a. Any county within which a solid waste facility is located pursuant to an adopted and approved district solid waste management plan, which facility is a designated recipient of regulated medical waste pursuant to an interdistrict or intradistrict waste flow order issued by the Board of Public Utilities, in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Protection, may be entitled to an annual economic benefit in an amount established by agreement with the owner or operator of the solid waste facility. The governing body of the relevant county may negotiate with the owner or operator of the solid waste facility for the payment of an annual economic benefit.

b. If the parties reach an agreement on the amount of an annual economic benefit, the owner or operator of the solid waste facility shall petition the board for an adjustment in its disposal tariff. The petition shall be accompanied by a copy of the agreement which reflects the proposed annual payments and shall be filed with the board prior to its implementation. The board, within 60 days of the receipt of the petition, shall issue an appropriate order that these payments shall be paid by the users of the facility as an automatic surcharge on any tariff filed with, and recorded by, the board for the regulated medical waste disposal operations of the facility. The surcharge shall be calculated and itemized in all appropriate tariffs on a per ton basis. In the event that any regulated medical waste is measured, upon acceptance for disposal, by other than tons, the surcharge shall be calculated and itemized by using the equivalents thereof as shall be determined by the board.

c. In issuing any order required by this section, the Board of Public Utilities shall be exempt from the provisions of R.S. 48:2-21

L. 1989, c. 34, s. 18.