Within 30 days of receipt of a notice of probable violation, the respondent must answer the Regional Director who issued the notice in the following manner:

(a) When the notice contains a proposed civil penalty—

(1) If the respondent is not contesting an allegation of probable violation, pay the proposed civil penalty as provided in §190.227 and advise the Regional Director of the payment. The payment authorizes the Associate Administrator to make a finding of violation and to issue a final order under §190.213;

(2) If the respondent is not contesting an allegation of probable violation but wishes to submit a written explanation, information, or other materials the respondent believes may warrant mitigation or elimination of the proposed civil penalty, the respondent may submit such materials. This authorizes the Associate Administrator to make a finding of violation and to issue a final order under §190.213;

(3) If the respondent is contesting one or more allegations of probable violation but is not requesting a hearing under §190.211, the respondent may submit a written response in answer to the allegations; or

(4) The respondent may request a hearing under §190.211.

(b) When the notice contains a proposed compliance order—

(1) If the respondent is not contesting an allegation of probable violation, agree to the proposed compliance order. This authorizes the Associate Administrator to make a finding of violation and to issue a final order under §190.213;

(2) Request the execution of a consent order under §190.219;

(3) If the respondent is contesting one or more of the allegations of probable violation or compliance terms, but is not requesting a hearing under §190.211, the respondent may object to the proposed compliance order and submit written explanations, information, or other materials in answer to the allegations in the notice of probable violation; or

(4) The respondent may request a hearing under §190.211.

(c) Before or after responding in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section or, when applicable paragraph (b) of this section, the respondent may request a copy of the violation report from the Regional Director as set forth in §190.209. The Regional Director will provide the violation report to the respondent within five business days of receiving a request.

(d) Failure to respond in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section or, when applicable paragraph (b) of this section, constitutes a waiver of the right to contest the allegations in the notice of probable violation and authorizes the Associate Administrator, without further notice to the respondent, to find the facts as alleged in the notice of probable violation and to issue a final order under §190.213.

(e) All materials submitted by operators in response to enforcement actions may be placed on publicly accessible Web sites. A respondent seeking confidential treatment under 5 U.S.C. 552(b) for any portion of its responsive materials must provide a second copy of such materials along with the complete original document. A respondent may redact the portions it believes qualify for confidential treatment in the second copy but must provide a written explanation for each redaction.

[Amdt. 190-16, 78 FR 58910, Sept. 25, 2013]