(a) This part applies to all proceedings for the assessment by EPA of a noncompliance penalty as provided by section 120 of the Clean Air Act. This penalty is designed to recover the economic advantage which might otherwise accrue to a source by reason of its failure to comply with air pollution control standards after receipt of a notice of noncompliance.

(b) These regulations shall be effective October 27, 1980.

This part sets forth the procedures by which EPA will administer the noncompliance penalty provisions of section 120 of the Clean Air Act. Subpart A describes the scope of the part, defines key terms and states the manner of operation of these provisions subpart B states which sources of air pollution are subject to these penalties and the form and substance of the notice of noncompliance. Subpart C and the accompanying Technical Support Document and Manual state how a source must compute the penalty which it owes. Subpart D describes the conditions under which an exemption from the penalty may be available, and subpart E sets forth the procedures for requesting such an exemption. Subpart F states how EPA will review penalties calculated by sources under subpart C, and subpart G describes the method of payment. Subpart H provides for adjustment of the penalty after the source has come into compliance and the actual costs of doing so are known. Finally, subpart I states which actions under these regulations are subject to judicial review and on what conditions, and subpart J provides supplemental procedures for adjudicatory hearings.

In this part and part 67:

(a) Act means the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq. as amended on August 7, 1977, except where the context specifically indicates otherwise.

(b) Affiliated entity means a person who directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the owner or operator of a source.

(c) Applicable legal requirements means any of the following:

(1) In the case of any major source, any emission limitation, emission standard, or compliance schedule under any EPA-approved State implementation plan (regardless of whether the source is subject to a Federal or State consent decree);

(2) In the case of any source, an emission limitation, emission standard, standard of performance, or other requirement (including, but not limited to, work practice standards) established under section 111 or 112 of the Act;

(3) In the case of a source that is subject to a federal or federally approved state judicial consent decree or EPA approved extension, order, or suspension, any interim emission control requirement or schedule of compliance under that consent decree, extension, order or suspension;

(4) In the case of a nonferrous smelter which has received a primary nonferrous smelter order issued or approved by EPA under Section 119 of the Act, any interim emission control requirement (including a requirement relating to the use of supplemental or intermittent controls) or schedule of compliance under that order.

(d) Approved Section 120 program means a State program to assess and collect Section 120 penalties that has been approved by the Administrator.

(e) Computer program means the computer program used to calculate noncompliance penalties under section 120 of the Clean Air Act. This computer program appears as appendix C to these regulations.

(f) Control (including the terms controlling, controlled by, and under common control with) means the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person or organization, whether by the ownership of stock, voting rights, by contract, or otherwise.

(g) Environmental Appeals Board shall mean the Board within the Agency described in § 1.25 of this title. The Administrator delegates authority to the Environmental Appeals Board to issue final decisions in appeals filed under this part. Appeals directed to the Administrator, rather than to the Environmental Appeals Board, will not be considered. This delegation of authority to the Environmental Appeals Board does not preclude the Environmental Appeals Board from referring an appeal or a motion filed under this part to the Administrator for decision when the Environmental Appeals Board, in its discretion, deems it appropriate to do so. When an appeal or motion is referred to the Administrator, all parties shall be so notified and the rules in this part referring to the Environmental Appeals Board shall be interpreted as referring to the Administrator.

(h) Major stationary source means any stationary facility or source of air pollutants which directly emits, or has the potential to emit, one hundred tons per year or more of any air pollutant regulated by EPA under the Clean Air Act.

(i) Manual means the Noncompliance Penalties Instruction Manual which accompanies these regulations. This Manual appears as appendix B to these regulations.

(j) Owner or operator means any person who owns, leases, operates or supervises a facility, building, structure or installation which emits or has the potential to emit any air pollutant regulated by EPA under the Act.

(k) Potential to emit means the capability at maximum design capacity to emit a pollutant after the application of air pollution control equipment. Annual potential shall be based on the larger of the maximum annual rated capacity of the stationary source assuming continuous operation, or on a projection of actual annual emissions. Enforceable permit conditions on the type of materials combusted or processed may be used in determining the annual potential. Fugitive emissions, to the extent quantifiable, will be considered in determining annual potential for those stationary sources whose fugitive emissions are regulated by the applicable state implementation plan.

(l) Source means any source of air pollution subject to applicable legal requirements as defined in paragraph (c).

(m) Technical Support Document means the Noncompliance Penalties Technical Support Document which accompanies these regulations. The Technical Support Document appears as appendix A to these regulations.

No applicable legal requirement, which could have been reviewed or challenged by means of the timely filing of an appropriate petition, no provision of this part or part 67 or appendices A, B or C, may be challenged, reviewed or re-examined in any hearing conducted under this part or part 67. This limitation on review includes, but is not limited to:

(a) Arguments that the statute is more or less restrictive than the regulations, e.g., that exemptions other than those provided herein should be granted.

(b) Arguments that the economic model does not accurately calculate the economic benefits of noncompliance, or that parameters, terms and conditions other than those provided for in the model should be used or that evidence other than that described in the Technical Support Document for establishing inputs should be considered.

Proceedings under these regulations for imposition of a penalty under section 120 are in addition to any other proceedings related to permits, orders, payments, sanctions or other requirements of State or Federal law. No action under this part or part 67 shall affect in any way any administrative, civil or criminal enforcement proceeding brought under any provision of the Clean Air Act or State or local law.

(a) The existence of any litigation on the validity of these regulations shall not affect the authority of the Agency to issue notices of noncompliance or to conduct subsequent administrative proceedings under parts 66 and 67.

(b) Failure of the Environmental Appeals Board or the Presiding Officer at a hearing to meet any of the time limits contained in this part 66 and part 67 of this chapter shall not affect the validity of any proceeding under these regulations.

(c) The filing of any petition for reconsideration under this part or part 67 or the institution of EPA review of a State determination under part 67 shall not toll the accrual of noncompliance penalties. The penalty will be calculated from the date on which the source owner or operator receives a notice of noncompliance.