ning or other technical services to any applicant in the preparation of his application.

(h) An applicant may be issued a certification for additions, alterations, or methods of operation constructed or undertaken before loan assistance was applied for by the applicant. Any such applications would be reviewed by SBA for eligibility under SBA criteria, including refinancing and loan exposure. $21.6 Exclusions.

(a) Statements shall not be issued for applications in the following areas:

(1) Local requirements. Applications for statements for additions, alterations, or methods of operation that result from requirements imposed by municipalities, counties or other forms of local or regional authorities and governments, except for areawide management agencies designated and approved under section 208 of the Act, shall not be approved; except for those requirements resulting from the application of pretreatment requirements under section 307(b) of the Act; or those resulting from an approved project for facilities plans, and developed under section 201 of the Act. (See 35 CFR, subpart E); or under a delegation of authority under the Act.

(2) Cost recovery and user charges. Applications for statements involving a request for financial assistance in meeting revenue and service charges imposed upon a small business by a municipality conforming to regulations governing a user charge or capital cost system under section 204(b)(2) of the Act (see 35 CFR 925-11 and 925-12) shall not be approved.

(3) New facility sewer construction. Applications for statements involving projects that involve the construction of a lateral, collection, or interceptor sewer, at a facility that was not in existence on October 18, 1972, shall not be approved. Applications for additions, alterations, or methods of operation for new facilities that do not involve sewer construction are not affected by this preclusion. Further, if an applicant is compelled to move as a result of a relocation requirement but operated at the facility prior to October 18, 1972, the cost of construction for a lateral, collection, or interceptor sewer can be

approved for the new, relocated site. For the purpose of this exclusion lateral, collection, or interceptor sewer is determined as any sewer transporting waste from a facility or site to any publicly owned sewer.

(4) Other non-water related pollution abatement additions, alterations, or methods of operation which are not integral to meeting the requirements of the Act, although they may be achieving the requirements of another Federal or State law or regulation.

Comment: An example would be where stack emission controls were required on equipment that operated the water pollution control facility. This emission control equipment as an integral part of the water pollution control systems would be approvable. However, emission control equipment for a general purpose incinerator that only incidentally burned sewage sludge would not be approvable. The general purpose incinerator might also receive loan assistance but under separate procedures than those set out for water pollution control.

(5) Privately owned treatment facility service or user costs. Applications for statements involving financial assistance in meeting user cost or fee schedules related to participating in a privately owned treatment facility not under the ownership or control of the applicant shall not be approved.

(6) Operation and maintenance charges. Applications for statements containing a request for financial assistance in meeting the operations and maintenance costs of operating the applicant's additions, alterations, or methods of operation shall not be approved for any elements relating to such areas of cost.

(7) Evidence of financial responsibility. Applications for statements containing a request for financial assistance in meeting any requirements relating to evidence of financial responsibility as provided in section 311(p) of the Act shall not be approved.

$21.7 [Reserved]

Comment: Applications for a statement resulting from a requirement to control pollution from non-point sources as identified in section 304(e)(2)(A-F) of the Act and described in §21.2(m) will not presently be issued a statement under §21.5 unless the requirement is established through a permit under section 402. There is no requirement

(a) An applicant aggrieved by a determination of a Regional Administrator under $21.5 may appeal in writing to the Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, within 30 days of the date of the determination from which an appeal is taken; Provided, That the Deputy Administrator may, on good cause shown, accept an appeal at a later time.

(b) The applicant in requesting such an appeal shall submit to the Deputy Administrator a copy of the complete application as reviewed by the Regional Administrator.

(c) The applicant should also provide information as to why it believes the determination made by the Regional Administrator to be in error.

(d) The Deputy Administrator shall act upon such appeal within 60 days of receipt of any complete application for a review of the determination.

(e) Where a State has been delegated certification authority, the procedure for appeals shall be established in the State submission required in § 21.12. § 21.10 Utilization of the statement.

(a) Statements issued by the Regional Administrator will be mailed to the small business applicant and to the district office of the Small Business Administration serving the geographic area where the business is located. It is the responsibility of the applicant to

also forward the statement to SBA as part of the application for a loan.

(b) Any statement or determination issued under §21.5 shall not be altered, modified, changed, or destroyed by any applicant in the course of providing such statement to SBA. To do so can result in the revocation of any approval contained in the statement and subject the applicant to the penalties provided in 18 U.S.C. 1001.

