SS/SCS/SB 1586 - The act modifies and creates new provisions relating to solid waste management. Under the act, no person may transfer title to any property containing a solid waste disposal site or demolition landfill without disclosing the sale, conveyance, or transfer to the Department of Natural Resources. The seller shall inform the buyer with a written notice signed and dated by the seller about the existence and location of the disposal or landfill site. If the seller fails to send the written notice to the buyer, the buyer may cancel the sale and the seller shall return to the buyer any earnest money paid by the buyer to the seller. The act repeals provisions relating to a plan to divide the state into proposed solid waste management regions and provides that the Department shall establish by rule the boundaries of five solid waste management regions in the state with each region consisting of at least 22 counties. Counties within a region may require that any solid waste transported from outside the region to a processing facility or disposal area within the region be subject to the same requirements as solid waste originating from within the region. The act establishes the "Solid Waste Management Regional Board" for each solid waste management region. Requirements of the board are described in the act. The act makes technical changes to the provisions relating to familial relationships of grant applicants and certain voting requirements while being on a region executive board to reference the newly established solid waste management regions. After October 1, 2027, an annual adjustment of fees collected for solid waste accepted shall be based on the percentage increase measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for the preceding year. The Department shall have the authority to assess, investigate, test, remediate, and manage abandoned solid waste disposal areas. The Department shall allocate a percentage of revenue dedicated to grants previously managed by solid waste management districts. This percentage shall serve as a minimum percentage of revenue to fund such grants and shall be calculated as follows: the total grant amount previously awarded by solid waste management districts for the previous three fiscal years, which shall only include the grant amount received by an applicant or applicants and shall not include any grant amount awarded to solid waste management districts, divided by the total amount of solid waste tonnage fees from the previous three fiscal years plus an additional 10% of the total amount of solid waste tonnage fees. Such revenues shall only be allocated to the solid waste management regions. Such percentage of revenue shall be divided as follows: 40% shall be allocated based on the population within the geographical area of each solid waste management region in the latest decennial census, and 60% shall be allocated based on the amount of revenue generated within the geographical area of each solid waste management region. Revenue generated within the geographical area of each solid waste management region shall be determined from the previous year's data. Moneys shall be awarded based upon grant applications. The act repeals certain provisions relating to the distribution of the revenues. Grants for proposals that will promote and maximize the sharing of district resources shall no longer be part of the criteria to establish the order of grant authority. Any allocated moneys remaining in any fiscal year due to insufficient or inadequate grant applications shall be reallocated for grant applications in subsequent years or for Department operations, instead of solid waste management projects as provided in current law. All remaining revenue, not included in the calculation relating to the maintenance of essential grants and the 39% of revenue used for the elimination of illegal solid waste disposal areas, shall be dedicated for the elimination of abandoned solid waste disposal areas. If there are no more abandoned solid waste disposal areas left in existence in the state in any given year, such remaining revenue shall be used for the maintenance of grants and elimination of illegal solid waste disposal areas. The act repeals certain provisions relating to any allocated district moneys remaining after five years. The act repeals a provision relating to the criteria for allocation of grant moneys. The act provides that the Department shall promulgate criteria for evaluating grants by rule and regulation. The act further repeals certain provisions relating to funds awarded to solid waste management districts and modifies provisions relating to the submission of grant applications to the Department by removing any reference of solid waste management districts and providing that such grants shall be approved by the Solid Waste Management Regional Board and submitted to the Department by solid waste management regions. The act provides that the state solid waste management districts shall be dissolved effective August 28, 2026, and replaced by solid waste management regions established under the act. By December 31, 2026, each solid waste management district shall: submit a final financial audit, remit any leftover moneys to the Solid Waste Management Fund, provide a list of open grants, and provide a complete itemized list of all grants awarded for the previous three fiscal years. Effective August 28, 2026, the Department shall take over the oversight of open district grants. The act makes technical changes to the provisions relating to a "Solid Waste Advisory Board" in reference to solid waste management regions. The act repeals certain provisions relating to proposed solid waste management regions, a Solid Waste Management Council, and executive boards of solid waste management districts. JULIA SHEVELEVA

Statutes affected:
Introduced (6560S.04): 260.213, 260.300, 260.302, 260.305, 260.310, 260.315, 260.320, 260.324, 260.325, 260.330, 260.335, 260.336, 260.345
Committee (6560S.06): 260.213, 260.300, 260.302, 260.305, 260.310, 260.315, 260.320, 260.324, 260.325, 260.330, 260.335, 260.336, 260.345