[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 40, Volume 1]
[Revised as of July 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 40CFR13.30]

[Page 210]
 
                   TITLE 40--PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT
 
               CHAPTER I--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
 
PART 13_CLAIMS COLLECTION STANDARDS--Table of Contents
 
                Subpart E_Suspension of Collection Action
 
Sec. 13.30  Standards for suspension.

    (a) Inability to locate debtor. The Administrator may suspend 
collection on a debt where he determines that the debtor cannot be 
located presently but that there is a reasonable belief that the debtor 
can be located in the future.
    (b) Financial condition of debtor. The Administrator may suspend 
collection action on a claim when the debtor owns no substantial equity 
in real or personal property and is unable to make payment on the claim 
or effect a compromise but the debtor's future financial prospects 
justify retention of the claim for periodic review, provided that:
    (1) The applicable statute of limitations will not expire during the 
period of the suspension, can be tolled or has started running anew;
    (2) Future collection can be effected by offset, notwithstanding the 
10-year statute of limitations for administrative offsets; or
    (3) The debtor agrees to pay interest on the debt and suspension is 
likely to enhance the debtor's ability to fully pay the principal amount 
of the debt with interest at a later date.
    (c) Request for waiver or administrative review--mandatory. The 
Administrator will suspend collection activity where a statute provides 
for mandatory waiver consideration or administrative review prior to 
agency collection of a debt. The Administrator will suspend EPA's 
collection actions during the period provided for the debtor to request 
review or waiver and during the period of the Agency's evaluation of the 
request.
    (d) Request for waiver or administrative review--permissive. The 
Administrator may suspend collection activities on debts of $20,000 or 
less during the pendency of a permissive waiver or administrative review 
where he determines that:
    (1) There is a reasonable possibility that waiver will be granted 
and the debtor may be found not owing the debt (in whole or in part);
    (2) The Government's interest is protected, if suspension is 
granted, by the reasonable assurance that the debt can be recovered if 
the debtor does not prevail; or
    (3) Collection of the debt will cause undue hardship to the debtor.
    (e) Refund barred by statute or regulation. The Administrator will 
ordinarily suspend collection action during the pendency of his 
consideration of a waiver request or administrative review where statute 
and regulation preclude refund of amounts collected by the Agency should 
the debtor prevail. The Administrator may decline to suspend collection 
where he determines that the request for waiver or administrative review 
is frivolous or was made primarily to delay collection.