As part of the President's regulatory reform initiative, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is amending the financial assurance provisions of the Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Criteria, under subtitle D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The financial assurance provisions require owners and operators of municipal solid waste landfills (MSWLFs) to demonstrate that adequate funds will be readily available for the costs of closure, post-closure care, and corrective action for known releases associated with their facilities. The existing regulations specify several mechanisms that owners and operators may use to make that demonstration. Today's rule increases the flexibility available to owners and operators by adding two mechanisms to those currently available. The additional mechanisms, a financial test for use by local government owners and operators, and a provision for local governments that wish to guarantee the costs for an owner or operator, are designed to be self-implementing. Use of the financial test provided in this rule allows a local government to use its financial strength to avoid incurring the expenses associated with the use of a third-party financial instrument. Demonstrating that the costs of closure, post- closure care, and corrective action for known releases are available protects the environment by assuring that landfills will be properly managed at the end of site life when revenues are no longer being generated and physical structures may begin to break down.