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BTLG Table of Contents > Integrated Waste Management Fee Law > Part 4. Solid Waste Facilities—Chapter 3 > entire chapter

Integrated Waste Management Fee Law

Public Resources Code

Division 30. Waste Management

Part 4. Solid Waste Facilities

Chapter 3. Permit and Inspection Program

Article 1. Solid Waste Facility Permits

Article 1. Solid Waste Facility Permits

44001. Application for permit. Any person who proposes to become an operator of a solid waste facility shall file with the enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the facility, or the board if there is no designated and certified enforcement agency, an application for a solid waste facilities permit at least 150 days in advance of the date on which it is desired to commence operation, unless the enforcement agency issues a permit to the applicant to commence operations prior to that time.

44002. Operation of a solid waste facility. (a) (1) No person shall operate a solid waste facility without a solid waste facilities permit if that facility is required to have a permit pursuant to this division.

(2) The prohibition specified in paragraph (1) includes, but is not limited to, the operation of a solid waste facility without a required solid waste facilities permit or the operation of a solid waste faciliity outside the permitted boundaries specified in a solid waste facilities permit.

(b) If the enforcement agency determines that a person is operating a solid waste facility in violation of subdivision (a), the enforcement agency shall immediately issue a cease and desist order pursuant to Section 45005 ordering the facility to immediately cease all activities for which a solid waste facilities permit is required and desist from those activities until the person obtains a valid solid waste facilities permit authorizing the activities or has obtained other authorization pursuant to this division.

44002.1. Temporary solid waste facilities permit. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) New trends in solid waste handling and collection practices, such as single-stream collection of recyclable materials, coupled with the regulations adopted by the board that govern solid waste transfer or processing stations and composting facilities, have resulted in the failure of a substantial number of persons carrying out previously unregulated recycling, solid waste handling, and composting activities, to comply with existing law.

(2) As cities and counties undertake greater efforts to increase the diversion of solid waste from landfills, the board anticipates that many new transfer and processing stations and composting facilities will commence operation in California within the next two to five years.

(3) To address these trends, it is necessary to provide a temporary permitting scheme to enable the operators of existing solid waste facilities to obtain temporary permits more quickly than is possible under existing law, in order to protect the public health and safety and the environment.

(b) The board shall adopt emergency regulations pursuant to subdivision (d) to authorize an enforcement agency, upon the board's concurrence, to issue a temporary solid waste facilities permit to a person operating a solid waste transfer or processing station or a composting facility, that, as of January 1, 2008, is required under this division and the regulations adopted by the board pursuant to this division to obtain a solid waste facilities permit, but for which a permit has not been obtained. The regulations adopted by the board shall include all of the following requirements:

(1) That a person desiring to obtain a temporary solid waste facilities permit submit a complete and correct application for the permit to the enforcement agency having jurisdiction no later than 60 days from the effective date of the regulations.

(2) That the date by which a holder of a temporary solid waste facilities permit shall obtain a permanent solid waste facilities permit from the enforcement agency having jurisdiction, or cease the activities for which a solid waste facilities permit is required, be on or before June 30, 2010.

(3) That a facility covered under a temporary solid waste facilities permit have been in operation on or before January 1, 2007.

(4) That the owner or operator of a facility covered under a temporary solid waste facilities permit agree to allow the facility to be inspected, at least monthly, by the enforcement agency.

(c) (1) An enforcement agency shall diligently notify the operators of all facilities within its jurisdiction of the availability of temporary solid waste facilities permits under the regulations adopted pursuant to this section.

(2) The board shall expeditiously review and act on a proposed temporary solid waste facilities permit submitted to it by an enforcement agency. Upon the request of an enforcement agency, the board shall provide assistance to the enforcement agency to expeditiously process applications for temporary solid waste facilities permits.

(d) The regulations adopted by the board pursuant to this section shall be adopted as emergency regulations and shall be considered by the Office of Administrative Law as necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, or general welfare. The board shall file the emergency regulations with the Office of Administrative Law at the earliest feasible date or March 1, 2008, whichever date is earlier. Notwithstanding subdivision (e) of Section 11346.1 of the Government Code, any emergency regulations adopted by the board pursuant to this section shall remain in effect until July 1, 2010, and on that date shall become inoperative.

(e) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2010, and, as of January 1, 2011, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute that is enacted before January 1, 2010, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.

History—Added by Stats. 2007, Ch. 547 (AB 1473), in effect January 1, 2008.

44003. Operator other than owner. When the operator of the disposal site is not the disposal site owner, the disposal site operator's application for a solid waste facilities permit shall contain any information that the enforcement agency or the board may require regarding the disposal site owner's interest in the real property utilized as the disposal site.

44004. Change in facility design or operation. (a) An operator of a solid waste facility may not make a significant change in the design or operation of the solid waste facility that is not authorized by the existing permit, unless the change is approved by the enforcement agency, the change conforms with this division and all regulations adopted pursuant to this division, and the terms and conditions of the solid waste facilities permit are revised to reflect the change.

(b) If the operator wishes to change the design or operation of the solid waste facility in a manner that is not authorized by the existing permit, the operator shall file an application for revision of the existing solid waste facilities permit with the enforcement agency. The application shall be filed at least 180 days in advance of the date when the proposed modification is to take place unless the 180-day time period is waived by the enforcement agency.

