HOUSE BILL 618

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2006

INTRODUCED BY

Hector H. Balderas

AN ACT

RELATING TO SOLID WASTE; CREATING THE SOLID WASTE TRANSPORTATION GRANT FUND; PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES FACED WITH HIGH SOLID WASTE TRANSPORTATION COSTS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

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

     Section 1. SOLID WASTE TRANSPORTATION GRANT FUND.--

          A. The "solid waste transportation grant fund" is created in the state treasury. The fund shall consist of appropriations, gifts, grants, donations and bequests made to the fund. Income from the fund shall be credited to the fund, and money in the fund shall not revert or be transferred to any other fund at the end of a fiscal year. Money in the fund is appropriated to the department of environment for the purposes of making grants approved pursuant to Subsection B of this section. Expenditures from the fund shall be made on warrant of the secretary of finance and administration on vouchers signed by the secretary of environment.

          B. Upon application by a municipality and to the extent that money is available for such purposes, the department of environment may award grants from the solid waste transportation grant fund to reimburse or partially reimburse solid waste transportation costs incurred by municipalities that transport solid waste fifteen miles or more from the boundary of the municipality to a landfill disposal facility. The reimbursement shall be an amount per ton of solid waste transported per mile and shall be established by rule of the environmental improvement board.

          C. The environmental improvement board shall, by rule, develop application requirements and criteria for evaluating and prioritizing applications for grants from the solid waste transportation grant fund."

     Section 2. APPROPRIATION.--Five million dollars ($5,000,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the solid waste transportation grant fund for expenditure in fiscal year 2006 and subsequent fiscal years for the purpose of awarding grants, pursuant to Section 1 of this act, to reimburse municipalities for solid waste transportation costs. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert.