[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 29, Volume 9] [Revised as of July 1, 2001] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 29CFR1953.11] [Page 127-128] TITLE 29--LABOR CHAPTER XVII--OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR--(CONTINUED) PART 1953--CHANGES TO STATE PLANS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND ENFORCEMENT OF STATE STANDARDS--Table of Contents Subpart B--Developmental Change Supplements Sec. 1953.11 Submission and consideration. (a) A supplement is required whenever a State completes a developmental step or fails to meet any developmental step. If a State fails to submit the required supplement when the developmental step was scheduled for completion, the Regional Administrator shall notify the State that a supplement is required and set a time period for submission of the supplement generally not to exceed 30 days. (b)(1) An authorized representative of the State agency or agencies designated under section 18(c)(1) to administer the plan shall submit the supplement with 6 copies to the appropriate Regional Administrator for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (2) When a developmental step is missed, the supplement should contain the change with related documentation on the impact of the change on the State plan as well as the following information: (i) An explanation of why the step was not completed; (ii) A new date for completion of the step; (iii) A revised developmental schedule showing specific actions the State proposes to take whenever the missed step would require a new timetable; and (iv) A demonstration that the current operating program is substantial enough to contribute to the protection of employees in the State through the enforcement of standards. Where appropriate, changes requiring legislative action will be supported as required in Sec. 1902.2(b) of this chapter. (c) Upon receipt of the supplement, the Regional Administrator shall make a preliminary review of the changes. If his examination reveals any defect in the supplement, the Regional Administrator shall offer assistance to the State and shall provide the agency an opportunity, generally not to exceed 30 days, to cure such defect. After the preliminary review and after affording the State such opportunity to cure defects, the Regional Administrator, except as provided in Sec. 1953.4 for review of standards supplements, shall promptly submit the supplement to the Assistant Secretary. (d)(1) Upon receipt of the supplement from the Regional Administrator, the Assistant Secretary shall examine the change and supporting material. If examination discloses no cause for rejecting the change, the procedures provided in Secs. 1902.11 and 1902.12 of this chapter for public comment and approval of State plans shall be followed. [[Page 128]] (2) If examination discloses cause for rejecting the change, the Assistant Secretary shall provide the State a reasonable time, generally not to exceed 30 days, to submit to the Regional Administrator for review and submission to the Assistant Secretary a revised supplement, or to show cause why a proceeding should not be commenced either for rejection of the change or for failure to meet the developmental schedule, in accordance with the procedures in Sec. 1902.17 of this chapter on rejection of State plans. (e) The Assistant Secretary shall review a supplement in the context of the entire plan to see whether it meets the assurances provided in the plan for an ``at least as effective'' program and whether there is a reasonable expectation that the plan will meet the requirements of the Act and the criteria in part 1902 within the three year developmental period. The decision shall reflect the Assistant Secretary's determination as to whether the supplement meets these requirements. (f) If a timely request is submitted by the State, a final decision on a developmental change supplement will, to the extent practicable, be made no later than 60 days after the close of the period for written public comment or a hearing, whichever is relevant, unless the Assistant Secretary determines that the change is minor. The Assistant Secretary may defer publication of minor changes until the end of each full year of operations under the plan. The deferral of publication would not be appropriate where the change under consideration included a failure to meet a developmental step. [38 FR 24361, Sept. 7, 1973, as amended at 39 FR 5629, Feb. 14, 1974]