§6974 Petition for Regulations; Public Participation

Summary

People can ask the Administrator to create, change, or remove any rule under this law. After getting a petition, the Administrator must act in a reasonable time and publish the decision and reasons in the Federal Register. The Administrator and the States must make it easy for the public to take part when rules, guidelines, information, or programs are made, changed, put into effect, or enforced. The Administrator, with the States, must write and publish basic steps for public participation. Before issuing a permit for a facility that treats, stores, or disposes of hazardous waste under section 6925, the Administrator must notify people in major local newspapers and on local radio and must send written notice to local governments with jurisdiction and to state agencies with relevant authority. If the Administrator gets written opposition and a request for a hearing within 45 days, or decides to do so on their own, the Administrator must hold an informal public hearing that allows written and spoken comments. The hearing should be near the closest population center and publicized the same way. A State permitting program cannot be approved under section 6926 unless it includes these notice and hearing steps.