(A) The Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling shall establish a grant program utilizing funds within the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund to assist local governments and regions in carrying out their responsibilities under this article. Grant disbursements must be approved by the State Solid Waste Advisory Council.

(B) The department shall ensure that all grant funds made available to local governments and regions shall be utilized for activities necessary to carry out their solid waste management responsibilities established by this article. All grant funds made available to public and private schools and public and private colleges and universities must be used for waste reduction and recycling education programs. These grants must be made available as soon as possible following the promulgation by the department of regulations establishing the Solid Waste Management Grant Program. After the date on which county or regional solid waste management plans are required to be submitted to the department, no local government shall be eligible for a grant from the Solid Waste Management Grant Program unless it has submitted a solid waste management plan meeting the requirements of § 44-96-80. All regional or local government grant proposals must be consistent with the State Solid Waste Management Plan and the county or regional solid waste management plan.

(C) Solid waste management grants must be made available to local governments and regions which have been determined by the department to be in need of assistance in carrying out their responsibilities established by this article. The department shall use information contained in the Solid Waste Management Annual Report to determine which responsibilities of the article have not been met and which local governments are in need of assistance. The requirements of this subsection supersede all rules, regulations, standards, orders, or other actions of the department that are not consistent with this subsection.

(D) Not later than twelve months after this chapter is effective, the Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling shall promulgate regulations establishing the Solid Waste Management Grant Program. Such regulations, at a minimum, shall establish the criteria for counties, regions, and municipalities to qualify for grants, and shall set forth the procedures for applying for grants. The department may require such information of the entity applying for the grant as is necessary to properly evaluate the grant proposal. The department shall comply with the requirements of the South Carolina Administrative Procedures Act and notify local government officials of the opportunity to provide input before issuing proposed regulations for comment under this article.

(E) The regulations required to be promulgated by subsection (D) of this section must include procedures for any party aggrieved by a grant decision of the Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling to obtain review of that decision.