§ 270.10 - General application requirements.

§ 270.10 General application requirements.

(a) Applying for a permit. Below is information on how to obtain a permit and where to find requirements for specific permits:

(1) If you are covered by RCRA permits by rule (§ 270.60), you need not apply.

(2) If you currently have interim status, you must apply for permits when required by the Director.

(3) If you are required to have a permit (including new applicants and permittees with expiring permits), you must complete, sign, and submit an application to the Director, as described in this section and §§ 270.70 through 270.73.

(4) If you are seeking an emergency permit, the procedures for application, issuance, and administration are found exclusively in § 270.61.

(5) If you are seeking a research, development, and demonstration permit, the procedures for application, issuance, and administration are found exclusively in § 270.65.

(6) If you are seeking a standardized permit, the procedures for application and issuance are found in part 124, subpart G of this chapter and subpart J of this part.

(b) Who applies? When a facility or activity is owned by one person but is operated by another person, it is the operator's duty to obtain a permit, except that the owner must also sign the permit application.

(c) Completeness. The Director shall not issue a permit before receiving a complete application for a permit except for permits by rule, or emergency permits. An application for a permit is complete when the Director receives an application form and any supplemental information which are completed to his satisfaction. An application for a permit is complete notwithstanding the failure of the owner or operator to submit the exposure information described in paragraph (j) of this section. The Director may deny a permit for the active life of a hazardous waste management facility or unit before receiving a complete application for a permit.

(d) Information requirements. All applicants for RCRA permits shall provide information set forth in § 270.13 and applicable sections in §§ 270.14 through 270.29 to the Director, using the application form provided by the Director.

(e) Existing HWM facilities and interim status qualifications.

(1) Owners and operators of existing hazardous waste management facilities or of hazardous waste management facilities in existence on the effective date of statutory or regulatory amendments under the act that render the facility subject to the requirement to have a RCRA permit must submit part A of their permit application no later than:

(i) Six months after the date of publication of regulations which first require them to comply with the standards set forth in 40 CFR part 265 or 266, or

(ii) Thirty days after the date they first become subject to the standards set forth in 40 CFR part 265 or 266, whichever first occurs.

(iii) For generators generating greater than 100 kilograms but less than 1000 kilograms of hazardous waste in a calendar month and treats, stores, or disposes of these wastes on-site, by March 24, 1987.

Note:

For facilities which must comply with part 265 because they handle a waste listed in EPA's May 19, 1980, part 261 regulations (45 FR 33006 et seq.), the deadline for submitting an application is November 19, 1980. Where other existing facilities must begin in complying with part 265 or 266 at a later date because of revisions to part 260, 261, 265, or 266, the Administrator will specify in the preamble to those revisions when those facilities must submit a permit application.

(2) The Administrator may by publication in the Federal Register extend the date by which owners and operators of specified classes of existing hazardous waste management facilities must submit part A of their permit application if he finds that

(i) there has been substantial confusion as to whether the owners and operators of such facilities were required to file a permit application and

(ii) such confusion is attributed to ambiguities in EPA's parts 260, 261, 265, or 266 regulations.

(3) The Administrator may by compliance order issued under section 3008 of RCRA extend the date by which the owner and operator of an existing hazardous waste management facility must submit part A of their permit application.

(4) The owner or operator of an existing hazardous waste management facility may be required to submit part B of their permit application. The State Director may require submission of part B (or equivalent completion of the State RCRA application process) if the State in which the facility is located has received interim or final authorization; if not, the Regional Administrator may require submission of Part B. Any owner or operator shall be allowed at least six months from the date of request to submit part B of the application. Any owner or operator of an existing hazardous waste management facility may voluntarily submit part B of the application at any time. Notwithstanding the above, any owner or operator of an existing hazardous waste management facility must submit a part B permit application in accordance with the dates specified in § 270.73. Any owner or operator of a land disposal facility in existence on the effective date of statutory or regulatory amendments under this Act that render the facility subject to the requirement to have a RCRA permit must submit a part B application in accordance with the dates specified in § 270.73.

(5) Failure to furnish a requested part B application on time, or to furnish in full the information required by the part B application, is grounds for termination of interim status under part 124.

(f) New HWM facilities.

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (f)(3) of this section, no person shall begin physical construction of a new HWM facility without having submitted parts A and B of the permit application and having received a finally effective RCRA permit.

(2) An application for a permit for a new hazardous waste management facility (including both Parts A and B) may be filed any time after promulgation of those standards in part 264, subpart I et seq. applicable to such facility. The application shall be filed with the Regional Administrator if at the time of application the State in which the new hazardous waste management facility is proposed to be located has not received interim or final authorization for permitting such facility; otherwise it shall be filed with the State Director. Except as provided in paragraph (f)(3) of this section, all applications must be submitted at least 180 days before physical construction is expected to commence.

(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (f)(1) of this section, a person may construct a facility for the incineration of polychlorinated biphenyls pursuant to an approval issued by the Administrator under section (6)(e) of the Toxic Substances Control Act and any person owning or operating such a facility may, at any time after construction or operation of such facility has begun, file an application for a RCRA permit to incinerate hazardous waste authorizing such facility to incinerate waste identified or listed under Subtitle C of RCRA.

(g) Updating permit applications.

