| (a) Authorization for reimbursement. This subchapter authorizes the reimbursement of the expenses of corrective action taken in response to a release of: (1) petroleum products from a petroleum storage tank; (2) hydraulic fluid and other substances from a hydraulic lift system located at a vehicle service and fueling facility; and (3) spent oil and other substances from spent oil tanks located at a vehicle service and fueling facility, provided that the tank listed under this subsection is also subject to regulation under Subchapter D of this chapter (relating to Release Reporting and Corrective Action). (b) Deadline for commencing corrective action. This subchapter applies only under the following conditions: (1) the confirmed release or releases which necessitated the corrective action were reported to the agency on or before December 22, 1998; and (2) the release is confirmed by the agency. (c) Expenses considered for payment--time frame in which corrective action performed. Subject to the other requirements of this subchapter, the expenses which may be considered for payment from the petroleum storage tank remediation fund are limited to expenses of corrective action which was performed for the owner or operator on or after September 1, 1987, and conducted in response to a confirmed release that was initially discovered and reported to the agency on or before December 22, 1998. Expenses for corrective action performed prior to September 1, 1987, are not subject to reimbursement or payment. No expenses for corrective action performed after September 1, 2005 will be reimbursed unless the owner or operator is eligible for an extension for corrective action reimbursement under Texas Water Code, §26.3571 and has been granted such an extension by the executive director. The Petroleum Storage Tank Remediation (PSTR) Account may be used to reimburse an eligible owner or operator for corrective action performed under an extension before August 31, 2011. No reimbursements will be made for corrective action expenses sought in claims submitted to the agency after March 1, 2012. Under no circumstances will any reimbursements be made on or after September 1, 2012. (d) Limitations. This subchapter shall not be construed to authorize reimbursement or payment from the PSTR fund in situations other than those described in subsection (a) of this section and any person seeking reimbursement under this subchapter must meet the requirements of this subchapter. (e) Operative date for this subchapter. This subchapter applies as follows. (1) This subchapter authorizes applications for payment from the PSTR fund to be filed and processed pursuant to its terms on and after July 17, 1990, and ratifies any actions relating to filing and processing applications taken in accordance with this subchapter. (2) This subchapter authorizes the agency to make payments pursuant to its terms from the PSTR fund on and after July 17, 1990, and ratifies any payments made in accordance with this subchapter. (3) All costs incurred in the course of performing corrective action which are incurred on or after September 1, 1987, will be subject to the terms of this subchapter for the purposes of determining whether those costs are allowable. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to invalidate payments made by the agency under prior rules of the commission. (f) Possibility of invalidity. If any section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, clause, or subclause of this subchapter is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect any other section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, clause, or subclause which can be given effect without the invalid provision, and to this end the provisions of this subchapter are declared to be severable. (g) Suspending payments from the PSTR fund. The executive director may suspend payments from the fund, in whole or in part, as necessary to preserve the viability of the fund. (h) Order of consideration, processing, and payment of claims. Effective September 1, 1995, the executive director shall consider and process a claim by an eligible owner or operator for reimbursement from the PSTR fund in the order in which it is received, with the following provisions: (1) The executive director shall consider and process all claims by eligible owners and operators for reimbursement from the fund that were received before September 1, 1995, before the executive director considers a claim received after that date. (2) The executive director may postpone considering, processing, or paying a claim for reimbursement for corrective action work begun without prior commission approval after September 1, 1993, that is filed with the commission before January 1, 2005. |
| Source Note: The provisions of this §334.301 adopted to be effective September 26, 1990, 15 TexReg 5209; amended to be effective March 4, 1992, 17 TexReg 1385; amended to be effective June 7, 1993, 18 TexReg 3293; amended to be effective November 25, 1993, 18 TexReg 8355; amended to be effective February 1, 1995, 20 TexReg 285; amended to be effective November 8, 1995, 20 TexReg 8800; amended to be effective November 23, 2000, 25 TexReg 11442; amended to be effective April 2, 2002, 27 TexReg 2522; amended to be effective November 9, 2006, 31 TexReg 9034; amended to be effective October 30, 2008, 33 TexReg 8790 |
