(a) An application for award of fees and expenses under the Act shall identify the applicant and the proceeding for which an award is sought. The application shall show that the applicant has prevailed and identify the position of EPA in the proceeding that the applicant alleges was not substantially justified.

(b) The application shall include a statement that the applicant's net worth as of the time the proceeding was initiated did not exceed $1 million if the applicant is an individual (other than a sole owner of an unincorporated business seeking an award in that capacity) or $5 million in the case of all other applicants. An applicant may omit this statement if:

(1) It attaches a copy of a ruling by the Internal Revenue Service that it qualifies as an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3)) and is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of the Code or, in the case of such an organization not required to obtain a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service on its exempt status, a statement that describes the basis for the applicant's belief that it qualifies under section 501(c)(3) of the Code; or

(2) It states that it is a cooperative association as defined in section 15(a) of the Agricultural Marketing Act (12 U.S.C. 114j(a)).

(c) If the applicant is a partnership, corporation, association, or organization, or a sole owner of an unincorporated business, the application shall state that the applicant did not have more than 500 employees at the time the proceeding was initiated, giving the number of its employees and describing briefly the type and purpose of its organization or business.

(d) The application shall itemize the amount of fees and expenses sought.

(e) The application may include any other matters that the applicant believes should be considered in determining whether and in what amount an award should be made.

(f) The application shall be signed by the applicant with respect to the eligibility of the applicant and by the attorney of the applicant with respect to fees and expenses sought. The application shall contain or be accompanied by a written verification under oath or affirmation or under penalty of perjury that the information provided in the application and all accompanying material is true and complete to the best of the signer's information and belief.

(a) Each applicant except a qualified tax exempt organization or a qualified cooperative must submit with its application a detailed exhibit showing its net worth at the time the proceeding was initiated. If any individual, corporation, or other entity directly or indirectly controls or owns a majority of the voting shares or other interest of the applicant, or if the applicant directly or indirectly owns or controls a majority of the voting shares or other interest of any corporation or other entity, the exhibit must include a showing of the net worth of all such affiliates or of the applicant including the affiliates. The exhibit may be in any form that provides full disclosure of assets and liabilities of the applicant and any affiliates and is sufficient to determine whether the applicant qualifies under the standards of 5 U.S.C. 504(b)(1)(B)(i). The Presiding Officer may require an applicant to file additional information to determine the applicant's eligibility for an award.

(b) The net worth exhibit shall describe any transfers of assets from, or obligations incurred by, the applicant or any affiliate occurring in the one-year period prior to the date on which the proceeding was initiated that reduced the net worth of the applicant and its affiliates below the applicable net worth ceiling. If there were no such transactions, the applicant shall so state.

(c) The net worth exhibit shall be included in the public record of the proceeding.

(a) The application shall be accompanied by full documentation of fees and expenses, including the cost of any study, engineering report, test, or project, for which an award is sought.

(b) The documentation shall include an affidavit from any attorney, agent, or expert witness representing or appearing in behalf of the party stating the actual time expended and the rate at which fees and other expenses were computed and describing the specific services performed.

(1) The affidavit shall itemize in detail the services performed by the date, number of hours per date, and the services performed during those hours. In order to establish the hourly rate, the affidavit shall state the hourly rate which is billed and paid by the majority of clients during the relevant time periods.

(2) If no hourly rate is paid by the majority of clients because, for instance, the attorney or agent represents most clients on a contingency basis, the attorney or agent shall provide affidavits from two attorneys or agents with similar experience, who perform similar work, stating the hourly rate which they bill and are paid by the majority of their clients during a comparable time period.

(c) The documentation shall also include a description of any expenses for which reimbursement is sought and a statement of the amounts paid and payable by the applicant or by any other person or entity for the services provided.

(d) The Presiding Officer may require the applicant to provide vouchers, receipts, or other substantiation for any expenses claimed.

(a) An application must be filed no later than 30 days after final disposition of the proceeding. If agency review or reconsideration is sought or taken of a decision in which an applicant believes it has prevailed, action on the award of fees shall be stayed pending final agency disposition of the underlying controversy.

(b) Final disposition means the later of:

(1) The date on which the Agency decision becomes final, either through disposition by the Environmental Appeals Board of a pending appeal or through an initial decision becoming final due to lack of an appeal or

(2) The date of final resolution of the proceeding, such as settlement or voluntary dismissal, which is not subject to a petition for rehearing or reconsideration.

(c) If judicial review is sought or taken of the final agency disposition of the underlying controversy, then agency proceedings for the award of fees will be stayed pending completion of judicial review. If, upon completion of review, the court decides what fees to award, if any, then EPA shall have no authority to award fees.