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HB0035 • 2024

Limitation on environmental rulemaking.

AN ACT relating to environmental quality; requiring the environmental quality council to promulgate rules no more stringent than federal law, rules or regulations; providing exceptions; specifying applicability; requiring rulemaking; requiring reporting; and providing for an effective date.

Land
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Minerals
Last action
2024-03-05
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
7/1/2024

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not specify what happens if stricter rules are needed for public health or safety, leaving this detail uncertain.

Limitation on Environmental Rules to Federal Standards

This law requires Wyoming's environmental quality council to make rules no stricter than federal laws for programs where the state has control over federal regulations, with exceptions.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the environmental quality council to create rules that are not more strict than federal laws for programs where the state maintains primacy over federal regulations.
  • Allows the department of environmental quality to identify situations where stricter rules might be needed and report these cases.
  • Directs the director of the department of environmental quality to consult with regulated stakeholders, list existing rules needing review, and provide a timeline for that review.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The environmental quality council
  • Department of Environmental Quality
  • Regulated stakeholders

Terms To Know

Primacy
When a state has the main authority to enforce federal regulations.
Regulated stakeholders
Companies and organizations that must follow environmental rules set by the government.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify what happens if stricter rules are needed for public health or safety.
  • It is unclear how this will affect Wyoming's ability to address unique local environmental issues.

Bill History

  1. 2024-03-05 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 22

  2. 2024-03-05 Governor

    Governor Signed HEA No. 0016

  3. 2024-03-01 Senate

    S President Signed HEA No. 0016

  4. 2024-02-29 House

    H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0016

  5. 2024-02-29 LSO

    Assigned Number HEA No. 0016

  6. 2024-02-29 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 27-2-2-0-0

  7. 2024-02-28 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  8. 2024-02-27 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  9. 2024-02-26 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  10. 2024-02-26 Senate

    S09 - Minerals:Recommend Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  11. 2024-02-21 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S09 - Minerals

  12. 2024-02-21 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  13. 2024-02-21 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 58-4-0-0-0

  14. 2024-02-20 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  15. 2024-02-19 House

    H COW:Passed

  16. 2024-02-16 House

    H Placed on General File

  17. 2024-02-16 House

    H09 - Minerals:Recommend Do Pass 8-0-1-0-0

  18. 2024-02-12 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H09 - Minerals 59-1-2-0-0

  19. 2024-01-24 House

    H Received for Introduction

  20. 2024-01-03 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 24LSO-0206

Bill No.:

HB0035

Effective:

7/1/2024

LSO No.:

24LSO-0206

Enrolled Act No.:

HEA No. 0016

Chapter No.:

22

Prime Sponsor:

Joint Minerals, Business & Economic Development Interim Committee

Catch Title:

Limitation on environmental rulemaking.

Has Report:

Yes

Subject:

Limitation on environmental rulemaking.

Summary/Major Elements:

This act requires the environmental quality council to promulgate rules that are no more stringent than federal law, rules or regulations applicable to any federal program that the state maintains primacy over.

This act does not apply if the department of environmental quality identifies the need for rules that are more stringent than federal law, rules or regulations in its statement of principal reasons that accompanies the state rulemaking process.

Comments:

This act requires the director of the department of environmental quality to report to the joint minerals, business and economic development interim committee not later than July 2, 2024 a list of existing rules to be reviewed by the director of the department of environmental quality to conform existing rules to the requirements of this act, including a timeline for conducting that review.

This act requires the environmental quality council to promulgate or repeal any rules necessary to administer this act in accordance with the changes identified by the director of the department of environmental quality.

The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.

While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
24LSO-0206

ORIGINAL House

Bill No
.
HB0035

ENROLLED ACT NO. 16,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SIXTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2024 Budget Session

AN ACT relating to environmental quality; requiring the environmental quality council to promulgate rules no more stringent than federal law, rules or regulations; providing exceptions; specifying applicability; requiring rulemaking; requiring reporting; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 35
‑
11
‑
112(a)(i), (g) and by creating a new subsection (h) is amended to read:

35
‑
11
‑
112.

Powers and duties of the environmental quality council.

(a)

The council shall act as the hearing examiner for the department and shall hear and determine all cases or issues arising under the laws, rules, regulations, standards or orders issued or administered by the department or its air quality, land quality, solid and hazardous waste management or water quality divisions.

At the council's request the office of administrative hearings may provide a hearing officer for any rulemaking or contested case hearing before the council, and the hearing officer may provide recommendations on procedural matters when requested by the council.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this act, including this section, the council shall have no authority to promulgate rules or to hear or determine any case or issue arising under the laws, rules, regulations, standards or orders issued or administered by the industrial siting or abandoned mine land divisions of the department. The council shall:

(i)

Subject to subsection (h) of this section, p
romulgate rules and regulations necessary for the administration of this act, after recommendation from the director of the department, the administrators of the various divisions and their respective advisory boards;

(g)

Subject to subsection (h) of this section, t
he council shall not promulgate any rules which impose standards or requirements related to meat processing which are more stringent than federal law, rules or regulations.

(h)

The council shall not promulgate any rules or regulations that impose standards or requirements more stringent than federal law, rules or regulations applicable to any federal program that the state maintains primacy over unless the department identifies the need for rules or regulations that impose standards or requirements more stringent than federal law, rules or regulations in its statement of principal reasons.

Section 2.

(a)

Not later than July 2, 2024, the director of the department of environmental quality shall:

(i)

Consult with regulated stakeholders to identify a list of existing rules to be reviewed by the director of the department of environmental quality to conform existing rules to the requirements of this act, including a timeline for conducting that review;

(ii)

Report to the joint minerals, business and economic development interim committee on the rules identified under this subsection for review.

(b)

The environmental quality council shall promulgate or repeal any rules necessary to administer this act in accordance with the changes identified by the director of the department of environmental quality.

(c)

The director of the department of environmental quality shall review new and amended rules to comply with this act.

Section 3
.

This act is effective July 1, 2024
.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.

Chief Clerk

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