Source: http://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/38/title38sec1310-n.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 06:26:02+00:00

Document:
2. Finding of environmental suitability.
2-A. Aquifer protection. The department may not issue a license for a solid waste disposal facility when it finds that the proposed facility overlies a significant sand and gravel aquifer or when the department finds that the proposed facility poses an unreasonable threat to the quality of a significant sand and gravel aquifer it does not overlie, or to an underlying fractured bedrock aquifer.
2-C. Proximity to residential areas.
2-D. Setback requirements for transfer stations. The department may not issue a permit or a license for a municipal solid waste transfer station unless the location of the handling site conforms to the following setback requirements.
(1) No predetermined minimum setback from a property boundary, residence or public road established in statute or rule applies. A proposed setback from such a location must be reasonable and compatible with the abutting land use. If all abutting landowners give written approval to the location of the handling site, the department shall find that the proposed setback to a property boundary, residence or public road is reasonable and compatible with abutting land use. If all abutting landowners do not give written approval, the department shall make an independent determination of the reasonableness and the compatibility of the setback to a property boundary, residence or public road.
(2) No predetermined minimum setback from an active or closed landfill established in statute or rule applies. The proposed setback from an active or closed landfill must be reasonable and compatible with the abutting land use. The department shall make an independent determination of the reasonableness and compatibility of the proposed setback to an active or closed landfill.
This subsection does not apply to transfer station permit or license renewals.
2-E. Automobile dismantling, recycling and salvage operations. The department may not issue a license for a solid waste facility that is larger than 3 acres in size and that is the location of automobile dismantling, recycling and salvage if the automobile dismantling, recycling and salvage operations take place within 100 feet of a well that serves as a public or private water supply. This prohibition does not include a private well that serves only the facility or the owner's or operator's abutting residence.
2-F. Siting standards. The department shall issue a license for a new or expanded solid waste facility when it finds that the following standards, in addition to any other requirements of this chapter, have been met.
2-G. Setback requirement for land application and off-site storage of sludge. The department may not issue a license for a sludge land application site that is within 75 feet of a river, perennial stream or great pond. The department may not issue a license for a sludge storage site or storage facility off the site of generation that is within 250 feet of a river, perennial stream or great pond. Upon the written request to the department of a person who owns property that abuts a sludge land application site or storage facility, the department shall restrict the sludge application or sludge storage site to no less than 50 feet from that abutting property boundary. The board may establish other setbacks by rule.
3-A. Public benefit determination. Public benefit determination is made in the following manner.
4. Presumption of public benefit.
5. Recycling and source reduction determination.
5-A. Recycling and source reduction determination. The requirements of this subsection apply to solid waste disposal facilities and to solid waste processing facilities that generate residue requiring disposal.
(2) The applicant has shown consistency with the recycling provisions of the state plan.
B. The provisions of this paragraph apply to solid waste processing facilities that generate residue requiring disposal.
(1) An applicant for a new or expanded solid waste processing facility that generates residue requiring disposal shall demonstrate that all requirements of this paragraph will be satisfied. On an annual basis, an owner or operator of a licensed solid waste processing facility that generates residue requiring disposal shall demonstrate compliance with all the requirements of this paragraph. The annual demonstration of compliance must be included as an element of the facility's annual report to the department submitted in conformance with the provisions of subsection 6-D, paragraph B and department rules.
(2) A solid waste processing facility that generates residue requiring disposal shall recycle or process into fuel for combustion all waste accepted at the facility to the maximum extent practicable, but in no case at a rate less than 50%. For purposes of this subsection, "recycle" includes, but is not limited to, reuse of waste as shaping, grading or alternative daily cover materials at landfills; aggregate material in construction; and boiler fuel substitutes.
(3) A solid waste processing facility subject to this paragraph shall demonstrate consistency with the recycling provisions of the state plan.
(4) The requirements of this paragraph do not apply to solid waste composting facilities; solid waste processing facilities whose primary purpose is volume reduction or other waste processing or treatment prior to disposal of the waste in a landfill or incineration facility; solid waste processing facilities that are licensed in accordance with permit-by-rule provisions of the department's rules; or solid waste processing facilities that are exempt from the requirements of the solid waste management rules related to processing facilities adopted by the board.
(5) If the department amends the rules relating to fuel quality for construction and demolition wood fuel and the amendment adversely affects the ability of a solid waste processing facility to meet the 50% standard in subparagraph (2), the department may not enforce the requirements of subparagraph (2) against that processing facility and the department shall submit to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over natural resources matters a report relating to the rule change. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over natural resources matters may submit legislation related to the report.
