45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2001

RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT; PROVIDING FOR A WASTE ISOLATION PILOT PLANT SECTION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT; CREATING A FUND; AMENDING AND ENACTING SECTIONS OF THE NMSA 1978; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 9-7A-9 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1991, Chapter 25, Section 9) is amended to read:

"9-7A-9. BUREAUS--CHIEFS.--The secretary shall establish within each division such "bureaus" as he deems necessary, and establish a waste isolation pilot plant section within a hazardous and radioactive bureau, to carry out the provisions of the Department of Environment Act. He shall employ a "chief" to be the administrative head of each bureau. The chief and all subsidiary employees of the department shall be covered by the Personnel Act unless otherwise provided by law."

Section 2. Section 74-4-4.2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1981 (1st S.S.), Chapter 8, Section 6, as amended) is amended to read:

"74-4-4.2. PERMITS--ISSUANCE--DENIAL--MODIFICATION--

SUSPENSION--REVOCATION.--

A. Each application for a permit pursuant to the Hazardous Waste Act shall contain information as may be required pursuant to Section 74-4-4.7 NMSA 1978 or pursuant to regulations promulgated by the board, including information with respect to:

(1) estimates with respect to the composition, quantity and concentration of any hazardous waste identified or listed under Subsection A of Section 74-4-4 NMSA 1978 or combinations of any hazardous waste and other solid waste proposed to be disposed of, treated, transported or stored and the time, frequency or rate at which the waste is proposed to be disposed of, treated, transported or stored; and

(2) the site where hazardous waste or the products of treatment of hazardous waste will be disposed of, treated, transported to or stored.

B. Hazardous waste permits issued after April 8, 1987 shall require corrective action for all releases of hazardous waste or constituents from any solid waste management unit at a treatment, storage or disposal facility seeking a permit under this section.

C. The [division] department shall provide timely review on all permit applications. Upon a determination by the secretary that the applicant has met the requirements adopted pursuant to Section 74-4-4 NMSA 1978, the secretary may issue a permit or a permit subject to any conditions necessary to protect human health and the environment for the facility.

D. The secretary may deny any permit application or modify, suspend or revoke any permit issued pursuant to the Hazardous Waste Act if the applicant or permittee has:

(1) knowingly and willfully misrepresented a material fact in the application for a permit;

(2) refused to disclose the information required under the provisions of Section 74-4-4.7 NMSA 1978;

(3) been convicted in any court, within ten years immediately preceding the date of submission of the permit application, of:

(a) a felony or other crime involving moral turpitude; or

(b) a crime defined by state or federal statutes as involving or being in restraint of trade, price-fixing, bribery or fraud;

(4) exhibited a history of willful disregard for environmental laws of any state or the United States;

(5) had any permit revoked or permanently suspended for cause under the environmental laws of any state or the United States; or

(6) violated any provision of the Hazardous Waste Act, any regulation adopted and promulgated pursuant to that act or any condition of a permit issued under that act.

E. In making a finding under Subsection D of this section, the secretary may consider aggravating and mitigating factors.

F. If an applicant or permittee whose permit is being considered for denial or revocation, respectively, on any basis provided by Subsection D of this section has submitted an action plan that has been approved in writing by the secretary, and plan approval includes a period of operation under a conditional permit that will allow the applicant or permittee a reasonable opportunity to demonstrate its rehabilitation, the secretary may issue a conditional permit for a reasonable period of time. In approving an action plan intended to demonstrate rehabilitation, the secretary may consider:

(1) implementation by the applicant or permittee of formal policies;

(2) training programs and management control to minimize and prevent the occurrence of future violations;

(3) installation by the applicant or permittee of internal environmental auditing programs;

(4) the applicant's release or the permittee's release subsequent to serving a period of incarceration or paying a fine, or both, after conviction of any crime listed in Subsection D of this section; and

(5) any other factors the secretary deems relevant.

G. Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection D of this section:

(1) a research, development and demonstration permit may be terminated upon the determination by the secretary that termination is necessary to protect human health or the environment; and

(2) a permit may be modified at the request of the permittee for just cause as demonstrated by the permittee.

H. No ruling shall be made on permit issuance, major modification, suspension or revocation without an opportunity for a public hearing at which all interested persons shall be given a reasonable chance to submit data, views or arguments orally or in writing and to examine witnesses testifying at the hearing; provided, however, that the secretary may, pursuant to Section 74-4-10 NMSA 1978, order the immediate termination of a research development and demonstration permit whenever the secretary determines that termination is necessary to protect human health or the environment and may order the immediate suspension or revocation of a permit for a facility that has been ordered to take corrective action or other response measures for releases of hazardous waste into the environment.

I. The secretary shall hold a public hearing on a minor permit modification if the secretary determines that there is significant public interest in the minor modification.

J. The board shall provide a schedule of fees for businesses generating hazardous waste or seeking a permit for the management of hazardous waste, to be deposited to the credit of the hazardous waste fund, except those fees collected pursuant to Subsection K of this section, including but not limited to:

(1) a hazardous waste business fee applicable to any business engaged in a regulated hazardous waste activity, which shall be an annual flat fee based on the type of activity;

(2) a hazardous waste generation fee applicable to any business generating hazardous waste, which shall be based on the quantity of hazardous waste generated annually; however, when any material listed in Paragraph (2) of Subsection I of Section 74-4-3 NMSA 1978 is determined by the board to be subject to regulation under Subtitle C of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, the board may set a generation fee under this paragraph for that waste based on its volume, toxicity, mobility and economic impact on the regulated entity; and

(3) a hazardous waste permit application fee, not exceeding the estimated cost of investigating the application and issuing the permit, to be paid at the time the secretary notifies the applicant by certified mail that the application has been deemed administratively complete and a technical review is scheduled.

K. The waste isolation pilot plant section shall process and administer all hazardous waste permits pertaining to the waste isolation pilot plant, including:

(1) reviewing and processing permit applications or modifications;

(2) analyzing volatile organic compound emissions and ground water data and mine ventilation rate monitoring data;

(3) reviewing and issuing reports on generator site audits;

(4) preparing reports, records and responses to legislative inquiries; and

(5) receiving all fees from the waste isolation pilot plant pursuant to this section to be credited to the waste isolation pilot plant fund, which fees shall be limited to costs of processing and administering conditions of hazardous waste permits of the waste isolation pilot plant."

Section 3. A new section of the Hazardous Waste Act is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] WASTE ISOLATION PILOT PLANT FUND.--The "waste isolation pilot plant fund" is created in the state treasury. The fund shall consist of money derived from fees collected from the waste isolation pilot plant and money appropriated to the fund. Balances in the fund at the end of any fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund. Money in the fund shall be appropriated to the waste isolation pilot plant section in the hazardous and radioactive bureau of the department of environment to administer the waste isolation plant hazardous waste permitting program, including:

A. reviewing and processing permit applications or modifications;

B. analyzing volatile organic compound emissions and ground water data and mine ventilation rate monitoring data;

C. reviewing and issuing reports on waste isolation pilot plant-related generator site audits; and

D. preparing reports, records and responses to legislative inquiries.

E. The manager of the waste isolation pilot plant section shall provide an annual accounting of money in the fund and quarterly reports, including performance measures pursuant to the Accountability in Government Act."