§ 65.7 Monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting waivers and alternatives, and alternative work practice for equipment leaks.

(a) Waiver of recordkeeping or reporting requirements—(1) Waiver application. The owner or operator may apply for a waiver from recordkeeping or reporting requirements if the regulated source is achieving the relevant standard(s), or the source is operating under an extension of compliance under 40 CFR 63.6(i), or a waiver of compliance under 40 CFR 61.10(b), or the owner or operator has requested an extension or waiver of compliance and the Administrator is still considering that request. The waiver application shall be submitted in writing to the Administrator.

(2) Extension of compliance request. If an application for a waiver of recordkeeping or reporting is made, the application shall accompany the request for an extension of compliance under 40 CFR 63.6(i) or the request for a waiver of compliance under 40 CFR 61.10(b), any required compliance progress report or compliance status report required in the source's title V permit application or a permit modification application, or a periodic report required under this part, whichever is applicable. The application shall include whatever information the owner or operator considers useful to convince the Administrator that a waiver of recordkeeping or reporting is warranted.

(3) Approval or denial of waiver. The Administrator will approve or deny a request for a waiver of recordkeeping or reporting requirements when performing one of the following actions:

(i) Approves or denies an extension of compliance under 40 CFR 63.6(i) or a waiver of compliance under 40 CFR 61.10(b); or

(ii) Makes a determination of compliance following the submission of a required compliance status report or periodic report; or

(iii) Makes a determination of suitable progress toward compliance following the submission of a compliance progress report, whichever is applicable.

(4) Waiver conditions. A waiver of any recordkeeping or reporting requirement granted under this paragraph (a) may be conditioned on other recordkeeping or reporting requirements deemed necessary by the Administrator.

(5) Waiver cancellation. Approval of any waiver granted under this section shall not abrogate the Administrator's authority under the Act or in any way prohibit the Administrator from later canceling the waiver. The cancellation will be made only after notice is given to the owner or operator of the regulated source.

(b) Requests for approval of alternative monitoring or recordkeeping. An owner or operator may submit a written request for approval to use alternatives to the monitoring or recordkeeping provisions of this part. For process vents and transfer racks, except low-throughput transfer racks, the provisions in paragraph (c) of this section shall govern the review and approval of requests. In addition, the application shall include information justifying the owner or operator's request for an alternative monitoring or recordkeeping method, such as the technical or economic infeasibility, or the impracticality, of the regulated source using the required method. For storage vessels and low throughput transfer racks, owners and operators shall comply with the requirements of § 65.145(b) for preparing and submitting a design evaluation. For equipment leaks, owners and operators shall comply with the recordkeeping requirements of § 65.163(d). Owners and operators are also provided the option of complying with an alternative work practice for monitoring leaking equipment in § 65.7 (e), (f), and (g) rather than monitoring equipment with a 40 CFR part 60, appendix A–7, Method 21 monitor.

(c) Approval or denial of request to use alternative monitoring or recordkeeping. The Administrator will notify the owner or operator of approval or intention to deny approval of the request to use an alternative monitoring or recordkeeping method within 90 calendar days after receipt of the original request and within 30 calendar days after receipt of any supplementary information that is submitted. Before disapproving any request to use an alternative method, the Administrator will notify the applicant of the Administrator's intention to disapprove the request together with the following: