Titles of Regulations: 9VAC5-5. Public Participation Guidelines (adding 9VAC5-5-10 through 9VAC5-5-110).

9VAC5-170. Regulation for General Administration (amending 9VAC5-170-20, 9VAC5-170-40, 9VAC5-170-80; repealing 9VAC5-170-90, 9VAC5-170-100, 9VAC5-170-110).

Statutory Authority: §§ 2.2-4007.02 and 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: January 1, 2009.

Agency Contact: Cindy Berndt, Regulatory Coordinator, Department of Environmental Quality, P.O.Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 698-4378, FAX (804) 698-4346, or email cmberndt@deq.virginia.gov.

Summary: Summary:

The regulations comply with the legislative mandate (Chapter 321, 2008 Acts of Assembly) that agencies adopt model public participation guidelines issued by the Department of Planning and Budget by December 1, 2008. Public participation guidelines exist to promote public involvement in the development, amendment, or repeal of an agency's regulations.

This regulatory action repeals the current public participation guidelines and promulgates new public participation guidelines as required by Chapter 321 of the 2008 Acts of Assembly. Highlights of the public participation guidelines include (i) providing for the establishment and maintenance of notification lists of interested persons and specifying the information to be sent to such persons; (ii) providing for public comments on regulatory actions; (iii) establishing the time period during which public comments shall be accepted; (iv) providing that the plan to hold a public meeting shall be indicated in any notice of intended regulatory action; (v) providing for the appointment, when necessary, of regulatory advisory panels to provide professional specialization or technical assistance and negotiated rulemaking panels if a regulatory action is expected to be controversial; and (vi) providing for the periodic review of regulations.

CHAPTER 5
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES

Part I
Purpose and Definitions

9VAC5-5-10. Purpose.

The purpose of this chapter is to promote public involvement in the development, amendment or repeal of the regulations of the State Air Pollution Control Board. This chapter does not apply to regulations, guidelines, or other documents exempted or excluded from the provisions of the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq. of the Code of Virginia).

9VAC5-5-20. Definitions.

The following words and terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Administrative Process Act" means Chapter 40 (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) of Title 2.2 of the Code of Virginia.

"Agency" means the State Air Pollution Control Board, which is the unit of state government empowered by the agency's basic law to make regulations or decide cases. Actions specified in this chapter may be fulfilled by state employees as delegated by the agency.

"Basic law" means provisions in the Code of Virginia that delineate the basic authority and responsibilities of an agency.

"Commonwealth Calendar" means the electronic calendar for official government meetings open to the public as required by § 2.2-3707 C of the Freedom of Information Act.

''Negotiated rulemaking panel'' or ''NRP'' means an ad hoc advisory panel of interested parties established by an agency to consider issues that are controversial with the assistance of a facilitator or mediator, for the purpose of reaching a consensus in the development of a proposed regulatory action.

"Notification list" means a list used to notify persons pursuant to this chapter. Such a list may include an electronic list maintained through the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall or other list maintained by the agency.

"Open meeting" means any scheduled gathering of a unit of state government empowered by an agency's basic law to make regulations or decide cases, which is related to promulgating, amending or repealing a regulation.

"Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, association, cooperative, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, government, political subdivision, or any other legal or commercial entity and any successor, representative, agent, agency, or instrumentality thereof.

"Public hearing" means a scheduled time at which members or staff of the agency will meet for the purpose of receiving public comment on a regulatory action.

"Regulation" means any statement of general application having the force of law, affecting the rights or conduct of any person, adopted by the agency in accordance with the authority conferred on it by applicable laws.

"Regulatory action" means the promulgation, amendment, or repeal of a regulation by the agency.

"Regulatory advisory panel" or "RAP" means a standing or ad hoc advisory panel of interested parties established by the agency for the purpose of assisting in regulatory actions.

"Town Hall" means the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall, the website operated by the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget at www.townhall.virginia.gov, which has online public comment forums and displays information about regulatory meetings and regulatory actions under consideration in Virginia and sends this information to registered public users.

