25208.4
. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, unless the
person was granted an exemption pursuant to subdivision (b) on or
before December 31, 1987, pursuant to Section 25208.4, as it read on
December 31, 1988, or pursuant to Section 25208.13 or 25208.18, a
person shall not discharge liquid hazardous wastes or hazardous
wastes containing free liquids into a surface impoundment, if the
surface impoundment, or the land immediately beneath it, contains
hazardous wastes and is within one-half mile upgradient from a
potential source of drinking water.
A person who owns a surface impoundment which meets the conditions
specified in this subdivision shall close the impoundment.
(b) A person may apply to a regional board to exempt a surface
impoundment from subdivision (a) pursuant to this subdivision. A
person shall submit the application for exemption to the regional
board on or before January 1, 1986.
(1) A regional board shall either grant or deny an exemption from
subdivision (a) on or before December 31, 1987. A regional board may
grant an exemption from subdivision (a) only if the regional board
makes both of the following findings:
(A) No extremely hazardous wastes are currently being discharged
into the surface impoundment, and either one of the following
applies:
(i) The records of the person applying for an exemption indicate
that no extremely hazardous wastes have been discharged into the
surface impoundment.
(ii) Extremely hazardous wastes are not present in the surface
impoundment, in the vadose zone, or in the waters of the state.
(B) The surface impoundment is in compliance with Section 25208.5,
and a report has been filed pursuant to Section 25208.8.
(2) An exemption granted pursuant to this subdivision shall not be
effective for more than five years. Applications for an exemption or
a renewal of an exemption shall be accompanied by the fee specified
in the fee schedule adopted by the state board pursuant to Section
25208.3. A regional board shall not renew the exemption unless the
regional board makes both of the following findings:
(A) No hazardous waste constituents have migrated from the surface
impoundment into the vadose zone or the waters of the state in
concentrations which pollute the vadose zone, or pollute, or threaten
to pollute, the waters of the state.
(B) Continuing the operation of the surface impoundment does not
pose a significant potential of hazardous waste constituents
migrating from the surface impoundment into the vadose zone or the
waters of the state, thus polluting the vadose zone, or polluting, or
threatening to pollute, these waters.
(3) Except as provided in paragraph (4), the regional board shall
revoke an exemption granted pursuant to this subdivision and require
the person granted the exemption to comply with subdivision (a) if
the regional board determines that the surface impoundment granted
the exemption is polluting, or threatening to pollute, the waters of
the state or that hazardous waste constituents are migrating from the
surface impoundment into the vadose zone or the waters of the state
in concentrations which pollute or threaten to pollute these waters.
The regional board shall also issue a cease and desist order pursuant
to Section 13301 of the Water Code and require appropriate removal
and remedial actions by the person granted the exemption, or the
responsible parties, to clean up any pollution which may have
occurred.
(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (3), a regional board may continue
in effect an exemption granted pursuant to this subdivision if the
regional board orders the person to double line the surface
impoundment, equip the surface impoundment with a leachate collection
system, and conduct groundwater monitoring, as specified in
subdivision (a) of Section 25208.5, within one year after granting
this continuance, and if the regional board makes all of the
following findings:
(A) The surface impoundment granted the exemption has hazardous
waste constituents, in concentrations which threaten to pollute the
waters of the state, which are migrating from the surface impoundment
into the vadose zone, but no hazardous waste constituents have
migrated into the waters of the state.
(B) Installing double liners and a leachate collection system and
conducting groundwater monitoring, as specified in subdivision (a) of
Section 25208.5, will abate the threat to the waters of the state
before any hazardous waste constituents migrate to the waters.
(C) All removal and remedial actions necessary to abate the threat
specified in subparagraph (A) can be completed prior to the
migration of any hazardous waste constituents into the waters of the
state.
(5) Notwithstanding paragraph (4), the regional board shall revoke
the exemption continued pursuant to paragraph (4) and shall require
the person granted this continuance to comply with subdivision (a) if
the regional board determines either of the following:
(A) The surface impoundment is polluting the waters of the state
or that hazardous waste constituents are migrating from the surface
impoundment into the vadose zone or the waters of the state in
concentrations which pollute, or threaten to pollute, these waters.
(B) The person does not comply with the board's order or conduct
the necessary removal or remedial actions, as required by paragraph
(4).
The regional board shall also issue a cease and desist order
pursuant to Section 13301 of the Water Code and require appropriate
removal and remedial actions by the person granted the exemption, or
the responsible parties, to clean up any pollution which may have
occurred, upon making either of these determinations.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person shall not
discharge any restricted hazardous waste into a surface impoundment,
unless the person is granted an exemption pursuant to Section
25208.13 or 25208.16.
(d) This section shall become operative on January 1, 1989.