(a) History of the approval of Washington's program. The State of Washington is approved to administer and enforce an underground storage tank program in lieu of the Federal program under subtitle I of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq. The State's program, as administered by the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology), was approved by the EPA pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 6991c and part 281 of this chapter. The EPA published the notice of final determination approving the Washington underground storage tank base program effective on October 8, 1993. A subsequent program revision application was approved by the EPA and became effective on December 20, 2021.
(b) Enforcement authority. Washington has primary responsibility for administering and enforcing its federally approved underground storage tank program. However, the EPA retains the authority to exercise its corrective action, inspection, and enforcement authorities under sections 9003(h), 9005, and 9006 of subtitle I of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991b(h), 6991d and 6991e, as well as under any other applicable statutory and regulatory provisions.
(c) Retention of program approval. To retain program approval, Washington must revise its approved program to adopt new changes to the Federal subtitle I program which make it more stringent, in accordance with section 9004 of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991c, and 40 CFR part 281, subpart E. If Washington obtains approval for the revised requirements pursuant to section 9004 of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991c, the newly approved statutory and regulatory provisions will be added to this subpart and notice of any change will be published in the Federal Register.
(d) Final approval. Washington has final approval for the following elements of its program application originally submitted to the EPA and approved effective October 8, 1993, and the program revision application approved by the EPA effective on December 20, 2021:
(1) State statutes and regulations -
(i) Incorporation by reference. The materials cited in this paragraph (d)(1) are incorporated by reference as part of the underground storage tank program under subtitle I of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq. with the approval of the Director of the Federal Register under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. To enforce any edition other than that specified in this section, the EPA must publish a document in the Federal Register and the material must be available to the public. All approved material is available for inspection at EPA Region 10, 1200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 155, Seattle, Washington 98101, phone number (206) 553-6693. Copies of Washington's program application may be obtained from the Underground Storage Tank Program, Washington Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 4765, Olympia, Washington 98504. All approved material is also available for inspection at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of the material at NARA, email [email protected] or go to www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.
(A) “Washington Statutory Requirements Applicable to the Underground Storage Tank Program,” June 2021.
(B) “Washington Regulatory Requirements Applicable to the Underground Storage Tank Program,” June 2021.
(ii) Legal basis. The EPA evaluated the statutes and regulations listed in appendix B to this part that provide the legal basis for the State's implementation of the underground storage tank program but are not incorporated by reference and do not replace Federal authorities.
(iii) Broader in scope. The specifically identified sections and rules applicable to the Washington underground storage tank program listed in appendix C to this part are broader in scope than the Federal program, are not part of the approved program, and are not incorporated by reference herein for enforcement purposes.
(2) Statement of legal authority. The Attorney General Statement, signed on October 10, 2018, though not incorporated by reference, is referenced as part of the approved underground storage tank program under Subtitle I of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq.
(3) Demonstration of procedures for adequate enforcement. The “Demonstration of Procedures for Adequate Enforcement” submitted as part of the application for approval on June 30, 2021, though not incorporated by reference, is referenced as part of the approved underground storage tank program under subtitle I of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq.
(4) Program description. The program description and any other material submitted as part of the original application on June 30, 2021, though not incorporated by reference, are referenced as part of the approved underground storage tank program under subtitle I of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq.
(5) Memorandum of Agreement. The Memorandum of Agreement between EPA Region 10 and the Washington Department of Ecology, signed by the EPA Regional Administrator on March 19, 2019, though not incorporated by reference, is referenced as part of the approved underground storage tank program under subtitle I of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq.
[86 FR 57761, Oct. 19, 2021]