Oil-Shale Waste ‘Non Hazardous,’ EPA Says

The Environmental Protection Agency issued an 11th-hour clarification on spent oil shale, declaring the byproduct of the development process not to be a hazardous waste.

The ruling could limit production costs if U.S. developers move ahead with oil shale development, but the next administration under President-elect Barack Obama is expected to put the brakes on commercial development.
Specifically, the EPA published data showing the characteristics of spent shale from operations indicate the waste is unlikely to be a hazardous waste. Oil shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock that can be heated, vaporized, and upgraded to create a synthetic crude oil.

The 11th-hour notice is one of a multitude of “midnight” rules made in the waning days of President George W. Bush’s tenure, as department chiefs implement controversial regulations designed to imprint the current White House’s policy mark well into Mr. Obama’s administration.

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