Plain English Breakdown
The exact details of enforcement actions beyond filing plans are not fully specified in the summary text provided, as they depend on future regulations.
AB-28: Rules for Monitoring Heat in Solid Waste Landfills
This law requires operators of municipal solid waste landfills to monitor underground gas temperatures and take specific actions if the heat stays above certain levels.
What This Bill Does
- Requires landfill operators to measure subsurface gas or waste temperatures regularly according to new regulations.
- Mandates a corrective action plan when temperatures reach 131 degrees Fahrenheit for at least three consecutive monthly periods covering 60 days, if other criteria set by CalRecycle are met.
- Triggers additional review and submission of plans to a multiagency group if temperatures rise to 146 degrees or higher under the same time conditions and criteria.
- Requires further actions if temperatures hit 170 degrees or higher for the specified duration, subject to other CalRecycle criteria.
- Creates the Landfill Subsurface Fire Mitigation Account to hold penalty money for mitigating harm to people or communities affected by high landfill temperatures.
Who It Names or Affects
- Operators of municipal solid waste landfills (MSW landfills).
- The Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle).
- Local enforcement agencies certified by CalRecycle.
- People or communities adversely affected by high landfill temperatures.
Terms To Know
- Subsurface elevated temperature event
- An event where subsurface gas or waste temperatures at a solid waste landfill persistently exceed 131 degrees Fahrenheit over a substantial area, as determined by the department.
- Corrective action plan
- A required document that explains steps to fix high temperature problems and includes a cost assessment for fully implementing those actions.
Limits and Unknowns
- The specific 'other criteria' needed to trigger mandatory actions are not listed in the bill text; CalRecycle must establish them by emergency regulation.
- Penalty amounts depend on whether operators meet notice deadlines and temperature thresholds defined later in regulations.