(c) The enforcement agency shall review the application to determine all of the following:

(1) Whether the change conforms with this division and all regulations adopted pursuant to this division.

(2) Whether the change requires review pursuant to Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000).

(d) Within 60 days from the date of the receipt of the application for a revised permit, the enforcement agency shall inform the operator, and if the enforcement agency is a local enforcement agency, also inform the board, of its determination to do any of the following:

(1) Allow the change without a revision to the permit.

(2) Disallow the change because it does not conform with the requirements of this division or the regulations adopted pursuant to this division.

(3) Require a revision of the solid waste facilities permit to allow the change.

(4) Require review under Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) before a decision is made.

(e) The operator has 30 days within which to appeal the decision of the enforcement agency to the hearing panel, as authorized pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 44305) of Chapter 4. The enforcement agency shall provide notice of a hearing held pursuant to this subdivision in the same manner as notice is provided pursuant to subdivision (h).

(f) Under circumstances that present an immediate danger to the public health and safety or to the environment, as determined by the enforcement agency, the 180-day filing period may be waived.

(g) (1) A permit revision is not required for the temporary suspension of activities at a solid waste facility if the suspension meets either of the following criteria:

(A) The suspension is for the maintenance or minor modifications to a solid waste unit or to solid waste management equipment.

(B) The suspension is for temporarily ceasing the receipt of solid waste at a solid waste management facility and the owner or operator is in compliance with all other applicable terms and conditions of the solid waste facilities permit and minimum standards adopted by the board.

(2) An owner or operator of a solid waste facility who temporarily suspends operations shall remain subject to the closure and postclosure maintenance requirements of this division and to all other requirements imposed by federal law pertaining to the operation of a solid waste facility.

(3) The enforcement agency may impose any reasonable conditions relating to the maintenance of the solid waste facility, environmental monitoring, and periodic reporting during the period of temporary suspension. The board may also impose any reasonable conditions determined to be necessary to ensure compliance with applicable state standards.

(h) (1) (A) Before making its determination pursuant to subdivision (d), the enforcement agency shall submit the proposed determination to the board for comment and hold at least one public hearing on the proposed determination. The enforcement agency shall give notice of the hearing pursuant to Section 65091 of the Government Code, except that the notice shall be provided to all owners of real property within a distance other than 300 feet of the real property that is the subject of the hearing, if specified in the regulations adopted by the board pursuant to subdivision (i). The enforcement agency shall also provide notice of the hearing to the board when it submits the proposed determination to the board.

(B) The enforcement agency shall mail or deliver the notice required pursuant to subparagraph (A) at least 10 days prior to the date of the hearing to any person who has filed a written request for the notice with a person designated by the enforcement agency to receive these requests. The enforcement agency may charge a fee to the requester in an amount that is reasonably related to the costs of providing this service and the enforcement agency may require each request to be annually renewed.

(C) The enforcement agency shall consider environmental justice issues when preparing and distributing the notice to ensure that the notice is concise and understandable for limited-English-speaking populations.

(2) If the board comments pursuant to paragraph (1), the board shall specify whether the proposed determination is consistent with the regulation adopted pursuant to subdivision (i).

(i) (1) The board shall, to the extent resources are available, adopt regulations that implement subdivision (h) and define the term "significant change in the design or operation of the solid waste facility that is not authorized by the existing permit."

(2) While formulating and adopting the regulations required pursuant to paragraph (1), the board shall consider recommendations of the Working Group on Environmental Justice and the advisory group made pursuant to Sections 71113 and 71114 and the report required pursuant to Section 71115.

44005. Change in site ownership interest. (a) Any owner or operator of a solid waste facility who plans to encumber, sell, transfer, or convey the ownership or operations of a solid waste facility or disposal site to a new owner or operator, shall notify the enforcement agency and the board, 45 days prior to the date of the anticipated transfer. The notification shall be in writing and shall include information as determined by the board, including any financial assurances, if applicable.

(b) The enforcement agency and the board shall review the notification documentation and any available records of enforcement actions taken against the proposed transferee, and shall determine, within 30 days of receipt, whether the facility will be operated in compliance with the terms and conditions of an approved permit and any other applicable requirements, including, but not limited to, the requirements of Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000). If the solid waste facility will not be operated in compliance with the terms and conditions of an approved permit, or any other applicable requirements of Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000), the new owner or operator shall be required to file an application for a revised or modified solid waste facilities permit.

(c) If the enforcement agency or the board determines that the facility will be operated in compliance with the terms and conditions of the existing permit, the enforcement agency may change the name of the owner or operator on the permit.

44006. Report and application fee. (a) Each report or application filed under this article shall be submitted under oath or under penalty of perjury.

(b) Each report, notice, or application filed under this article shall be submitted on a form approved by the board.

(c) Each application required to be filed under this article shall be accompanied by a filing fee according to a fee schedule established by the enforcement agency to reflect the cost of processing the application and to recover costs incurred in meeting the requirements of Article 3 (commencing with Section 43500) and Article 4 (commencing with Section 43600) of Chapter 2. This fee is in addition to the fees authorized by Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 41900) of Part 2.