagraphs (1) through (6) of this paragraph, and the term does not include natural gas, natural gas liquids, liquefied natural gas, or synthetic gas usable for fuel (or mixtures of natural gas and such synthetic gas).

Hazardous Substance Superfund

The fund, largely financed by taxes on petroleum and chemicals, and by a new “environmental tax” on corporations, that provides operating money for government‑financed actions under CERCLA.

Hazardous Waste (RCRA Section 1004) *

A solid waste (before a waste is a hazardous waste, it first must be determined that it is a solid waste ‹see solid waste), or combination of solid wastes, or liquid wastes, which because of its quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical, or infectious characteristics may (1) cause or significantly contribute to an increase in mortality or an increase in serious irreversible, or incapacitating reversible, illness; or (2) pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, or disposed of, or otherwise managed.

HCS

Hazard Communication System

HMTA

Hazardous Materials Transportation Act

HRS

Hazard Ranking System

IDLH

Immediate Danger to Life and Health  is the level that represents a maximum concentration from which one could escape within 30 minutes without any escape‑impairing symptoms or any irreversible health effects.  These include substances that should be treated as potential human carcinogens.

Imminently Hazardous Chemical Substances or Mixtures (TSCA Section 7(f) )

A chemical substance or mixture which presents an imminent and unreasonable risk of serious or widespread injury to health or the environment.  Such a risk to health or the environment shall be considered imminent if it is shown that the manufacture, processing, distribution in commerce, use, or disposal of the chemical substance or mixture, or that any combination of such activities, is likely to result in such injury to health or the environment.

Land Acquisition Survey

A requirement of SO 3127 to identify any hazardous materials or risk of contamination or liability on lands to be acquired by the Department of the Interior.  Specific guidance will be provided by the Department and the Bureau‘ Lands Program.

LEPC

Local Emergency Planning Commission

Liability

1.             Statutory liability as defined in Section 107 of CERCLA and Section 3008 of RCRA.

2.             Tort Liability (generally from common law) is based upon conduct that creates an unreasonable or unacceptable risk of harm.  Such conduct may be intentional, negligent or be subject to strict liability in which the defendant will be held liable even without fault for any harm that ensues.

                3.             Vicarious Liability.  There are also rules of vicarious liability under which indirectly responsible parties may be held strictly liable for damages.  Recent court decisions have ruled that the creation of a system that ensures the ignorance, by supervisors or officers, or potentially harmful actions or conditions is a criminal offense.  Finally, ...a lessor may become liable for the tort of his lessee upon reversion of the property to the lessor.“

4.             Joint and Several Liability, a legal concept that provides that if two or more parties have liability for hazardous materials on a site, each party may be held liable for the entire cleanup cost at the site unless they can, among themselves, apportion out the costs.  The landowner is by law considered one of the “parties“ to the action and therefore, may be held liable for the entire cost.  If no prior agreement on cost is possible, the party held liable may sue to recover portions of the cost from the other parties.

5.             Strict Liability.  This is liability without fault, imputed to the defendant even though he acted neither negligently nor intentionally with respect to the consequences of his/her actions.  One who carries on or allows on one‘ property an activity for which there is strict liability is subject to liability for harm to person, land, or chattels (holdings) of another resulting from the activity even though he has exercised the utmost care to prevent the harm.  CERCLA liability is strict liability.

LSI

List Site Investigation

Manifest

Shipping document EPA form 8700‑22 and, if necessary, EPA form 8700‑22A, originated and signed by the generator in accordance with the instructions included in the Appendix to 40 CFR 262 (revised March 20, 1984)

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)

The maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water delivered to any user of a public water system.  MCLs are enforceable standards.  (See also Maximum Contaminant Level Goal.)

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG)

The maximum level of a contaminant in drinking water at which no known or anticipated adverse effect on human health would occur, and which includes an adequate margin of safety.  MCLGs are non-enforceable health goals.  (See also Maximum Contaminant Level.)

Medical Surveillance (OSHA Section 126)

A program of regular medical examination, monitoring, and surveillance of workers engaged in hazardous waste operations which would expose them to toxic substances.

