[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 40, Volume 26]
[Revised as of July 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 40CFR270.1]

[Page 274-279]
 
                   TITLE 40--PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT
 
                           AGENCY (CONTINUED)
 
PART 270_EPA ADMINISTERED PERMIT PROGRAMS: THE HAZARDOUS WASTE PERMIT 
PROGRAM--Table of Contents
 
                      Subpart A_General Information
 
Sec. 270.1  Purpose and scope of these regulations.




                      Subpart A_General Information

Sec.
270.1 Purpose and scope of these regulations.
270.2 Definitions.
270.3 Considerations under Federal law.
270.4 Effect of a permit.
270.5 Noncompliance and program reporting by the Director.
270.6 References.

                      Subpart B_Permit Application

270.10 General application requirements.
270.11 Signatories to permit applications and reports.
270.12 Confidentiality of information.
270.13 Contents of part A of the permit application.
270.14 Contents of part B: General requirements.
270.15 Specific part B information requirements for containers.
270.16 Specific part B information requirements for tank systems.
270.17 Specific part B information requirements for surface 
          impoundments.
270.18 Specific part B information requirements for waste piles.
270.19 Specific part B information requirements for incinerators.
270.20 Specific part B information requirements for land treatment 
          facilities.
270.21 Specific part B information requirements for landfills.
270.22 Specific part B information requirements for boilers and 
          industrial furnaces burning hazardous waste.
270.23 Specific part B information requirements for miscellaneous units.
270.24 Specific part B information requirements for process vents.
270.25 Specific part B information requirements for equipment.
270.26 Special part B information requirements for drip pads.
270.27 Specific part B information requirements for air emission 
          controls for tanks, surface impoundments, and containers.
270.28 Part B information requirements for post-closure permits.
270.29 Permit denial.

                       Subpart C_Permit Conditions

270.30 Conditions applicable to all permits.
270.31 Requirements for recording and reporting of monitoring results.
270.32 Establishing permit conditions.
270.33 Schedules of compliance.

                      Subpart D_Changes to Permits

270.40 Transfer of permits.
270.41 Modification or revocation and reissuance of permits.

[[Page 275]]

270.42 Permit modification at the request of the permittee.
270.43 Termination of permits.

            Subpart E_Expiration and Continuation of Permits

270.50 Duration of permits.
270.51 Continuation of expiring permits.

                   Subpart F_Special Forms of Permits

270.60 Permits by rule.
270.61 Emergency permits.
270.62 Hazardous waste incinerator permits.
270.63 Permits for land treatment demonstrations using field test or 
          laboratory analyses.
270.64 Interim permits for UIC wells.
270.65 Research, development, and demonstration permits.
270.66 Permits for boilers and industrial furnaces burning hazardous 
          waste.
270.68 Remedial Action Plans (RAPs).

                        Subpart G_Interim Status

270.70 Qualifying for interim status.
270.71 Operation during interim status.
270.72 Changes during interim status.
270.73 Termination of interim status.

                 Subpart H_Remedial Action Plans (RAPs)

270.79 Why is this subpart written in a special format?

                           General Information

270.80 What is a RAP?
270.85 When do I need a RAP?
270.90 Does my RAP grant me any rights or relieve me of any obligations?

                           Applying for a RAP

270.95 How do I apply for a RAP?
270.100 Who must obtain a RAP?
270.105 Who must sign the application and any required reports for a 
          RAP?
270.110 What must I include in my application for a RAP?
270.115 What if I want to keep this information confidential?
270.120 To whom must I submit my RAP application?
270.125 If I submit my RAP application as part of another document, what 
          must I do?

                         Getting a RAP Approved

270.130 What is the process for approving or denying my application for 
          a RAP?
270.135 What must the Director include in a draft RAP?
270.140 What else must the Director prepare in addition to the draft RAP 
          or notice of intent to deny?
270.145 What are the procedures for public comment on the draft RAP or 
          notice of intent to deny?
270.150 How will the Director make a final decision on my RAP 
          application?
270.155 May the decision to approve or deny my RAP application be 
          administratively appealed?
270.160 When does my RAP become effective?
270.165 When may I begin physical construction of new units permitted 
          under the RAP?

    How May My RAP Be Modified, Revoked and Reissued, or Terminated?

270.170 After my RAP is issued, how may it be modified, revoked and 
          reissued, or terminated?
270.175 For what reasons may the Director choose to modify my final RAP?
270.180 For what reasons may the Director choose to revoke and reissue 
          my final RAP?
270.185 For what reasons may the Director choose to terminate my final 
          RAP, or deny my renewal application?
270.190 May the decision to approve or deny a modification, revocation 
          and reissuance, or termination of my RAP be administratively 
          appealed?
270.195 When will my RAP expire?
270.200 How may I renew my RAP if it is expiring?
270.205 What happens if I have applied correctly for a RAP renewal but 
          have not received approval by the time my old RAP expires?