(c) If an application for which a statement is issued under §21.5 is substantively changed in scope, concept, design, or capability prior to the approval by SBA of the financial assistance requested, the statement as issued shall be revoked. The applicant must resubmit a revised application under §21.3 and a new review must be conducted. Failure to meet the requirements of this paragraph could subject the applicant to the penalties specified in 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 18 U.S.C. 286. A substantive change is one which materially affects the performance or capability of the proposed addition, alteration, or method of operation.

(d) An agency, Regional Administrator, or State issuing a statement under §21.5 shall retain a complete copy of the application for a period of five years after the date of issuance of the statement. The application shall be made available upon request for inspection or use at any time by any agency of the Federal Government.

(e) No application for a statement or for financial assistance under this section or statement issued under this section shall constitute or be construed as suspending, modifying, revising, abrogating or otherwise changing the requirements imposed on the applicant by the terms, conditions, limitations or schedules of compliance contained in an applicable standard, permit, or other provision established or authorized under the Act or any State or local statute, ordinance or code.

(f) No statement as issued and reviewed shall be construed as a waiver to the applicants fulfilling the requirements of any State or local law, statute, ordinance, or code (including building, health, or zoning codes).

(g) An amended application need not be submitted if the facility, property, or operation for which the statement is

issued is sold, leased, rented, or transferred by the applicant to another party prior to approval by SBA of the financial assistance: Provided, That there is or will be no substantive change in the scope, concept, design, capability, or conduct of the facility or operation.

Comment: However, eligibility for financial assistance would be reexamined by SBA with regard to any such sale, lease, rental or transfer.

(h) The Regional Administrator may include in any statement a date of expiration, after which date the approval by the Regional Administrator contained in the statement shall no longer apply. The date of expiration shall not become effective if the applicant has submitted the statement to the SBA, prior to the date of expiration, as part of the application for financial assist

ance.

§ 21.11 Public participation.

(a) Applications shall not generally be subject to public notice, public comment, or public hearings. Applications during the period of review as stated in §21.5, or during the period of appeal as provided in §21.8, shall be available for public inspection. Approved applications as provided in §21.10(d) shall be available for public inspection at all times during the five year period.

(b) The Regional Administrator, if he believes that the addition, alteration, or method of operation may adversely and significantly affect an interest of the public, shall provide for a public notice and/or public hearing on the application. The public notice and/or public hearing shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures specified for a permit under 40 CFR 125.32 and 125.34(b).

(c) Where the applicant is able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Regional Administrator that disclosure of certain information or parts thereof as provided in §21.3(c)(5) would result in the divulging of methods or processes entitled to protection as trade secrets, the Regional Administrator shall treat the information or the particular part as confidential in accordance with the purposes of section 1905 of Title 18 of the United States Code and not release it to any unauthorized person.

Provided, however, That if access to such information is subsequently requested by any person, there will be compliance with the procedures specified in 40 CFR part 2. Such information may be disclosed to other officers, employees, or authorized representatives of the United States concerned with carrying out the Act or when relevant in any proceeding under the Act.

§ 21.12 State issued statements.

(a) Any State after the effective date of these regulations may submit to the Regional Administrator for his approval an application to conduct a program for issuing statements under this section.

(1) A State submission shall specify the organizational, legal, financial, and administrative resources and procedures that it believes will enable it to conduct the program.

(2) The State program shall constitute an equivalent effort to that required of EPA under this section.

(3) The State organization responsible for conducting the program should be the State water pollution control agency, as defined in section 502 of the Act.

(4) The State submission shall propose a procedure for adjudicating applicant appeals as provided under § 21.9.

(5) The State submission shall identify any existing or potential conflicts of interest on the part of any personnel who will or may review or approve applications.

(i) A conflict of interest shall exist where the reviewing official is the spouse of or dependent (as defined in the Tax Code, 26 U.S.C. 152) of an owner, partner, or principal officer of the small business, or where he has or is receiving from the small business concern applicant 10 percent of gross personal income for a calendar year, except that it shall mean 50 percent gross personal income for a calendar year if the recipient is over 60 years of age and is receiving such portion pursuant to retirement, pension, or similar arrangements.

(ii) If the State is unable to provide alternative parties to review or approve any application subject to conflict of interest, the Regional Adminis

trator shall review and approve the application.