MSDS

Material Safety Data Sheet

NAAQS

National Ambient Air Quality Standards

National Contingency Plan (NCP)

The basic policy directive for federal response actions under CERCLA (105).  It sets forth the Hazard Ranking System and procedures and standards for responding to releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, and contaminants.  The plan is a regulation (40 CFR Part 300) subject to regular revision.  A proposed revision to the NCP was published on December 21, 1988 and EPS has agreed to issue the final NCP in February 1990.  (See also Hazard Ranking System.)

National Priority List (NPL, 40 CFR Part 300.66)

EPA is required by CERCLA to identify the top priority sites for cleanup based upon the ranking system using the criteria developed in Section 105 of CERCLA.  The NPL serves as a basis to guide the allocation of superfunds.  Only those sites included on the NPL will be considered eligible for Fund‑finance remedial actions.  EPA will revise and publish the NPL at least annually.  These funds are not available for federal facilities.

Natural Resources

Land, fish, wildlife, biota, air, water, groundwater, drinking water supplies, and other such resources belonging to, managed by, held in trust by, or otherwise controlled by the U.S., any state or local government, any foreign government, or any Indian tribe (CERCLA 101(16)).

Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA)

A detailed evaluation of a natural resource problem brought about by a CERCLA site.  It includes an injury determination phase, quantification of the effects on the injured resource and an estimate of damages.  The Type B assessments covered in 43 CFR 11 are appropriate for those lands managed by the Bureau.  This process may have trade‑off value in negotiating with potential responsible parties (PRP) to assume total liability when the Bureau is co-named as a PRP.  The preceding action is a Preliminary Natural Resource Assessment

NCP

National Contingency Plan

NEIC

National Enforcement Investigations Center

NESHAPS

National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants

NPDES

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System

NPL

National Priority List

On‑Scene Coordinator (OSC)

Under the NCP, a representative of EPA or the state who directs or coordinates operations at the scene of a removal action.

OSHA

Occupation Safety and Health Act (or Administration)

PCB

Polychlorinated Biphenyls

PEL

Permissible Exposure Limits are workplace exposure limits established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Person (CERCLA Section 101(21) )

An individual, firm, corporation, association, partnership, consortium, joint venture, commercial entity, United States Government, State, municipality, commission, political subdivision of a State, or any interstate body; or the term person as defined in Section 1401(12) of SDWA means an individual, corporation, company association, partnership, State, municipality or Federal agency (and includes officers, employees, and agents of any corporation, company, association, State, municipality, or Federal agency).

Pollutant or Contaminant (CERCLA Section 101)

Any element, substance, compound, or mixture, including disease‑causing agents, which after release into the environment and upon exposure, ingestion, inhalation, or assimilation into any organism, either directly from the environment or indirectly by ingestion through food chains, will or may reasonably be anticipated to cause death, disease, behavioral abnormalities, cancer, genetic mutation, physiological malfunctions (including malfunctions in reproduction) or physical deformations, in such organisms or their offspring; except that the term “pollutant” or “contaminant” shall not include petroleum, including crude oil or any fraction thereof which is not otherwise specifically listed or designated as a hazardous substance, and shall not include natural gas, liquefied natural gas, or synthetic gas of pipeline quality (or mixtures of natural gas and such synthetic gas).

Pollution (CWA Section 502)

The man made or man induced alteration of the chemicals, physical, biological, and radiological integrity of the water.  (Also note that this term is expanded under other acts to include natural occurring alterations, not just to water, but to the environment.)

Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) (generic definition)

Those persons who eventually may be identified as liable some way for control and cleanup for a hazardous substance release, or threat of a release.  For a more complete discussion see Section 107 of CERCLA.

POTW

Publicly‑owned treatment works.

PPE

Personal Protective Equipment

PPM

Parts per million.

Preliminary Assessment (PA)

An investigation that addresses a release or potential threat of a release to determine if a site is contaminated or not and if any further investigation is necessary.  The PA may include, but is not limited to the following actions (1) identification of the source and nature of release, (2) evaluation as a public health threat, (3) initial evaluation of the potential hazard ranking, and (4) to determine if no action is required or a removal or remedial action is appropriate.

Preliminary Natural Resource Assessment (PNRA)

A brief evaluation of the likelihood and the extent that a CERCLA site may have damaged the natural resources of the Department of Interior.  This precedes the Natural Resource Damage Assessment and is authorized by the Office of Environmental Project Review.  This process may have trade‑off value in negotiating with potential responsible parties (PRP) to assume total liability when the Bureau is co-named as a PRP.