"Virginia Register" means the Virginia Register of Regulations, the publication that provides official legal notice of new, amended and repealed regulations of state agencies, which is published under the provisions of Article 6 (§ 2.2-4031 et seq.) of the Administrative Process Act.

Part II
Notification of Interested Persons

9VAC5-5-30. Notification list.

A. The agency shall maintain a list of persons who have requested to be notified of regulatory actions being pursued by the agency.

B. Any person may request to be placed on a notification list by registering as a public user on the Town Hall or by making a request to the agency. Any person who requests to be placed on a notification list shall elect to be notified either by electronic means or through a postal carrier.

C. The agency may maintain additional lists for persons who have requested to be informed of specific regulatory issues, proposals, or actions.

D. When electronic mail is returned as undeliverable on multiple occasions at least 24 hours apart, that person may be deleted from the list. A single undeliverable message is insufficient cause to delete the person from the list.

E. When mail delivered by a postal carrier is returned as undeliverable on multiple occasions, that person may be deleted from the list.

F. The agency may periodically request those persons on the notification list to indicate their desire to either continue to be notified electronically, receive documents through a postal carrier, or be deleted from the list.

9VAC5-5-40. Information to be sent to persons on the notification list.

A. To persons electing to receive electronic notification or notification through a postal carrier as described in 9VAC5-5-30, the agency shall send the following information:

1. A notice of intended regulatory action (NOIRA).

2. A notice of the comment period on a proposed, a reproposed, or a fast-track regulation and hyperlinks to, or instructions on how to obtain, a copy of the regulation and any supporting documents.

3. A notice soliciting comment on a final regulation when the regulatory process has been extended pursuant to § 2.2-4007.06 or 2.2-4013 C of the Code of Virginia.

B. The failure of any person to receive any notice or copies of any documents shall not affect the validity of any regulation or regulatory action.

Part III
Public Participation Procedures

9VAC5-5-50. Public comment.

A. In considering any nonemergency, nonexempt regulatory action, the agency shall afford interested persons an opportunity to submit data, views, and arguments, either orally or in writing, to the agency. Such opportunity to comment shall include an online public comment forum on the Town Hall.

1. To any requesting person, the agency shall provide copies of the statement of basis, purpose, substance, and issues; the economic impact analysis of the proposed or fast-track regulatory action; and the agency's response to public comments received.

2. The agency may begin crafting a regulatory action prior to or during any opportunities it provides to the public to submit comments.

B. The agency shall accept public comments in writing after the publication of a regulatory action in the Virginia Register as follows:

1. For a minimum of 30 calendar days following the publication of the notice of intended regulatory action (NOIRA).

2. For a minimum of 60 calendar days following the publication of a proposed regulation.

3. For a minimum of 30 calendar days following the publication of a reproposed regulation.

4. For a minimum of 30 calendar days following the publication of a final adopted regulation.

5. For a minimum of 30 calendar days following the publication of a fast-track regulation.

6. For a minimum of 21 calendar days following the publication of a notice of periodic review.

7. Not later than 21 calendar days following the publication of a petition for rulemaking.

C. The agency may determine if any of the comment periods listed in subsection B of this section shall be extended.

D. If the Governor finds that one or more changes with substantial impact have been made to a proposed regulation, he may require the agency to provide an additional 30 calendar days to solicit additional public comment on the changes in accordance with § 2.2-4013 C of the Code of Virginia.

E. The agency shall send a draft of the agency's summary description of public comment to all public commenters on the proposed regulation at least five days before final adoption of the regulation pursuant to § 2.2-4012 E of the Code of Virginia.

9VAC5-5-60. Petition for rulemaking.

A. As provided in § 2.2-4007 of the Code of Virginia, any person may petition the agency to consider a regulatory action.

B. A petition shall include but is not limited to the following information:

1. The petitioner's name and contact information;

2. The substance and purpose of the rulemaking that is requested, including reference to any applicable Virginia Administrative Code sections; and

3. Reference to the legal authority of the agency to take the action requested.

C. The agency shall receive, consider and respond to a petition pursuant to § 2.2-4007 and shall have the sole authority to dispose of the petition.

D. The petition shall be posted on the Town Hall and published in the Virginia Register.

E. Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit the agency from receiving information or from proceeding on its own motion for rulemaking.

9VAC5-5-70. Appointment of regulatory advisory panel.

A. The agency may appoint a regulatory advisory panel (RAP) to provide professional specialization or technical assistance when the agency determines that such expertise is necessary to address a specific regulatory issue or action or when individuals indicate an interest in working with the agency on a specific regulatory issue or action.

B. Any person may request the appointment of a RAP and request to participate in its activities. The agency shall determine when a RAP shall be appointed and the composition of the RAP.

C. A RAP may be dissolved by the agency if:

1. The proposed text of the regulation is posted on the Town Hall, published in the Virginia Register, or such other time as the agency determines is appropriate; or

2. The agency determines that the regulatory action is either exempt or excluded from the requirements of the Administrative Process Act.

9VAC5-5-80. Appointment of negotiated rulemaking panel.

A. The agency may appoint a negotiated rulemaking panel (NRP) if a regulatory action is expected to be controversial.

B. An NRP that has been appointed by the agency may be dissolved by the agency when:

1. There is no longer controversy associated with the development of the regulation;

2. The agency determines that the regulatory action is either exempt or excluded from the requirements of the Administrative Process Act; or

3. The agency determines that resolution of a controversy is unlikely.

9VAC5-5-90. Meetings.

Notice of any open meeting, including meetings of a RAP or NRP, shall be posted on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall and Commonwealth Calendar at least seven working days prior to the date of the meeting. The exception to this requirement is any meeting held in accordance with § 2.2-3707 D of the Code of Virginia allowing for contemporaneous notice to be provided to participants and the public.

9VAC5-5-100. Public hearings on regulations.

A. The agency shall indicate in its notice of intended regulatory action whether it plans to hold a public hearing following the publication of the proposed stage of the regulatory action.

B. The agency may conduct one or more public hearings during the comment period following the publication of a proposed regulatory action.

C. An agency is required to hold a public hearing following the publication of the proposed regulatory action when:

1. The agency's basic law requires the agency to hold a public hearing;

2. The Governor directs the agency to hold a public hearing; or

3. The agency receives requests for a public hearing from at least 25 persons during the public comment period following the publication of the notice of intended regulatory action.

D. Notice of any public hearing shall be posted on the Town Hall and Commonwealth Calendar at least seven working days prior to the date of the hearing. The agency shall also notify those persons who requested a hearing under subdivision C 3 of this section.

9VAC5-5-110. Periodic review of regulations.

A. The agency shall conduct a periodic review of its regulations consistent with:

1. An executive order issued by the Governor pursuant to § 2.2-4017 of the Administrative Process Act to receive comment on all existing regulations as to their effectiveness, efficiency, necessity, clarity, and cost of compliance; and

2. The requirements in § 2.2-4007.1 of the Administrative Process Act regarding regulatory flexibility for small businesses.

B. A periodic review may be conducted separately or in conjunction with other regulatory actions.

C. Notice of a periodic review shall be posted on the Town Hall and published in the Virginia Register.

9VAC5-170-20. Terms defined.

"Administrative proceeding" means an informal fact finding or formal hearing.

"Administrative Process Act" means Chapter 1.1:1 (§ 9-6.14:1 et seq.) of Title 9 Chapter 40 (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) of Title 2.2 of the Code of Virginia.

"Air pollution" means the presence in the outdoor atmosphere of one or more substances which are or may be harmful or injurious to human health, welfare or safety; to animal or plant life; or to property; or which unreasonably interfere with the enjoyment by the people of life or property.

"Board" means the State Air Pollution Control Board or its designated representative.

"Case decision" means any determination that a named party as a matter of past or present fact, or as a matter of threatened or contemplated private action, either is or is not, or may or may not be (i) in violation of any law or regulations, or (ii) in compliance with any existing requirement for obtaining or retaining a permit or other right or benefit. Case decisions include, but are not limited to, consent orders, consent agreements, orders, special orders, emergency special orders, permits, waivers, and licenses. Case decisions do not include notices of violations, variances, regulations, or inspection reports.

"Confidential information" means secret formulae, secret processes, secret methods or other trade secrets which are proprietary information certified by the signature of the responsible person for the owner to meet the following criteria: (i) information for which the owner has been taking and will continue to take measures to protect confidentiality; (ii) information that has not been and is not presently reasonably obtainable without the owner's consent by private citizens or other firms through legitimate means other than discovery based on a showing of special need in a judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding; (iii) information which is not publicly available from sources other than the owner; and (iv) information the disclosure of which would cause substantial harm to the owner.

"Consent agreement" means an agreement that the owner or another person will perform specific actions for the purpose of diminishing or abating the causes of air pollution or for the purpose of coming into compliance with the regulations of the board, by mutual agreement of the owner or another person and the board.

"Consent order" means a consent agreement issued as an order. Consent orders may be issued without a formal hearing.

"Department" means an employee or other representative of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality as designated by the director.

"Director" means the director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality or a designated representative.

"Emergency" means a situation that immediately and unreasonably affects, or has the potential to immediately and unreasonably affect, public health, safety or welfare; the health of animal or plant life; or property, whether used for recreational, commercial, industrial, agricultural, or other reasonable use.

"Emergency special order" means an order of the board issued under the provisions of § 10.1-1309 B of the Code of Virginia, after declaring a state of emergency and without a formal hearing, to owners who are permitting or causing air pollution to cease the pollution. These orders shall become invalid if a formal hearing is not held within 10 days after the effective date.

"Enabling law" or "enabling laws" means provisions of the Constitution and statutes of the Commonwealth of Virginia authorizing the board to make regulations or decide cases or containing procedural requirements therefor, including, but not limited to, the (i) Virginia Air Pollution Control Law and (ii) the Virginia Motor Vehicle Emissions Control Law.

"Evidentiary hearing" means a formal proceeding which provides opportunity for interested persons to submit factual proofs in formal proceedings as provided in § 9-6.14:8 § 2.2-4009 of the Administrative Process Act in connection with the making of regulations. Evidentiary hearings do not include the informational inquiries of an informal nature provided in § 9-6.14:7.1 § 2.2-4007.01 B of the Administrative Process Act.

"Federal Clean Air Act" means 42 USC 7401 et seq., 91 Stat 685.

"Formal hearing" means a formal proceeding which provides for the right of private parties to submit factual proofs as provided in § 9-6.14:12 § 2.2-4020 of the Administrative Process Act in connection with case decisions. Formal hearings do not include the factual inquiries of an informal nature provided in § 9-6.14:11 § 2.2-4019 of the Administrative Process Act.

"Informal fact finding" means an informal conference or consultation proceeding used to ascertain the fact basis for case decisions as provided in § 9-6.14:11 § 2.2-4019 of the Administrative Process Act.

"Locality" means a city, town, county or other public body created by or pursuant to state law.

"Locality particularly affected" means a locality which bears an identified disproportionate material impact which would not be experienced by other localities.

"Order" means a decision or directive of the board, including special orders, emergency special orders, and other orders of all types, rendered for the purpose of diminishing or abating the causes of air pollution or enforcement of the regulations of the board. Unless specified otherwise in the Virginia Air Pollution Control Law or in the regulations of the board, orders shall be issued only after the appropriate administrative proceeding.

"Owner" means a person, including bodies politic and corporate, associations, partnerships, personal representatives, trustees and committees, as well as individuals, who owns, leases, operates, controls or supervises a source.

"Participatory approach" means a method for the use of (i) standing advisory committees, (ii) ad hoc advisory groups or panels, (iii) consultation with groups or individuals registering interest in working with the department, or (iv) a combination of these in the formation and development of regulations for department consideration. When an ad hoc advisory group is formed, the group shall include representatives of the regulated community and the general public. The decisions as to the membership of the group shall be at the discretion of the director.

"Party" means, for the purposes of Part VIII (9VAC5-170-190 et seq.) of this chapter, a person named in the record who actively participates in the administrative proceeding or offers comments through the public participation process. The term "party" also means the department.

"Person" means an individual, corporation, partnership, association, a governmental body, a municipal corporation, or another legal entity.

