Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 9, September 27, 2024
An owner or operator of each facility must establish
financial assurance for closure of the facility. He must choose from the
options as specified in paragraphs (a) through (f) of this section.
(a) Standby trust fund. [revised 5/93]
(1) An owner or operator may satisfy the
requirements of this section by establishing a standby trust fund which
conforms to the requirements of this paragraph and submitting an originally
signed duplicate of the trust agreement to the Department. An owner or operator
of a new facility must submit the originally signed duplicate of the trust
agreement to the Department at least 60 days before the date on which hazardous
waste is first received for treatment, storage, or disposal. The trustee must
be an entity which has the authority to act as a trustee and whose trust
operations are regulated and examined by a Federal or State agency.
(2) The wording of the trust agreement must
be identical to the wording specified in 264.151(a)(1), and the trust agreement
must be accompanied by a formal certification of acknowledgment [for example,
see 264.151 (a)(2)]. Schedule A of the trust agreement must be updated within
60 days after a change in the amount of the current closure cost estimate
covered by the agreement.
(3)
[Reserved]
(4) [Reserved]
(5) [Reserved]
(6) Whenever the current closure cost
estimate changes, the owner or operator must compare the new estimate with the
trustee's most recent annual valuation of the trust fund. If the value of the
fund is less than the amount of the new estimate, the owner or operator, within
60 days after the change in the cost estimate, must either deposit an amount
into the fund so that its value after this deposit at least equals the amount
of the current closure cost estimate, or obtain other financial assurance as
specified in this section to cover the difference.
(7) If the value of the trust fund is greater
than the total amount of the current closure cost estimate, the owner or
operator may submit a written request to the Department for release of the
amount in excess of the current closure cost estimate.
(8) If an owner or operator substitutes other
financial assurance as specified in this section for all or part of the trust
fund, he may submit a written request to the Department for release of the
amount in excess of the current closure cost estimate covered by the trust
fund.
(9) Within 60 days after
receiving a request from the owner or operator for release of funds as
specified in paragraphs (a)(7) or (8) of this section, the Department will
instruct the trustee to release to the owner or operator such funds as the
Department specifies in writing.
(10) After beginning partial or final
closure, an owner or operator or another person authorized to conduct partial
or final closure may request reimbursements for partial or final closure
expenditures by submitting itemized bills to the Department. The owner or
operator may request reimbursements for partial closure only if sufficient
funds are remaining in the trust fund to cover the maximum costs of closing the
facility over its remaining operating life. Within 60 days after receiving
bills for partial or final closure activities, the Department will instruct the
trustee to make reimbursements in those amounts as the Department specifies in
writing, if the Department determines that the partial or final closure
expenditures are in accordance with the approved closure plan, or otherwise
justified. If the Department has reason to believe that the maximum cost of
closure over the remaining life of the facility will be significantly greater
than the value of the trust fund, the Department may withhold reimbursements of
such amounts as it deems prudent until it determines, in accordance with
264.143(i) that the owner or operator is no longer required to maintain
financial assurance for final closure of the facility. If the Department does
not instruct the trustee to make such reimbursements, it will provide the owner
or operator with a detailed written statement of reasons.
(11) The Department will agree to termination
of the trust when:
(i) An owner or operator
substitutes alternate financial assurance as specified in this section;
or,
(ii) The Department releases
the owner or operator from the requirements of this section in accordance with
264.143(i).
(b) Surety bond guaranteeing payment into a
closure trust fund.
(1) An owner or operator
may satisfy the requirements of this section by obtaining a surety bond which
conforms to the requirements of this paragraph and submitting the bond to the
Department. An owner or operator of a new facility must submit the bond to the
Department at least 60 days before the date on which hazardous waste is first
received for treatment, storage, or disposal. The bond must be effective before
this initial receipt of hazardous waste. The surety company issuing the bond
must, at a minimum, be among those listed as acceptable sureties on Federal
bonds in Circular 570 of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
(2) The wording of the surety bond must be
identical to the wording specified in 264.151(b) .
