(1) There is hereby created the Hazardous Waste Facility Siting Authority, which shall be located within the Department of Finance and Administration. The authority shall exercise all of its powers independently of the department and, notwithstanding any other provision of law, shall be subject to the direction and supervision of the executive director of the department only with respect to the management functions of administration, coordination and reporting.

(2) The authority shall continue in existence until thirty (30) days after the department acquires a site. Upon the termination of the authority all of its rights and properties shall pass to and be vested in the state.

(3) The department shall provide such technical, clerical and other support services and personnel as the authority may require in the performance of its functions. The executive director of the department shall be the chief administrative officer of the authority.

(4) The Governor shall appoint five (5) members, one (1) from each congressional district as constituted on January 1, 1990, with the advice and consent of the Senate. Members of the authority shall include persons with expertise available in the technical, legal, financial and other aspects of hazardous waste management and shall represent insofar as practicable the diverse interests of the state. Original appointments to this authority shall be made on or before July 1, 1990, and shall be for a term ending thirty (30) days after the state acquires the site. The Governor shall require adequate disclosure of potential conflicts of interest by members of the authority. Vacancies on the authority shall be filled by appointment in the same manner as the original appointments.

(5) Members of the authority shall receive per diem as provided by Section 25-3-69 and reimbursement of travel expenses as provided by Section 25-3-41 for each day spent in the actual discharge of their duties when attending a meeting of the authority.