"Pollutant" means a substance the presence of which in the outdoor atmosphere is or may be harmful or injurious to human health, welfare or safety, to animal or plant life, or to property, or which unreasonably interferes with the enjoyment by the people of life or property.

"Public hearing" means, unless indicated otherwise, an informal proceeding, similar to that provided for in § 9-6.14:7.1 § 2.2-4007.01 B of the Administrative Process Act, held to afford people an opportunity to submit views and data relative to a matter on which a decision of the board is pending.

"Public meeting" means an informal proceeding conducted by the department in conjunction with the notice of intended regulatory action to afford people an opportunity to submit comments relative to intended regulatory actions.

"Public participation process" means any element of a board or department decision making process that involves the use of a public meeting, public hearing or evidentiary hearing.

"Regulations of the board" means regulations adopted by the State Air Pollution Control Board under a provision of the Code of Virginia.

"Source" means one or combination of the following: buildings, structures, facilities, installations, articles, machines, equipment, landcraft, watercraft, aircraft or other contrivances which contribute, or may contribute, either directly or indirectly to air pollution. An activity by a person that contributes, or may contribute, either directly or indirectly to air pollution, including, but not limited to, open burning, generation of fugitive dust or emissions, and cleaning with abrasives or chemicals.

"Special order" means an order of the board issued:

1. Under the provisions of § 10.1-1309 of the Code of Virginia:

a. To owners who are permitting or causing air pollution to cease and desist from the pollution;

b. To owners who have failed to construct facilities in accordance with or have failed to comply with plans for the control of air pollution submitted by them to, and approved by the board, to construct facilities in accordance with or otherwise comply with the approved plan;

c. To owners who have violated or failed to comply with the terms and provisions of an order or directive issued by the board to comply with the terms and provisions;

d. To owners who have contravened duly adopted and promulgated air quality standards and policies to cease and desist from the contravention and to comply with the air quality standards and policies; and

e. To require an owner to comply with the provisions of the Virginia Air Pollution Control Law and a decision of the board; or

2. Under the provisions of § 10.1-1309.1 of the Code of Virginia, which require that an owner file with the board a plan to abate, control, prevent, remove, or contain a substantial and imminent threat to public health or the environment that is reasonably likely to occur if the source ceases operations.

"Variance" means the temporary exemption of an owner or other person from the regulations of the board, or a temporary change in the regulations of the board as they apply to an owner or other person.

"Virginia Air Pollution Control Law" means Chapter 13 (§ 10.1-1300 et seq.) of Title 10.1 of the Code of Virginia.

"Virginia Motor Vehicle Emissions Control Law" means Article 22 (§ 46.2-1176 et seq.) of Chapter 10 of Title 46.2 of the Code of Virginia.

"Virginia Register Act" means Chapter 1.2 (§ 9-6.15 et seq.) of Title 9 Chapter 41 (§ 2.2-4100 et seq.) of Title 2.2 of the Code of Virginia.

9VAC5-170-40. Hearings and proceedings.

A. Four types of proceedings are used in the administration of the board's regulatory program.

1. A public hearing is held in each of two situations, as explained below.

a. A public hearing is required before considering regulations in accordance with § 10.1-1308 of the Virginia Air Pollution Control Law. The procedure for a public hearing shall conform to § 9-6.14:7.1 § 2.2-4007.01 B of the Administrative Process Act, except as modified by §§ 10.1-1307 F and 10.1-1308 of the Virginia Air Pollution Control Law, and to Part IV (9VAC5-170-90 et seq.) of this chapter 9VAC5-5 (Public Participation Guidelines).

b. A public hearing is required before considering variances and amendments to and revocation of variances in accordance with § 10.1-1307 C of the Virginia Air Pollution Control Law. The procedure for a public hearing shall conform to § 10.1-1307 C of the Virginia Air Pollution Control Law and to the provisions of 9VAC5-170-140.

2. An informal fact finding is used to negotiate and to make case decisions. The procedure for an informal fact finding shall conform to § 9-6.14:11 § 2.2-4019 of the Administrative Process Act.

