oEPA
               United States
               Environmental Protection
               Agency
            Off ice of
            Solid Waste and
            Emergency Response
DIRECTIVE NUMBER: 9477.00-5

TITLE: Risk Retention Groups and Financial Assurance
     Requirements


APPROVAL DATE: November 23, 1987

EFFECTIVE DATE: November 23, 1987

ORIGINATING OFFICE: Office of Solid Waste

m FINAL
               Q DRAFT

                 STATUS:
               REFERENCE (other documents)
           [  ]  A- Pending OMB approval
           [  ]  B- Pending AA-OSWZR approval
           t  ]  C- for review &/or comment
           [  ]  D- Ir. -evelopment or circulating
                         headquarters
  OSWER      OSWER      OSWER
VE   DIRECTIVE   DIRECTIVE    Dl

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       4>EPA
           United States Environmental Protection Agency
                  Washington. DC 20460
OSWER Directive Initiation Request
                     1. Directive Number

                       9477.00-5
                                    2. Originator Information
      Name of Contact Person
        Matt  Hale
                   Mail Code
                    WH-563
Office
     OSW
Telephone Code
(202) 382-4740
      3. Title
             Risk Retention Groups and Financial Assurance  Requirements
      4. Summary of Directive (include brief statement of purpose)
       This letter confirms that  risk retention groups,  if  they are licensed in at  least
       state to issue insurance policies, qualify under  the RCRA financial assurance
       requirements.    Policies  issued by such groups can  be used to satisfy the require-
       ments for-financial  assurance for third-party liability.
      5. Keywords
              Financial Res
       5a. Does This Directive Supersede Previous Directive(s)?    f
        ponsibility / Liability Coverage /  Insurance
        Previous Oirective(s)?    I  ' I         i
                                           !XX
       b. Does It Supplement Previous Directive(s)?
                            No
                                               No
                                     Yes    What directive (number, title)
                                     Ves    What directive (number, tftle)
      7. Draft Level
           A - Signed by AA/DAA
              B - Signed by Office Director
       C - For Review & Comment
          D - In Development
8. Document to be distributed to States by Headquarters?
XX

Yes


No
       This Request Meets OSWER Directives System Format Standards.
      9. Signature of Lead Office Directives Coordinator
                                           VztO
                                                   Date
                                                                          11/17/87
      10. Name and Title of Approving Official-"    i
        Marcia Williams,
                              - 7~/7L
                                                   Date
      EPA Form 1315-17 (Rev. 5-87) Previous editions are obsolete.
                               '/
   OSWER    ,      OSWER                OSWER                O
VE     DIRECTIVE          DIRECTIVE        DIRECTIVE

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                                          OSWER POLICY DIRECTIVE #9477. 00-5
           UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

                       WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
 MOV ? 3 	                                            OFFICE OF
       > 'J                                      SOLID WASTE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE
MEMORANDUM

SUBJECT:  Risk Retention Groups and ;
          Office of Solid Waste fWH-S-fc-ZJM K

TO:       Waste Management Division Directors, Regions I-X
     Attached for your  information  is a  letter  from Bruce  Weddle>
Director of the Permits and  state Programs Division,  to  Harry Shuford
of the Environmental Protection Insurance Company confirming that
risk retention groups may qualify to issue liability  insurance
policies under RCRA regulations.  As the letter states,  policies
issued by risk retention groups would satisfy the RCRA requirements
if the group was licensed to transact business  in one or more states,
and if the policy otherwise  met the RCRA financial assurance
requirements.

     Because the question of whether policies issued  by  risk
retention groups can be used to satisfy  RCRA financial assurance
requirements has been raised in a number of states, I ask  that you
forward this letter to  the RCRA financial assurance contacts in each
of your states.

     If you have any questions on the letter please contact Matt Hale
(382-4740) or Margaret  Schneider  (382-4696) or  my staff.

Attachment

cc:  Gene Lueero

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                                                                      it "}•



                                          OSWER POLICY DIRECTIVE #9477.00-5
         UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

                     WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
                         WOV  I 0 |&7
                                                     OFFICE OF
                                            SOLID WASTE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Harry Shuford
Environmental Protection  Insurance Company
220 E. 42nd Street, Suite 500
New York, NY  10017

Dear Mr. Shuford:

     I am writing you, at Robert F.  Schiff's request,  in
response to Mr. Schiffs  letter of November 2, 1987 to the EPA
Office of Solid Waste.  In his inquiry, Mr. Schiff sought our
view of whether the Resource conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA) requirements that  hazardous waste management facilities
demonstrate financial assurance for  liability can be satisfied
by a policy issued by a risk retention group.

     The RCRA regulations at 40 CFR  Subpart H require, in part,
that to satisfy the financial assurance requirements,  an
insurance  policy must be issued by  an insurer licensed to
transact business in one  or more states.   MO CFR 264.147(a)
(l)(ii), (b)(l)(ii) and 265.147(a)(1)(ii),  (b)(l)(ii)).  A risk
retention group which meets the requirements of the Risk
Retention Act of 1986 and which is licensed to transact the
business of insurance in  at least one state would satisfy this
regulatory requirement.   Your letter indicar.es that the
Environmental Protection  Insurance Company  EPIC) has  met these
conditions. Accordingly,  policies  issued by EPIC in conformance
with all other requirements of Subpart H co ild be used to
satisfy the Federal RCRA  requirements for  1 ability coverage, or
the requirements of an authorized  state tha  adopted the  Federal
regulatory language.

     I should add, however, that compliance vith Federal
requirements may not be sufficient to fulf:11 state
requirements.  State RCRA requirements may  :>e more stringent
than the Federal requirements.  In states  authorized to

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                                      OSWER POLICY DIRECTIVE #9477.00-5
administer the RCRA program,  therefore,  state regulations must
be examined to determine whether  your  specific mechanism
satisfies the RCRA financial  assurance requirements and is
otherwise consistent with  state  law.
                                    Sincerely,
                                    Bruce R.  Weddle
                                    Director
                                    Permits and State Division

cc:  Robert F. Schiff
     RCRA Waste Management  Division Directors, Region I-X

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