(1) In order to insure adequate capacity to meet local needs for the management of solid wastes generated locally, to protect the public health and welfare of the people of the State of Mississippi and to enable the state to study, consider and implement a comprehensive statewide nonhazardous solid waste management plan, there is hereby imposed a moratorium commencing on April 2, 1990, and ending upon the approval date of a local nonhazardous solid waste management plan for the area within the approved plan on the processing of permit applications, the issuance of permits for new or expanded municipal solid waste facilities and the transfer of existing permits for the incineration, treatment, processing or disposal of municipal solid wastes. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the moratorium shall also apply to all applications for permits and transfers of permits for new or expanded municipal solid waste management facilities and the transfer of existing permits for incineration, treatment, processing or disposal facility pending before the permit board during the moratorium period.

(2) For the purposes of this section, the term “municipal solid waste” means municipal solid waste as defined in Section 17-17-205, but does not include ash or scrubber sludge from the generation of electric power or steam.

(3) The permit board created in Section 49-17-28 is hereby authorized and empowered to make exceptions to the moratorium imposed by this section and allow the processing of permit applications, issuance of permits and the transfer of permits if the permit board, in its discretion, determines that a local need exists for a new or expanded municipal solid waste incinerator, treatment, processing or disposal facility in order to:

(a) Comply with the federal law or regulations of the United States Environmental Protection Agency;

(b) Alleviate or resolve a condition resulting from an existing municipal solid waste facility having reached its capacity for the disposal of locally generated solid wastes;

(c) Alleviate or resolve a condition which threatens or is likely to threaten the environment; or

(d) Alleviate or resolve a condition in which the closure of an existing municipal solid waste facility, or the transfer of an existing permit, is in the best interests of the public in order to adequately manage locally generated municipal solid wastes.

(4) If the permit board grants an exception from the moratorium for a new or expanded municipal solid waste landfill facility for which a permit application is pending on April 2, 1990, the processing of the application for the permit shall resume at the stage of the administrative review process existing on April 2, 1990.

(5) The moratorium imposed by this section shall not apply to:

(a) The processing by personnel of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality of permit applications for the recycling of municipal solid wastes up to the time that the personnel of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality make their recommendations on such permit applications to the permit board.

(b) Solid waste incineration, treatment, processing or disposal facilities owned and operated by the generator of the solid waste for the incineration, treatment, processing or disposal of the generator’s solid waste only.

(c) Applications for reissuance of permits for existing nonhazardous solid waste facilities.

(d) Application for permits for any facility consistent with an approved local nonhazardous solid waste management plan for a county or region.