Section 113. Financial assurance for corrective action

A. Within 120 days of a facility's finding or the director's determining (whichever first occurs) that Groundwater Protection Standards established as required by 9VAC20-81-250 have been statistically exceeded, an owner or operator of a landfill or other unit subject to groundwater monitoring shall provide additional financial assurance in the amount of $1 million to the department using the mechanisms listed under Article 4 (9VAC20-70-140 et seq.) of this part. The director shall release the owner or operator from this requirement after the director has determined:

1. The owner or operator is providing financial assurance for a corrective action program using one or more mechanisms listed under Article 4 (9VAC20-70-140 et seq.) of this part, as required under 9VAC20-70-90 C and subsections B and C of this section; or

2. The owner of operator has achieved compliance with Groundwater Protection Standards by demonstrating that concentrations of Table 3.1, Column B of 9VAC20-81-250 have not exceeded the Groundwater Protection Standards for a period of three consecutive years using the appropriate statistical procedures and performance standards.

B. An owner or operator of a solid waste management unit required to undertake a corrective action program under 9VAC20-70-90 C shall prepare and submit to the director a detailed written estimate, in current dollars, of the cost of hiring a third party to perform the corrective action. The corrective action cost estimate shall account for the total costs of corrective action activities as described in the corrective action plan for the entire corrective action period. The owner or operator shall notify the director that the estimate has been placed in the operating record unless corrective action is proceeding under 9VAC20-81-45. In the latter case, the new corrective action cost estimate shall be submitted to the director within 30 days of its preparation. The corrective action cost estimate shall be approved by the director.

1. The owner or operator shall adjust the estimate annually for inflation within 60 days prior to the anniversary date of the establishment of the financial mechanism used to comply with this part until the corrective action program is completed. For owners or operators using the financial test or guarantee, the corrective action cost estimate shall be updated for inflation within 30 days after the close of the owner's or operator's fiscal year. The adjustment process to be used is described in 9VAC20-70-111 B.

2. The owner or operator shall increase the corrective action cost estimate and the amount of financial assurance provided under this subsection no later than 30 days after revisions to the corrective action program or where a change in the solid waste management unit conditions increase the maximum costs of corrective action.

3. The owner or operator may request a reduction in the amount of the corrective action cost estimate and the amount of financial assurance provided under this subsection if the cost estimate exceeds the maximum remaining costs of corrective action. The owner or operator shall submit a revised cost estimate with the justification for the reduction to the director when requesting a reduction in the amount of the corrective action cost estimate and the amount of financial assurance provided. The justification shall include an itemization of all corrective action costs. No reduction request shall be reviewed until a complete cost estimate acceptable to the department has been submitted. A request for a reduction in the corrective action cost estimate shall be reviewed in a timely manner.

C. The owner or operator of each solid waste management unit required to undertake a corrective action program under 9VAC20-70-90 C shall establish financial assurance in the amount specified by the most recently approved cost estimate for the selected remedy in accordance with 9VAC20-70-140. The owner or operator shall provide continuous coverage for corrective action until released from financial assurance requirements for corrective action by the director.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 14, Issue 06, eff. January 7, 1998; amended, Virginia Register Volume 18, Issue 03, eff. November 21, 2001; Volume 27, Issue 22, eff. August 3, 2011.

Statutory Authority

§§ 10.1-1402 and 10.1-1410 of the Code of Virginia.