EPA has issued a final method grant...

EPA has issued a final method granting municipalities increased flexibility in meeting their financial assurance obligations for closure post-closure care and corrective action pertaining to landfills.

in a less degree than the agency's original rule, issued Oct 9 1991 the financial assurance vehicles available to proprietors and operators of municipal solid waste landfills included indubitableness bonds, letters of credit, insurance, guarantees, state-approved mechanisms, or state assumption of responsibility.

Now, however, EPA's final control adds a financial test and a outlay guarantee for local governments. EPA estimates that, by means of this test, 91 percent of local restraints will be able to use their financial power to assure at least part of their obligations, and 54 percent will be able to assure all of their obligations.

There are four grades in the Local Government Financial Test:

*Qualification. A municipality must qualify to use the financial criterion by satisfying either the ligature rating provision ...