3. A formal hearing is held in each of two situations.

a. A formal hearing is held for the enforcement or review of orders and permits and for the enforcement of regulations in accordance with § 10.1-1307 D and § 10.1-1322 A of the Virginia Air Pollution Control Law. The procedures for this type of hearing shall conform to § 9-6.14:12 § 2.2-4020 of the Administrative Process Act, except as modified by § 10.1-1307 D and F of the Virginia Air Pollution Control Law.

b. A formal hearing is held for special orders or emergency special orders for the enforcement or review of orders and permits and for the enforcement of regulations in accordance with § 10.1-1309 of the Virginia Pollution Control Law. The procedures for this type of hearing shall conform to § 9-6.14:12 § 2.2-4020 of the Administrative Process Act, except as modified by §§ 10.1-1307 F and 10.1-1309 of the Virginia Air Pollution Control Law.

4. An evidentiary hearing may be held for the making of regulations. The procedure for this type of hearing shall conform to § 9-6.14:8 § 2.2-4009 of the Administrative Process Act.

B. The board may adopt policies and procedures to supplement the statutory procedural requirements for the various hearings and proceedings cited in subsection A of this section.

C. Records of hearings and proceedings may be kept in one of the following forms:

1. Oral statements or testimony at a public hearing will be stenographically or electronically recorded, and may be transcribed to written form.

2. Oral statements or testimony at an informal fact finding will be stenographically or electronically recorded, and may be transcribed to written form.

3. Formal hearings and evidentiary hearings will be recorded by a court reporter or electronically recorded for transcription to written form.

D. Availability of records of hearings and proceedings shall be as follows:

1. A copy of the electronic recording or the transcript of a public hearing, if transcribed, will be provided within a reasonable time to anyone upon receipt of a written request and payment of the cost; if not transcribed, the additional cost of preparation will be paid by the person making the request.

2. A copy of the electronic recording or the transcript of an informal fact finding, if transcribed, will be provided within a reasonable time to anyone upon receipt of a written request and payment of cost; if not transcribed, the additional cost of preparation will be paid by the person making the request.

3. Anyone desiring a copy of the transcript of a formal hearing or evidentiary hearing recorded by a court reporter may purchase the copy directly from the court reporter; if not transcribed, the additional cost of preparation will be paid by the person making the request.

Part III
Regulations and Orders

9VAC5-170-80. Establishment of regulations and orders.

A. Regulations of the board shall be adopted, amended or repealed in accordance with the provisions of the enabling laws, Articles 1 (§ 9-6.14:4.1 et seq.) (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) and 2 (§ 9-6.14:7.1 et seq.) (§ 2.2-4006 et seq.) of the Administrative Process Act, and Part IV (9VAC5-170-90 et seq.) of this chapter 9VAC5-5 (Public Participation Guidelines).

B. Regulations, amendments, and repeals shall become effective as provided in § 9-6.14:9.3 § 2.2-4015 of the Administrative Process Act.

C. If necessary in an emergency situation, the board may adopt, amend or stay a regulation as an exclusion under § 9-6.14:4.1 § 2.2-4011 of the Administrative Process Act, but the regulation shall remain effective no longer than one year unless readopted following the requirements of subsection A of this section. The provisions of this subsection are not applicable to emergency special orders of the board; these orders are subject to the provisions of subsection E of this section.

D. The Administrative Process Act and Virginia Register Act provide that state regulations may incorporate documents by reference. Throughout the regulations of the board, documents of the types specified below have been incorporated by reference.

1. United States Code.

2. Code of Virginia.

3. Code of Federal Regulations.

4. Federal Register.

5. Technical and scientific reference documents.

Additional information on specific documents which have been incorporated by reference and on the availability of these documents may be found in the specific regulations of the board which incorporate the documents.

E. Orders, special orders, and emergency special orders may be issued pursuant to § 10.1-1307 D, § 10.1-1309, or § 10.1-1309.1 of the Virginia Air Pollution Control Law.

Part IV
Public Participation in Regulation Development (Repealed.)

9VAC5-170-90. General provisions. (Repealed.)

