(a) For purposes of this section, the term “permit” means a hazardous waste facilities permit, interim status authorization, or standardized permit.

(b) The department shall suspend the permit of any facility for nonpayment of any facility fee assessed pursuant to Section 25205.2 or activity fee assessed pursuant to Section 25205.7, if the operator of the facility is subject to the fee, and if the department or State Board of Equalization has certified in writing to all of the following:

(1) The facility’s operator is delinquent in the payment of the fee for one or more reporting periods.

(2) The department or State Board of Equalization has notified the facility’s operator of the delinquency.

(3) (A) For a facility operator that elected to pay the flat activity fee rate pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 25205.7, as that section read on January 1, 2016, the operator has exhausted his or her administrative rights of appeal provided by Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 43151) of Part 22 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, and the State Board of Equalization has determined that the operator is liable for the fee, or that the operator has failed to assert those rights.

(B) For a facility operator that pays the activity fee under a reimbursement agreement with the department pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 25205.7, the operator has exhausted the dispute resolution procedures adopted by the department pursuant to subparagraph (H) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 25206.2.

(c) (1) The department shall suspend the permit of any facility for nonpayment of a penalty assessed upon the owner or operator for failure to comply with this chapter or the regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter, if the penalty has been imposed by a trial court judge or by an administrative hearing officer, if the person has agreed to pay the penalty pursuant to a written agreement resolving a lawsuit or an administrative order, or if the penalty has become final due to the person’s failure to respond to the lawsuit or order.

(2) The department may suspend a permit pursuant to this subdivision only if the owner or operator is delinquent in the payment of the penalty and the department has notified the owner or operator of the delinquency pursuant to subdivision (d).

(d) Before suspending a permit pursuant to this section, the department shall notify the owner or operator of its intent to do so, and shall allow the owner or operator a minimum of 30 days in which to cure the delinquency.

(e) The department may deny a new permit or refuse to renew a permit on the same grounds for which the department is required to suspend a permit under this section, subject to the same requirements and conditions.

(f) (1) The department shall reinstate a permit that is suspended pursuant to this section upon payment of the amount due if the permit has not otherwise been revoked or suspended pursuant to any other provision of this chapter or regulation. Until the department reinstates a permit suspended pursuant to this section, if the facility stores, treats, disposes of, or recycles hazardous wastes, the facility shall be in violation of this chapter. If the operator of the facility subsequently pays the amount due, the period of time for which the operator shall have been in violation of this chapter shall be from the date of the activity that is in violation until the day after the owner or operator submits the payment to the department.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the department is not required to take any other statutory or regulatory procedures governing the suspension of the permit before suspending a permit in compliance with the procedures of this section.

(g) (1) A suspension under this section shall be stayed while an authorized appeal of the fee or penalty is pending before a court or an administrative agency.

(2) For purposes of this subdivision, “an authorized appeal” means any appeal allowed pursuant to an applicable regulation or statute.

(h) The department may suspend a permit under this section based on a failure to pay the required fee or penalty that commenced before January 1, 2002, if the failure to pay has been ongoing for at least 30 days following that date.

(i) Notwithstanding Section 43651 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, the suspension of a permit pursuant to this section, the reason for the suspension, and any documentation supporting the suspension, shall be a matter of public record.

(j) (1) This section does not authorize the department to suspend a permit held by a government agency if the agency does not dispute the payment but nonetheless is unable to process the payment in a timely manner.

(2) This section does not apply to a site owned or operated by a federal agency if the department has entered into an agreement with that federal agency regarding the remediation of that site.

(k) This section does not limit or supersede Section 25186.

(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 340, Sec. 18. (SB 839) Effective September 13, 2016.)