6. Terms and compliance schedules. Except as provided in subsection 6-D, licenses are issued under terms and conditions the department prescribes, and for a term not to exceed 5 years. The department may establish reasonable time schedules for compliance with this article and rules adopted by the board. A licensed or unlicensed municipal solid waste landfill operating on December 31, 1991 may continue to operate until December 31, 1992 unless the commissioner finds that continued operation of a landfill poses an immediate hazard to the public health or the environment, including, without limitation, a threat to a public or private water supply.
6-A. Relicensing. Notwithstanding subsection 6, a transfer station or a recycling facility licensed under this chapter is not subject to relicensing unless the standards in effect at the time the previous license was issued are changed or the facility significantly changes its operation. For the purposes of this subsection, a transfer station includes any associated area or use that is permitted by the license, such as areas used to burn or chip wood or brush and areas used to store or handle white goods or tires, but does not include any associated wood waste or demolition debris landfills.
An agreement under this subsection between a municipality and the department may not include any provision that prevents the municipality from using its unlicensed landfill for the disposal of municipal solid waste during the term of the agreement. Notwithstanding any provision of an agreement entered into under this subsection, the commissioner shall order an unlicensed landfill to cease operating if the commissioner finds that continued operation of the landfill poses an immediate hazard to the public health or the environment, including without limitation a threat to a public or private water supply.
6-C. Summary of federal regulations. The commissioner shall provide a summary of the criteria for municipal solid waste landfills set forth in 40 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 258 (1992) to each municipality operating a licensed or unlicensed municipal solid waste landfill on the effective date of this subsection. The summary must describe the operational and, where possible, the economic implications under federal and state rules of accepting waste at a municipal solid waste landfill after October 8, 1993.
Notwithstanding the terms of this subsection, a license issued to a solid waste facility that is not a solid waste landfill may be voluntarily surrendered by the license holder upon department approval.
Municipalities continuing to operate unlicensed wood-waste, construction and demolition debris landfills under paragraph B shall submit a progress report to the department on or before January 31, 1995. The report must include a description of the alternative handling and disposal method that the town plans to implement prior to December 31, 1995 and an implementation schedule.
Notwithstanding this subsection, the commissioner shall order an unlicensed landfill to cease operating if the commissioner finds that continued operation of the landfill poses an immediate hazard to the public health or the environment, including without limitation a threat to a public or private water supply.
Agreements entered into pursuant to the provisions of this subsection must be for terms of sufficient duration to allow for the planned use of remaining site capacity and the proper closure of these landfills. The department shall consider the terms of these agreements on a case-specific basis, based upon the information submitted in conformance with paragraph C.
Unlicensed wood-waste, construction and demolition debris landfills may not, under the terms of agreements entered into pursuant to this subsection, expand horizontally onto areas where waste has not previously been disposed of, unless the area is licensed under the applicable provisions of this chapter. Notwithstanding this subsection the commissioner shall order an unlicensed landfill to cease operating if the commissioner finds that continued operation of the landfill poses an immediate hazard to the public health or the environment, including, but not limited to, a threat to a public or private water supply.
7. Criminal or civil record. The department may refuse to grant a license under this article if it finds that the applicant or, if the applicant is other than a natural person, any person having legal interest in the applicant has been found guilty of a criminal or civil violation of laws administered by the department or other laws of the State, other states, the United States or another country.
9. Host community agreements. The following provisions apply to a solid waste disposal facility, except that this subsection does not apply to a facility owned by the State or to a facility described in section 1303-C, subsection 6, paragraphs E or F.
(4) Other issues determined on a case-specific basis by the applicant and municipality to be appropriate given the nature of the proposed facility.
C. In the event that the parties to a host community agreement required under this subsection cannot agree on the terms of agreement, the parties shall submit the dispute for resolution in accordance with this paragraph.
(1) The parties shall submit the dispute for mediation. The commissioner shall present to the parties a list of 5 experienced and qualified mediators. Each party may strike 2 names from the list. After each party has been afforded 2 opportunities to strike, either the sole remaining person or the first unchallenged person on the list must be appointed by the commissioner as the mediator assigned to mediate the dispute. In assembling the list of proposed mediators, the commissioner may consider the panel of mediators offered by the Office of Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Service created in Title 4, section 18-B.
