(a) The department shall exercise general supervision over the construction of solid waste processing facilities and disposal facilities or sites throughout the state. Such general supervision shall apply to all features of construction of solid waste processing facilities and disposal facilities or sites which do or may affect the public health and safety or the quality of the environment, and which do or may affect the proper processing or disposal of solid wastes.

(b) No new construction shall be initiated nor shall any change be made in any solid waste processing facility or disposal facility or site until the plans for such new construction or change have been submitted to and approved by the department. Records of construction or plans for existing facilities or sites shall be made available to the department upon request of the commissioner. In granting approval of such plans, the department may specify such modifications, conditions, and regulations as may be required to fulfill the purposes of this part.

(c) The board is empowered to adopt and enforce rules and regulations for the construction of new facilities and sites and the alteration of existing facilities and sites.

(d) The commissioner is authorized to investigate solid waste processing facilities and disposal facilities or sites throughout the state as often as the commissioner deems necessary.

(e) When the commissioner disapproves plans for the construction of, or change in, any solid waste processing facility or disposal facility or site, the commissioner shall notify in writing the person having submitted such plans, and state the grounds for the commissioner's disapproval.

(f) Actions taken by the department, commissioner, or board in accordance with this part shall be conducted in accordance with title 13, chapter 18 when the action involves a major energy project, as defined in § 13-18-102.

(g) The commissioner shall not approve any plans submitted in accordance with subsection (b), unless the applicant has submitted:

(1) A comprehensive environmental site assessment that includes an evaluation of the quality of groundwater beneath the proposed facility. At a minimum, the applicant shall provide analytical information for all constituents specified in regulations adopted by the board. The requirement for a comprehensive environmental site assessment shall apply only to new sites for proposed solid waste disposal facilities and does not include expansions, modifications, or new units for existing permitted facilities or sites; and

(2) Proof satisfactory to the commissioner that the geological formation of the proposed site and the design of the proposed facility are capable of containing the disposed wastes, so that ground water protection standards are not exceeded.

(h) The commissioner shall not review or approve any construction for any new landfill for solid waste disposal or for solid waste processing in any county or municipality which has adopted §§ 68-211-701 — 68-211-704 and § 68-211-707 until such construction has been approved in accordance with such sections.