A. The procedures in 9VAC5-170-100 shall be used for soliciting the input of interested people in the formation and development, amendment or repeal of regulations in accordance with the Administrative Process Act. This part does not apply to regulations exempted from the provisions of the Administrative Process Act (§ 9-6.14:4.1 A and B) or excluded from the operation of Article 2 of the Administrative Process Act (§ 9-6.14:4.1 C).

B. The failure of a person to receive a notice or copies of a document provided under these procedures shall not affect the validity of a regulation.

C. Anyone may petition the board for the adoption, amendment or repeal of a regulation. The petition, at a minimum, shall contain the following information:

1. Name of petitioner.

2. Petitioner's mailing address and telephone number.

3. Petitioner's interest in the proposed action.

4. Recommended regulation or addition, deletion or amendment to a specific regulation or regulations.

5. Statement of need and justification for the proposed action.

6. Statement of impact on the petitioner and other affected people.

7. Supporting documents, as applicable.

The board shall provide a written response to a petition within 180 days from the date the petition was received.

9VAC5-170-100. Public participation procedures. (Repealed.)

A. The department shall establish and maintain a list consisting of people expressing an interest in the adoption, amendment or repeal of regulations. Anyone wishing to be placed on the list may do so by writing the department. In addition, the department, at its discretion, may add to the list any person, organization, or publication it believes will be interested in participating in the promulgation of regulations. Individuals and organizations may be periodically requested to indicate their desire to continue to receive documents or be deleted from a list. Individuals and organizations may be deleted from the list at the request of the individual and organization, or at the discretion of the department when mail is returned as undeliverable.

B. Whenever the board so directs or upon its own initiative, the department may commence the regulation adoption process and proceed to draft a proposal according to these procedures.

C. The department shall use the participatory approach to assist in the development of the proposal or use one of the following alternatives:

1. Proceed without using the participatory approach if the board specifically authorizes the department to proceed without using the participatory approach.

2. Include in the notice of intended regulatory action a statement inviting comment on whether the department should use the participatory approach to assist the department in the development of the proposal. If the department receives written responses from at least five people during the associated comment period indicating that the department should use the participatory approach, the department will use the participatory approach requested. Should different approaches be requested, the director shall determine the specific approach to be used.

D. The department shall issue a notice of intended regulatory action whenever it considers the adoption, amendment or repeal of a regulation.

1. The notice of intended regulatory action shall include at least the following:

a. A description of the subject matter of the planned regulation.

b. A description of the intent of the planned regulation.

c. A brief statement as to the need for regulatory action.

d. A brief description of alternatives available, if any, to meet the need.

e. A request for comments on the intended regulatory action, to include ideas to assist the department in the development of a proposal.

f. A request for comments on the costs and benefits of the stated alternatives or other alternatives.

g. A statement of the department's intent to hold at least one public hearing on the proposed regulation after it is published in the Virginia Register of Regulations.

h. A statement inviting comment on whether the department should use the participatory approach to assist the department in the development of a proposal. Including this statement shall be required only when the department makes a decision to pursue the alternative provided in subdivision C 2 of this section.

2. The department shall hold at least one public meeting whenever it considers the adoption, amendment or repeal of a regulation unless the board specifically authorizes the department to proceed without holding a public meeting. In those cases where a public meeting will be held, the notice of intended regulatory action shall also include the date, not to be less than 30 days after publication in the Virginia Register of Regulations, time, and place of the public meeting.

3. The public comment period for notices of intended regulatory action under this section shall be no less than 30 days after publication of the notice of intended regulatory action in the Virginia Register of Regulations.

E. The department shall disseminate the notice of intended regulatory action to the public via the following:

1. Distribution to the Registrar of Regulations for publication in the Virginia Register of Regulations.

2. Distribution by mail to people on the list established under subsection A of this section.

F. After consideration of public input, the department may complete the draft proposed regulation and the supporting documentation required for review. If the participatory approach is being used, the draft proposed regulation shall be developed in consultation with the participants. A summary or copies of the comments received in response to the notice of intended regulatory action shall be distributed to the participants during the development of the draft proposed regulation. This summary or copies of the comments received in response to the notice of intended regulatory action shall also be distributed to the board.

G. Upon approval of the draft proposed regulation by the board, the department shall publish a notice of public comment and the proposal for public comment.