(2) If mediation fails to result in an agreement between the parties, the parties shall submit the dispute for arbitration. The commissioner shall present to the parties a list of 5 experienced and qualified arbitrators. Each party may strike 2 names from the list. After each party has been afforded 2 opportunities to strike, either the sole remaining person or the first unchallenged person on the list must be appointed by the commissioner as the arbitrator assigned to determine the dispute. In assembling the list of proposed arbitrators, the commissioner may consider the panels of arbitrators offered by the Office of Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Service created in Title 4, section 18-B or by the American Arbitration Association or a successor organization.
(a) Both the facility and the host community will be bound by the decision of the arbitrator.
(b) Unless otherwise provided for in this subparagraph, the arbitration must be conducted in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association or a successor organization for the conduct of commercial arbitration proceedings.
(c) Costs associated with the arbitration must be shared equally between the parties.
(d) The arbitrator shall submit the decision to the commissioner.
10. Water supply testing. Upon written request to the department from the owner of property abutting a commercial solid waste disposal facility that accepts special waste for landfilling, the department shall require the facility licensee to have conducted biannual sampling and analysis of a private water supply well used by the requestor for drinking water. This subsection applies only if the requestor owned and resided and the private water supply well existed on that property prior to the time the property became an abutting property. For purposes of this subsection, "abutting" means both contiguous to the property on which the facility is located, including directly across a public or private right-of-way, and within one mile of the location of the facility.
This subsection applies to a new, expanded or existing commercial solid waste disposal facility that accepts special waste for landfilling. When licensing any such facility, the department shall incorporate the provisions of this subsection into the license. The provisions of this subsection apply only to a commercial solid waste disposal facility that accepts special waste for landfilling.
11. Waste generated within the State. Consistent with the Legislature's findings in section 1302, a solid waste disposal facility owned by the State may not be licensed to accept waste that is not waste generated within the State. For purposes of this subsection, "waste generated within the State" includes residue and bypass generated by incineration, processing and recycling facilities within the State or waste, whether generated within the State or outside of the State, if it is used for daily cover, frost protection or stability or is generated within 30 miles of the solid waste disposal facility.
12. Citizen advisory committee notification. Except for applications for minor alterations, the department may not issue a license or an amendment to a license to a solid waste disposal facility owned by the State unless the provisions of this subsection are satisfied.
A. For purposes of this subsection, the following terms have the following meanings.
(1) "Appointing authority" means an entity authorized pursuant to law or resolve to appoint a member to a citizen advisory committee.
(2) "License" means a license, permit, order or approval issued by the department pursuant to this chapter.
The department may not issue a license or an amendment to a license prior to 30 days after the latest date of mailing of an application or notice sent in accordance with paragraph B.
1987, c. 517, §25 (NEW). 1987, c. 557, §1 (AMD). 1989, c. 157, (AMD). 1989, c. 585, §§E24-28 (AMD). 1989, c. 890, §§A40, B242 (AMD). 1991, c. 43, §§1,2 (AMD). 1991, c. 43, §§4,5 (AFF). 1991, c. 72, §7 (AMD). 1991, c. 169, (AMD). 1991, c. 241, (AMD). 1991, c. 622, §X14 (AMD). 1991, c. 644, §1 (AMD). 1991, c. 745, §3 (AMD). 1993, c. 191, §1 (AMD). 1993, c. 191, §4 (AFF). 1993, c. 378, §§5,6 (AMD). 1993, c. 383, §36 (AMD). 1993, c. 680, §A37 (RPR). 1993, c. 732, §§B1,2,C19 (AMD). 1995, c. 73, §§1, 2 (AMD). 1995, c. 126, §1 (AMD). 1995, c. 160, §1 (AMD). 1995, c. 465, §§A13-16 (AMD). 1995, c. 465, §C2 (AFF). 1995, c. 642, §9 (AMD). 1997, c. 393, §§A47,48 (AMD). 1999, c. 393, §5 (AMD). 1999, c. 691, §1 (AMD). 2001, c. 212, §5 (AMD). 2007, c. 406, §2 (AMD). 2007, c. 414, §§2, 3 (AMD). 2007, c. 583, §§2-4 (AMD). 2009, c. 412, Pt. A, §1 (AMD). 2011, c. 543, §1 (AMD). 2011, c. 682, §38 (REV). 2013, c. 243, §1 (AMD). 2013, c. 458, §1 (AMD). 2015, c. 124, §8 (AMD).

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