Source: http://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewXML.cfm?textid=13148
Timestamp: 2019-03-24 14:16:45
Document Index: 341556994

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 9601', '§ 62', '§ 62', '§ 9601', '§ 6901', '§ 10', '§ 62', '§ 2', '§ 10']

Clarifying definitions, applicability of fees for phased ...
1/22/19 3:12 PM
"Adjacent property" means either properties meeting at a shared property boundary or parcels of land that are not widely separated, including at a point or corner, or separated only by one or more relatively narrow linear features. Such linear features may include, but are not limited to, roadways, railways, and narrow bodies of water.
"Carcinogen" means a chemical classification for the purpose of risk assessment as an agent that is known or suspected to cause cancer in humans, including but not limited to a known or likely human carcinogen or a probable or possible human carcinogen under an EPA weight-of-evidence classification system.
"Contaminant" means any man-made or man-induced alteration of the chemical, physical or biological integrity of soils, sediments, air and surface water or groundwater including, but not limited to, such alterations caused by any hazardous substance (as defined in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, 42 USC § 9601(14)), hazardous waste (as defined in 9VAC20-60), solid waste (as defined in 9VAC20-81), petroleum (as defined in Articles 9 (§ 62.1-44.34:8 et seq.) and 11 (§ 62.1-44.34:14 et seq.) of the Virginia State Water Control Law), or natural gas.
"Engineering controls" means physical modification to a site or facility to reduce or eliminate potential for exposure to contaminants. These include, but are not limited to, stormwater conveyance systems, pump and treat systems, slurry walls, vapor mitigation systems, liner systems, caps, monitoring systems, and leachate collection systems.
"Hazard index (HI)" means the sum of more than one hazard quotient for multiple contaminants or multiple exposure pathways or both. The HI is calculated separately for chronic, subchronic, and shorter duration exposures.
"Institutional controls" means legal or contractual restrictions on property use that remain effective after remediation is completed and are used to reduce or eliminate the potential for exposure to contaminants. The term may include, but is not limited to, deed, land use, and water use restrictions and environmental covenants.
"Land use controls" means legal or physical restrictions on the use of, or access to, a site to reduce or eliminate potential for exposure to contaminants or prevent activities that could interfere with the effectiveness of remediation. Land use controls include but are not limited to engineering and institutional controls.
Applicants who are not the site owner must demonstrate that they have access to the property at the time of payment of the phase 2 registration fee in accordance with 9VAC20-160-60 and must maintain such right of access until a certificate is issued or participation in the program is terminated pursuant to 9VAC20-160-100.
C. Sites are eligible for participation in the program if (i) remediation has not been clearly mandated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the department, or a court pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (42 USC § 9601 et seq.), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (42 USC § 6901 et seq.), the Virginia Waste Management Act (§ 10.1-1400 et seq. of the Code of Virginia), the Virginia State Water Control Law (§ 62.1-44.2 et seq. of the Code of Virginia), or other applicable statutory or common law; or (ii) jurisdiction of the statutes listed in clause (i) has been waived.
1. A site on which an eligible party has performed remediation of a release is potentially eligible for the program if the actions can be documented in a way which are equivalent to the requirements for this chapter, and provided the site meets applicable remediation levels.
2. The site at which the release occurred is subject to the Virginia Hazardous Waste Management Regulations (9VAC20-60) (VHWMR), is a permitted facility, is applying for or should have applied for a permit, is under interim status or should have applied for interim status, or was previously under interim status, and is thereby subject to requirements of the VHWMR;
9VAC20-160-40. Application for participation.
A. The application for participation in the Voluntary Remediation Program shall provide the elements listed below:
1. An overview of the project, transaction, or other reason for application for participation in the program.
2. A statement of the applicant's eligibility to participate in the program (e.g., proof of ownership, security interest, etc.).
3. For authorized agents, a letter of authorization from an eligible party.
4. 3. A plat or map that indicates the approximate acreage and boundaries of the site. If the site is a portion of a larger property, then the plat or map shall show the approximate boundaries of both the site and the associated larger property.
5. 4. A general operational history of the site.
6. 5. A general description of information known to or ascertainable by the applicant pertaining to (i) the nature and extent of any contamination; and (ii) past or present releases, both at the site and immediately contiguous to the site.
7. 6. A discussion of the potential jurisdiction of other existing environmental regulatory programs requiring clean up remediation of the release being proposed for admittance to the program, or documentation of a waiver thereof.
8. 7. An application signed by the applicant attesting that to the best of the applicant's knowledge all of the information as set forth in this subsection is true and accurate.
9. If the applicant is not the owner of the property, the applicant shall provide written documentation that the owner of the property:
a. Consents in writing to the submission of the application; and
b. Agrees in writing that the information set forth in the application is substantially correct to the best of the owner's knowledge.
B. The department shall review the application for completeness and notify the applicant within 15 days of the application's receipt whether the application is administratively complete or incomplete. Within 60 days of the department's receipt of a complete application, the department shall verify whether or not the applicant and the site meet the eligibility criteria set forth in 9VAC20-160-30. The department reserves the right to conduct eligibility verification inspections of the candidate site during the eligibility verification review.