(3) The owner or operator who uses a surety
bond to satisfy the requirements of this section must also establish a standby
trust fund. Under the terms of the bond, all payments made thereunder will be
deposited by the surety directly into the standby trust fund in accordance with
instructions from the Department. This standby trust fund must meet the
requirements specified in Section264.143(a)(a), except that:
(i) An originally signed duplicate of the
trust agreement must be submitted to the Department with the surety bond;
and,
(ii) Until the standby trust
fund is funded pursuant to the requirements of this section, the following are
not required by these regulations:
(A)
Payments into the trust fund as specified in Section264.143(a)(a);
(B) Updating of Schedule A of the trust
agreement (see Section264.151(a)(a)) to show current closure cost
estimates;
(C) Annual valuations as
required by the trust agreement; and,
(D) Notices of nonpayment as required by the
trust agreement.
(4) The bond must guarantee that the owner or
operator will:
(i) Fund the standby trust
fund in an amount equal to the penal sum of the bond before the beginning of
final closure of the facility; or,
(ii) Fund the standby trust fund in an amount
equal to the penal sum within 15 days after an administrative order to begin
final closure issued by the Department becomes final, or within 15 days after
an order to begin final closure is issued by a U.S. District Court or other
court of competent jurisdiction; or,
(iii) Provide alternate financial assurance
as specified in this section, and obtain the Department's written approval of
the assurance provided, within 90 days after receipt by both the owner or
operator and the Department of a notice of cancellation of the bond from the
surety.
(5) Under the
terms of the bond, the surety will become liable on the bond obligation when
the owner or operator fails to perform as guaranteed by the bond.
(6) The penal sum of the bond must be in an
amount at least equal to the current closure cost estimate, except as provided
in Section264.143(g)(g).
(7)
Whenever the current closure cost estimate increases to an amount greater than
the penal sum, the owner or operator, within 60 days after the increase, must
either cause the penal sum to be increased to an amount at least equal to the
current closure cost estimate and submit evidence of such increase to the
Department, or obtain other financial assurance as specified in this section to
cover the increase. Whenever the current closure cost estimate decreases, the
penal sum may be reduced to the amount of the current closure cost estimate
following written approval by the Department.
(8) Under the terms of the bond, the surety
may cancel the bond by sending notice of cancellation by certified mail to the
owner or operator and to the Department. Cancellation may not occur, however,
during the 120 days beginning on the date of receipt of the notice of
cancellation by both the owner or operator and the Department, as evidenced by
the return receipts.
(9) The owner
or operator may cancel the bond if the Department has given prior written
consent based on his receipt of evidence of alternate financial assurance as
specified in this section.
(c) Surety bond guaranteeing performance of
closure.
(1) An owner or operator may satisfy
the requirements of this section by obtaining a surety bond which conforms to
the requirements of this paragraph and submitting the bond to the Department.
An owner or operator of a new facility must submit the bond to the Department
at least 60 days before the date on which hazardous waste is first received for
treatment, storage, or disposal. The bond must be effective before this initial
receipt of hazardous waste. The surety company issuing the bond must, at a
minimum, be among those listed as acceptable sureties on Federal bonds in
Circular 570 of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
(2) The wording of the surety bond must be
identical to the wording specified in 264.151(c). (revised 12/92)
(3) The owner or operator who uses a surety
bond to satisfy the requirements of this section must also establish a standby
trust fund. Under the terms of the bond, all payments made thereunder will be
deposited by the surety directly into the standby trust fund in accordance with
instructions from the Department. This standby trust must meet the requirements
specified in Section264.143(a)(a), except that:
(i) An originally signed duplicate of the
trust agreement must be submitted to the Department with the surety bond;
and,
(ii) Unless the standby trust
fund is funded pursuant to the requirements of this section, the following are
not required by these regulations:
(A)
Payments into the trust fund as specified in Section264.143(a)(a);
(B) Updating of Schedule A of the trust
agreement (see Section264.151(a)(a)) to show current closure cost
estimates;
(C) Annual valuations as
required by the trust agreement; and,
(D) Notices of nonpayment as required by the
trust agreement.
