(a) History of the approval of Georgia's Program. The State of Georgia is approved to administer and enforce an underground storage tank program in lieu of the federal program under subtitle I of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq. The State's program, as administered by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division, was approved by EPA pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 6991c and part 281 of this Chapter. EPA approved the Georgia program on May 10, 1991 and it was effective on July 9, 1991. A subsequent program revision was approved by EPA and became effective on February 14, 2020.

(b) Enforcement authority. Georgia has primary responsibility for administering and enforcing its federally approved underground storage tank program. However, EPA retains the authority to exercise its corrective action, inspection, and enforcement authorities under sections 9003(h), 9005, and 9006 of subtitle I of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991b(h), 6991d, and 6991e, as well as under any other applicable statutory and regulatory provisions.

(c) Retention of program approval. To retain program approval, Georgia must revise its approved program to adopt new changes to the federal subtitle I program which make it more stringent, in accordance with section 9004 of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991c, and 40 CFR part 281, subpart E. If Georgia obtains approval for revised requirements pursuant to section 9004 of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991c, the newly approved statutory and regulatory provisions will be added to this subpart and notice of any change will be published in the Federal Register.

(d) Final approval. Georgia has final approval for the following elements of its underground storage tank program originally submitted to EPA and approved effective July 9, 1991, and the program revisions approved by EPA effective on February 14, 2020.

(1) State statutes and regulations—(i) Incorporation by reference. The Georgia materials cited in this paragraph, and listed in appendix A to part 282, are incorporated by reference as part of the underground storage tank program under subtitle I of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq. The Director of the Federal Register approves this incorporation by reference in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. You may obtain copies of the Georgia statutes that are incorporated by reference in this paragraph from LexisNexis, Attn: Official Code of Georgia Annotated, 701 East Water Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902-5389; Phone number: 1-800-833-9844; website: http://sos.ga.gov/index.php/elections/georgia__code__-__lexisnexis. You may obtain copies of the Georgia regulations that are incorporated by reference in this paragraph from the Administrative Procedures Division, Office of the Georgia Secretary of State, 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, Georgia 30260; Phone number: (678) 364-3785; website: http://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/391-3-15. You may inspect all approved material at the EPA Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303; Phone number: (404) 562-9900; or the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of the material at NARA, email [email protected] or go to www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

(A) “Georgia Statutory Requirements Applicable to the UST Program”, dated August 2019.

(B) “Georgia Regulatory Requirements Applicable to the UST Program”, dated August 2019.

(ii) Legal basis. The EPA evaluated the following statutes and regulations which provide the legal basis for the State's implementation of the underground storage tank program, but they are not being incorporated by reference and do not replace federal authorities:

(A) Official Code of Georgia Annotated (2017), Title 12. “Conservation and Natural Resources,” Chapter 13, “Georgia Underground Storage Tank Act”: Sections 12-13-5; 12-13-6; 12-13-8; 12-13-11(a) and (f); 12-13-14 through 12-13-17; and 12-13-19 through 12-3-22.

(B) Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia (November 6, 2017), Department 391. “Rules of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources,” Chapter 3, “Environmental Protection,” Subject 15, “Underground Storage Tank Management”: Sections 391-3-15-.01(2) and 391-3-15-.14.

(iii) Other Provisions not incorporated by reference. The following specifically identified sections and rules applicable to the Georgia underground storage tank program that are broader in scope than the federal program or external to the state UST program approval requirements are not part of the approved program, and are not incorporated by reference herein:

(A) Official Code of Georgia Annotated (2017), Title 12: “Conservation and Natural Resources,” Chapter 13, “Georgia Underground Storage Tank Act”: Sections 12-13-3(8) and (16); 12-13-7; 12-13-9(d) through (i); 12-13-10; 12-13-11(b) through (e); 12-13-12; 12-13-13(e), and 12-13-18.

(B) Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia (November 6, 2017), Department 391: “Rules of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources,” Chapter 3, “Environmental Protection,” Subject 15, “Underground Storage Tank Management”: Sections 391-3-15-.01(1); 391-3-15-.03(1)(a), (g), (i), and (p) through (r); 391-3-15-.04; 391-3-15-.05(4); 391-3-15-.09(5) and (7); 391-15-3-.12(3); 391-3-15-.13; and 391-3-15-.15.

(2) Statement of legal authority. The Attorney General's Statement, signed by the Attorney General on June 12, 2018, though not incorporated by reference, is referenced as part of the approved underground storage tank program under subtitle I of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq.

(3) Demonstration of procedures for adequate enforcement. The “Demonstration of Procedures for Adequate Enforcement” submitted as part of Georgia's application on August 8, 2018, though not incorporated by reference, is referenced as part of the approved underground storage tank program under subtitle I of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq.

(4) Program description. The Program Description submitted as part of Georgia's application on August 8, 2018, though not incorporated by reference, is referenced as part of the approved underground storage tank program under subtitle I of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq.

(5) Memorandum of Agreement. The Memorandum of Agreement between EPA Region 4 and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, signed by EPA Regional Administrator on October 12, 2018, though not incorporated by reference, is referenced as part of the approved underground storage tank program under subtitle I of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq.

[85 FR 8474, Feb. 14, 2020]