Administrator,

(b) The Regional within 60 days after such application, shall approve any State program that conforms to the requirements of this Section. Any such approval shall be after sufficient notice has been provided to the Regional Director of SBA.

(c) If the Regional Administrator disapproves the application, he shall notify the State, in writing, of any deficiency in its application. A State may resubmit an amended application at any later time.

(d) Upon approval of a State submission, EPA will suspend all review of applications and issuance of statements for small businesses in that State, pending transferral. Provided, however, That in the event of a State conflict of interest as identified in §21.12(a)(4) of this section, EPA shall review the application and issue the statement.

(e) Any applications shall, if received by an EPA Regional Office, be forwarded promptly to the appropriate State for action pursuant to section 7(g)(2) of the Small Business Act and these regulations.

(f) (1) EPA will generally not review or approve individual statements issued by a State. However, SBA, upon receipt and review of a State approved statement may request the Regional Administrator of EPA to review the statement. The Regional Administrator, upon such request can further approve or disapprove the State issued statement, in accordance with the requirements of § 21.5.

(2) The Regional Administrator will periodically review State program performance. In the event of State program deficiencies the Regional Administrator will notify the State of such deficiencies.

(3) During that period that any State's program is classified as deficient, statements issued by a State shall also be sent to the Regional Administrator for review. The Regional Administrator shall notify the State, the applicant, and the SBA of any determination subsequently made, in accordance with §21.5, on any such statement.

(i) If within 60 days after notice of such deficiencies has been provided,

the State has not taken corrective efforts, and if the deficiencies significantly affect the conduct of the program, the Regional Administrator, after sufficient notice has been provided to the Regional Director of SBA, shall withdraw the approval of the State program.

(ii) Any State whose program is withdrawn and whose deficiencies have been corrected may later reapply as provided in §21.12(a).

(g) Funds appropriated under section 106 of the Act may be utilized by a State agency authorized to receive such funds in conducting this program.

821.13 Effect of certification upon authority to enforce applicable standards.

The certification by EPA or a State for SBA Loan purposes in no way constitutes a determination by EPA or the State that the facilities certified (a) will be constructed within the time specified by an applicable standard or (b) will be constructed and installed in accordance with the plans and specifications submitted in the application, will be operated and maintained properly, or will be applied to process wastes which are the same as described in the application. The certification in no way constitutes a waiver by EPA or a State of its authority to take appropriate enforcement action against the owner or operator of such facilities for violations of an applicable standard.

22.35 Supplemental rules of practice governing the administrative assessment of civil penalties under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. 22.36 Supplemental rules of practice governing the administrative assessment of civil penalties and the revocation or suspension of permits under the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act. 22.37 Supplemental rules of practice governing the administrative assessment of civil penalties under the Solid Waste Disposal Act.

22.38 Supplemental rules of practice governing the administrative assessment of Class II penalties under the Clean Water Act.

22.39 Supplemental rules of practice governing the administrative assessment of administrative penalties under section 109 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended.

22.40 Supplemental rules of practice governing the administrative assessment of administrative penalties under section 325 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA). 22.41 Supplemental rules of practice governing the administrative assessment of civil penalties under Title II of the Toxic Substances Control Act, enacted as section 2 of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA).

22.42 Supplemental rules of practice governing the administrative assessment of civil penalties for violations of compliance orders issued under Part B of the Safe Drinking Water Act.

22.43 Supplemental rules of practice governing the administrative assessment of civil penalties under section 113(d)(1) of the Clean Air Act.

APPENDIX TO PART 22-ADDRESSES OF EPA REGIONAL OFFICES

AUTHORITY: 15 U.S.C. 2615; 42 U.S.C. 7413(d), 7524(c), 7545(d), 7547(d), 7601 and 7607(a); 7 U.S.C. 136(1) and (m); 33 U.S.C. 1319, 1415 and 1418; 42 U.S.C. 6912, 6928 and 6991(e); 42 U.S.C. 9609; 42 U.S.C. 11045.

SOURCE: 45 FR 24363, Apr. 9, 1980, unless otherwise noted.

Subpart A-General

§ 22.01 Scope of these rules.

(a) These rules of practice govern all adjudicatory proceedings for:

(1) The assessment of any civil penalty conducted under section 14(a) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act as amended (7 U.S.C. 1361(a));