39-7408D. DUTIES OF THE DIRECTOR RELATIVE TO SITING APPLICATIONS. (1) Upon receipt of a complete siting license application, the director or an authorized representative of the director shall:

(a) Notify the permanent panel members, the city and/or county in which the commercial solid waste facility is located or proposed to be located, the director of the department of fish and game, the director of the Idaho state police, and other state agencies as deemed appropriate by the director.

(b) Publish a notice that the application has been received, as provided in section 60-109, Idaho Code, in a newspaper having major circulation in the county and the immediate vicinity of the proposed commercial solid waste facility. The notice shall contain a map indicating the location of the proposed commercial solid waste facility, a description of the proposed action and the location where the application may be reviewed. The notice shall describe the procedure by which the siting license may be granted.

(2) Upon notification by the director, the chairman shall immediately notify the representatives of the state to the panel and the public members. The chairman shall also notify the applicable county and city for their appointment of members as provided in subsection (2) of section 39-7408B, Idaho Code. Within thirty (30) days after the notification, the board of commissioners of the county and the city council shall select the members to serve on the panel. The panel shall be created at that time and notification of the creation of the panel shall be made to the chairman.

(3) Within thirty (30) days after appointment of panel members, the panel shall meet to review and establish a timetable for the consideration of the draft site license.

(4) The panel shall:

(a) Set a date and arrange for publication of notice of a public hearing in a newspaper having major circulation in the vicinity of the proposed site, at its first meeting. The public notice shall:

(i) Contain a map indicating the location of the proposed commercial solid waste facility, a description of the proposed action, and the location where the application for a siting license may be reviewed and where copies may be obtained;

(ii) Identify the time, place and location for the public hearing held to receive public comment and input on the application for a siting license;

(b) Publish the notice not less than thirty (30) days before the date of the public hearing and the notice shall be, at a minimum, a twenty (20) days’ notice as provided in section 60-109, Idaho Code.

(5) Comment and input on the proposed commercial solid waste facility may be presented orally or in writing at the public hearing, and shall continue to be accepted in writing by the panel for thirty (30) days after the public hearing date. The public hearing shall be held in the same county as the proposed site. If the proposed site is adjacent to a city or populated area in a neighboring county, it is recommended that public hearings also be held in the neighboring county.

(6) The panel shall consider, but not be limited to, the following:

(a) The risk of the spread of disease or impact upon public health from improper treatment, storage, or incineration methods;

(b) The impact on local units of government where the proposed commercial solid waste facility is to be located in terms of health, safety, cost and consistency with local planning and existing development. The panel shall also consider city and county ordinances, permits or other requirements and their potential relationship to the proposed commercial solid waste facility;

(c) The nature of the probable environmental and public health impact;

(d) The financial capability of the applicant to construct, operate and close the commercial solid waste facility.

(7) The panel shall consider the concerns and objections submitted by the public. The panel shall facilitate efforts to provide that the concerns and objections are mitigated by proposing additional conditions regarding the construction of the commercial solid waste facility. The panel may propose conditions which integrate the provisions of the city or county ordinances, permits or requirements.

(8) Within one hundred eighty (180) days after creation, the panel shall recommend to the director that the license be issued, issued with conditions, or rejected. The director shall act on a license application within sixty (60) days after receipt of the panel’s recommendation. If the panel recommends conditions, a clear statement of the need for a condition must be submitted to the director. If the panel recommends rejection, a clear statement of the reasons for the denial must be submitted to the director.

(9) The director shall issue, issue with conditions or reject a siting license only as recommended by the siting panel. The director may reconvene a siting panel and request reconsideration of its original recommendation prior to the director’s final action.

(10) An applicant or any person aggrieved by a decision of the director pursuant to this chapter may within sixty (60) days of the director’s decision, and, after all remedies have been exhausted under the provisions of this chapter, seek judicial review under the procedures provided in chapter 52, title 67, Idaho Code, and may also seek de novo judicial review.

History:

[39-7408D, added 1996, ch. 419, sec. 2, p. 1396; am. 2000, ch. 469, sec. 102, p. 1555.]