(a) The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is approved to administer and enforce an underground storage tank program in lieu of the Federal program under Subtitle I of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq. The State's program, as administered by Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection, was approved by EPA pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 6991c and 40 CFR part 281. EPA approved Pennsylvania's underground storage tank program on September 11, 2003, and approval was effective on September 11, 2003. A subsequent program revision application was approved by EPA and became effective on September 23, 2024.

(b) Pennsylvania has primary responsibility for administering and enforcing its federally-approved underground storage tank program. However, EPA retains the authority to exercise its inspection and enforcement authorities under sections 9005 and 9006 of Subtitle I of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991d and 6991e, regardless of whether the State has taken its own actions, as well as under any other applicable statutory and regulatory provisions.

(c) To retain program approval, Pennsylvania must revise its approved program to adopt new changes to the Federal Subtitle I program which makes it more stringent, in accordance with section 9004 of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991c,and,subpart. If Pennsylvania obtains approval for the revised requirements pursuant to section 9004 of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991c,the.

(d) Pennsylvania has final approval for the following elements of its program application originally submitted to EPA and approved on September 11, 2003, and effective September 11, 2003, and the program revision application submitted to EPA on March 24, 2022, and approved by EPA, effective on September 23, 2024.

(1) State statutes and regulations—(i) Incorporation by reference. The provisions cited in paragraph (d)(1)(i) of this section, and listed in appendix A to part 282, with the exception of the provisions cited in paragraphs (d)(1)(ii) and (iii) of this section, are incorporated by reference as part of the approved underground storage tank program in accordance with Subtitle I of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq. The Director of the Federal Register approves this incorporation by reference in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. For the availability of this information at the National Archives and Records Administration and at the EPA, see § 282.2(b). You may obtain copies of Pennsylvania's regulations and statutes that are incorporated by reference in this paragraph (d)(1) from Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Environmental Cleanup and Brownfields, Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market Street, 14th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17101; phone number 1-800-428-2657 (within PA) or 1-717-772-5599 (outside of PA).

(A) Pennsylvania Statutory Requirements Applicable to the Underground Storage Tank Program, December 2017.

(B) Pennsylvania Regulatory Requirements Applicable to the Underground Storage Tank Program, December 2018.

(ii) Legal basis. EPA evaluated the following statutes and regulations, which are part of the approved program, but they are not being incorporated by reference for enforcement purposes, and do not replace Federal authorities:

(A) The statutory provisions include:

(1) Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act of 1989, Public Law 169, No. 32, 35 P.S. Sections: 6021.106(a); 6021.107; 6021.503(b); 6021.505; 6021.1301-1315.

(2) Title 35, Health and Safety; Chapter 44. Environmental Hearing Board Act, 35 P.S. Sections 7511-7516.

(3) Title 71, Part I, Ch. 2, Article IV. Organization of Departmental Administrative Boards and Commissions and of Advisory Boards and Commissions, 71 P.S. Section 180-1 Environmental Quality Board (Adm. Code section 471).

(4) Title 71, Part I, Ch. 2, Article XIX-A. Powers and Duties of the Department of Environmental Resources, its Officers and Departmental Advisory Boards and Commissions, 71 P.S. Sections: 510-17, 510-20.

(B) The regulatory provisions include:

(1) Pennsylvania Code, Title 25, Part I, Subpart D, Article VI, Chapter 245 Administration of the Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Program, Sections: 245.202; 245.203(f); 245.303.

(2) Pennsylvania Code Title 25, Chapter 1021 Practice and Procedure, Sections: 1021.81; 1021.122.

(3) Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure: 2326, 2327, 2328, 2329, 2330.