                        Operating Under Your RAP

270.210 What records must I maintain concerning my RAP?
270.215 How are time periods in the requirements in this subpart and my 
          RAP computed?
270.220 How may I transfer my RAP to a new owner or operator?
270.225 What must the State or EPA Region report about noncompliance 
          with RAPs?

                Obtaining a RAP for an Off-Site Location

270.230 May I perform remediation waste management activities under a 
          RAP at a location removed from the area where the remediation 
          wastes originated?

Subpart I_Integration with Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) 
                                Standards

270.235 Options for incinerators and cement and lightweight aggregate 
          kilns to minimize emissions from startup, shutdown, and 
          malfunction events.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6905, 6912, 6924, 6925, 6927, 6939, and 6974.

[[Page 276]]


    Source: 48 FR 14228, Apr. 1, 1983, unless otherwise noted.



    (a) Coverage. (1) These permit regulations establish provisions for 
the Hazardous Waste Permit Program under Subtitle C of the Solid Waste 
Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act 
of 1976, as amended (RCRA), (Pub. L. 94-580, as amended by Pub. L. 95-
609 and by Pub. L. 96-482; 42 U.S.C. 6091 et seq.). They apply to EPA 
and to approved States to the extent provided in part 271.
    (2) The regulations in this part cover basic EPA permitting 
requirements, such as application requirements, standard permit 
conditions, and monitoring and reporting requirements. These regulations 
are part of a regulatory scheme implementing RCRA set forth in different 
parts of the Code of Federal Regulations. The following chart indicates 
where the regulations implementing RCRA appear in the Code of Federal 
Regulations.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Final
       Section of RCRA                    Coverage            regulation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtitle C...................  Overview and definitions.....  40 CFR
                                                              part 260
3001.........................  Indentification and listing    40 CFR
                                of hazardous waste.           part 261
3002.........................  Generators of hazardous waste  40 CFR
                                                              part 262
3003.........................  Transporters of hazardous      40 CFR
                                waste.                        part 263
3004.........................  Standards for HWM facilities.  40 CFR
                                                              parts 264,
                                                              265, 266,
                                                              and 267
3005.........................  Permit requirements for HWM    40 CFR
                                facilities.                   parts 270
                                                              and 124
3006.........................  Guidelines for State programs  40 CFR
                                                              part 271
3010.........................  Preliminary notification of    (public
                                HWM activity.                 notice) 45
                                                              FR 12746
                                                              February
                                                              26, 1980
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (3) Technical regulations. The RCRA permit program has separate 
additional Regulations that contain technical requirements. These 
separate regulations are used by permit issuing authorities to determine 
what requirements must be placed in permits if they are issued. These 
separate regulations are located in 40 CFR parts 264, 266, and 267.
    (b) Overview of the RCRA Permit Program. Not later than 90 days 
after the promulgation or revision of regulations in 40 CFR part 261 
(identifying and listing hazardous wastes) generators and transporters 
of hazardous waste, and owners or operators of hazardous waste 
treatment, storage, or disposal facilities may be required to file a 
notification of that activity under section 3010. Six months after the 
initial promulgation of the part 261 regulations, treatment, storage, or 
disposal of hazardous waste by any person who has not applied for or 
received a RCRA permit is prohibited. A RCRA permit application consists 
of two parts, part A (see Sec. 270.13) and part B (see Sec. 270.14 and 
applicable sections in Sec. Sec. 270.15 through 270.29). For ``existing 
HWM facilities,'' the requirement to submit an application is satisfied 
by submitting only part A of the permit application until the date the 
Director sets for submitting part B of the application. (Part A consists 
of Forms 1 and 3 of the Consolidated Permit Application Forms.) Timely 
submission of both notification under section 3010 and part A qualifies 
owners and operators of existing HWM facilities (who are required to 
have a permit) for interim status under section 3005(e) of RCRA. 
Facility owners and operators with interim status are treated as having 
been issued a permit until EPA or a State with interim authorization for 
Phase II or final authorization under part 271 makes a final 
determination on the permit application. Facility owners and operators 
with interim status must comply with interim status standards set forth 
at 40 CFR part 265 and 266 or with the analagous provisions of a State 
program which has received interim or final authorization under part 
271. Facility owners and operators with interim status are not relieved 
from complying with other State requirements. For existing HWM 
facilities, the Director shall set a date, giving at least six months 
notice, for submission of part B of the application. There is no form 
for part B of the application; rather, part B must be submitted in 
narrative form and contain the information set forth in the applicable 
sections of Sec. Sec. 270.14 through 270.29. Owners or operators of new 
HWM facilities must submit parts

[[Page 277]]

