§ 2.302 - Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Clean Water Act.

§ 2.302 Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Clean Water Act.

(a) Definitions. For the purposes of this section:

(1) Act means the Clean Water Act, as amended, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.

(2)

(i) Effluent data means, with reference to any source of discharge of any pollutant (as that term is defined in section 502(6) of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1362 (6)) -

(A) Information necessary to determine the identity, amount, frequency, concentration, temperature, or other characteristics (to the extent related to water quality) of any pollutant which has been discharged by the source (or of any pollutant resulting from any discharge from the source), or any combination of the foregoing;

(B) Information necessary to determine the identity, amount, frequency, concentration, temperature, or other characteristics (to the extent related to water quality) of the pollutants which, under an applicable standard or limitation, the source was authorized to discharge (including, to the extent necessary for such purpose, a description of the manner or rate of operation of the source); and

(C) A general description of the location and/or nature of the source to the extent necessary to identify the source and to distinguish it from other sources (including, to the extent necessary for such purposes, a description of the device, installation, or operation constituting the source).

(ii) Notwithstanding paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section, the following information shall be considered to be effluent data only to the extent necessary to allow EPA to disclose publicly that a source is (or is not) in compliance with an applicable standard or limitation, or to allow EPA to demonstrate the feasibility, practicability, or attainability (or lack thereof) of an existing or proposed standard or limitation:

(A) Information concerning research, or the results of research, on any product, method, device, or installation (or any component thereof) which was produced, developed, installed, and used only for research purposes; and

(B) Information concerning any product, method, device, or installation (or any component thereof) designed and intended to be marketed or used commercially but not yet so marketed or used.

(3) Standard or limitation means any prohibition, any effluent limitation, or any toxic, pre-treatment or new source performance standard established or publicly proposed pursuant to the Act or pursuant to regulations under the Act, including limitations or prohibitions in a permit issued or proposed by EPA or by a State under section 402 of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1342.

(4) Proceeding means any rulemaking, adjudication, or licensing conducted by EPA under the Act or under regulations which implement the Act, except for determinations under this part.

(b) Applicability.

(1) This section applies only to business information -

(i) Provided to or obtained by EPA under section 308 of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1318, by or from the owner or operator of any point source, for the purpose of carrying out the objective of the Act (including but not limited to developing or assisting in the development of any standard or limitation under the Act, or determining whether any person is in violation of any such standard or limitation); or

(ii) Provided to or obtained by EPA under section 509(a) of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1369(a).

(2) Information will be considered to have been provided or obtained under section 308 of the Act if it was provided in response to a request by EPA made for any of the purposes stated in section 308, or if its submission could have been required under section 308, regardless of whether section 308 was cited as the authority for any request for the information, whether an order to provide the information was issued under section 309(a)(3) of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1319(a)(3), whether a civil action was brought under section 309(b) of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1319(b), and whether the information was provided directly to EPA or through some third person.

(3) Information will be considered to have been provided or obtained under section 509(a) of the Act if it was provided in response to a subpoena issued under section 509(a), or if its production could have been required by subpoena under section 509(a), regardless of whether section 509(a) was cited as the authority for any request for the information, whether a subpoena was issued by EPA, whether a court issued an order under section 307(a), or whether the information was provided directly to EPA or through some third person.

(4) This section specifically does not apply to information obtained under section 310(d) or 312(g)(3) of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1320(d), 1322(g)(3).

(c) Basic rules which apply without change. Sections 2.201 through 2.207, 2.209, 2.211 through 2.215 apply without change to information to which this section applies.

(d) [Reserved]

(e) Substantive criteria for use in confidentiality determinations. Section 2.208 applies to information to which this section applies, except that information which is effluent data or a standard or limitation is not eligible for confidential treatment. No information to which this section applies is voluntarily submitted information.

(f) Availability of information not entitled to confidential treatment. Section 2.210 does not apply to information to which this section applies. Effluent data, standards or limitations, and any other information provided or obtained under section 308 of the Act which is determined under this subpart not to be entitled to confidential treatment, shall be available to the public notwithstanding any other provision of this part. Effluent data and standards or limitations provided in response to a subpoena issued under section 509(a) of the Act shall be available to the public notwithstanding any other provision of this part. Information (other than effluent data and standards or limitations) provided in response to a subpoena issued under section 509(a) of the Act, which is determined under this subpart not to be entitled to confidential treatment, shall be available to the public, unless EPA determines that the information is exempt from mandatory disclosure under 5 U.S.C. 552(b) for reasons other than reasons of business confidentiality and cannot or should not be made available to the public.

(g) Disclosure of information relevant to a proceeding.

(1) Under sections 308 and 509(a) of the Act, any information to which this section applies may be released by EPA because of the relevance of the information to a proceeding, notwithstanding the fact that the information otherwise might be entitled to confidential treatment under this subpart. Release of information to which this section applies because of its relevance to a proceeding shall be made only in accordance with this paragraph (g).

(2)-(4) The provisions of § 2.301(g) (2), (3), and (4) are incorporated by reference as paragraphs (g) (2), (3), and (4), respectively of this section.

(h) Disclosure to authorized representatives.

(1) Under sections 308 and 509(a) of the Act, EPA possesses authority to disclose to any authorized representative of the United States any information to which this section applies, notwithstanding the fact that the information might otherwise be entitled to confidential treatment under this subpart. Such authority may be exercised only in accordance with paragraph (h)(2) or (h)(3) of this section.

(2)-(3) The provisions of § 2.301(h) (2) and (3) are incorporated by reference as paragraphs (h) (2) and (3), respectively, of this section.

[41 FR 36902, Sept. 1, 1976, as amended at 43 FR 40003, Sept. 8, 1978]