C. If the department makes a tentative decision to reject the application, it shall notify the applicant in writing that the application has been tentatively rejected and provide an explanation of the reasons for the proposed rejection. Within 30 days of the applicant's receipt of notice of rejection the applicant may (i) submit additional information to correct the inadequacies of the rejected application or (ii) accept the rejection. The department's tentative decision to reject an application will become a final agency action under the Virginia Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq. of the Code of Virginia) upon receipt of an applicant's written acceptance of the department's decision to reject an application, or in the event an applicant fails to respond within the 30 days specified in this subsection, upon expiration of the 30-day period. If within 30 days an applicant submits additional information to correct the inadequacies of an application, the review process shall begin again in accordance with this section.
A. For applicants that submitted an application that was received by the department prior to January 29, 2014, the registration fee submitted and any registration fee refund sought shall be in accordance with the requirements of this section. On and after July 1, 2014, any addition of acreage to a site participating in the program based upon an application subject to registration fees under this section shall require a new application for the additional acreage, which shall be subject to registration fees pursuant to the requirements of 9VAC20-160-65. If the participant elects to subdivide the site or conduct a phased remediation project requiring multiple certificates for the site, the additional site or sites shall be subject to phase 2 registration fees as required by 9VAC20-160-65 C 1 b and phase 3 registration fees as required by 9VAC20-160-65 D 6.
B. The registration fee shall be at least 1.0% of the actual cost of the remediation at the site, not to exceed $5000. To determine the appropriate registration fee, the applicant shall provide an estimate of the anticipated total cost of remediation and remit that amount. As an alternative to providing an estimate, the applicant may elect to pay the maximum registration fee.
A. In accordance with § 10.1-1232 A 5 of the Code of Virginia, the applicant shall submit a registration fee to defray the cost of the program. For applicants submitting an application that is received by the department on or after January 29, 2014, and prior to July 1, 2014, the registration fee submitted and any registration fee refund sought shall be in accordance with the requirements of this section. On and after July 1, 2014, any addition of acreage to a site participating in the program based upon an application subject to registration fees under this section shall require a new application for the additional acreage, which shall be subject to registration fees pursuant to the requirements of 9VAC20-160-65. If the participant elects to subdivide the site or conduct a phased remediation project requiring multiple certificates for the site, the additional site or sites shall be subject to phase 2 registration fees as required by 9VAC20-160-65 C 1 b and phase 3 registration fees as required by 9VAC20-160-65 D 6.
C. Failure to remit the required registration fee within 90 days of the date of eligibility determination shall result in the loss of eligibility status of the applicant. The applicant must reestablish his eligibility for participation in the program and the eligibility of the site, unless the department agrees to extend the period for remitting the registration fee. Once eligibility is lost for failure to remit the registration fee pursuant to this subsection, the applicant shall submit a new application in order to reestablish his eligibility for participation in the program and the eligibility of the site and shall be subject to the registration fees under the provisions of 9VAC20-160-65.
1. Payment of the phase 2 registration fee shall be required after eligibility has been verified by the department and prior to technical review of submittals pursuant to 9VAC20-160-80. Upon receipt of the phase 2 registration fee the site and applicant shall be considered by the department to be participating in the program.
c. No phase 2 registration fee shall be required for a site that has been determined to be eligible for participation in the program based upon an application received by the department prior to July 1, 2014. unless the site requires more than a single certificate to be issued.
D. Phase 3 of the registration fee shall be an annual program cost defrayment fee in the amount of $4,500. If a site has been determined to be eligible for participation in the Voluntary Remediation Program based upon an application received by the department on or after July 1, 2014, and is participating in the Voluntary Remediation Program, a phase 3 registration fee shall be assessed for that site as follows:
1. On November 1 of each calendar year, any site participating in the program on that day shall be assessed a phase 3 registration fee if the application on which the eligibility determination was based was received by the department in a calendar year prior to that year. For example:
a. Any site participating in the program on November 1, 2015, based upon an application that had been received by the department in calendar year 2014 (on or after July 1, 2014) will be assessed a phase 3 registration fee and will be billed for that assessment on March 1, 2016.
b. a. For example, Anyany eligible site participating in the program on November 1, 2017, based upon an application that had been received by the department in calendar year 2014 (on or after July 1, 2014), 2015, or 2016 will be assessed a phase 3 registration fee to be billed on March 1, 2018.
b. For any site where the application was received prior to July 1, 2014, the site is not subject to a phase 3 registration fee unless the site requires multiple certificates (e.g. original site divided and certificates are issued at separate times.)
c. Sites that are not participating in the program, including sites that have not yet been determined to be eligible to participate in the program; sites that have had a certificate issued pursuant to 9VAC20-160-110 prior to November 1; and sites that have been terminated from participation in the program pursuant to 9VAC20-160-100 prior to November 1 are not subject to a phase 3 registration fee assessment for that calendar year and will not be billed on March 1 of the following year.
