§ 144.65 - Use of State-required mechanisms.

§ 144.65 Use of State-required mechanisms.

(a) For a facility located in a State where EPA is administering the requirements of this subpart but where the State has plugging and abandonment regulations that include requirements for financial assurance of plugging and abandonment, an owner or operator may use State-required financial mechanisms to meet the requirements of this subpart if the Regional Administrator determines that the State mechanisms are at least equivalent to the mechanisms specified in this subpart. The Regional Administrator will evaluate the equivalency of the mechanisms mainly in terms of

(1) certainty of the availability of funds for the required plugging and abandonment activities and

(2) the amount of funds that will be made available. The Regional Administrator may also consider other factors. The owner or operator must submit to the Regional Administrator evidence of the establishment of the mechanism together with a letter requesting that the State-required mechanism be considered acceptable for meeting the requirements of this subpart. The submittal must include the following information: The facility's EPA Identification Number, name and address, and the amounts of funds for plugging and abandonment coverage assured by the mechanism. The Regional Administrator will notify the owner or operator of his determination regarding the mechanism's acceptability. The Regional Administrator may require the owner or operator to submit additional information as is deemed necessary for making this determination.

(b) If a State-required mechanism is found acceptable as specified in paragraph (a) of this section except for the amount of funds available, the owner or operator may satisfy the requirements of this subpart by increasing the funds available through the State-required mechanism or using additional mechanisms as specified in this subpart. The amounts of funds available through the State and Federal mechanisms must at least equal the amounts required by this subpart.