PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

The Board can allow a rail company to build or run a solid waste rail transfer facility even if state or local siting rules would otherwise stop it. The Board may do this if it finds the state or local law unfairly burdens interstate rail transport of solid waste or discriminates against rail, if a rail carrier asks, or if the Governor (or the Governor’s designee) asks for a permit review for a facility already operating as of the date of enactment of the Clean Railroads Act of 2008. Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the Clean Railroads Act of 2008, the Board must publish application rules. Those rules must explain what information to provide about health, safety, and the environment; require public notice and comment and notice to local and regional planning bodies; set a timeline that requires the Board to approve or deny an exemption within 90 days after the full record is developed; provide faster reviews for changes to exemptions; and explain how States or facilities can ask the Board to start a permitting or exemption process. The Board can only grant an exemption if the facility does not pose an unreasonable risk to health, safety, or the environment, after weighing benefits and harms including effects on interstate commerce and rail transport. The Board may not exempt a facility proposed on land within the National Park System, the National Wildlife Refuge System, the National Wilderness Preservation System, the National Trails System, the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, a National Reserve, a National Monument, or lands referenced in Public Law 108–421 with a State conservation plan, if the facility would break restrictions on those lands. The Board must consider state and local land-use and waste planning rules, regional planning, environmental laws, any unfair burdens on rail waste transport, and other relevant factors. If the Board approves an exemption, state siting laws are preempted for that facility, though the exemption can still require following some state rules. A person may still seek a court injunction if a facility violates or lacks a valid exemption. The Board may charge reasonable fees, including costs for outside consultants. The terms “solid waste,” “solid waste rail transfer facility,” and “State requirements” are defined in section 10908(e).

Title 49, §10909

Transportation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Authority.—

The Board may issue a land-use exemption for a solid waste rail transfer facility that is or is proposed to be operated by or on behalf of a rail carrier if—

(1)the Board finds that a State, local, or municipal law, regulation, order, or other requirement affecting the siting of such facility unreasonably burdens the interstate transportation of solid waste by railroad, discriminates against the railroad transportation of solid waste and a solid waste rail transfer facility, or a rail carrier that owns or operates such a facility petitions the Board for such an exemption; or

(2)the Governor of a State in which a facility that is operating as of the date of enactment of the Clean Railroads Act of 2008 is located, or his or her designee, petitions the Board to initiate a permit proceeding for that particular facility.

(b)Land-Use Exemption Procedures.—

Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the Clean Railroads Act of 2008, the Board shall publish procedures governing the submission and review of applications for solid waste rail transfer facility land-use exemptions. At a minimum, the procedures shall address—

(1)the information that each application should contain to explain how the solid waste rail transfer facility will not pose an unreasonable risk to public health, safety, or the environment;

(2)the opportunity for public notice and comment including notification of the municipality, the State, and any relevant Federal or State regional planning entity in the jurisdiction of which the solid waste rail transfer facility is proposed to be located;

(3)the timeline for Board review, including a requirement that the Board approve or deny an exemption within 90 days after the full record for the application is developed;

(4)the expedited review timelines for petitions for modifications, amendments, or revocations of granted exemptions;

(5)the process for a State to petition the Board to require a solid waste transfer facility or a rail carrier that owns or operates such a facility to apply for a siting permit; and

(6)the process for a solid waste transfer facility or a rail carrier that owns or operates such a facility to petition the Board for a land-use exemption.

(c)Standard for Review.—

(1)The Board may only issue a land-use exemption if it determines that the facility at the existing or proposed location does not pose an unreasonable risk to public health, safety, or the environment. In deciding whether a solid waste rail transfer facility that is or proposed to be constructed or operated by or on behalf of a rail carrier poses an unreasonable risk to public health, safety, or the environment, the Board shall weigh the particular facility’s potential benefits to and the adverse impacts on public health, public safety, the environment, interstate commerce, and transportation of solid waste by rail.

(2)The Board may not grant a land-use exemption for a solid waste rail transfer facility proposed to be located on land within any unit of or land affiliated with the National Park System, the National Wildlife Refuge System, the National Wilderness Preservation System, the National Trails System, the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, a National Reserve, a National Monument, or lands referenced in Public Law 108–421 for which a State has implemented a conservation management plan, if operation of the facility would be inconsistent with restrictions placed on such land.

(d)Considerations.—

When evaluating an application under this section, the Board shall consider and give due weight to the following, as applicable:

(1)the land-use, zoning, and siting regulations or solid waste planning requirements of the State or State subdivision in which the facility is or will be located that are applicable to solid waste transfer facilities, including those that are not owned or operated by or on behalf of a rail carrier;

(2)the land-use, zoning, and siting regulations or solid waste planning requirements applicable to the property where the solid waste rail transfer facility is proposed to be located;

(3)regional transportation planning requirements developed pursuant to Federal and State law;

(4)regional solid waste disposal plans developed pursuant to State or Federal law;

(5)any Federal and State environmental protection laws or regulations applicable to the site;

(6)any unreasonable burdens imposed on the interstate transportation of solid waste by railroad, or the potential for discrimination against the railroad transportation of solid waste, a solid waste rail transfer facility, or a rail carrier that owns or operates such a facility; and

(7)any other relevant factors, as determined by the Board.

(e)Existing Facilities.—

Upon the granting of a petition from the State in which a solid waste rail transfer facility is operating as of the date of enactment of the Clean Railroads Act of 2008 by the Board, the facility shall submit a complete application for a siting permit to the Board pursuant to the procedures issued pursuant to subsection (b). No State may enforce a law, regulation, order, or other requirement affecting the siting of a facility that is operating as of the date of enactment of the Clean Railroads Act of 2008 until the Board has approved or denied a permit pursuant to subsection (c).

(f)Effect of Land-Use Exemption.—

If the Board grants a land-use exemption to a solid waste rail transfer facility, all State laws, regulations, orders, or other requirements affecting the siting of a facility are preempted with regard to that facility. An exemption may require compliance with such State laws, regulations, orders, or other requirements.

(g)Injunctive Relief.—

Nothing in this section precludes a person from seeking an injunction to enjoin a solid waste rail transfer facility from being constructed or operated by or on behalf of a rail carrier if that facility has materially violated, or will materially violate, its land-use exemption or if it failed to receive a valid land-use exemption under this section.

(h)Fees.—

The Board may charge permit applicants reasonable fees to implement this section, including the costs of third-party consultants.

(i)Definitions.—

In this section the terms “solid waste”, “solid waste rail transfer facility”, and “State requirements” have the meaning given such terms in section 10908(e).

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

References in Text

The date of enactment of the Clean Railroads Act of 2008, referred to in subsecs. (a)(2), (b), and (e), is the date of enactment of title VI of div. A of Pub. L. 110–432, which was approved Oct. 16, 2008. Public Law 108–421, referred to in subsec. (c)(2), is Pub. L. 108–421, Nov. 30, 2004, 118 Stat. 2375, known as the Highlands Conservation Act, which is not classified to the Code.

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

For prior section 10909, see note set out under section 10907 of this title.

Amendments

2015—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 114–94, § 11316(b)(1), substituted “Clean Railroads Act of 2008” for “Clean Railroad Act of 2008” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 114–94, § 11316(b)(2), substituted “Upon the granting of a petition from the State” for “Upon the granting of petition from the State”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2015 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 114–94 effective Oct. 1, 2015, see section 1003 of Pub. L. 114–94, set out as a note under section 5313 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

§10909 Solid Waste Rail Transfer Facility Land-use Exemption