Purpose

• To protect schools from nearby disposal facilities by prohibiting the permitting of new solid waste disposal facilities if the site is within 1,320 feet of an elementary or secondary school.

Main Provisions

• Creates a new provision in Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 115A, identified as 115A.9175, titled “Siting prohibition for disposal facilities.”
• The commissioner cannot issue a solid waste management facility permit for a new disposal facility if the proposed site is within 1,320 feet of an elementary or secondary school.
• Applies specifically to new disposal facilities and the permits for their siting; does not state changes to existing facilities.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Adds a new siting prohibition to the environmental statutes, creating a distance-based barrier between schools and new disposal facilities.
• Establishes a clear, numeric distance (1,320 feet) as the criterion for permit denial for new facilities.

Practical Effect

• New disposal facility proposals near schools would face automatic disqualification from permit approval if located within 1,320 feet.
• The standard and process for permitting would be updated to reflect this prohibition.

Context

• The measure codifies proximity limits within the solid waste facility permitting framework, aligning waste facility siting with heightened protection for school environments.

Terminology and Concepts Mentioned

• solid waste management facility permit
• new disposal facility
• siting prohibition
• 1,320 feet
• elementary school
• secondary school
• commissioner
• Minnesota Statutes chapter 115A

Relevant Terms - solid waste management facility permit - new disposal facility - siting prohibition - 1320 feet - elementary school - secondary school - commissioner - Minnesota Statutes chapter 115A - environment (context of the bill)