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<section article="gen" article_name="Environment" number="9-243" title_number="9" title_name="Water, Ice, and Sanitary Facilities" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Regulation by State">
  <level label="a">
    <text>To enforce this Part III of this subtitle and to ensure compliance with each sewage sludge utilization permit, a representative of the Department, the local health official, or the local health official’s designee may enter and inspect, at any reasonable time, any site where sewage sludge is utilized.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>A sewage sludge utilizer may not:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Refuse access to a sewage sludge utilization site to any representative of the Department, to a local health official, or to the local health official’s designee, who requests access under this section; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Interfere with any inspection under this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>A local health official or the local health official’s designee may inspect, monitor, and investigate any sewage sludge utilization site in the county where the official is employed.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>With the concurrence of the Department, a local health official may:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Issue a stop work order to stop utilizing sewage sludge at a site; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Suspend a sewage sludge utilization permit.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If a local health official recommends issuance of a stop work order and the Department does not concur, the Department shall inspect the sewage sludge utilization site within 24 hours after it receives the recommendation.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>After inspecting the site and if necessary, the Department shall issue a stop work or other order to obtain compliance with State law, departmental regulations, or the sewage sludge utilization permit.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>A county may seek injunctive relief or other appropriate remedies in circuit court if:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A local health official is not satisfied that the enforcement measures of the Department are adequate to protect public health and safety in the county; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The Department does not make the inspection required by paragraph (2) of this subsection.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>A local health official shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Give the Department prompt notice of any inspection made by the local health official; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Report promptly in writing to the Department:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>The time and place of the inspection;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>A summary and findings of the inspection;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>Any enforcement action that the local health official takes or recommends; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>Any permit modifications or other modifications that the local health official recommends.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Department:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>May delegate to the local health official any inspection, monitoring, or enforcement authority of the Department under this Part III of this subtitle; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Shall adopt regulations that establish standards for delegating authority under this subsection.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The regulations adopted under this subsection shall include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Procedures for submission, review, and approval or disapproval of any application for delegation of authority;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Provisions requiring that any application for delegation of authority be approved by the county;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Provisions for oversight by the Department, including program evaluations and financial audits; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Provisions for revocation of a delegation, if the local health official fails to comply with the terms of a delegation agreement.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If the Department finds that an application for delegation of authority meets all applicable requirements of this section and the regulations adopted under this section, the Department shall enter into a written delegation agreement.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The Department shall establish performance standards for grants to provide reasonable reimbursement to counties, to the extent funds are available, for costs local health officials incur when they undertake authority delegated under this subsection.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>A local health official may act through a designee under this subsection in accordance with an approved delegation agreement.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