A and B of the permit application at least 180 days before physical 
construction is expected to commence.
    (c) Scope of the RCRA permit requirement. RCRA requires a permit for 
the ``treatment,'' ``storage,'' and ``disposal'' of any ``hazardous 
waste'' as identified or listed in 40 CFR part 261. The terms 
``treatment,'' ``storage,'' ``disposal,'' and ``hazardous waste'' are 
defined in Sec. 270.2. Owners and operators of hazardous waste 
management units must have permits during the active life (including the 
closure period) of the unit. Owners and operators of surface 
impoundments, landfills, land treatment units, and waste pile units that 
received waste after July 26, 1982, or that certified closure (according 
to Sec. 265.115 of this chapter) after January 26, 1983, must have 
post-closure permits, unless they demonstrate closure by removal or 
decontamination as provided under Sec. 270.1(c)(5) and (6), or obtain 
an enforceable document in lieu of a post-closure permit, as provided 
under paragraph (c)(7) of this section. If a post-closure permit is 
required, the permit must address applicable 40 CFR part 264 groundwater 
monitoring, unsaturated zone monitoring, corrective action, and post-
closure care requirements of this chapter. The denial of a permit for 
the active life of a hazardous waste management facility or unit does 
not affect the requirement to obtain a post-closure permit under this 
section.
    (1) Specific inclusions. Owners and operators of certain facilities 
require RCRA permits as well as permits under other programs for certain 
aspects of the facility operation. RCRA permits are required for:
    (i) Injection wells that dispose of hazardous waste, and associated 
surface facilities that treat, store or dispose of hazardous waste, (See 
Sec. 270.64). However, the owner and operator with a UIC permit in a 
State with an approved or promulgated UIC program, will be deemed to 
have a RCRA permit for the injection well itself if they comply with the 
requirements of Sec. 270.60(b) (permit-by-rule for injection wells).
    (ii) Treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste at 
facilities requiring an NPDES permit. However, the owner and operator of 
a publicly owned treatment works receiving hazardous waste will be 
deemed to have a RCRA permit for that waste if they comply with the 
requirements of Sec. 270.60(c) (permit-by-rule for POTWs).
    (iii) Barges or vessels that dispose of hazardous waste by ocean 
disposal and onshore hazardous waste treatment or storage facilities 
associated with an ocean disposal operation. However, the owner and 
operator will be deemed to have a RCRA permit for ocean disposal from 
the barge or vessel itself it they comply with the requirements of Sec. 
270.60(a) (permit-by-rule for ocean disposal barges and vessels).
    (2) Specific exclusions. The following persons are among those who 
are not required to obtain a RCRA permit:
    (i) Generators who accumulate hazardous waste on-site for less than 
the time periods provided in 40 CFR 262.34.
    (ii) Farmers who dispose of hazardous waste pesticides from their 
own use as provided in Sec. 262.70 of this chapter;
    (iii) Persons who own or operate facilities solely for the 
treatment, storage or disposal of hazardous waste excluded from 
regulations under this part by 40 CFR 261.4 or 261.5 (small generator 
exemption).
    (iv) Owners or operators of totally enclosed treatment facilities as 
defined in 40 CFR 260.10.
    (v) Owners and operators of elementary neutralization units or 
wastewater treatment units as defined in 40 CFR 260.10.
    (vi) Transporters storing manifested shipments of hazardous waste in 
containers meeting the requirements of 40 CFR 262.30 at a transfer 
facility for a period of ten days or less.
    (vii) Persons adding absorbent material to waste in a container (as 
defined in Sec. 260.10 of this chapter) and persons adding waste to 
absorbent material in a container, provided that these actions occur at 
the time waste is first placed in the container; and Sec. Sec. 
264.17(b), 264.171, and 264.172 of this chapter are complied with.
    (viii) Universal waste handlers and universal waste transporters (as 
defined in 40 CFR 260.10) managing the wastes listed below. These 
handlers are subject to regulation under 40 part CFR 273.

[[Page 278]]

