(a) Initial certification. (1) Firms that perform renovations for compensation must apply to EPA for certification to perform renovations or dust sampling. To apply, a firm must submit to EPA a completed “Application for Firms,” signed by an authorized agent of the firm, and pay at least the correct amount of fees. If a firm pays more than the correct amount of fees, EPA will reimburse the firm for the excess amount.

(2) After EPA receives a firm's application, EPA will take one of the following actions within 90 days of the date the application is received:

(i) EPA will approve a firm's application if EPA determines that it is complete and that the environmental compliance history of the firm, its principals, or its key employees does not show an unwillingness or inability to maintain compliance with environmental statutes or regulations. An application is complete if it contains all of the information requested on the form and includes at least the correct amount of fees. When EPA approves a firm's application, EPA will issue the firm a certificate with an expiration date not more than 5 years from the date the application is approved. EPA certification allows the firm to perform renovations covered by this section in any State or Indian Tribal area that does not have a renovation program that is authorized under subpart Q of this part.

(ii) EPA will request a firm to supplement its application if EPA determines that the application is incomplete. If EPA requests a firm to supplement its application, the firm must submit the requested information or pay the additional fees within 30 days of the date of the request.

(iii) EPA will not approve a firm's application if the firm does not supplement its application in accordance with paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section or if EPA determines that the environmental compliance history of the firm, its principals, or its key employees demonstrates an unwillingness or inability to maintain compliance with environmental statutes or regulations. EPA will send the firm a letter giving the reason for not approving the application. EPA will not refund the application fees. A firm may reapply for certification at any time by filing a new, complete application that includes the correct amount of fees.

(b) Re-certification. To maintain its certification, a firm must be re-certified by EPA every 5 years.

(1) Timely and complete application. To be re-certified, a firm must submit a complete application for re-certification. A complete application for re-certification includes a completed “Application for Firms” which contains all of the information requested by the form and is signed by an authorized agent of the firm, noting on the form that it is submitted as a re-certification. A complete application must also include at least the correct amount of fees. If a firm pays more than the correct amount of fees, EPA will reimburse the firm for the excess amount.

(i) An application for re-certification is timely if it is postmarked 90 days or more before the date the firm's current certification expires. If the firm's application is complete and timely, the firm's current certification will remain in effect until its expiration date or until EPA has made a final decision to approve or disapprove the re-certification application, whichever is later.

(ii) If the firm submits a complete re-certification application less than 90 days before its current certification expires, and EPA does not approve the application before the expiration date, the firm's current certification will expire and the firm will not be able to conduct renovations until EPA approves its re-certification application.

(iii) If the firm fails to obtain recertification before the firm's current certification expires, the firm must not perform renovations or dust sampling until it is certified anew pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section.

(2) EPA action on an application. After EPA receives a firm's application for re-certification, EPA will review the application and take one of the following actions within 90 days of receipt:

(i) EPA will approve a firm's application if EPA determines that it is timely and complete and that the environmental compliance history of the firm, its principals, or its key employees does not show an unwillingness or inability to maintain compliance with environmental statutes or regulations. When EPA approves a firm's application for re-certification, EPA will issue the firm a new certificate with an expiration date 5 years from the date that the firm's current certification expires. EPA certification allows the firm to perform renovations or dust sampling covered by this section in any State or Indian Tribal area that does not have a renovation program that is authorized under subpart Q of this part.

(ii) EPA will request a firm to supplement its application if EPA determines that the application is incomplete.

(iii) EPA will not approve a firm's application if it is not received or is not complete as of the date that the firm's current certification expires, or if EPA determines that the environmental compliance history of the firm, its principals, or its key employees demonstrates an unwillingness or inability to maintain compliance with environmental statutes or regulations. EPA will send the firm a letter giving the reason for not approving the application. EPA will not refund the application fees. A firm may reapply for certification at any time by filing a new application and paying the correct amount of fees.

(c) Amendment of certification. A firm must amend its certification within 90 days of the date a change occurs to information included in the firm's most recent application. If the firm fails to amend its certification within 90 days of the date the change occurs, the firm may not perform renovations or dust sampling until its certification is amended.

(1) To amend a certification, a firm must submit a completed “Application for Firms,” signed by an authorized agent of the firm, noting on the form that it is submitted as an amendment and indicating the information that has changed. The firm must also pay at least the correct amount of fees.

(2) If additional information is needed to process the amendment, or the firm did not pay the correct amount of fees, EPA will request the firm to submit the necessary information or fees. The firm's certification is not amended until the firm complies with the request.

(3) Amending a certification does not affect the certification expiration date.

(d) Firm responsibilities. Firms performing renovations must ensure that:

(1) All individuals performing renovation activities on behalf of the firm are either certified renovators or have been trained by a certified renovator in accordance with § 745.90.

(2) A certified renovator is assigned to each renovation performed by the firm and discharges all of the certified renovator responsibilities identified in § 745.90.

(3) All renovations performed by the firm are performed in accordance with the work practice standards in § 745.85.

(4) The pre-renovation education requirements of § 745.84 have been performed.

(5) The recordkeeping requirements of § 745.86 are met.