§ 23-19-11.1. Initial resource recovery system development plan. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 23-19-11, in view of current solid waste disposal needs in the state, the corporation shall implement a solid waste processing system as soon as possible conforming to the following criteria:

(1) The system shall consist of a waste processing facility that may be either publicly or privately owned with a nameplate capacity not to exceed one thousand (1,000) tons per day.

(2) The facilities shall be located at the central landfill in Johnston.

(3) Any energy revenues which may be generated by the facilities may inure to the benefit of either the corporation or the vendor or both.

(4) The corporation shall select through competitive bidding, vendors to construct, operate, maintain, and/or own these facilities.

(5) The state auditor general shall review and evaluate the reasonableness and fairness of all contracts and agreements related to the construction, operation, and maintenance of the facilities. The corporation shall test residue of facilities at least semi-annually.

(6) In choosing vendors for the facilities, preference shall be given to vendors who:

(i) Provide private financing and privately own the facilities with minimal or no financial risk to the corporation or state;

(ii) Provide a waste processing facility technology that on-site separates, recovers for recycling and composting the highest percentage of the waste stream and lowest amount of residue;

(iii) Demonstrate the highest number of primary and secondary markets for materials recovered from the waste stream and alternative material uses in the event a material market fails or becomes economically infeasible;

(iv) Can provide the greatest degree of flexibility in the type of materials outputted from the facility in order to adjust to changing markets for recovered materials; and

(v) Guarantee a fixed rate tipping fee and/or fixed escalation rate of tipping fees for the longest time periods.

(7) In an effort to reduce energy costs and resulting tipping fees at the facilities, the corporation may consider the use of a natural gas cogeneration unit as an integral part of the facility provided that the maximum output of the cogeneration unit does not exceed twenty-five (25) megawatts. The inclusion or addition of a gas cogeneration component shall not delay the permitting, construction and operation of the facilities and the gas cogeneration components may be added to the facilities after construction or operation of the facilities begins.

(8) In addition to any source separation programs for household hazardous waste, the facilities shall have the capacity to separate household hazardous wastes and hazardous wastes from the waste stream and it shall be the responsibility of the corporation to provide for proper disposal of those hazardous wastes at a licensed facility. The corporation may enter an agreement with the facility vendor to provide for proper disposal.

History of Section. (P.L. 1986, ch. 522, § 3; P.L. 1989, ch. 126, art. 54, § 1; P.L. 1992, ch. 133, art. 111, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 26, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 52, § 1.)