    (A) Batteries as described in 40 CFR 273.2;
    (B) Pesticides as described in Sec. 273.3 of this chapter;
    (C) Thermostats as described in Sec. 273.4 of this chapter; and
    (D) Lamps as described in Sec. 273.5 of this chapter.
    (ix) A New York State Utility central collection facility 
consolidating hazardous waste in accordance with 40 CFR 262.90.
    (3) Further exclusions. (i) A person is not required to obtain an 
RCRA permit for treatment or containment activities taken during 
immediate response to any of the following situations:
    (A) A discharge of a hazardous waste;
    (B) An imminent and substantial threat of a discharge of hazardous 
waste;
    (C) A discharge of a material which, when discharged, becomes a 
hazardous waste.
    (D) An immediate threat to human health, public safety, property, or 
the environment from the known or suspected presence of military 
munitions, other explosive material, or an explosive device, as 
determined by an explosive or munitions emergency response specialist as 
defined in 40 CFR 260.10.
    (ii) Any person who continues or initiates hazardous waste treatment 
or containment activities after the immediate response is over is 
subject to all applicable requirements of this part for those 
activities.
    (iii) In the case of emergency responses involving military 
munitions, the responding military emergency response specialist's 
organizational unit must retain records for three years identifying the 
dates of the response, the responsible persons responding, the type and 
description of material addressed, and its disposition.
    (4) Permits for less than an entire facility. EPA may issue or deny 
a permit for one or more units at a facility without simultaneously 
issuing or denying a permit to all of the units at the facility. The 
interim status of any unit for which a permit has not been issued or 
denied is not affected by the issuance or denial of a permit to any 
other unit at the facility.
    (5) Closure by removal. Owners/operators of surface impoundments, 
land treatment units, and waste piles closing by removal or 
decontamination under part 265 standards must obtain a post-closure 
permit unless they can demonstrate to the Regional Administrator that 
the closure met the standards for closure by removal or decontamination 
in Sec. 264.228, Sec. 264.280(e), or Sec. 264.258, respectively. The 
demonstration may be made in the following ways:
    (i) If the owner/operator has submitted a part B application for a 
post-closure permit, the owner/operator may request a determination, 
based on information contained in the application, that section 264 
closure by removal standards were met. If the Regional Administrator 
believes that Sec. 264 standards were met, he/she will notify the 
public of this proposed decision, allow for public comment, and reach a 
final determination according to the procedures in paragraph (c)(6) of 
this section.
    (ii) If the owner/operator has not submitted a part B application 
for a post-closure permit, the owner/operator may petition the Regional 
Administrator for a determination that a post-closure permit is not 
required because the closure met the applicable part 264 closure 
standards.
    (A) The petition must include data demonstrating that closure by 
removal or decontamination standards were met, or it must demonstrate 
that the unit closed under State requirements that met or exceeded the 
applicable 264 closure-by-removal standard.
    (B) The Regional Administrator shall approve or deny the petition 
according to the procedures outlined in paragraph (c)(6) of this 
section.
    (6) Procedures for closure equivalency determination. (i) If a 
facility owner/operator seeks an equivalency demonstration under Sec. 
270.1(c)(5), the Regional Administrator will provide the public, through 
a newspaper notice, the opportunity to submit written comments on the 
information submitted by the owner/operator within 30 days from the date 
of the notice. The Regional Administrator will also, in response to a 
request or at his/her own discretion, hold a public hearing whenever 
such a hearing might clarify one or more issues concerning the 
equivalence of

[[Page 279]]

the part 265 closure to a part 264 closure. The Regional Administrator 
will give public notice of the hearing at least 30 days before it 
occurs. (Public notice of the hearing may be given at the same time as 
notice of the opportunity for the public to submit written comments, and 
the two notices may be combined.)
    (ii) The Regional Administrator will determine whether the part 265 
closure met 264 closure by removal or decontamination requirements 
within 90 days of its receipt. If the Regional Administrator finds that 
the closure did not meet the applicable part 264 standards, he/she will 
provide the owner/operator with a written statement of the reasons why 
the closure failed to meet part 264 standards. The owner/operator may 
submit additional information in support of an equivalency demonstration 
within 30 days after receiving such written statement. The Regional 
Administrator will review any additional information submitted and make 
a final determination within 60 days.
    (iii) If the Regional Administrator determines that the facility did 
not close in accordance with part 264 closure by removal standards, the 
facility is subject to post-closure permitting requirements.
    (7) Enforceable documents for post-closure care. At the discretion 
of the Regional Administrator, an owner or operator may obtain, in lieu 
of a post-closure permit, an enforceable document imposing the 
requirements of 40 CFR 265.121. ``Enforceable document'' means an order, 
a plan, or other document issued by EPA or by an authorized State under 
an authority that meets the requirements of 40 CFR 271.16(e) including, 
but not limited to, a corrective action order issued by EPA under 
section 3008(h), a CERCLA remedial action, or a closure or post-closure 
plan.

[48 FR 14228, Apr. 1, 1983, as amended at 48 FR 30113, June 30, 1983; 51 
FR 10176, Mar. 24, 1986; 52 FR 45798, Dec. 1, 1987; 53 FR 27165, July 
19, 1988; 54 FR 9607, Mar. 7, 1989; 56 FR 32692, July 17, 1991; 60 FR 
25542, May 11, 1995; 62 FR 6656, Feb. 12, 1996; 63 FR 56735, Oct. 22, 
1998; 64 FR 36488, July 6, 1999; 64 FR 37638, July 12, 1999]