(1) If any owner or operator of a hazardous waste management facility has filed Part A of a permit application and has not yet filed part B, the owner or operator shall file an amended part A application:

(i) With the Regional Administrator if the facility is located in a State which has not obtained interim authorization or final authorization, within six months after the promulgation of revised regulations under part 261 listing or identifying additional hazardous wastes, if the facility is treating, storing or disposing of any of those newly listed or identified wastes.

(ii) With the State Director, if the facility is located in a State which has obtained interim authorization or final authorization, no later than the effective date of regulatory provisions listing or designating wastes as hazardous in that State in addition to those listed or designated under the previously approved State program, if the facility is treating, storing or disposing of any of those newly listed or designated wastes; or

(iii) As necessary to comply with provisions of § 270.72 for changes during interim status or with the analogous provisions of a State program approved for final authorization or interim authorization. Revised Part A applications necessary to comply with the provisions of § 270.72 shall be filed with the Regional Administrator if the State in which the facility in question is located does not have interim authorization or final authorization; otherwise it shall be filed with the State Director (if the State has an analogous provision).

(2) The owner or operator of a facility who fails to comply with the updating requirements of paragraph (g)(1) of this section does not receive interim status as to the wastes not covered by duly filed part A applications.

(h) Reapplying for a permit. If you have an effective permit and you want to reapply for a new one, you have two options:

(1) You may submit a new application at least 180 days before the expiration date of the effective permit, unless the Director allows a later date; or

(2) If you intend to be covered by a standardized permit, you may submit a Notice of Intent as described in § 270.51(e)(1) at least 180 days before the expiration date of the effective permit, unless the Director allows a later date. The Director may not allow you to submit applications or Notices of Intent later than the expiration date of the existing permit, except as allowed by § 270.51(e)(2).

(i) Recordkeeping. Applicants shall keep records of all data used to complete permit applications and any supplemental information submitted under §§ 270.10(d), 270.13, 270.14 through 270.21 for a period of at least 3 years from the date the application is signed.

(j) Exposure information.

(1) After August 8, 1985, any part B permit application submitted by an owner or operator of a facility that stores, treats, or disposes of hazardous waste in a surface impoundment or a landfill must be accompanied by information, reasonably ascertainable by the owner or operator, on the potential for the public to be exposed to hazardous wastes or hazardous constituents through releases related to the unit. At a minimum, such information must address:

(i) Reasonably foreseeable potential releases from both normal operations and accidents at the unit, including releases associated with transportation to or from the unit;

(ii) The potential pathways of human exposure to hazardous wastes or constituents resulting from the releases described under paragraph (j)(1)(i) of this section; and

(iii) The potential magnitude and nature of the human exposure resulting from such releases.

(2) By August 8, 1985, owners and operators of a landfill or a surface impoundment who have already submitted a part B application must submit the exposure information required in paragraph (j)(1) of this section.

(k) The Director may require a permittee or an applicant to submit information in order to establish permit conditions under §§ 270.32(b)(2) and 270.50(d) of this chapter.

(l) If the Director concludes, based on one or more of the factors listed in paragraph (l)(1) of this section that compliance with the standards of 40 CFR part 63, subpart EEE alone may not be protective of human health or the environment, the Director shall require the additional information or assessment(s) necessary to determine whether additional controls are necessary to ensure protection of human health and the environment. This includes information necessary to evaluate the potential risk to human health and/or the environment resulting from both direct and indirect exposure pathways. The Director may also require a permittee or applicant to provide information necessary to determine whether such an assessment(s) should be required.

(1) The Director shall base the evaluation of whether compliance with the standards of 40 CFR part 63, subpart EEE alone is protective of human health or the environment on factors relevant to the potential risk from a hazardous waste combustion unit, including, as appropriate, any of the following factors:

(i) Particular site-specific considerations such as proximity to receptors (such as schools, hospitals, nursing homes, day care centers, parks, community activity centers, or other potentially sensitive receptors), unique dispersion patterns, etc.;

(ii) Identities and quantities of emissions of persistent, bioaccumulative or toxic pollutants considering enforceable controls in place to limit those pollutants;

(iii) Identities and quantities of nondioxin products of incomplete combustion most likely to be emitted and to pose significant risk based on known toxicities (confirmation of which should be made through emissions testing);

(iv) Identities and quantities of other off-site sources of pollutants in proximity of the facility that significantly influence interpretation of a facility-specific risk assessment;

(v) Presence of significant ecological considerations, such as the proximity of a particularly sensitive ecological area;

(vi) Volume and types of wastes, for example wastes containing highly toxic constituents;

(vii) Other on-site sources of hazardous air pollutants that significantly influence interpretation of the risk posed by the operation of the source in question;

(viii) Adequacy of any previously conducted risk assessment, given any subsequent changes in conditions likely to affect risk; and

(ix) Such other factors as may be appropriate.

(2) [Reserved]

[48 FR 14228, Apr. 1, 1983; 48 FR 30114, June 30, 1983, as amended at 50 FR 28751, July 15, 1985; 51 FR 10176, Mar. 24, 1986; 52 FR 45799, Dec. 1, 1987; 54 FR 9607, Mar. 7, 1989; 60 FR 33914, June 29, 1995; 70 FR 53474, Sept. 8, 2005; 70 FR 59576, Oct. 12, 2005; 71 FR 40279, July 14, 2006]