(a) Each county of this state, or a designated city, shall submit to the secretary a workable plan for the management of solid waste in such county. The plan developed by each county or designated city shall be adopted by the governing body of such county or designated city if so authorized. Two or more counties, by interlocal agreement entered into pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 12-2901 et seq., and amendments thereto, may develop and adopt a regional plan in lieu of separate county plans.

(b) There shall be established in each county or group of counties cooperating in a regional plan a solid waste management committee. A county which cooperates in a regional plan may establish its own county committee in addition to cooperating in the required regional committee. A county which does not cooperate in a regional plan may designate, by interlocal agreement, a city as the solid waste management planning authority for the county. Subject to the requirements of this section, the membership of the committee, the terms of committee members, the organization of the committee and selection of its officers shall be determined by the county or counties by interlocal agreement entered into pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 12-2901 et seq., and amendments thereto. The number of members on the committee, whether an individual county committee or a regional committee, shall be not fewer than five or a number equal to the total number of counties cooperating in the regional plan, whichever is more, and shall not exceed 30. The membership shall include: (1) Representatives of incorporated cities located in the county or counties, not to exceed five members representing any cities of the first class, three members representing any cities of the second class and one member representing any cities of the third class; (2) one representative of unincorporated areas of the county or counties; (3) representatives of the general public, citizen organizations, private industry, any private solid waste management industry operating in the county or counties and any private recycling or scrap material processing industry operating in the county or counties; (4) the recycling coordinator, if any, of the county or counties; and (5) any other persons deemed appropriate by the county, designated city or groups of counties, including, but not limited to, county commissioners, county engineers, county health officers and county planners. Members of the committee shall be appointed by the board of county commissioners or governing body of the designated city or by agreement of the boards of county commissioners cooperating in the plan. A county commissioner shall not be appointed to a regional planning committee unless one or more other noncommissioners also represent the commissioner’s county on the committee. A regional planning committee shall include at least one representative of each county in the region. Persons appointed to an individual county planning committee in a county covered by a regional plan may also serve on a regional planning committee. Members appointed to represent cities shall be nominated by the mayor of the city represented, or by agreement of all mayors of the cities represented if more than one city of the class is located in the county or counties. If the nominee is not appointed or rejected within 30 days after nomination, the nominee shall be deemed appointed.

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(c) The solid waste management committee, whether an individual county committee or a regional committee, shall: (1) Be responsible for the preparation of the solid waste management plan of the individual county or group of counties; (2) review the plan at least annually; and (3) provide to the county commissioners of the individual county or group of counties served by the plan a report containing the results of the annual plan reviews, including recommendations for revisions to the plan. Annual plan reviews which take place in years when county commissions are scheduled to carry out five-year public hearings in accordance with subsection (d) shall comprehensively evaluate the adequacy of the plan with respect to all criteria established by subsection (j). The responsibilities of a solid waste management committee established in a county which cooperates in a regional plan are to be determined by the county commission of such county.

(d) Each county commission shall: (1) Review the county or regional solid waste management plan, the annual review report and any proposed revisions of the plan prepared by the solid waste management committee; (2) adopt the solid waste management plan or proposed revisions to the plan prepared by the solid waste management committee as submitted or as revised by the county commission, except as provided by subsection (g) for regional plans; (3) at least every five years hold a public hearing on the county or regional solid waste management plan, including a review of projected solid waste management practices and needs for a 10-year planning period; (4) notify the department that the solid waste management committee has completed each annual review and each five-year public hearing and that the commission has adopted the plan or review, except as provided in subsection (g) for regional plans; (5) submit with the annual notification a list of solid waste management committee members representing the county on an individual county committee or a regional committee; and (6) review permit applications for solid waste processing facilities and solid waste disposal areas submitted to the department pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 65-3407, and amendments thereto, to determine consistency of the proposed facility with the county or regional plan and to certify that the area is properly zoned or compatible with surrounding land uses. County commissions may utilize the annual plan review reports prepared by solid waste management committees as the basis for the required five-year public hearings.

(e) The county commission of each county which has completed an individual county solid waste plan shall convene an annual meeting of the county solid waste management committee to review the plan. If a quorum of the solid waste management committee is not present, the county commission may independently complete the annual review required in subsection (c).

(f) The county commission of a county which has completed an individual county solid waste management plan may choose to revise its plan at a time which does not coincide with a scheduled annual review by the county solid waste management committee. In such a case, the county commission shall convene a meeting of the solid waste management committee to review the commission’s proposed changes and obtain committee comments and recommendations for plan revision. If a quorum of the solid waste management committee is not present, the county commission may independently revise and adopt the county solid waste management plan. The aforementioned meeting shall include an opportunity for public input.

(g) A regional solid waste management committee shall meet annually to review the regional solid waste management plan. The recommendations of the regional committee shall be distributed to the county commissioners of each county cooperating in the regional plan. Each county commission shall either: (1) Adopt the regional committee report, including any proposed plan revisions, and submit the record of adoption back to the regional committee; or (2) submit comments back to the regional committee. Following the adoption of the annual review report by every county in the region, the regional committee shall notify the department that the annual review or five-year update has been completed.

(h) The county commission of a county which cooperates in a regional solid waste management plan may choose to revise its plan at a time which does not coincide with a scheduled annual review by the regional solid waste management committee. At such time, the provisions of the interlocal agreement shall establish protocols for addressing the needs of the county seeking the change in the regional plan.

(i) Each county or group of counties is required to adopt and implement a solid waste management plan pursuant to this section and is responsible for continued and ongoing planning for systematic solid waste management within the boundaries of such county or group of counties. The solid waste management plan of each county, designated city or group of counties shall provide for a solid waste management system plan to serve all generators of solid waste within the county or group of counties.

(j) Every plan shall:

(1) Delineate areas within the jurisdiction of the political subdivision or subdivisions where waste management systems are in existence and areas where the solid waste management systems are planned to be available within a 10-year period.

(2) Conform to the rules and regulations, standards and procedures adopted by the secretary for implementation of this act.

(3) Provide for solid waste management systems in a manner consistent with the needs and plans of the whole area, and in a manner which will not contribute to pollution of the waters or air of the state, nor constitute a public nuisance and shall otherwise provide for the safe and sanitary disposal of solid waste.

(4) Conform with existing comprehensive plans, population trend projections, engineering and economics so as to delineate with practicable precision those portions of the area which may reasonably be expected to be served by a solid waste management system within the next 10 years.

(5) Take into consideration existing acts and regulations affecting the development, use and protection of air, water or land resources.

(6) Establish a time schedule and revenue schedule for the development, construction and operation of the planned solid waste management systems, together with the estimated cost thereof.

(7) Describe the elements of the plan which will require public education and include a plan for delivering such education.

(8) Include such other reasonable information as the secretary requires.

(9) Establish a schedule for the reduction of waste volumes taking in consideration the following: (A) Source reduction; (B) reuse, recycling, composting; and (C) land disposal.

(10) Take into consideration the development of specific management programs for certain wastes, including but not limited to lead acid batteries, household hazardous wastes, small quantities of hazardous waste, white goods containing chlorofluorocarbons, pesticides and pesticide containers, motor oil, consumer electronics, medical wastes, construction and demolition waste, seasonal clean-up wastes, wastes generated by natural disasters and yard waste.

(k) The plan and any revision of the plan shall be reviewed by appropriate official planning agencies within the area covered by the plan for consistency with programs of comprehensive planning for the area. All such reviews shall be transmitted to the secretary with the proposed plan or revision.

(l) The secretary is hereby authorized to approve or disapprove plans for solid waste management systems, or revisions of such plans, submitted in accordance with this act. If a plan or revision is disapproved, the secretary shall furnish any and all reasons for such disapproval, and the county or group of counties whose plan or revision is disapproved may request a hearing before the secretary in accordance with Kan. Stat. Ann. § 65-3412, and amendments thereto.

(m) The secretary is authorized to provide technical assistance to counties or designated cities in coordinating plans for solid waste management systems required by this act, including revisions of such plans.

(n) The secretary may recommend that two or more counties adopt, submit and implement a regional plan rather than separate county plans.

(o) The secretary may institute appropriate action to compel submission of plans or plan revisions in accordance with this act and the rules and regulations, standards and procedures of the secretary.

(p) Upon approval of the secretary of a solid waste management plan, the county or designated city is authorized and directed to implement the provisions contained in the plan.

(q) A county cooperating in a regional solid waste management plan may withdraw from such plan only:

(1) In accordance with the terms of the interlocal agreement adopting the old plan or upon revision or termination of such agreement to permit withdrawal and upon a determination by the secretary that the existing regional solid waste management plan will not be significantly affected by the withdrawal; or

(2) if two or more revised solid waste management plans are prepared and submitted to the department for review and approval addressing solid waste management in counties which have decided to plan individually or in any newly formed regions.