Section 734.615  Authorization for Payment; Priority List

a)         Within 60 days after notification to an owner or operator that the application for payment or a portion thereof has been approved by the Agency or by operation of law, the Agency must forward to the Office of the State Comptroller in accordance with subsection (d) or (e) of this Section a voucher in the amount approved.  If the owner or operator has filed an appeal with the Board of the Agency's final decision on an application for payment, the Agency must have 60 days after the final resolution of the appeal to forward to the Office of the State Comptroller a voucher in the amount ordered as a result of the appeal.  Notwithstanding the time limits imposed by this Section, the Agency must not forward vouchers to the Office of the State Comptroller until sufficient funds are available to issue payment.

b)         The following rules must apply regarding deductibles:

1)         Any deductible, as determined by the OSFM or the Agency, must be subtracted from any amount approved for payment by the Agency or by operation of law, or ordered by the Board or courts;

2)         Only one deductible must apply per occurrence;

3)         If multiple incident numbers are issued for a single site in the same calendar year, only one deductible must apply for those incidents, even if the incidents relate to more than one occurrence; and

4)         Where more than one deductible determination is made, the higher deductible must apply.

c)         The Agency must instruct the Office of the State Comptroller to issue payment to the owner or operator at the address designated in accordance with Section 734.605(b)(8) or (c) of this Part.  In no case must the Agency authorize the Office of the State Comptroller to issue payment to an agent, designee, or entity that has conducted corrective action activities for the owner or operator.

d)         For owners or operators who have deferred site classification or corrective action in accordance with Section 734.450 of this Part, payment must be authorized from funds encumbered pursuant to Section 734.450(a)(6) of this Part upon approval of the application for payment by the Agency or by operation of law.

e)         For owners or operators not electing to defer site investigation or corrective action in accordance with Section 734.450 of this Part, the Agency must form a priority list for payment for the issuance of vouchers pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section.

1)         All such applications for payment must be assigned a date that is the date upon which the complete application for partial or final payment was received by the Agency.  This date must determine the owner's or operator's priority for payment in accordance with subsection (e)(2) of this Section, with the earliest dates receiving the highest priority.

2)         Once payment is approved by the Agency or by operation of law or ordered by the Board or courts, the application for payment must be assigned priority in accordance with subsection (e)(1) of this Section.  The assigned date must be the only factor determining the priority for payment for those applications approved for payment.