(4) The bond must guarantee that the owner or
operator will:
(i) Perform final closure in
accordance with the closure plan and other requirements of the permit for the
facility whenever required to do so; or,
(ii) Provide alternate financial assurance as
specified in this section, and obtain the Department's written approval of the
assurance provided, within 90 days after receipt by both the owner or operator
and the Department of a notice of cancellation of the bond from the
surety.
(5) Under the
terms of the bond, the surety will become liable on the bond obligation when
the owner or operator fails to perform as guaranteed by the bond. Following a
final administrative determination that the owner or operator has failed to
perform final closure in accordance with the approved closure plan and other
permit requirements when required to do so, under the terms of the bond the
surety will perform final closure as guaranteed by the bond or will deposit the
amount of the penal sum into the standby trust fund.
(6) The penal sum of the bond must be in an
amount at least equal to the current closure cost estimate.
(7) Whenever the current closure cost
estimate increases to an amount greater than the penal sum, the owner or
operator, within 60 days after the increase, must either cause the penal sum to
be increased to an amount at least equal to the current closure cost estimate
and submit evidence of such increase to the Department, or obtain other
financial assurance as specified in this section. Whenever the current closure
cost estimate decreases, the penal sum may be reduced to the amount of the
current closure cost estimate following written approval by the
Department.
(8) Under the terms of
the bond, the surety may cancel the bond by sending notice of cancellation by
certified mail to the owner or operator and to the Department. Cancellation may
not occur, however, during the 120 days beginning on the date of receipt of the
notice of cancellation by both the owner or operator and the Department, as
evidenced by the return receipts.
(9) The owner or operator may cancel the bond
if the Department has given prior written consent. The Department will provide
such written consent when:
(i) An owner or
operator substitutes alternate financial assurance as specified in this
section; or,
(ii) The Department
releases the owner or operator from the requirements of this section accordance
with Section264.143(i)(i).
(10) The surety will not be liable for
deficiencies in the performance of closure by the owner or operator after the
Department releases the owner or operator from the requirements of this section
in accordance with Section264.143(i)(i).
(d) Closure letter of credit.
(1) An owner or operator may satisfy the
requirements of this section by obtaining an irrevocable standby letter of
credit which conforms to the requirements of this paragraph and submitting the
letter to the Department. An owner or operator of a new facility must submit
the letter of credit to the Department at least 60 days before the date on
which hazardous waste is first received for treatment, storage, or disposal.
The letter of credit must be effective before this initial receipt of hazardous
waste. The issuing institution must be an entity which has the authority to
issue letters of credit and whose letter-of-credit operations are regulated and
examined by a Federal or State agency.
(2) The wording of the letter of credit must
be identical to the wording specified in 264.151(d) of this regulation.
(revised 12/92)
(3) An owner or
operator who uses a letter of credit to satisfy the requirements of this
section must also establish a standby trust fund. Under the terms of the letter
of credit, all amounts paid pursuant to a draft by the Department will be
deposited by the issuing institution directly into the standby trust fund in
accordance with instructions from the Department. This standby trust fund must
meet the requirements of the trust fund specified in Section264.143(a)(a),
except that:
(i) An originally signed
duplicate of the trust agreement must be submitted to the Department with the
letter of credit; and,
(ii) Unless
the standby trust fund is funded pursuant to the requirements of this section,
the following are not required by these regulations:
(A) Payments into the trust fund as specified
in Section264.143(a)(a);
(B)
Updating of Schedule A of the trust agreement (see Section264.151 (a)) to show
current closure cost estimates;
(C)
Annual valuations as required by the trust agreement; and,
(D) Notices of nonpayment as required by the
trust agreement.
(4) The letter of credit must be accompanied
by a letter from the owner or operator referring to the letter of credit by
number, issuing institution, and date, and providing the following information:
the EPA Identification Number, name, and address of the facility, and the
amount of funds assured for closure of the facility by the letter of
credit.
