This provision imposes a moratorium on new permits for certain public solid waste landfill facilities, with limited waiver authority.
(a)(1) Notwithstanding any provision of law, until May 31, 2014, neither the department nor any state or local agency may grant any new permits to a new public solid waste landfill facility which is intended to receive waste not generated by the permittee. (2) The moratorium period is necessary in order to allow the department and the Alabama Department of Public Health to review their duties and responsibilities pursuant to the Solid Wastes and Recyclable Materials Management Act. As appropriate, following this review, the department, with input from the Alabama Department of Public Health, shall make recommendations for necessary legislation or undertake rulemaking to implement enhancement identified during the review period. (3) For the purpose of evaluating solid waste landfill management issues facing the state and to allow for the update of the state’s comprehensive solid waste management plan to identify and provide for the state’s solid waste management needs, there is imposed a moratorium on the issuance by the department of any new permits for new public solid waste landfills which are intended to receive wastes not generated by the permittee as further qualified in subsection (b). The moratorium shall not apply to industrial landfills receiving waste generated in-state only by the permittee. (b) The moratorium restriction provided in subsection (a) applies only to any proposed public solid waste landfill facility that has not received its final approval within the department solid waste landfill permitting process and shall include proposed facilities which will meet, upon completion, any of the following criteria regarding capacity, site acreage, or location. (1) A proposed capacity in excess of 1,500 tons per day. (2) A proposed capacity of 2,000 cubic yards per day or more. (3) A site consisting of 500 acres or more. (4) When combined with existing or proposed public solid waste landfill facilities located within the same county or counties or within 20 miles thereof, a capacity or site which exceeds the minimum amounts set forth in subdivision (1), (2), or (3). (5) A proposed capacity by a new public solid waste landfill which will be more than that reasonably anticipated in the foreseeable future as identified in the local solid waste management plan for the communities located within the county in which the facility is to be located or within 20 miles of the facility. (c) The director may waive the limitation imposed by this moratorium for a particular facility upon a finding based upon a joint recommendation by the State Health Officer and the respective host government. The request for waiver shall be initiated by resolution of the governing body of the jurisdiction which recognizes a potential crisis in solid waste management by public solid waste landfills in the jurisdiction. The resolution shall be adopted at a public meeting of the governing body following publication of at least one notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the area at least 10 days prior to the meeting. The resolution shall request the State Health Officer and the respective host government to determine if the situation poses a threat to human health or the environment within the jurisdiction based upon substantive criteria to be established jointly by the department, the State Health Officer, and the respective host government. In the event the State Health Officer and the host government so certify, the moratorium may be waived and the director may issue a permit for the limited purpose of serving the service area or jurisdiction identified.