[1] NOTE:  As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended only for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used in any other situation.

 

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F I S C A L   I M P A C T   R E P O R T

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Cordova

 

DATE TYPED:

01/30/02

 

HB

 82

 

SHORT TITLE:

Solid Waste Program

 

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST:

Sandoval

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY02

FY03

FY02

FY03

 

 

 

$325.0

 

 

Non-Recurring

General Fund

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

LFC files

 

Responses Received

Department of Environment (DOE)

 

No Response

Department of Finance and Administration (DFA)

 

SUMMARY

 

House Bill 82 appropriates $325.0 from the general fund to the Local Government Division of the Department of Finance and Administration for the purpose of implementing a solid waste program in Valencia County.  This appropriation is intended to provide assistance for start-up cost only.  This appropriation is not intended to be a recurring appropriation.

 

     Significant Issues

 

Ground water contamination has been detected at the county owned and operated Conejo Transfer Station landfill site.  Contaminants include nitrogen, toluene, methylene chloride, iron, manganese, sulfate, boron, and tetrachloroethene (PCE).  The county will be required to determine the full nature and extent of the contamination by installing additional ground water monitoring wells at the landfill, and will probably have to implement a corrective action program to address the contamination.

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The appropriation of $325.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2003 shall revert to the general fund.

 

RELATIONSHIP

 

House Capital Outlay Request 271 requests $1,000.0 to fund a portion of the closure costs of the Valencia County landfill.

 

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

 

On September 18, 2001, the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) issued an administrative compliance order to Valencia County, which cited more than a dozen violations of solid waste management regulations over the course of the past three years.  The more serious violations at the county’s closed landfill include;  multiple incidents of illegal disposal of solid waste, failure to monitor methane gas, failure to fence the property, failure to control water run-on and run-off, failure to maintain the roadway, failure to submit an approvable closure and post-closure care plan, failure to maintain intermediate cover, illegal disposal of special waste (asbestos) and failure to monitor ground water.  Violations at the County-owned and operated Conejo Transfer Station include; multiple incidents of open burning of solid waste, illegal disposal of solid waste, failure to remove recyclable materials, failure to obtain a solid waste facility permit, failure to provide fire extinguishing equipment, failure to control litter, failure to remove yard waste in a timely manner and failure to provide a separate storage area for bulky waste (tires and yard waste).  The penalties for the violations listed in the administrative compliance order are $927,700. 

 

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

 

1.   What are the reasons for the administrative compliance order issued to Valencia County on September 18, 2001?

2.   What is the solid waste program that this appropriation request for?

 

JFS/ar                                                                                     


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