Virginia Law

A. No vessel shall transport solid waste or regulated medical waste upon the navigable waters of the Commonwealth, to the extent allowable under state law, without a valid Certificate of Financial Responsibility (certificate).

B. Application requirements.

1. Each owner and operator shall file an application for a certificate with the department. If the owner and operator are the same entity, only one application is required to be filed with the department. The application shall be in the standard form approved by the board. The application and all supporting documents shall be in English. All monetary terms must be expressed in United States dollars.

2. A certificate applicant may include more than one vessel on the application.

3. Each completed application form shall be accompanied by valid evidence of financial responsibility from the certificate applicant in accordance with 9VAC20-170-310, in the amounts specified in 9VAC20-170-300 and valid evidence of liability coverage in accordance with 9VAC20-170-330.

4. An authorized official of the certificate applicant shall sign the application. The title of the signer must be shown in the space provided on the application. The application must be accompanied by a written statement providing authority to sign, where the signer is not disclosed as an individual (sole proprietor) certificate applicant, a partner in a partnership certificate applicant, or a director, chief executive officer, or any other duly authorized officer of a corporate certificate applicant.

5. If, before the issuance of a certificate, the certificate applicant becomes aware of a change in any of the facts contained in the application or supporting documentation, the certificate applicant shall, within five business days of becoming aware of the change, notify the department, in writing, of the change.

C. Issuance and carriage requirements.

1. Within 60 days of receipt of a complete application and acceptable evidence of financial responsibility in accordance with subsection B of this section from both the owner and operator, the director will issue a Certificate of Financial Responsibility. The original certificate or a certified copy shall be carried aboard the vessel covered by the certificate and a copy shall remain on file with the department. The director shall issue an individual certificate for each vessel for which a completed application has been submitted by the owner and the operator.

2. Each vessel transporting solid wastes or regulated medical waste on the navigable waters of the Commonwealth, to the extent allowable under state law, shall carry an original or certified copy of a valid certificate in the name of the owner and operator. The carriage of a valid certificate or certified copy indicates compliance with this chapter. Failure to carry a valid certificate or certified copy subjects the vessel to enforcement action, except where a certificate is removed temporarily from a vessel for inspection by a state official.

3. The certificate applicant or an authorized officer of the certificate applicant may submit to the department a letter requesting that additional vessels be added to a previously submitted application for an individual certificate. The letter must provide the following information: vessel name, vessel owner and operator, gross tonnage, and type of wastes to be transported. The certificate applicant or an authorized official also shall submit or cause to be submitted acceptable evidence of financial responsibility in accordance with subsection B of this section for these additional vessels.

D. Renewal requirements.

1. The Certificate of Financial Responsibility shall expire one year from the date of issuance.

2. Each owner and operator shall file a written application, in the form provided by the department, for the renewal of a certificate at least 60 days before the expiration date of the certificate. The certificate applicant shall identify in the renewal application any changes that have occurred since the original application for which a certificate was filed, and set forth the correct information in full.

E. Denial or revocation of certificate.

1. The director may deny a certificate when a certificate applicant:

a. Willfully or knowingly makes a false statement in connection with an application for an initial or renewal certificate;

b. Fails to establish acceptable evidence of financial responsibility as required by this part;

c. Fails to comply with or respond to lawful inquiries, regulations, or orders of the department pertaining to the activities subject to this part; or

d. Fails to timely file requested statements, data, notifications, affidavits, or other information.

2. The director may revoke a certificate when a certificant:

a. Willfully or knowingly makes a false statement in connection with an application for an initial or a renewal certificate, or in connection with any other filing required by this part;

b. Fails to comply with or respond to lawful inquiries, regulations, or orders of the department pertaining to the activities subject to this part;

c. Fails to timely file required statements, data, notifications, or affidavits;

d. Fails to maintain acceptable evidence of financial responsibility as required by this part; or

e. Alters any certificate or copy of a certificate except as permitted by this part in connection with notarized certifications of copies.

3. The director shall advise the certificate applicant or certificant, in writing, of the intention to deny or revoke a certificate under subdivision 1 or 2 of this subsection and shall state the reason therefore. Written advice from the director that an incomplete application will be considered withdrawn unless it is completed within a stated period, shall be the equivalent of a denial.

4. If the intended revocation under subdivision 2 of this subsection is based on failure to timely file the required financial statements, data, notifications, or affidavits, the revocation is effective 10 days after the date of the notice of intention to revoke, unless, before revocation, the certificant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the director that the required documents were timely filed or have been filed.

5. Except in the case of subdivisions 3 and 4 of this subsection, the director may deny or revoke a certificate only after an informal fact-finding conference, or a waiver of a conference, in accordance with Chapter 40 (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) of Title 2.2 of the Code of Virginia. A certificate subject to revocation under this subdivision remains valid until the director issues a written decision revoking the certificate.