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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>54524</law_id><section_number>10.1-1187.6</section_number><catch_line>Approval of alternate compliance methods</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>10.1-2131</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="10.1">Conservation</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Activities Administered by Other Entities</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="11.1">Department of Environmental Quality</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1.1">Virginia Environmental Excellence Program</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> To the extent consistent with federal <span class="dictionary">law</span> and notwithstanding any other provision of <span class="dictionary">law</span>, the Air Pollution Control Board, the Waste Management Board, and the State Water Control Board may grant alternative compliance methods to the regulations adopted pursuant to their authorities, respectively, under &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Regulations" href="/10.1-1308/">10.1-1308</a>, <a class="law" title="Powers and duties of the Board" href="/10.1-1402/">10.1-1402</a>, and <a class="law" title="Powers and duties; civil penalties" href="/62.1-44.15/">62.1-44.15</a> for persons or facilities that have been accepted by the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> as meeting the criteria for E3 and E4 facilities under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Program categories and criteria" href="/10.1-1187.3/">10.1-1187.3</a>, including but not limited to changes to monitoring and reporting requirements and <span class="dictionary">schedules</span>, streamlined submission requirements for permit renewals, the ability to make certain operational changes without prior approval, and other changes that would not increase a facility&#x2019;s impact on the <span class="dictionary">environment</span>. Such alternative compliance methods may allow alternative methods for achieving compliance with prescribed regulatory standards, provided that the person or facility requesting the alternative compliance method demonstrates that the method will (i) meet the purpose of the applicable regulatory standard, (ii) promote achievement of those purposes through increased reliability, efficiency, or cost effectiveness, and (iii) afford environmental protection equal to or greater than that provided by the applicable regulatory standard. No alternative compliance method shall be approved that would alter an ambient air quality standard, ground water protection standard, or water quality standard and no alternative compliance method shall be approved that would increase the pollutants released to the <span class="dictionary">environment</span>, increase impacts to state waters, or otherwise result in a loss of wetland acreage. <a id="paragraph-200206" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/10.1-1187.6/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Notwithstanding any other provision of <span class="dictionary">law</span>, an alternate compliance method may be approved under this section after at least 30 days&#x2019; public notice and opportunity for comment, and a determination that the alternative compliance method meets the requirements of this section. <a id="paragraph-200207" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/10.1-1187.6/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Nothing in this section shall be interpreted or applied in a manner inconsistent with the applicable federal <span class="dictionary">law</span> or other requirement necessary for the Commonwealth to obtain or retain federal delegation or approval of any regulatory program. Before approving an alternate compliance method affecting any such program, each Board may obtain the approval of the federal agency responsible for such delegation or approval. Any one of the Boards may withdraw approval of the alternate compliance method at any time if any conditions under which the alternate compliance method was originally approved change, or if the recipient has failed to comply with any of the alternative compliance method requirements. <a id="paragraph-200208" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/10.1-1187.6/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Upon approval of the alternative compliance method under this section, the alternative compliance method shall be incorporated into the relevant permits as a <span class="dictionary">minor</span> permit modification with no associated fee. The permits shall also contain any such provisions that shall go into effect in the event that the participant fails to fulfill its obligations under the variance, or is removed from the program for reasons specified by the <span class="dictionary">Director</span> under subsection B of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Procedures for participation" href="/10.1-1187.4/">10.1-1187.4</a>. <a id="paragraph-200209" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/10.1-1187.6/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2005, c. 705.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
