(a) History of the approval of Texas's program. The State of Texas 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 the Texas Department of Environmental Quality, was approved by EPA pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 6991c and Part 281 of this Chapter. EPA published the notice of final determination approving the Texas underground storage tank base program effective on April 17, 1995. A subsequent program revision application was approved effective on August 21, 2020.
(b) Enforcement authority. Texas has primary responsibility for administering and enforcing its federally approved underground storage tank program. However, EPA retains the authority to exercise its corrective action, inspection and enforcement authorities under sections 9003(h), 9005 and 9006 of Subtitle I of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991b(h),6991d and 6991e, as well as under any other applicable statutory and regulatory provisions.
(c) Retaining program approval. To retain program approval, Texas must revise its approved program to adopt new changes to the Federal Subtitle I program which make it more stringent, in accordance with section 9004 of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991c,and,subpart. If Texas obtains approval for the revised requirements pursuant to section 9004 of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6991c,the.
(d) Final program approval. Texas has final approval for the following elements of its program application originally submitted to EPA and approved effective April 17, 1995, and the program revision application approved by EPA effective on August 21, 2020:
(1) State statutes and regulations—(i) Incorporation by reference. The provisions cited in this paragraph are incorporated by reference as part of the underground storage tank program under 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. You may obtain copies of Texas UST regulations that are incorporated by reference in this paragraph from Thomson Reuters, 610 Opperman Drive, Eagan, MN 55123; Phone: 1-888-728-7677; website: http://legalsolutions.thomsonreuters.com or the Texas Secretary of State office website at https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=4&ti=30&pt=1&ch=334. You may inspect all approved material at the EPA Region 6, 1201 Elm Street, Suite #500, Dallas, Texas 75270 (phone number (214) 665-2239) or the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, email [email protected], or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.
(A) “EPA-Approved Texas Regulatory Requirements Applicable to the Underground Storage Tank Program, October 2019”. Those provisions are listed in Appendix A to Part 282.
(B) [Reserved]
(ii) Legal basis. EPA evaluated the following statutes and regulations which provide the legal basis for the State's implementation of the underground storage tank program, but they are not being incorporated by reference and do not replace Federal authorities:
(A) The statutory provisions include:
(1) Texas Water Code, as amended, effective October 2018. Title 2, Water Administration, Subtitle A, Executive Agencies:
(i) Chapter 5. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Subchapter B. Organization of the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, Section 5.012, Subchapter D. General Powers and Duties of the Commission, Sections 5.103, and 5.105; Subchapter E. Administrative Provision for Commission, Sections 5.173, 5.176, 5.1765, and 5.177; Subchapter L. Emergency and Temporary Orders, Sections 5.510, 5.511, 5.515, and 5.516;
(ii) Chapter 7. Enforcement, Subchapter A, General Provisions, Sections 7.002 and 7.006; Subchapter B. Corrective Action and Injunctive Relief, Section 7.032; Subchapter C. Administrative Penalties, Sections 7.053 and 7.075; Subchapter D. Civil Penalties, Sections 7.101, 7.102, 7.103, 7.105, 7.106, 7.107, 7.108, and 7.110; Subchapter E. Criminal Offenses and Penalties, Sections 7.149 and 7.156.
(2) Texas Water Code, as amended, effective October 2018. Title 2, Water Administration, Subtitle D, Water Quality Control: Chapter 26. Water Quality Control, Subchapter B, General Powers and Duties, Sections 26.011, 26.013, 26.014, 26.015, 26.0151, 26.017, 26.019, 26.020, 26.021, 26.022, 26.039, and 26.042; Subchapter D. Prohibition Against Pollution; Enforcement, Sections 26.341 (except 26.341(b)(1), 26.342 (except 26.342(2), (4), (5), (16), (16-a), (18), and references to aboveground storage tanks at (9), (12), (14), (15), 26.343 (except 26.343(a)(1)), 26.344 (except reference to aboveground storage tanks), 26.3441, 26.345 (except reference to aboveground storage tanks), 26.346 (except reference to aboveground storage tanks), 26.3465, 26.3467, 26.347, 26.348, 26.349 (except reference to aboveground storage tanks), 26.350, 26.351 and 26.3511 (except references to aboveground storage tanks), 25.3512 (except reference to petroleum storage tank remediation account), 26.3513, 26.3514 through 26.3516 (except references to aboveground storage tanks), 26.352, 26.354 through 26.356 (except references to aboveground storage tanks), 26.357, 26.3572, 26.35735, 26.359, 26.362 and 26.363.
