(a) Administrator responsibilities. The Administrator shall be responsible for the following activities under the opt-in provisions of the Acid Rain Program:

(1) Calculating the baseline or alternative baseline and allowance allocation, and allocating allowances for combustion or process sources that become affected units under this part;

(2) Certifying or recertifying monitoring systems for combustion or process sources as provided under § 74.20 of this chapter;

(3) Establishing allowance accounts, tracking allowances, assessing end-of-year compliance, determining reduced utilization, approving thermal energy transfer and accounting for the replacement of thermal energy, closing accounts for opt-in sources that shut down, are reconstructed, become affected under § 72.6 of this chapter, or fail to renew their opt-in permit, and deducting allowances as provided under subpart E of this part; and

(4) Ensuring that the opt-in source meets all withdrawal conditions prior to withdrawal from the Acid Rain Program as provided under § 74.18; and

(5) Approving and disapproving the request to withdraw from the Acid Rain Program.

(b) Permitting authority responsibilities. The permitting authority shall be responsible for the following activities:

(1) Issuing the draft and final opt-in permit;

(2) Revising and renewing the opt-in permit; and

(3) Terminating the opt-in permit for an opt-in source as provided in § 74.18 (withdrawal), § 74.46 (shutdown, reconstruction or change in affected status) and § 74.50 (deducting allowances).

(a) The opt-in permit shall be included in the Acid Rain permit.

(b) Scope. The opt-in permit provisions shall apply only to the opt-in source and not to any other affected units.

(c) Contents. Each opt-in permit, including any draft or proposed opt-in permit, shall contain the following elements in a format specified by the Administrator:

(1) All elements required for a complete opt-in permit application as provided under § 74.16 for combustion sources or under § 74.17 for process sources or, if applicable, all elements required for a complete opt-in permit renewal application as provided in § 74.19 for combustion sources or under § 74.17 for process sources;

(2) The allowance allocation for the opt-in source as determined by the Administrator under subpart C of this part for combustion sources or subpart D of this part for process sources;

(3) The standard permit requirements as provided under § 72.9 of this chapter, except that the provisions in § 72.9(d) of this chapter shall not be included in the opt-in permit; and

(4) Termination. The provision that participation of a combustion or process source in the Acid Rain Program may be terminated only in accordance with § 74.18 (withdrawal), § 74.46 (shutdown, reconstruction, or change in affected status), and § 74.50 (deducting allowances).

(d) Each opt-in permit is deemed to incorporate the definitions of terms under § 72.2 of this chapter.

(e) Permit shield. Each opt-in source operated in accordance with the opt-in permit that governs the opt-in source and that was issued in compliance with title IV of the Act, as provided in this part and parts 72, 73, 75, 77, and 78 of this chapter, shall be deemed to be operating in compliance with the Acid Rain Program, except as provided in § 72.9(g)(6) of this chapter.

(f) Term of opt-in permit. An opt-in permit shall be issued for a period of 5 years and may be renewed in accordance with § 74.19; provided

(1) If an opt-in permit is issued prior to January 1, 2000, then the opt-in permit may, at the option of the permitting authority, expire on December 31, 1999; and

(2) If an affected unit with an Acid Rain permit is located at the same source as the combustion source, the combustion source's opt-in permit may, at the option of the permitting authority, expire on the same date as the affected unit's Acid Rain permit expires.

(a) Submission. The designated representative of a combustion or process source may submit an opt-in permit application and a monitoring plan to the Administrator at any time for any combustion or process source that is operating.

(b) Issuance or denial of opt-in permits. The permitting authority shall issue or deny opt-in permits or revisions of opt-in permits in accordance with the procedures in parts 70 and 71 of this chapter and subparts F and G of part 72 of this chapter, except as provided in this section.

(1) Supplemental information. Regardless of whether the opt-in permit application is complete, the Administrator or the permitting authority may request submission of any additional information that the Administrator or the permitting authority determines to be necessary in order to review the opt-in permit application or to issue an opt-in permit.

(2) Interim review of monitoring plan. The Administrator will determine, on an interim basis, the sufficiency of the monitoring plan, accompanying the opt-in permit application. A monitoring plan is sufficient, for purposes of interim review, if the plan appears to contain information demonstrating that all SO2 emissions, NOX emissions, CO2 emissions, and opacity of the combustion or process source are monitored and reported in accordance with part 75 of this chapter. This interim review of sufficiency shall not be construed as the approval or disapproval of the combustion or process source's monitoring system.

(3) Issuance of draft opt-in permit. After the Administrator determines whether the combustion or process source's monitoring plan is sufficient under paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the permitting authority shall serve the draft opt-in permit or the denial of a draft permit or the draft opt-in permit revisions or the denial of draft opt-in permit revisions on the designated representative of the combustion or process source submitting an opt-in permit application. A draft permit or draft opt-in permit revision shall not be served or issued if the monitoring plan is determined not to be sufficient.

