Committee approves site-evaluation process, one-year moratorium and limited fee authority for new landfills
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Summary
The committee approved an amendment establishing a solid waste site evaluation committee, a one-year moratorium on new landfills, an added member from the State Conservation Commission and authority for the committee to seek additional application fees capped at double the original fee.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved a committee amendment that would create a solid waste site evaluation committee, impose a one-year moratorium on new landfill applications and allow that committee to request additional fees from applicants up to twice the original application fee.
Senator Pearl explained changes included in the replace-all amendment, saying she added “a member of the State Conservation Commission” to the site evaluation committee and that the amendment allows the committee to “seek additional fees from the applicant, but I've capped it so that they can't seek any further than double of what the original application fee was.”
The amendment also preserves core oversight and functions of the Department of Environmental Services (DES) while allowing DES and the site evaluation committee processes to run concurrently, the sponsor said. The sponsor told the committee the amendment includes more opportunities for public participation and follows language passed previously in House Bill 2, with several adjustments made after stakeholder conversations.
Senator Lares and other committee members spoke in support, emphasizing the need to address landfill siting and protect the environment; Lares said the one-year moratorium was “essential” so the state can establish a new process. The transcript shows the amendment received committee approval and was moved out to pass as amended by voice vote; the record shows committee members answering “Aye” but does not provide a roll-call tally.
Key details from the amendment cited in the hearing: addition of a State Conservation Commission member to the site evaluation committee; a capped authority for the committee to request additional applicant fees not to exceed double the original application fee; a one-year moratorium on new landfill applications while the new process is established; DES to retain oversight functions and to be able to proceed concurrently with committee review to avoid duplicative delays.
The committee approved the committee amendment and moved the bill out of committee as amended. The transcript does not record a numeric roll-call vote.