PSD

Prevention of Significant Deteriorization regulations were established by the 1977 Clean Air Act Amendments to limit increases in criteria air pollutant concentrations above baseline.

RCRA

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

RD/RA

Remedial Decision/Remedial Action

Release

Any spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, or disposing into the environment, including the abandonment or discarding of barrels, containers, and other closed receptacles containing any hazardous substance or pollutant or contaminant.  For a more complete definition, see Section 101 of CERCLA.

Remove or Removal (CERCLA Section 101)

The cleanup or removal of released hazardous substances from the environment, such actions as may be necessary taken in the event of the threat of release of hazardous substances into the environment, such actions as may be necessary to monitor, assess, and evaluate the release or threat of release of hazardous substances, the disposal of removed material, or the taking of such other actions as may be necessary to prevent, minimize, or mitigate damage to the public health or welfare or to the environment, which may otherwise result from a release or threat of release.  The term includes, in addition, without being limited to, security fencing or other measures to limit access, provision of alternative water supplies, temporary evacuation and housing of threatened individuals not otherwise provided for, action taken under Section 104(a)(2) CERCLA, and any emergency assistance which may be provided under the Disaster Relief Act of 1974.

Remedy or Remedial Action (CERCLA Section 101)

Those actions consistent with permanent remedy taken instead of or in addition to removal actions in the event of a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance into the environment, to prevent or minimize the release of hazardous substances so that they do not migrate to cause substantial danger to present or future public health or welfare or the environment.  The term includes, but is not limited to, such actions at the location of the release as storage, confinement, perimeter protection using dikes, trenches, or ditches, clay cover, neutralization, cleanup of released hazardous substances or contaminated materials, recycling or reuse, diversion, destruction, segregation of reactive wastes, dredging or excavations, repair or replacement of leaking containers, collection of leachate and runoff, insight treatment or incineration, provision of alternative water supplies, and any monitoring reasonably required to assure that such actions protect the public health and welfare and the environment.  The term includes the costs of permanent relocation of residents and businesses and community facilities where the president determines that, alone or in combination with other measures, such relocation is more cost effective than and environmentally

preferable to the transportation, storage treatment, destruction, or secure disposition off‑site of hazardous substances, or may otherwise be necessary to protect the public health and welfare; the term includes off‑site transport and off‑site storage, treatment, destruction, or secure disposition of hazardous substances and associated contaminated materials.

Reportable Quantity (CERCLA Section 102)

Reportable quantities  are selected substances in amounts established by regulation under CERCLA, CWA, and the CAA.  See 40 CFR 261.  This threshold requires reporting under CERCLA Section 103.  Also, please note that state law may have lower thresholds for reportable quantities that take precedent over federal standards.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

The primary federal act that regulates solid waste and hazardous waste.

Respond or Response (CERCLA Section 101)

Remove, removal, remedy, and remedial action, all such terms (including the terms removal“ and remedial action“, include enforcement activities related thereto.

RI/FS

Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study

Risk Characteristics (RCRA Section 3019, TSCA and SARA)

The process of estimating the incidence of a health effect under the various conditions of human exposure described in the exposure assessments.  It is performed by combining the exposure and dose‑response assessments.

ROD

Record of Decision

SARA III

Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986.  Synonymous with EPCRA.

SBR

An investigation to determine the ownership of the land that a suspected release or threat of a suspected release that may have occurred or will occur.

SDWA

Safe Drinking Water Act

SERC

State Emergency Response Commission

SIP

State Implementation Plan

Site Investigation (SI)

Normally the next step following a Preliminary Assessment on the site evaluation process that gathers additional information for making decisions on future actions and completing the hazard ranking system scoring.  The future actions may include (1) simple removal, (2) recommendation for an expanded SI, and (3) recommendations for further remedial actions.

Small Quantity Generator (RCRA Section 3001 (d) )

A person who generates more than 100 kilograms and less than 1000 kilograms of hazardous waste and no more than 1 kg (about 2 pounds) of acutely hazardous waste in any calendar month.  A person is a conditionally exempt small quantity generator if less than 100 kg is generated in a month and is required to:  (1) identify all hazardous waste generated; and (2) send this waste to a hazardous waste facility, or a landfill or other facility approved by the state for industrial or municipal wastes.

