(1) A local department or board of health, if it requests certification, must be certified as the reviewing authority if the following requirements are met and the sanitarian or engineer is qualified as described in (2):

(a) the local department or board of health employs a registered sanitarian or a professional engineer responsible to perform the actual review. Those local governments employing more than one registered sanitarian or professional engineer shall designate one such person to be responsible for the review program;

(b) unless delegated under 75-6-121, MCA, a local department or board of health may not review public water supply systems, public sewage systems, or extensions of or connections to these systems, except that a local department or board of health may be certified to review subdivisions proposed to connect to existing municipal water and wastewater systems previously approved by the department if no extension of the system is required; and

(i) the provisions of Title 76, chapter 4, MCA;

(ii) this chapter;

(iii) applicable department circulars;

(iv) Title 75, chapter 5, MCA;

(v) ARM Title 17, chapter 30, subchapters 5 and 7; and

(vi) other applicable laws and regulations.

(2) A registered sanitarian or registered professional engineer, prior to performing subdivision review, shall:

(a) pass, with a score of at least 90 percent, a written examination administered by the department that demonstrates knowledge of:

(i) Title 76, chapter 4, MCA;

(ii) this chapter;

(iii) applicable department circulars;

(iv) Title 75, chapter 5, MCA;

(v) ARM Title 17, chapter 30, subchapters 5 and 7; and

(vi) other applicable laws and regulations;

(b) have a minimum of one year's experience performing subdivision review under the direct supervision of the department or of a department-approved registered sanitarian or professional engineer; and

(c) for individuals previously qualified under this subsection, complete at least one subdivision review in the preceding two years. Previously qualified individuals who have not completed at least one subdivision review in the preceding two years shall, prior to performing subdivision review, satisfy the requirements in subsection (2)(a).

(3) The department's oversight of a certified local reviewing authority's review of subdivision applications shall be limited to the following:

(a) within the 55-day review period, the department shall determine, by reference to the local reviewing authority's review checklist or by other means, whether the local reviewer has conducted a completeness review of the application and whether the local reviewer has completed a compliance review of all systems designated by the contract between the department and the local reviewing authority. If the department determines that either of these tasks was not completed, the department may return the application to the local reviewing authority for further review or may itself complete the review;

(b) within the 55-day review period, the department may check the accuracy of the local reviewing authority's review of subdivision applications. The department's accuracy checks must be limited to ten percent of the applications submitted to the department by the local reviewing authority, except that the department may also review an application:

(i) upon the request of the local reviewing authority; or

(ii) when the department has reason to question the local reviewing authority's determination for a particular application;

(c) if the department identifies possible errors or discrepancies in the local reviewer's determination regarding an application, the department shall consult with the local reviewer. If, after consultation, the department does not agree with the local reviewer's determination regarding an application's compliance with applicable state laws, rules, and circulars, the department may, prior to the expiration of the review period for the application, modify the local determination regarding the state requirements;

(d) in addition to, or instead of, examining locally reviewed applications during the 55-day review period, the department may conduct an annual audit of a representative sample of locally reviewed applications.

(4) The department retains the right to suspend or revoke the certification of the local department or board of health if the department determines that the local reviewing authority is not complying with the sanitation in subdivisions act or other applicable statutes or rules.