§ 171.311 - EPA-administered applicator certification programs.

§ 171.311 EPA-administered applicator certification programs.

(a) Applicability. This section applies in any State or area of Indian country where there is no approved State or Tribal certification plan in effect.

(b) Certification requirement. In any State or area of Indian country where EPA administers a certification plan, any person who uses or supervises the use of any restricted use pesticide must meet one of the following criteria:

(1) A commercial applicator must be certified in each category and subcategory, if any, as described in the EPA-administered plan, for which the applicator is applying or supervising the application of restricted use pesticides.

(2) A private applicator must be certified in each category and subcategory, if any, as described in the EPA-administered plan, for which the applicator is applying or supervising the application of restricted use pesticides.

(3) A noncertified applicator may only use a restricted use pesticide under the direct supervision of an applicator certified under the EPA-administered plan, in accordance with the requirements in § 171.201, and only for uses in categories authorized by that certified applicator's certification.

(c) Implementation of EPA-administered plans in States.

(1) In any State where this section is applicable, the Agency, in consultation with the Governor, may implement an EPA-administered plan for the certification of applicators of restricted use pesticides.

(2) Such a plan will meet the applicable requirements of § 171.303. Prior to the implementation of the plan, the Agency will publish in the Federal Register for review and comment a summary of the proposed EPA-administered plan for the certification of applicators and will generally make available copies of the proposed plan within the State. The summary will include all of the following:

(i) An outline of the proposed procedures and requirements for private and commercial applicator certification and recertification.

(ii) A description of the proposed categories and subcategories for certification.

(iii) A description of any proposed conditions for the recognition of State, Tribal, or Federal agency certifications.

(iv) An outline of the proposed arrangements for coordination and communication between the Agency and the State regarding applicator certifications and pesticide compliance monitoring and enforcement.

(d) Implementation of EPA-administered plans in Indian country.

(1) In any area of Indian country where this section is applicable and consistent with the provisions of § 171.307(c), the Agency, in consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribe(s), may implement a plan for the certification of applicators of restricted use pesticides.

(2) An EPA-administered plan may be implemented in the Indian country of an individual Tribe or multiple Tribes located within a specified geographic area.

(3) Such a plan will meet the applicable requirements of § 171.303 and § 171.307(c). Prior to the implementation of the plan, the Agency will publish in the Federal Register for review and comment a summary of the proposed EPA-administered plan for the certification of applicators and will generally make available copies of the proposed plan within the area(s) of Indian country to be covered by the proposed plan. The summary will include all of the following:

(i) A description of the area(s) of Indian country to be covered by the proposed plan.

(ii) An outline of the proposed procedures and requirements for private and commercial applicator certification and recertification.

(iii) A description of the proposed categories and subcategories for certification.

(iv) A description of any proposed conditions for the recognition of State, Tribal, or Federal agency certifications.

(v) An outline of the proposed arrangements for coordination and communication between the Agency and the relevant Tribe(s) regarding applicator certifications and pesticide compliance monitoring and enforcement.

(e) Denial, suspension, modification, or revocation of a certification.

(1) The Agency may suspend all or part of a certified applicator's certification issued under an EPA-administered plan or, after opportunity for a hearing, may deny issuance of, or revoke or modify, an applicator's certification issued under an EPA-administered plan, if the Agency finds that the applicator has been convicted under FIFRA section 14(b), has been subject to a final order imposing a civil penalty under FIFRA section 14(a), or has committed any of the following acts:

(i) Used any registered pesticide in a manner inconsistent with its labeling.

(ii) Made available for use, or used, any registered pesticide classified for restricted use other than in accordance with FIFRA section 3(d) and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

(iii) Refused to keep and maintain any records required pursuant to this section.

(iv) Made false or fraudulent records, invoices or reports.

(v) Failed to comply with any limitations or restrictions on a valid current certificate.

(vi) Violated any other provision of FIFRA and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

(vii) Allowed a noncertified applicator to use a restricted use pesticide in a manner inconsistent with the requirements in § 171.201.

(viii) Violated any provision of a State, Tribal or Federal agency certification plan or its associated laws or regulations.

(2) If the Agency intends to deny, revoke, or modify an applicator's certification, the Agency will:

(i) Notify the applicator of all of the following:

(A) The legal and factual ground(s) upon which the denial, revocation, or modification is based.

(B) The time period during which the denial, revocation or modification is effective, whether permanent or otherwise.

(C) The conditions, if any, under which the applicator may become certified or recertified.

(D) Any additional conditions the Agency may impose.

(ii) Provide the applicator an opportunity to request an informal hearing prior to final Agency action to deny, revoke or modify the certification, and the opportunity to offer written statements of facts, explanations, comments, and arguments relevant to the proposed action.