Generators of 100‑1000 kg (between 220 and 2200 pounds or about 25 to 300 gallons) of hazardous waste and no more than 1 kg of acutely hazardous waste per month must comply with the EPA 1986 rules for the accumulation, treatment, storage, and disposal of said hazardous wastes.  Persons who generate 1000 kg (about 2200 pounds or 300 gallons) or more of hazardous waste, or more than 1 kg of acutely hazardous waste in any month are required to comply with all applicable hazardous waste management rules.

Solid Waste (RCRA Section 1004)

Any garbage, refuse, sludge, from a waste treatment plant, water supply treatment plant, or air pollution control facility (or other) discarded material, including solid, liquid, semi‑solid, or contained gaseous material resulting from industrial, commercial mining, agricultural operations and from community activities, but does not include solid or dissolved material in domestic sewage, or solid or dissolved materials in irrigation return flows or industrial discharges which are point sources subject to permits under Section 402 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, or source, special nuclear or by‑product material as defined by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended.

This term was redefined in the Federal Register (50 F.R. 614, January 4, 1985).  Solid waste is any discarded material that is not specifically excluded by the statute (40 CFR 261.4(a)). A “discarded material“ is any material which is either abandoned, inherently waste‑like, or recycled in certain ways (use constituting disposal, burning for energy recovery, reclaimed, or over accumulated).

Sovereign Immunity (English Common Law)

Allows the sovereign (king, etc.) to be immune from compliance with provincial or other laws and from suit unless the sovereign consents.  Waiving sovereign immunity makes the Federal Government, its agencies and employees open to suit and under the same obligations as the private sector.  Generally federal agencies and their employees are immune from state laws, but this immunity is diminishing.

In general, sovereign immunity waivers are defined by case law.  For example, case law indicates that waivers are only valid for numerical standards.  Case law is not well defined for CERCLA or RCRA, but is for the CWA and CAA.  (Consult the Solicitor for additional information) Sovereign immunity is waived in CWA (Section 505(a)); CERCLA (Section 101(21)); RCRA (Section 6001 and 6003); CAA (Section 118); SDWA (Section 1447(a)); TSCA (Section 20); and E.O. 12088 (Section 1‑101 and 1‑103).

TCLP

Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure

TLV

Threshold Limit Values are the recommended concentrations of airborne contaminants to which workers may be exposed according to the American Council of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.

Toxic Pollutant (CWA Section 502)

Those pollutants, or combinations of pollutants, including disease‑causing agents, which after discharge and upon exposure, ingestion, inhalation or assimilation into any organism, either directly from the environment or indirectly by ingestion through food chains, will, on the basis of information available to the Administrator, cause death, disease, behavioral abnormalities, cancer, genetic mutations, physiological malfunctions (including malfunctions in reproduction) or physical deformities, in such organisms or their offspring.

Transport or Transportation (CERCLA 101)

The movement of a hazardous substance by any mode, including pipeline (as defined in the Pipeline Safety Act), and in the case of a hazardous substance which has been accepted for transportation by a common or contract carrier, the term “transport“ or “transportation“ shall include any stoppage in transit which is temporary, incidental to the transportation movement, and at the ordinary operating convenience of a common or contract carrier, and any such stoppage shall be considered as a continuity of movement and not as the storage of a hazardous substance.

TSCA

Toxic Substances Control Act

TSD

Treatment, Storage and Disposal

TSDF

Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility

Underground Storage Tank (UST)

One or more tanks, including underground connective piping, that stores “regulated substances“ and that is more than 10% below the surface of the ground.  Regulated substances include hazardous chemical products regulated under CERCLA and petroleum products.  The UST program, under Subtitle I of RCRA, for the first time applies the RCRA program for storage of products and hazardous substances.  Underground tanks containing hazardous waste are regulated under Subtitle C of RCRA.

U.S.C.

United States Code

Water Quality Criteria

Specific levels of pollutants in water which, if they are not exceeded, are expected to render a water body suitable for its designated use.  The criteria are based on specific levels of pollutants that would make the water harmful if used for drinking, swimming, farming, fish production, or industrial processes. (See also Water Quality Standards.)

Water Quality Standards

State‑adopted and EPA‑approved ambient standards for water bodies.  The standards cover the use of the water body and the water quality criteria that must be met to protect the designated use or uses. (See also Water Quality Criteria.)