(4) Confirmation by source of intention to opt-in. Within 21 calendar days from the date of service of the draft opt-in permit or the denial of the draft opt-in permit, the designated representative of a combustion or process source submitting an opt-in permit application must submit to the Administrator, in writing, a confirmation or recision of the source's intention to become an opt-in source under this part. The Administrator shall treat the failure to make a timely submission as a recision of the source's intention to become an opt-in source and as a withdrawal of the opt-in permit application.

(5) Issuance of draft opt-in permit. If the designated representative confirms the combustion or process source's intention to opt in under paragraph (b)(4) of this section, the permitting authority will give notice of the draft opt-in permit or denial of the draft opt-in permit and an opportunity for public comment, as provided under § 72.65 of this chapter with regard to a draft permit or denial of a draft permit if the Administrator is the permitting authority or as provided in accordance with part 70 of this chapter with regard to a draft permit or the denial of a draft permit if the State is the permitting authority.

(6) Permit decision deadlines. (i) If the Administrator is the permitting authority, an opt-in permit will be issued or denied within 12 months of receipt of a complete opt-in permit application.

(ii) If the State is the permitting authority, an opt-in permit will be issued or denied within 18 months of receipt of a complete opt-in permit application or such lesser time approved for operating permits under part 70 of this chapter.

(7) Withdrawal of opt-in permit application. A combustion or process source may withdraw its opt-in permit application at any time prior to the issuance of the final opt-in permit. Once a combustion or process source withdraws its application, in order to re-apply, it must submit a new opt-in permit application in accordance with § 74.16 for combustion sources or § 74.17 for process sources.

(c) [Reserved]

(d) Entry into Acid Rain Program—(1) Effective date. The effective date of the opt-in permit shall be the January 1, April 1, July 1, or October 1 for a combustion or process source providing monthly data under § 74.20, or January 1 for a combustion or process source providing annual data under § 74.20, following the later of the issuance of the opt-in permit by the permitting authority or the completion of monitoring system certification, as provided in subpart F of this part for combustion sources or subpart G of this part for process sources. The combustion or process source shall become an opt-in source and an affected unit as of the effective date of the opt-in permit.

(2) Allowance allocation. After the opt-in permit becomes effective, the Administrator will allocate allowances to the opt-in source as provided in § 74.40. If the effective date of the opt-in permit is not January 1, allowances for the first year shall be pro-rated as provided in § 74.28.

(e) Expiration of opt-in permit. An opt-in permit that is issued before the completion of monitoring system certification under subpart F of this part for combustion sources or under subpart G of this part for process sources shall expire 180 days after the permitting authority serves the opt-in permit on the designated representative of the combustion or process source governed by the opt-in permit, unless such monitoring system certification is complete. The designated representative may petition the Administrator to extend this time period in which an opt-in permit expires and must explain in the petition why such an extension should be granted. The designated representative of a combustion source governed by an expired opt-in permit and that seeks to become an opt-in source must submit a new opt-in permit application.

(a) Opt-in permit application. Each complete opt-in permit application for a combustion source shall contain the following elements in a format prescribed by the Administrator:

(1) Identification of the combustion source, including company name, plant name, plant site address, mailing address, description of the combustion source, and information and diagrams on the combustion source's configuration;

(2) Identification of the designated representative, including name, address, telephone number, and facsimile number;

(3) The year and month the combustion source commenced operation;

(4) The number of hours the combustion source operated in the six months preceding the opt-in permit application and supporting documentation;

(5) The baseline or alternative baseline data under § 74.20;

(6) The actual SO2 emissions rate under § 74.22;

(7) The allowable 1985 SO2 emissions rate under § 74.23;

(8) The current allowable SO2 emissions rate under § 74.24;

(9) The current promulgated SO2 emissions rate under § 74.25;

(10) If the combustion source seeks to qualify for a transfer of allowances from the replacement of thermal energy, a thermal energy plan as provided in § 74.47 for combustion sources; and

(11) A statement whether the combustion source was previously an affected unit under this part;

(12) A statement that the combustion source is not an affected unit under § 72.6 of this chapter and does not have an exemption under § 72.7, § 72.8, or § 72.14 of this chapter;

(13) A complete compliance plan for SO2 under § 72.40 of this chapter; and

(14) The following statement signed by the designated representative of the combustion source: “I certify that the data submitted under subpart C of part 74 reflects actual operations of the combustion source and has not been adjusted in any way.”

(b) Accompanying documents. The designated representative of the combustion source shall submit a monitoring plan in accordance with § 74.61.

(a) Withdrawal through administrative amendment. An opt-in source may request to withdraw from the Acid Rain Program by submitting an administrative amendment under § 72.83 of this chapter; provided that the amendment will be treated as received by the permitting authority upon issuance of the notification of the acceptance of the request to withdraw under paragraph (f)(1) of this section.

