Bill No.:                     HB0066                                 Drafter:  MDO

LSO No.:                   13LSO-0137                         Effective Date:  Immediate

Enrolled Act No.:    HEA0114

Chapter No.:            CH0194

Prime Sponsor:       Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Interim Committee

Catch Title:              Municipal solid waste facilities.

Subject:                     Creating a grant and loan program for the closure of municipal solid waste facilities and the transfer of solid waste to regional facilities.

Summary/Major Elements:

· There is a trend, both nationally and in Wyoming, to address potential groundwater contamination concerns by closing small landfills and transferring municipal solid waste to regional landfills.  Closure of the small landfills and transfer places a financial burden on the municipal solid waste operators.

· This act creates the Municipal Solid Waste Facilities Cease and Transfer Program.  Grants and loans shall be awarded under the program by the State Loan and Investment Board (SLIB) for:

§ Capping closing landfills;

§ Closure related expenses;

§ Construction or acquisition of solid waste transfer facilities and equipment, including real property.

· Grants and loans under the program shall not exceed 75% of the cost of the cease and transfer activities of the landfill.

· Program funds cannot be expended on:

§ Salaries or benefits for employees;

§ Long-term monitoring at a closed solid waste facility;

§ Operational costs at the facility.

· Rules for the program shall be promulgated by the SLIB in consultation with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

· Requires that DEQ develop a “general permit” for closing landfills with a total surface area of less than 30 acres and shall provide assistance to municipalities in the general permitting process.  Development of a general permit should reduce closure costs for small landfills.

· Requires that to be eligible under the programs, solid waste facility operators must charge a fee in an amount sufficient to provide all foreseeable costs of waste disposal activities including operations, monitoring, recycling and other diversion activities, closure, post-closure and transfer fees.

· Provides general fund appropriations to the program grant and loan accounts.

Comments:

· Popularly known as the Municipal Solid Waste Cease and Transfer Act.

· Requires the following reports:

§ From DEQ to Joint Minerals Committee on assistance provided to small closing landfills;

§ Landfill operators to report to DEQ on compliance with full-cost accounting by January 1, 2014 and every 4 years thereafter.