The Department shall prioritize the closure of landfills that are owned by local governments or political subdivisions, or that are located in the locality and have been abandoned in violation of this chapter, and are not equipped with liner and leachate control systems meeting the requirements of the Board’s regulations. The prioritization shall be based on the greatest threat to human health and the environment. The Department shall establish a schedule, after public notice and a period for public comment, based upon that prioritization requiring municipal solid waste landfills to cease accepting solid waste in, and to prepare financial closure plans for, disposal areas permitted before October 9, 1993. No municipal solid waste landfill may continue accepting waste after 2020 in any disposal area not equipped with a liner system approved by the Department pursuant to a permit issued after October 9, 1993. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection N of § 10.1-1408.1, failure by a landfill owner or operator to comply with the schedule established by the Department shall be a violation of this chapter. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to municipal solid waste landfills utilizing double synthetic liner systems permitted between December 21, 1988, and October 9, 1993, that are part of a post-mining land use plan approved under Chapter 19 (§ 45.1-226 et seq.) of Title 45.1.

History

1999, cc. 584, 613, 947; 2000, c. 308; 2002, cc. 492, 518; 2004, c. 872.