(iii) Provisions not incorporated by reference. With two exceptions, the following statutory and regulatory provisions are “broader in scope” than the Federal program, are not part of the approved program, and are not incorporated by reference herein. These provisions are not federally enforceable. In addition to the broader in scope provisions, one provision in statutory definition of “Underground storage tank” and one in the regulatory definition of “Underground storage tank” are not part of the approved program and are not incorporated by reference herein. These provisions are also not federally enforceable:

(A) Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act of 1989, Public Law 169, No. 32, PS Sections: 6021.103 as to the definitions of “Aboveground storage tank,” “Certified inspector,” “Small aboveground storage tank,” “Spill prevention and response plan,” “Stationary tank,” paragraph (13) of “Underground storage tank,” definitions of “Storage tank,” “Storage tank facility” and “Monitoring system” insofar as each definition includes aboveground storage tanks; paragraphs (1) and (2) of “Owner,” paragraph (3) of “Regulated substance;” 6021.105; 6021.106(b); 6021.108; 6021.110; 6021.301-306; 6021.501(a)(1), (a)(8), (a)(12), (a)(15), (c)(1), (c)(2) as to activities other than installation, (c)(3); 6021.502(a); 6021.503(a) as to fees and insofar as excludes tanks not excluded by the Federal program, (c); 6021.504; 6021.506-.507; 6021.701(a) insofar as includes aboveground storage tanks; 6021.702-.713; 6021.901-.904; 6021.1101-.1102, 6021.2101.

(B) Pennsylvania Code, Chapter 245, Administration of the Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Programs, Sections: 245.1 definitions of “Aboveground field constructed metallic storage tank,” “Aboveground manufactured metallic storage tank,” “Aboveground nonmetallic storage tank,” “Aboveground storage tank,” “Aboveground storage tank system,” “Certification categories,” “Certified company,” “Certified inspector,” “Certified installer” insofar as encompasses activities other than installation, “Environmental audit,” “In-service inspection,” “Large aboveground storage tank,” “Large aboveground storage tank facility,” “Nontank handling project activities,” “Out-of-service inspection,” subparagraphs (i) and (ii) of “Owner,” “Pressure vessel,” “Process vessel,” subparagraph (iii) of “Regulated substance,” “Responsible party” insofar as it includes persons who are not owners or operators of underground storage tanks, “Small aboveground storage tank,” “Spill prevention response plan,” “Stationary tank,” subparagraph (xvii) of “Underground storage tank,” “Underground vault,” and subparagraph (ii) of “Change-in-service,” “Consumptive use,” “Emergency containment,” “Monitoring system,” “Storage tank,” “Storage tank facility,” and “Storage tank system” insofar as each definition includes aboveground storage tanks; 245.21(a) insofar as includes aboveground storage tanks, (b), (c), and (d) insofar as references permits; 245.31(a) and (f) insofar as each requires tests or evaluations be performed by a Department-certified individual, (e); 245.41(a) and (e) insofar as each requires payment of fees, (b) insofar as includes aboveground storage tanks and excludes tanks not excluded by the Federal program, (c)(7), (d); 245.42; 245.43; 245.101-.142 (Subchapter B); 245.201-.237 (Subchapter C); 245.305(g); 245.306(b)(3) and (d); 245.411(a) as to certified inspector; 245.422(b)(1)(ii) as to certified tank liner; 245.423; 245.424(2); 245.425(5); 245.434(1); 245.436(c)(5); 245.441(a)(3)(i) and (ii); 245.501-.562 (Subchapter F); 245.601-.618 (Subchapter G).

(2) Statement of legal authority. “Attorney General's Statement” signed by the General Counsel and Attorney General on January 27, 2022, and February 14, 2022, respectively, though not incorporated by reference, is referenced as part of the approved underground storage tank program under Subtitle I of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq.

(3) Demonstration of procedures for adequate enforcement. The “Demonstration of Adequate Enforcement Procedures” submitted as part of the program revision application for approval on March 24, 2022, though not incorporated by reference, is referenced as part of the approved underground storage tank program under Subtitle I of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq.

(4) Program description. The program description and any other material submitted as part of the program revision application for approval on March 24, 2022, though not incorporated by reference, are referenced as part of the approved underground storage tank program under Subtitle I of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq.

(5) Memorandum of Agreement. The Memorandum of Agreement between EPA Region 3 and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, signed by the EPA Regional Administrator on April 25, 2019, though not incorporated by reference, is referenced as part of the approved underground storage tank program under Subtitle I of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq.