§6946 Procedure for Development and Implementation of State Plan

Summary

Governors must, within 180 days after guidelines are published, create rules that draw the boundaries of regions in the state where regional solid waste management makes sense (based on things like cities, geography, and markets). Those rules can be changed later. Then, within 180 days after the governor issues those rules, the state and local elected officials must work together to pick an agency to write the State plan and one or more agencies to carry it out. They must also decide which waste-management tasks the State will handle and which regional or local authorities will handle. If a multi‑functional regional agency set up by state law existed on October 21, 1976 and its members were appointed by the governor, the governor must use that agency. Local or regional agencies chosen must have a majority of elected local officials. If no agencies are picked as required, the governor must name or create a State agency for that area before 270 days after the rules. If a region crosses state lines, the governors must work together with local elected officials to agree on the region’s boundaries. Within 180 days after they agree, the local elected officials in that region must jointly set up or name an agency to make a regional plan. If they do not, the governors may agree to form a single group that includes local elected officials. Carrying out interstate plans is done by the local governments in each part of the region or by multi‑jurisdiction agencies allowed under state law. If no one is designated to implement the plan, the governors must create or name a single interstate agency. Any part of an interstate regional plan that is carried out inside a State counts as part of that State’s plan.