(a) The State Director seeking an adequacy determination must submit to the appropriate Regional Administrator an application in accordance with § 239.3.

(b) Within 30 days of receipt of a state program application, the Regional Administrator will review the application and notify the state whether its application is administratively complete in accordance with the application components required in § 239.3. The 180-day review period for final determination of adequacy, described in paragraph (d) of this section, begins when the Regional Administrator deems a state application to be administratively complete.

(c) After receipt and review of a complete application, the Regional Administrator will make a tentative determination on the adequacy of the state program. The Regional Administrator shall publish the tentative determination on the adequacy of the state program in the Federal Register. Notice of the tentative determination must:

(1) Specify the Regional Administrator's tentative determination;

(2) Afford the public at least 30 days after the notice to comment on the state application and the Regional Administrator's tentative determination;

(3) Include a specific statement of the areas of concern, if the Regional Administrator indicates the state program may not be adequate;

(4) Note the availability for inspection by the public of the state permit program application; and

(5) Indicate that a public hearing will be held by EPA if sufficient public interest is expressed during the comment period. The Regional Administrator may determine when such a hearing is necessary to clarify issues involved in the tentative adequacy determination. If held, the public hearing will be scheduled at least 45 days from public notice of such hearing. The public comment period may be continued after the hearing at the discretion of the Regional Administrator.

(d) Within 180 days of determining that a state program application is administratively complete, the Regional Administrator will make a final determination of adequacy after review and consideration of all public comments, unless the Regional Administrator, after consultation with the State Director, agrees to extend the review period. The Regional Administrator will give notice of the final determination in the Federal Register. The document must include a statement of the reasons for the determination and a response to significant comments received.

(e) For all states that do not submit an application, the Administrator or Regional Administrator may issue a final determination of inadequacy in the Federal Register declaring those state permit programs inadequate to ensure compliance with the relevant Subtitle D federal revised criteria. Such states may apply later for a determination of adequacy.