Code of Alabama
Article 3 - Solid Waste Management Plan.
Section 22-27-47 - Local Plans Required.

(a) Each county and any municipality as described below shall submit to the department, within one and one-half years of May 16, 1989, a plan for the management of solid waste generated within its boundaries. A county's plan shall include the municipal jurisdictions within its boundaries except that any municipality may choose to submit its own solid waste management plan intended for implementation within its city limits and thereby be excluded from its county plan. Cities which do not choose to exclude themselves from their county's plan shall be responsible to share in the county's costs proportionately on a per capita basis. The content of all plans shall be consistent with the requirements of this article and every plan shall not become final until it has been officially adopted and approved pursuant to the requirements of this article. In the event a county or city does not submit a required plan or if said plan does not meet the minimum requirements set out in this article, the department shall prepare the plan which shall serve as the official county or city plan.
(b) Each plan shall at a minimum:
(1) Describe and explain the general origin, and weight or volume of solid waste currently generated within the jurisdiction's boundaries. For purposes of this estimate the jurisdiction may use such information as is reasonably available, or may use accepted methods of estimation recommended by the department;
(2) Identify current methods of collection and haulage of solid waste within the jurisdiction;
(3) Identify and describe the facilities where solid waste is currently being disposed or processed and the remaining available permitted capacity of such facilities and the capacity which could be made available through the reasonable expansion of such facilities. The plan shall also explain the extent to which existing facilities will be used during the life of the plan and shall not substantially impair the use of their remaining permitted capacity;
(4) Provide a description of current or planned recycling programs and an analysis of their impact on waste generated within the jurisdiction. Particularly regarding recycling, the plan shall describe and evaluate:
a. Potential benefits of recycling, including the potential solid waste reduction and the avoided cost of municipal waste processing or disposal.
b. Existing materials recovery operations and the kind and weight or volume of materials recycled by the operations, whether public or private.
c. The compatibility of recycling with other waste processing or disposal methods used in the jurisdiction including methods of collecting recyclables.
d. Options for cooperation or agreement with other jurisdictions for the collection, processing and sale of recyclable materials.
(5) Address the requirements proposed under Subtitle D of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 6941 as amended and identify and explain those actions the jurisdiction should take to assure proper management of its wastes under these requirements;
(6) Propose procedures for the identification and elimination of unauthorized dumps in the jurisdiction;
(7) Describe and explain the general origin and weight or volume of solid waste reasonably expected to be generated within the jurisdiction annually during the next 10 years. The assessment shall describe the primary variables affecting this estimate and the extent to which they can reasonably be expected to affect the estimate;
(8) Provide for the development or expansion of solid waste management systems in a manner that is consistent with the needs of the area, taking into account planning, zoning, population and development estimates, and economics of the jurisdiction and the protection of air, water, land and other natural resources;
(9) Identify any current agreements between the jurisdiction and other units of local government or public authorities for the joint use of solid waste processing or disposal facilities and evaluate the need for and feasibility of entering joint agreements in the future;
(10) Identify any current contractual agreements with private entities for the collection, processing or disposal of solid waste and evaluate the need for and feasibility of entering into such agreements in the future;
(11) Identify the general location within a county where solid waste processing or disposal facilities and recycling programs may be located, and identify the site of each facility if a site has already been chosen. In identifying general locations for facilities in the plan, each jurisdiction shall consider at least the following:
a. The jurisdiction's solid waste management needs as identified in its plan;
b. The relationship of the proposed location or locations to planned or existing development, to major transportation arteries and to existing state primary and secondary roads;
c. The relationship of the proposed location or locations to existing industries in the jurisdiction or state that generate large volumes of solid waste and to the areas projected by the state or local regional planning and development commission for development of industries that will generate solid waste;
d. The costs and availability of public services, facilities and improvements which would be required to support a facility in this location and protect public health, safety and the environment;
e. The potential impact a facility in the proposed location or locations would have on public health and safety, and the potential that such locations can be utilized in a manner so as to minimize the impact on public health and safety; and
f. The social and economic impacts that a facility at the proposed location would have on the affected community, including changes in property values, community perception and other costs;
(12) For any facility expected to serve the jurisdiction's future needs that is located or is proposed to be located outside the jurisdiction, the plan shall explain in detail the reasons for selecting such a facility;
(13) The plan shall include such other information as the department may require by regulation.
(c) Counties may, by agreement with other counties, combine in the development of a joint solid waste management plan.
(d) The department and the local regional planning and development commission shall, upon request, provide assistance to any county or municipality in the development of their local plan.
(e) The plan shall be completed on forms provided by the department and in accordance with the provisions of this act and any regulations promulgated by the department.
(f) Prior to final adoption or amendment of a plan, the jurisdiction shall afford the public an opportunity to present data, views and arguments thereon, orally or in writing. The public comment period shall be no less than 30 days in length and shall include at least one public hearing. Notice of the public comment period shall be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the jurisdiction and in the official gazette, if any, in the jurisdiction. Notice of the inclusive dates of the public comment period and the date of the public hearing may be combined in the same publication. Notice of the time and place of the public hearing shall be published at least 30 days, but not more than 45 days prior to the date of said hearing. Any published notice shall contain a brief description of the proposed plan, and shall identify a location where copies of the plan shall be available for inspection during normal business hours, and shall also identify a contact person from whom interested persons can obtain additional information or copies of the proposed plan. The plan, including any revisions, subsequently submitted for adoption shall be accompanied by a document containing written responses to comments made during the comment period.
(g) The governing body of the jurisdiction shall adopt the final plan within 60 days from the end of the public comment period at an official business meeting open to the public.
(h) Upon completion and adoption of the local plan, it shall be submitted to the department for review and approval. Within 30 days after receiving a complete plan, the department shall approve, conditionally approve or disapprove it, unless the department gives written notice that additional time is necessary to complete its review. If the department gives such notice, it shall have 30 additional days to render a decision. The department shall approve any local plan that demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department that:
(1) The plan is complete and accurate and consistent with this article and regulations promulgated hereunder.
(2) The plan provides for the processing and disposal of municipal waste in a manner that is consistent with the requirements of the solid waste management act and the regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.
(3) The plan provides for the processing and disposal of local waste for at least 10 years.
(i) Each county and municipality with an approved solid waste management plan shall submit a revised plan to the department in accordance with the requirements of this article:
(1) At least three years prior to the time all remaining available permitted capacity for the jurisdiction will be exhausted, or
(2) When otherwise required by the department.