(a) This part specifies the procedures EPA will follow in approving, revising, and withdrawing State programs under section 1422 (underground injection control—UIC) of SDWA, and includes the elements which must be part of submissions to EPA for program approval and the substantive provisions which must be present in State programs for them to be approved.

(b) State submissions for program approval must be made in accordance with the procedures set out in subpart C. This includes developing and submitting to EPA a program description (§145.23), an Attorney General's Statement (§145.24), and a Memorandum of Agreement with the Regional Administrator (§145.25).

(c) The substantive provisions which must be included in State programs to obtain approval include requirements for permitting, compliance evaluation, enforcement, public participation, and sharing of information. The requirements are found in subpart B. Many of the requirements for State programs are made applicable to States by cross-referencing other EPA regulations. In particular, many of the provisions of parts 144 and 124 are made applicable to States by the references contained in §145.11.

(d) Upon submission of a complete program, EPA will conduct a public hearing, if interest is shown, and determine whether to approve or disapprove the program taking into consideration the requirements of this part, the Safe Drinking Water Act and any comments received.

(e) Upon approval of a State program, the Administrator shall suspend the issuance of Federal permits for those activities subject to the approved State program.

(f) Any State program approved by the Administrator shall at all times be conducted in accordance with the requirements of this part.

(g) Nothing in this part precludes a State from:

(1) Adopting or enforcing requirements which are more stringent or more extensive than those required under this part;

(2) Operating a program with a greater scope of coverage than that required under this part. Where an approved State program has a greater scope of coverage than required by Federal law the additional coverage is not part of the federally approved program.

(h) Section 1451 of the SDWA authorizes the Administrator to delegate primary enforcement responsibility for the Underground Injection Control Program to eligible Indian Tribes. An Indian Tribe must establish its eligibility to be treated as a State before it is eligible to apply for Underground Injection Control grants and primary enforcement responsibility. All requirements of parts 124, 144, 145, and 146 that apply to States with UIC primary enforcement responsibility also apply to Indian Tribes except where specifically noted.

(i) States seeking primary enforcement responsibility for Class VI wells must submit a primacy application in accordance with subpart C of this part and meet all requirements of this part. States may apply for primary enforcement responsibility for Class VI wells independently of other injection well classes.

[48 FR 14202, Apr. 1, 1983, as amended at 53 FR 37412, Sept. 26, 1988; 59 FR 64345, Dec. 14, 1994; 75 FR 77290, Dec. 10, 2010]