Document Qgk6r20N6bappJQR5pBJ8D2y6

Department of Energy Washington, DC 20885 APB 2? H i Mr. Andrew Wheeler Deputy Administrator U.S. Environmental Protection Agency William Jefferson Clinton Building 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Mail Code 1101A Washington. DC 20460 Dear Deputy Administrator Wheeler: The Mercury Export Ban Act (MEBA) [P.L 110-4141assigns responsibility for long-term management and storage of elemental mercury to the Department of Energy (DOE). The MEBA. as amended, requires the DOE to begin operating an elemental mercury management and storage facility by January 1.2019, for elemental mercury generated within the United States. However, the current regulator)' framework does not address disposal of elemental mercury. We are working to hold a workshop May 9-10. 2018. in Washington, D.C.. to discuss environmentally sound treatment and disposal options. We expect the workshop will be attended by elemental mercury generators, treatment and storage companies, and impacted state and Federal regulator)- agencies. No commitments or obligations are expected from any company or organization. We believe that the value oflhe workshop would be signilieantly improved by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Headquarters and Regional Office participation (e.g.. Office of Land and Emergency Management, Regions 6, 9, and 10). 1knvever. we understand through discussions with your staff, that although EPA is interested in making progress on elemental mercury treatment and disposal, there may not be any EPA representation at tire workshop. While I understand that EPA has man)- priorities and resource challenges, I extend my personal request that appropriate l leadquarters and regional staff attend the workshop to hear issues and discuss potential solutions associated with this important national environmental issue. Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Attachments Prod 1 ED 002061E 00052064-00001 2 Thank you in advance for considering EPA participation. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or Mr. Mark Senderling, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Waste and Materials Management, at (202) 586-0785. Sincerely, Anne Marie White Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management cc: Barry Breen, EPA/OLEM Barnes Johnson, EPA/OLEM/ORCR Betsy Devlin, EPA/OLEM/ ORCR/MRWMD Kim M. Kirkland, EPA/OLEM/ORCR/MEWMD/WCB Veronica Darwin, EPA/OLEM Mark Gilbertson, EM-4 Mark Senderling, EM-4.2 Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Attachments Prod 1 ED 002061E 00052064-00002