H. The notice of public comment shall include at least the following:

1. The notice of the opportunity to comment on the proposed regulation, the location where copies of the proposal may be obtained, and the name, address, and telephone number of the individual to contact for further information about the proposed regulation.

2. A request for comments on the costs and benefits of the proposal.

3. The identity of a locality particularly affected by the proposed regulation.

4. A statement that an analysis of the following has been conducted by the department and is available to the public upon request:

a. A statement of purpose: the rationale or justification for the new provisions of the regulation, from the standpoint of the public's health, safety or welfare.

b. A statement of estimated impact:

(1) Projected number and types of regulated entities or people affected.

(2) Projected cost, expressed as a dollar figure or range, to regulated entities (and to the public, if applicable) for implementation and compliance. In those instances where the department is unable to quantify projected costs, it shall offer qualitative data, if possible, to help define the impact of the proposed regulation. Qualitative data shall include, if possible, an example or examples of the impact of the proposed regulation on a typical member or members of the regulated community.

(3) Projected cost to the department for implementation and enforcement.

(4) Beneficial impact the regulation is designed to produce.

c. An explanation of need for the proposed regulation and potential consequences that may result in the absence of the regulation.

d. An estimate of the impact of the proposed regulation upon small businesses, as defined in § 9-199 of the Code of Virginia, or organizations in Virginia.

e. A description of provisions of the proposed regulation which are more restrictive than applicable federal requirements together with the reason why the more restrictive provisions are needed.

f. A discussion of alternative approaches that were considered to meet the need the proposed regulation addresses, and a statement as to whether the department believes that the proposed regulation is the least burdensome alternative to the regulated entities that fully meets the stated purpose of the proposed regulation.

g. A schedule setting forth when, after the effective date of the regulation, the department will evaluate it for effectiveness and continued need.

5. The date, time, and place of at least one public hearing held in accordance with § 9-6.14:7.1 of the Administrative Process Act to receive comments on the proposed regulation. The public hearing may be held at any time during the public comment period and, whenever practicable, no less than 15 days prior to the close of the public comment period. The public hearing may be held in the location which the department determines will best facilitate input from interested people. (In those cases in which the department elects to conduct an evidentiary hearing, the notice shall indicate that the hearing will be held in accordance with § 9-6.14:8 of the Administrative Process Act.)

I. The public comment period shall close no less than 60 days after publication of the notice of public comment in the Virginia Register of Regulations.

J. The department shall disseminate the notice of public comment to the public via the following:

1. Distribution to the Registrar of Regulations for publication in the Virginia Register of Regulations.

2. Distribution by mail to people on the list established under subsection A of this section.

K. The department may publish a notice of the hearing and comment period in any newspaper as it deems appropriate.

L. The department shall prepare a summary of comments received in response to the notice of public comment and the department's response to the comments received. The department shall send a draft of the summary of comments to public commenters on the proposed regulation at least five days before final adoption of the regulation. The department shall submit the summary and the department response and, if requested, submit the full comments to the board. The summary, the department response, and the comments shall become a part of the department file and after final action on the regulation by the board, made available, upon request, to interested people.

M. If the department determines that the process to adopt, amend or repeal a regulation should be terminated after approval of the draft proposed regulation by the board, the department shall present to the board for its consideration a recommendation and rationale for the withdrawal of the proposed regulation.

N. Completion of the remaining steps in the adoption process shall be carried out in accordance with the Administrative Process Act.

9VAC5-170-110. Transition. (Repealed.)

A. Regulatory actions for which a notice of intended regulatory action has been published in the Virginia Register of Regulations prior to May 16, 1994, shall be processed in accordance with Appendix E of VR 120-01 as revised by the emergency amendments in effect from June 29, 1993, to June 28, 1994, unless sooner modified or vacated or superseded by permanent regulations.

B. This part when effective shall supersede and repeal Appendix E of VR 120-01 as revised by the emergency amendments which became effective on June 29, 1993. Regulatory actions for which a notice of intended regulatory action has not been published in the Virginia Register of Regulations prior to May 16, 1994, shall be processed in accordance with this part.