(5) The letter of credit
must be irrevocable and issued for a period of at least 1 year. The letter of
credit must provide that the expiration date will be automatically extended for
a period of at least 1 year unless, at least 120 days before the current
expiration date, the issuing institution notifies both the owner or operator
and the Department by certified mail of a decision not to extend the expiration
date. Under the terms of the letter of credit, the 120 days will begin on the
date when both the owner or operator and the Department have received the
notice, as evidenced by the return receipts.
(6) The letter of credit must be issued in an
amount at least equal to the current closure cost estimate, except as provided
in Section264.143(g)(g).
(7)
Whenever the current closure cost estimate increases to an amount greater than
the amount of the credit, the owner or operator, within 60 days after the
increase, must either cause the amount of the credit to be increased so that it
at least equals the current closure cost estimate and submit evidence of such
increase to the Department, or obtain other financial assurance as specified in
this section to cover the increase. Whenever the current closure cost estimate
decreases, the amount of the credit may be reduced to the amount of the current
closure cost estimate following written approval by the Department.
(8) Following a final administrative
determination pursuant to S.C. 44-56-130 and -140 or section3008 of RCRA that
the owner or operator has failed to perform final closure in accordance with
the closure plan and other permit requirements when required to do so, the
Department may draw on the letter of credit.
(9) If the owner or operator does not
establish alternate financial assurance as specified in this section and obtain
written approval of such alternate assurance from the Department within 90 days
after receipt by both the owner or operator and the Department of a notice from
issuing institution that it has decided not to extend the letter of credit
beyond the current expiration date, the Department will draw on the letter of
credit. The Department may delay the drawing if the issuing institution grants
an extension of the term of the credit. During the last 30 days of any such
extension the Department will draw on the letter of credit if the owner or
operator has failed to provide alternate financial assurance as specified in
this section and obtain written approval of such assurance from the
Department.
(10) The Department
will return the letter of credit to the issuing institution for termination
when:
(i) An owner or operator substitutes
alternate financial assurance as specified in this section; or,
(ii) The Department releases the owner or
operator from the requirements of this section in accordance with
Section264.143(i)(i).
(e) Closure insurance.
(1) An owner or operator may satisfy the
requirements of this section by obtaining closure insurance which conforms to
the requirements of this paragraph and submitting a certificate of such
insurance to the Department. An owner or operator of a new facility must submit
the certificate of insurance to the Department at least 60 days before the date
on which hazardous waste is first received for treatment, storage, or disposal.
The insurance must be effective before this initial receipt of hazardous waste.
At a minimum, the insurer must be licensed to transact the business of
insurance, or eligible to provide insurance as an excess or surplus lines
insurer, in one or more States.
(2)
The wording of the certificate of insurance must be identical to the wording
specified in 264.151(e). (revised 12/92)
(3) The closure insurance policy must be
issued for a face amount at least equal to the current closure cost estimate,
except as provided in Section264.143(g)(g). The term "face amount" means the
total amount the insurer is obligated to pay under the policy. Actual payments
by the insurer will not change the face amount, although the insurer's future
liability will be lowered by the amount of the payments.
(4) The closure insurance policy must
guarantee that funds will be available to close the facility whenever final
closure occurs. The policy must also guarantee that once final closure begins,
the insurer will be responsible for paying out funds, up to an amount equal to
the face amount of the policy, upon the direction of the Department, to such
party or parties as the Department specifies.
(5) After beginning partial or final closure,
an owner or operator or any other person authorized to conduct closure may
request reimbursements for closure expenditures by submitting itemized bills to
the Department. The owner or operator may request reimbursements for partial
closure only if the remaining value of the policy is sufficient to cover the
maximum costs of closing the facility over its remaining operating life. Within
60 days after receiving bills for closure activities, the Department will
instruct the insurer to make reimbursements in such amounts as the Department
specifies in writing, if the Department determines that the partial or final
closure expenditures are in accordance with the approved closure plan or
otherwise justified. If the Department has reason to believe that the maximum
cost of closure over the remaining life of the facility will be significantly
greater than the face amount of the policy, it may withhold reimbursements of
such amounts as it deems prudent until it determines, in accordance with
Section264.143(i)(i), that the owner or operator is no longer required to
maintain financial assurance for final closure of the facility. If the
Department does not instruct the insurer to make such reimbursements, it will
provide the owner or operator with a detailed written statement of
reasons.
(6) The owner or operator
must maintain the policy in full force and effect until the Department consents
to termination of the policy by the owner or operator as specified in paragraph
(e)(10) of this section. Failure to pay the premium, without substitution of
alternate financial assurance as specified in this section, will constitute a
significant violation of these regulations, warranting such remedy as the
Department deems necessary. Such violation will be deemed to begin upon receipt
by the Department of a notice of future cancellation, termination, or failure
to renew due to nonpayment of the premium, rather than upon the date of
expiration.
(7) Each policy must
contain a provision allowing assignment of the policy to a successor owner or
operator. Such assignment may be conditional upon consent of the insurer,
provided such consent is not unreasonably refused.
(8) The policy must provide that the insurer
may not cancel, terminate, or fail to renew the policy except for failure to
pay the premium. The automatic renewal of the policy must, at a minimum,
provide the insured with the option of renewal at the face amount of the
expiring policy. If there is a failure to pay the premium, the insurer may
elect to cancel, terminate, or fail to renew the policy by sending notice by
certified mail to the owner or operator and the Department. Cancellation,
termination, or failure to renew may not occur, however, during the 120 days
beginning with the date of receipt of the notice by both the Department and the
owner or operator, as evidenced by the return receipts. Cancellation,
termination, or failure to renew may not occur and the policy will remain in
full force and effect in the event that on or before the date of expiration:
(i) The Department deems the facility
abandoned; or,
(ii) The permit is
terminated or revoked or a new permit is denied; or,
(iii) Closure is ordered by the Department or
a State court or other court of competent jurisdiction; or,
(iv) The owner or operator is named as debtor
in a voluntary or involuntary proceeding under Title 11 (Bankruptcy), U.S.
Code; or,
(v) The premium due is
paid.
(9) Whenever the
current closure cost estimate increases to an amount greater than the face
amount of the policy, the owner or operator, within 60 days after the increase,
must either cause the face amount to be increased to an amount at least equal
to the current closure cost estimate and submit evidence of such increase to
the Department or obtain other financial assurance as specified in this section
to cover the increase. Whenever the current closure cost estimate decreases,
the face amount may be reduced to the amount of the current closure cost
estimate following written approval by the Department.
(10) The Department will give written consent
to the owner or operator that he may terminate the insurance policy when:
(i) An owner or operator substitutes
alternate financial assurance as specified in this section; or,
(ii) The Department releases the owner or
operator from the requirements of this section in accordance with
Section264.143(i)(i) below.
(f) Financial test and corporate guarantee
for closure.
(1) An owner or operator may
satisfy the requirements of this section by demonstrating that he passes a
financial test as specified in this paragraph. To pass this test the owner or
operator must meet the criteria of either paragraph (f)(1)(i) or (f)(1)(ii) of
this section:
(i) The owner or operator must
have:
(A) Two of the following three ratios:
a ratio of total liabilities to net worth less than 2.0; a ratio of the sum of
net income plus depreciation, depletion, and amortization to total liabilities
greater than 0.1; and a ratio of current assets to current liabilities greater
than 1.5; and
(B) Net working
capital and tangible net worth each at least six times the sum of the current
closure and post-closure cost estimate and the current plugging and abandonment
cost estimates; and
(C) Tangible
net worth of at least $10 million; and,
(D) Assets located in the United States
amounting to at least 90 percent of his total assets or at least six times the
sum of the current closure and post-closure cost estimates and the current
plugging and abandonment cost estimates.