(3) If a hearing is requested by an applicator pursuant to paragraph (e)(2)(ii) of this section, the Agency will appoint an attorney in the Agency as Presiding Officer to conduct an informal hearing. No person shall serve as Presiding Officer if he or she has had any prior connection with the specific case.

(4) The Presiding Officer appointed pursuant to paragraph (e)(3) of this section shall do all of the following:

(i) Conduct a fair, orderly and impartial hearing, without unnecessary delay.

(ii) Provide such procedural opportunities as the Presiding Officer may deem necessary to a fair and impartial hearing.

(iii) Consider all relevant evidence, explanation, comment and argument properly submitted.

(iii) Promptly notify the parties of the final decision and order. Such an order is a final Agency action subject to judicial review in accordance with FIFRA section 16.

(5) If the Agency determines that the public health, interest or welfare warrants immediate action to suspend the certified applicator's certification during the course of the procedures specified in paragraphs (e)(2) through (e)(4) of this section, the Agency will do all of the following:

(i) Notify the certified applicator of the ground(s) upon which the suspension action is based.

(ii) Notify the certified applicator of the time period during which the suspension is effective.

(iii) Notify the certified applicator of the Agency's intent to revoke or modify the certification, as appropriate, in accord with paragraph (e)(2) of this section. If such revocation or modification notice has not previously been issued, it must be issued at the same time the suspension notice is issued.

(6) In cases where the act constituting grounds for suspension of a certification is neither willful nor contrary to the public interest, health, or safety, the certified applicator may have additional procedural rights under 5 U.S.C. 558(c).

(7) Any notice, decision or order issued by the Agency under paragraph (e) of this section, and any documents and information considered by the Presiding Officer in issuing an order under paragraph (e)(4)(iv) of this section, shall be available to the public except as otherwise provided by FIFRA section 10 or by 40 CFR part 2. Any hearing at which oral testimony is presented shall be open to the public, except that the Presiding Officer may exclude the public to the extent necessary to allow presentation of information that may be entitled to confidentiality under FIFRA section 10 or under 40 CFR part 2.

(f) Restricted use pesticide retail dealer reporting and recordkeeping requirements, availability of records, and failure to comply.

(1) Reporting requirements. Each restricted use pesticide retail dealer in a State or area of Indian country where the Agency implements an EPA-administered plan must do both of the following:

(i) Report to the Agency the business name by which the restricted use pesticide retail dealer operates and the name and business address of each of his or her dealerships. This report must be submitted to the appropriate EPA Regional office no later than 60 days after the EPA-administered plan becomes effective or 60 days after the date the person becomes a restricted use pesticide retail dealer in an area where an EPA-administered plan is in effect, whichever occurs later.

(ii) Submit revisions to the initial report to the appropriate EPA Regional office reflecting any name changes, additions or deletions of dealerships. Revisions must be submitted to the appropriate EPA Regional office within 10 days of the occurrence of such change, addition or deletion.

(2) Recordkeeping requirement. A restricted use pesticide retail dealer is required to create and maintain records of each sale of restricted use pesticides to any person, excluding transactions solely between persons who are pesticide producers, registrants, wholesalers, or retail sellers, acting only in those capacities. Each restricted use pesticide retail dealer must maintain at each individual dealership records of each transaction where a restricted use pesticide is distributed or sold by that dealership to any person. Records of each such transaction must be maintained for a period of two years after the date of the transaction and must include all of the following information:

(i) Name and address of the residence or principal place of business of each certified applicator to whom the restricted use pesticide was distributed or sold, or if applicable, the name and address of the residence or principal place of business of each noncertified person to whom the restricted use pesticide was distributed or sold, for application by a certified applicator.

(ii) The certification number on the certification document presented to the seller evidencing the valid certification of the certified applicator authorized to purchase the restricted use pesticide, the State, Tribe or Federal agency that issued the certification document, the expiration date of the certified applicator's certification, and the category(ies) in which the certified applicator is certified relevant to the pesticide(s) sold.

(iii) The product name and EPA registration number of the restricted use pesticide(s) distributed or sold in the transaction, including any emergency exemption or State special local need registration number, if applicable.

(iv) The quantity of the restricted use pesticide(s) distributed or sold in the transaction.

(v) The date of the transaction.

(3) Availability of required records. Each restricted use pesticide retail dealer must, upon request of any authorized officer or employee of the Agency, or other authorized agent or person duly designated by the Agency, furnish or permit such person at all reasonable times to have access to and copy all records required to be maintained under this section.

(4) Failure to comply. Any person who fails to comply with the provisions of this section may be subject to civil or criminal sanctions, under FIFRA section 14, or 18 U.S.C. 1001.