(b) Requesting withdrawal. To withdraw from the Acid Rain Program, the designated representative of an opt-in source shall submit to the Administrator and the permitting authority a request to withdraw effective January 1 of the year after the year in which the submission is made. The submission shall be made no later than December 1 of the calendar year preceding the effective date of withdrawal.

(c) Conditions for withdrawal. In order for an opt-in source to withdraw, the following conditions must be met:

(1) By no later than January 30 of the first calendar year in which the withdrawal is to be effective, the designated representative must submit to the Administrator an annual compliance certification report pursuant to § 74.43.

(2) If the opt-in source has excess emissions in the calendar year before the year for which the withdrawal is to be in effect, the designated representative must submit an offset plan for excess emissions, pursuant to part 77 of this chapter, that provides for immediate deduction of allowances.

(d) Administrator's action on withdrawal. After the opt-in source meets the requirements for withdrawal under paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, the Administrator will deduct allowances required to be deducted under § 73.35 of this chapter and part 77 of this chapter and allowances equal in number to and with the same or earlier compliance use date as those allocated under § 74.40 for the first year for which the withdrawal is to be effective and all subsequent years.

(e) Opt-in source's prior violations. An opt-in source that withdraws from the Acid Rain Program shall comply with all requirements under the Acid Rain Program concerning all years for which the opt-in source was an affected unit, even if such requirements arise, or must be complied with after the withdrawal takes effect.

(f) Notification. (1) After the requirements for withdrawal under paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section are met and after the Administrator's action on withdrawal under paragraph (d) of this section is complete, the Administrator will issue a notification to the permitting authority and the designated representative of the opt-in source of the acceptance of the opt-in source's request to withdraw.

(2) If the requirements for withdrawal under paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section are not met or the Administrator's action under paragraph (d) of this section cannot be completed, the Administrator will issue a notification to the permitting authority and the designated representative of the opt-in source that the opt-in source's request to withdraw is denied. If the opt-in source's request to withdraw is denied, the opt-in source shall remain in the Opt-in Program and shall remain subject to the requirements for opt-in sources contained in this part.

(g) Permit amendment. (1) After the Administrator issues a notification under paragraph (f)(1) of this section that the requirements for withdrawal have been met (including the deduction of the full amount of allowances as required under paragraph (d) of this section), the permitting authority shall amend, in accordance with §§ 72.80 and 72.83 (administrative amendment) of this chapter, the opt-in source's Acid Rain permit to terminate the opt-in permit, not later than 60 days from the issuance of the notification under paragraph (f) of this section.

(2) The termination of the opt-in permit under paragraph (g)(1) of this section will be effective on January 1 of the year for which the withdrawal is requested. An opt-in source shall continue to be an affected unit until the effective date of the termination.

(h) Reapplication upon failure to meet conditions of withdrawal. If the Administrator denies the opt-in source's request to withdraw, the designated representative may submit another request to withdraw in accordance with paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section.

(i) Ability to return to the Acid Rain Program. Once a combustion or process source withdraws from the Acid Rain Program and its opt-in permit is terminated, a new opt-in permit application for the combustion or process source may not be submitted prior to the date that is four years after the date on which the opt-in permit became effective.

(a) The designated representative of an opt-in source may submit revisions to its opt-in permit in accordance with subpart H of part 72 of this chapter.

(b) The designated representative of an opt-in source may renew its opt-in permit by meeting the following requirements:

(1)(i) In order to renew an opt-in permit if the Administrator is the permitting authority for the renewed permit, the designated representative of an opt-in source must submit to the Administrator an opt-in permit application at least 6 months prior to the expiration of an existing opt-in permit.

(ii) In order to renew an opt-in permit if the State is the permitting authority for the renewed permit, the designated representative of an opt-in source must submit to the permitting authority an opt-in permit application at least 18 months prior to the expiration of an existing opt-in permit or such shorter time as may be approved for operating permits under part 70 of this chapter.

(2) Each complete opt-in permit application submitted to renew an opt-in permit shall contain the following elements in a format prescribed by the Administrator:

(i) Elements contained in the opt-in source's initial opt-in permit application as specified under § 74.16(a)(1), (2), (10), (11), (12), and (13).

(ii) An updated monitoring plan, if applicable under § 75.53(b) of this chapter.

(c)(1) Upon receipt of an opt-in permit application submitted to renew an opt-in permit, the permitting authority shall issue or deny an opt-in permit in accordance with the requirements under subpart B of this part, except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.

(2) When issuing a renewed opt-in permit, the permitting authority shall not alter an opt-in source's allowance allocation as established, under subpart B and subpart C of this part for combustion sources and under subpart B and subpart D of this part for process sources, in the opt-in permit that is being renewed.