(ii) The owner or operator must have:
(A) A current rating for his most recent bond
issuance of AAA, AA, A, or BBB as issued by Standard and Poor's or Aaa, Aa, A,
or Baa as issued by Moody's; and,
(B) Tangible net worth at least six times the
sum of the current closure and post-closure cost estimates and the current
plugging and abandonment cost estimates; and
(C) Tangible net worth of at least $10
million; and
(D) Assets located in
the United States amounting to at least 90 percent of his total assets or at
least six times the sum of the current closure and post-closure cost estimates
and the current plugging and abandonment cost estimates.
(2) The phrase "current closure
and post-closure cost estimates" as used in paragraph (f)(1) of this section
refers to the cost estimates required to be shown in paragraphs 1 through 4 of
the letter from the owner's or operator's chief financial officer
[Section264.151(f)(f)]. The phrase "current plugging and abandonment cost
estimates" as used in paragraph (f)(1) of this section refers to the cost
estimates required to be shown in paragraphs 1 through 4 of the letter from the
owner's or operator's chief financial officer.
(3) To demonstrate that he meets this test,
the owner or operator must submit the following items to the Department:
(i) A letter signed by the owner's or
operator's chief financial officer and worded as specified in 264.151(f);
(revised 12/92) and,
(ii) A copy of
the independent certified public accountant's report on examination of the
owner's or operator's financial statements for the latest completed fiscal
year; and,
(iii) A special report
from the owner's or operator's independent certified public accountant to the
owner or operator stating that:
(A) He has
compared the dates which the letter from the chief financial officer specifies
as having been derived from the independently audited, year-end financial
statements for the latest fiscal year with the amounts in such financial
statements; and,
(B) In connection
with that procedure, no matters came to his attention which caused him to
believe that the specified data should be adjusted.
(4) An owner or operator of a new
facility must submit the items specified in paragraph (f)(3) of this section to
the Department at least 60 days before the date on which hazardous waste is
first received for treatment, storage, or disposal.
(5) After the initial submission of items
specified in paragraph (f)(3) of this section, the owner or operator must send
updated information to the Department within 90 days after the close of each
succeeding fiscal year. This information must consist of all three items
specified in paragraph (f)(3) of this section.
(6) If the owner or operator no longer meets
the requirements of paragraph (f)(1) of this section, he must send notice to
the Department of intent to establish alternate financial assurance as
specified in this section. The notice must be sent by certified mail within 90
days after the end of the fiscal year for which the year-end financial data
show that the owner or operator no longer meets the requirements. The owner or
operator must provide the alternate financial assurance within 120 days after
the end of such fiscal year.
(7)
The Department may, based on a reasonable belief that the owner or operator may
no longer meet the requirements of paragraph (f)(1) of this section, require
reports of financial condition at any time from the owner or operator in
addition to those specified in paragraph (f)(3) of this section. If the
Department finds, on the basis of such reports or other information, that the
owner or operator no longer meets the requirements of paragraph (f)(1) of this
section, the owner or operator must provide alternate financial assurance as
specified in this section within 30 days after notification of such a
finding.
(8) The Department may
disallow use of this test on the basis of qualifications in the opinion
expressed by the independent certified public accountant in his report on
examination of the owner's or operator's financial statements (see paragraph
(f)(3)(ii) of this section). An adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion will
be cause for disallowance. The Department will evaluate other qualifications on
an individual basis. The owner or operator must provide alternate financial
assurance as specified in this section within 30 days after notification of the
disallowance.
(9) The owner or
operator is no longer required to submit the items specified in paragraph
(f)(3) of this section when:
(i) An owner or
operator substitutes alternate financial assurance as specified in this
section; or,
(ii) The Department
releases the owner or operator from the requirements of this section in
accordance with Section264.143(i)(i).
(10) An owner or operator may meet the
requirements of this section by obtaining a written guarantee. The guarantor
must be the direct or higher-tier parent corporation of the owner or operator,
a firm whose parent corporation is also the parent corporation of the owner or
operator, or a firm with a "substantial business relationship" with the owner
or operator. The guarantor must meet the requirements for owners or operators
in paragraphs (f)(1) through (8) of this section and must comply with the terms
of the corporate guarantee. The wording of the corporate guarantee must be
identical to the wording specified in 264.151(h). The certified copy of the
guarantee must accompany the items sent to the Department as specified in
paragraph (f)(3) of this section. One of these items must be the letter from
the guarantor's chief financial officer. If the guarantor's parent corporation
is also the parent corporation of the owner or operator, the letter must
describe the value received in consideration of the guarantee. If the guarantor
is a firm with a "substantial business relationship" with the owner or
operator, this letter must describe this "substantial business relationship"
and the value received in consideration of the guarantee. The terms of the
corporate guarantee must provide that: (revised 12/93)
(i) If the owner or operator fails to perform
final closure of a facility covered by the corporate guarantee in accordance
with the closure plan and other permit requirements whenever required to do so,
the guarantor will do so or establish a trust fund as specified in
Section264.143(a)(a) in the name of the owner or operator.
(ii) The corporate guarantee will remain in
force unless the guarantor sends notice of cancellation by certified mail to
the owner or operator and to the Department. Cancellation may not occur,
however, during the 120 days beginning on the date of receipt of the notice of
cancellation by both the owner or operator and the Department, as evidenced by
the return receipts.
(iii) If the
owner or operator fails to provide alternate financial assurance as specified
in this section and obtain the written approval of such alternate assurance
from the Department within 90 days after receipt by both the owner or operator
and the Department of a notice of cancellation of the corporate guarantee from
the guarantor, the guarantor will provide such alternative financial assurance
in the name of the owner or operator. Use of multiple financial mechanisms. An
owner or operator may satisfy the requirements of this section by establishing
more than one financial mechanism per facility. These mechanisms are limited to
surety bonds guaranteeing payment into a trust fund, letters of credit, and
insurance. The mechanisms must be as specified in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d)
and (e), respectively, of this section, except that it is the combination of
mechanisms, rather than the single mechanism, which must provide financial
assurance for an amount at least equal to the current closure cost estimate. A
single standby trust fund may be established for two or more mechanisms. The
Department may use any or all of the mechanisms to provide for closure of the
facility.
(g)
Use of multiple financial mechanisms. An owner or operator may satisfy the
requirements of this section by establishing more than one financial mechanism
per facility. These mechanisms are limited to surety bonds guaranteeing payment
into a trust fund, letters of credit, and insurance. The mechanisms must be as
specified in paragraphs (a), (b), (d) and (e), respectively, of this section,
except that it is the combination of mechanisms, rather than the single
mechanism, which must provide financial assurance for an amount at least equal
to the current closure cost estimate. A single standby trust fund may be
established for two or more mechanisms. The Department may use any or all of
the mechanisms to provide for closure of the facility. (revised 12/92,
5/93)
(h) Use of a financial
mechanism for multiple facilities. An owner or operator may use a financial
assurance mechanism specified in this section to meet the requirements of this
section for more than one facility. Evidence of financial assurance submitted
to the Department must include a list showing, for each facility, the EPA
Identification Number, name, address, and the amount of funds for closure
assured by the mechanism. The amount of funds available through the mechanisms
must be no less than the sum of funds that would be available if a separate
mechanism had been established and maintained for each facility. In directing
funds available through the mechanism for closure of any of the facilities
covered by the mechanism, the Department may direct only the amount of funds
designated for that facility, unless the owner or operator agrees to the use of
additional funds available under the mechanism.
(i) Release of the owner or operator from the
requirements of this section. Within 60 days after receiving certifications
from the owner or operator and a qualified Professional Engineer that final
closure has been completed in accordance with the approved closure plan, the
Department will notify the owner or operator in writing that he is no longer
required by this section to maintain financial assurance for final closure of
the facility, unless the Department has reason to believe that final closure
has not been in accordance with the approved closure plan. The Department shall
provide the owner or operator a detailed written statement of any such reason
to believe that closure has not been in accordance with the approved closure
plan.