Biosolids Annual Reports Due February 19

Pursuant to 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 503, persons that prepare or land apply sewage sludge, persons that prepare or own a sewage sludge disposal facility, and sewage sludge incinerators are required to submit annual biosolids reports.

The annual biosolids report is due February 19 of each year.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently consolidated its biosolids enforcement function to the Agency’s Region 7 office in Lenexa, Kansas.

Previously, the requirement was to submit biosolids annual reports to EPA Regional Offices. However, EPA has consolidated its biosolids function, and the location to submit annual biosolids reports has changed for some states.

The EPA Region 7 mailing address for reports is:

Region 7
Attn:  Biosolids Center
WWPD/WENF
11201 Renner Boulevard
Lenexa, Kansas  66219

If a facility submitted their annual report to their usual Regional office instead of Region 7, EPA will obtain it from that Regional Office.  EPA sent out a “change of address” postcard to many facilities.  These were sent to the facilities in Regions 1 through 6 with the exception of the eight authorized states (UT, TX, OK, WI, SD, AZ, OH, MI). There is no change for sending the annual reports in the eight authorized states.  In addition, there are a few states (ME, RI, CT, VT, LA, MN) that were not sent the post card.  The Regional Offices for those additional states requested that EPA let the states receive and process the annual reports for this year.

The eight authorized states will continue to receive the annual reports, which is consistent with Part 503.   Next year, the transition to Region 7 will continue and the annual reports from facilities in the states in Region 8, 9 and 10 will begin to go to Region 7.  There may continue to be a few non-authorized states that will continue to process and receive the annual reports, but EPA noted that they will work with the other Regional offices on which states those may be.

Although the reporting requirements have not changed, an issue that has arisen is that in the past some Regional Offices had sent out forms, such as the DMR forms, as a suggested way to report.  There is no national set of forms in Part 503 and EPA is not able to send out forms that were used in some states.  EPA’s response to the facilities that have inquired about blank forms has been that they are free to use whatever format they would like.  They can use last year’s forms with information for 2013 or send a letter with the required information.  EPA also sends a link to the reporting and recordkeeping portions of the rule.

Anthony Petruska is the U.S. EPA contact should any questions arise – Petruska.Anthony@epa.gov