Code of Federal Regulations Title 40. Protection of Environment § 40.66.71 Determination of compliance

(a) An owner or operator of a source who is paying a noncompliance penalty under this part shall notify the Administrator in writing when he believes that the source has come into and is maintaining compliance with all applicable legal requirements. The notice shall be accompanied by any factual data, analytical materials, and legal arguments which the source owner or operator believes support such claim.

(b) Within 30 days of receipt of a source owner's submittal, the Administrator shall determine whether the source has achieved and is maintaining compliance with applicable legal requirements, and shall notify the source owner or operator of this determination in writing. If the Administrator is unable to conclude, on the basis of the information submitted, whether the source has achieved and is maintaining compliance with applicable legal requirements, he shall inform the owner or operator of any additional material that is needed. Within 30 days of receipt of such additional material, the Administrator shall determine whether the source has achieved and is maintaining compliance, and shall notify the source owner or operator of this determination in writing.

(c) If the Administrator determines that the source has not achieved or is not maintaining compliance with applicable legal requirements, the source owner or operator may petition for reconsideration within 30 days of receipt of the determination. The source owner or operator shall include in this petition any necessary supporting material. Issues not raised in the petition will be deemed waived. The procedures of § 66.41 shall be followed upon the receipt of such petition.

(d) In the event that the applicable legal requirement (as defined in § 66.3(c)) the violation of which forms the basis for the penalty is superseded by another applicable legal requirement (as defined in § 66.3(c)) the owner or operator of a source liable for a noncompliance penalty under this part shall notify the Administrator in writing that the owner or operator believes that the applicable legal requirement is superseded and that the period of noncompliance covered by the notice of noncompliance is ended. The notice shall be accompanied by the legal arguments which the source owner or operator believes support such a claim. Within 30 days of receipt of a source owner or operator's notice, the Administrator shall determine whether the period of covered noncompliance is ended and shall notify the source owner or operator of this determination in writing. In cases where the superseding EPA-approved requirement was not approved by EPA within the time period required by statute, the period of covered noncompliance shall be deemed to have ended on the date when EPA under the statute should have acted.