6. No phase 3 registration fee shall be assessed for a site participating in the program based upon an application received by the department prior to July 1, 2014. unless the participant elected to subdivide the site or conduct a phased remediation project requiring multiple certificates for the site.
I. For a site that has been determined to be eligible for participation in the program based upon an application received by the department prior to July 1, 2014, a request to change the participant for such site received by the department on or after July 1, 2014, or the department making such change, will not in and of itself subject the site to the fees under this section.
A. The Voluntary Remediation Report shall consist of the following components: a Site Characterization, a Risk Assessment, a Remedial Action Plan, a Demonstration of Completion, and Documentation of Public Notice. Each separate component of the Voluntary Remediation Report shall be submitted as listed below:
1. The Site Characterization component shall provide an understanding of the site conditions including the identification and description of each area of concern (or source); the nature and extent of releases to all media, including a map of the onsite and offsite vertical and horizontal extent of contaminants above levels consistent with 9VAC20-160-90; and a discussion of the potential risk or risks posed by the release. If remedial activities have occurred prior to enrollment, this information shall be included.
3. The Remedial Action Plan component shall propose the specific activities, a schedule for those activities, any permits required to initiate and complete the remediation, and specific design plans for implementing remediation that will achieve the remediation level objectives specified in the Risk Assessment component of the report. Control or elimination of continuing onsite source or sources of releases to the environment shall be discussed. Land use controls and any permits required for the remediation process should be discussed as appropriate. If no remedial action is necessary, the Remedial Action Plan shall discuss the reasoning for no action.
c. A description of any site restrictions including, but not limited to, land use controls that are proposed for the certificate.
e. Certification A statement signed by the participant or authorized agent that to the best of the participant's knowledge, the activities performed at the site pursuant to the chapter have been in compliance with all applicable regulations.
C. All work, to include sampling and analysis, shall be performed in accordance with Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste, USEPA SW-846, revised March 2009, or other media-specific methods approved by the department and completed using appropriate quality assurance/quality control protocols. All analyses shall be performed by laboratories certified by the Virginia Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (VELAP). Laboratory certificates of analysis shall be included with applicable reports.
D. While participating in the program, the participant shall notify the department in writing within 30 days of any change in property ownership. and if the participant changes, then the new participant shall notify the department within 30 days of the change.
3. All provisions of the approved final remedial action plan as applicable have been completed;
4. All applicable requirements of the regulations have been completed;
D. For sites that do not achieve the unrestricted use classification, land use controls may be proffered in order to develop remediation levels based on restricted use. The restrictions imposed upon a site may be media-specific, may vary according to site-specific conditions, and may be applied to limit present and future use. All controls necessary to attain the restricted use classification shall be described in the certificate as provided in this section. and defined in a declaration of restrictive covenants. Land use controls accepted by the department for use at the site are considered remediation for the purposes of this chapter.
G. The certificate shall specify the conditions for which immunity is being accorded, including, but not limited to:
I. The certificate is not and shall not be interpreted to be a permit or a modification of an existing permit or administrative order issued pursuant to state law, nor shall it in any way relieve the participant of its obligation to comply with any other federal or state law, regulation or administrative order. Any new permit or administrative order, or modification of an existing permit or administrative order, must be accomplished in accordance with applicable federal and state laws and regulations.
9VAC20-160-120. Public notice.
A. The participant shall give public notice of the proposed voluntary remediation. The notice shall be made after the department accepts the Site Characterization component of the Voluntary Remediation Report and the proposed or completed remediation and shall occur prior to the department's issuing a certificate. Such notice shall be paid for by the participant.
B. The participant shall:
1. Provide written notice to the local government in which the facility is located;
2. Provide written notice to all adjacent property owners and other owners whose property has been affected by contaminants as determined pursuant to the provisions of subdivision A 1 of 9VAC20-160-70; and
3. Publish a notice once in a newspaper of general circulation in the area affected by the voluntary action.
C. A comment period of at least 30 days must follow issuance of the notices pursuant to this section. The department, at its discretion, may increase the duration of the comment period to 60 days. The contents of each public notice required pursuant to subsection B of this section shall include:
1. The name and address of the participant and the location of the proposed voluntary remediation;
2. A brief description of the general nature of the release, any remediation, and any proposed land use controls;
3. The address and telephone number of a specific person familiar with the remediation from whom information regarding the voluntary remediation may be obtained; and
4. A brief description of how to submit comments.
D. The participant shall send all commenters a letter acknowledging receipt of written comments and providing responses to the same.
E. The participant shall provide the following as documentation of public notice required in subdivision A 5 of 9VAC20-160-70:
1. A signed statement that the participant has sent a copy of the provided public notice as required by subsection B of this section;
2. A copy of the public notice and a list of names and addresses of all persons to whom the notice was sent; and
3. Copies of all written comments received during the public comment period, copies of acknowledgement letters, and copies of any response to comments, as well as an evaluation of the comment's impact on the planned or completed remedial action or actions.