(B) The regulatory provisions include:
(1) Texas Administrative Code, Title 30, Part I. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Chapter 334 Underground and Aboveground Storage Tanks, effective May 31, 2018, Section 334.14 Memorandum of Understanding between the Attorney General of Texas and the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, 334.82 Public Participation, and 334.83 Enforcement.
(2) [Reserved]
(iii) Provisions not incorporated by reference. The following specifically identified sections and rules applicable to the Texas underground storage tank program that are broader in coverage than the Federal program, are not part of the approved program, and are not incorporated by reference herein for enforcement purposes:
(A) Texas Water Code, as amended, effective October 2018, Title 2, Water Administration, Subtitle D, Water Quality Control: Chapter 26 Water Quality Control, Sections 26.341(b)(1), 26.342(2), 26.342(4), 26.342(9) as it applies to aboveground storage tanks, 26.342(12) as it applies to aboveground storage tanks, 26.342(14) and 26.342(15) as they apply to aboveground storage tanks, 26.342(16), 26.342(16-a), 26.342(18), 26.343(a)(1), 26.344 as it applies to aboveground storage tanks, 26.3441, 26.345 and 26.346 as they apply to aboveground storage tanks, 26.349 as it applies to aboveground storage tanks, 26.351 and 26.3511 as they apply to aboveground storage tanks, 26.3512 as it applies to petroleum storage tank remediation account, 26.3514 through 26.3516 as they apply to aboveground storage tanks, 26.354 through 26.356 as they apply to aboveground storage tanks, 26.3571, 26.3573, 26.35731, 26.3574, 26.35745, 26.358, 26.361, 26.364 through 26.367; Subchapter K. Occupational Licensing and Registration, Sections 26.451, 26.452 and 26.456.
(B) Texas Administrative Code, Title 30, Part I. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Chapter 334 Underground and Aboveground Storage Tanks, effective May 31, 2018: Sections 334.2 “Definitions” as applied to aboveground storage tanks (ASTs), 334.9 “Seller's Disclosure”, 334.19 “Fee on Delivery of Petroleum Product, 334.21 “Fee Assessment” through 334.23 “Disposition of Fees, Interest, and Penalties”, 334.121 “Purpose and Applicability for Aboveground Storage Tanks (ASTs)” through 334.132 “Other General Provisions for Aboveground Storage Tanks (ASTs)”, 334.201 “Purpose, Applicability, and Deadlines” through 334.208 “Model Institutional Controls”, 334.301 “Applicability of this Subchapter” through 334.322 “Subchapter H Definitions”, 334.401 “License and Registration Required”, 334.407 “Other Requirements for an Underground Storage Tank Contractor”, 334.424 “Other Requirements for an On-site Supervisor” and 334.560 “Reimbursable Cost Specifications”.
(2) Statement of legal authority. The Attorney General's Statements, signed by the Attorney General of Texas on January 11, 1994 and October 22, 2018, 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.
(3) Demonstration of procedures for adequate enforcement. The “Demonstration of Procedures for Adequate Enforcement” submitted as part of the original application on April 28, 1994 and as part of the program revision application for approval on October 15, 2018 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 original application on April 28, 1994 and as part of the program revision application on October 15, 2018, 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 6 and the Texas Department of Environmental Quality, signed by the EPA Regional Administrator on July 29, 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.
[85 FR 37352, June 22, 2020]