Texas Administrative Code
Title 30 - ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Part 1 - TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Chapter 305 - CONSOLIDATED PERMITS
Subchapter G - ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS FOR HAZARDOUS AND INDUSTRIAL SOLID WASTE STORAGE, PROCESSING, OR DISPOSAL PERMITS
Section 305.147 - Monitoring of Commercial Hazardous Waste Management Facility Operations

Universal Citation: 30 TX Admin Code § 305.147

Current through Reg. 50, No. 13; March 28, 2025

Any issued, amended, modified, transferred, extended, or renewed commercial hazardous waste management facility permit shall include the following requirements.

(1) Within the first year after commission action on the permit the facility owner or operator shall provide notice to affected persons of intent to have an independent annual environmental audit of the facility performed. The notice shall be issued in accordance with the following procedure.

(A) The notice shall state the names of at least three independent inspectors nominated by the facility owner or operator to perform the environmental audit and shall be published in the newspaper of the largest general circulation that is published in the county in which the facility is located and all adjacent counties or, if no newspaper is published in the county, in a newspaper of general circulation in the county. The facility owner or operator shall not nominate an inspector who is employed or who has been employed by the facility.

(B) The notice shall announce a meeting time and place, to be located near the facility location, be held within 15 days of the published notice in order for the facility to receive comments from and allow for participation by interested affected persons in the selection of the independent inspector. The interested affected persons may either agree to one of the nominated independent inspectors or nominate other independent inspectors if they do not approve of the nominee list. The selection of the independent inspector shall be agreed to by the facility owner or operator and the interested affected persons no later than 30 days from the date of the meeting. The name of the selected independent inspector shall be submitted to the commission no later than 15 days from the date of selection for the commission's approval. The commission shall approve the independent inspector after it has determined that the independent inspector has the necessary expertise to perform the audit and does not have a conflict of interest with any of the parties involved in the inspector selection.

(C) The published notice may not be smaller than 96.8 square centimeters or 15 square inches with the shortest dimension at least 7.6 centimeters or three inches and shall contain, at a minimum, the following information:
(i) the facility owner's or operator's name;

(ii) the location of the facility;

(iii) the facility permit number;

(iv) the time and date of the scheduled annual environmental audit;

(v) the names of at least three nominated independent inspectors;

(vi) the date and time and location of the selection meeting; and

(vii) the name and telephone number of a facility contact person.

(D) The facility owner or operator shall provide a copy of the published notice to local jurisdictions where the facility is located.

(E) The facility owner or operator shall provide the commission with an affidavit including a newspaper tear sheet of the published notice and sworn statement of the editor or publisher certifying that the notice was given as required by this section. Acceptance of the affidavit creates a rebuttable presumption that the applicant has complied with this section.

(2) If the facility owner or operator and interested affected persons cannot agree on the selection of an independent inspector within the time frame specified in paragraph (1)(B) of this section, the commission shall select an independent inspector. The commission's selection, however, shall not be limited to either the facility owner or operator's nominee list or the interested affected persons' nominee list. The commission shall take steps necessary to assure that the independent inspector or entity selected to perform the audit has the necessary expertise to perform the audit, is not a business competitor of the facility, and does not have a conflict of interest with any of the parties involved in the inspector selection.

(3) The facility owner or operator shall pay the cost of notice required to be provided under this section.

(4) The facility owner or operator shall be responsible for the costs of an independent annual environmental audit. The facility owner or operator shall also maintain responsibility for procuring the selected independent inspector. The commission shall not be a party to such procurement nor warrant the workmanship of the selected inspector.

(5) The facility owner or operator shall submit the results of an independent annual environmental audit in writing to the executive director and must mail a copy of the audit to those affected persons who participated in the selection of the independent inspector.

(6) The scope of the independent annual environmental audit may encompass any and all provisions of environmental permits required for the facility and all relevant statutes and regulations regarding the management of the facility.

(7) The facility is not required to perform the annual independent environmental audit if the facility does not receive any comments from affected persons. If the facility performs the independent audit despite lack of response, the facility must obtain the commission's approval of the selected independent inspector prior to the audit.

(8) The facility shall provide for fence line and ambient air quality monitoring if and as required by the commission.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Texas may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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