Among the specific duties of the County LEA are the permitting of solid waste facilities. Solid waste facilities include solid waste transfer or processing stations, composting facilities, transformation facilities and disposal facilities. The permitting process includes the issuance of solid waste facilities permits as well as the denial, revision, modification, suspension and revocation of permits. The County LEA also performs regular inspections of solid waste facilities. A solid waste facility is required to comply with applicable laws and regulations and the terms and conditions of any solid waste facilities permit issued by the County LEA to the facility. Compliance is usually achieved through inspection reports and compliance schedules. Where violations are found, the County LEA works with affected parties on corrective measures as long as those parties make a good faith effort to comply with the requirements.
Public Resources Code section 44308 governs appointments to the Hearing Panel as follows:
- No more than one member of the Board of Supervisors shall serve on the Hearing Panel.
- Members of the Hearing Panel shall be selected for their legal, administrative, or technical abilities in areas relating to solid waste management.
- At least one member shall be a technical expert with knowledge of solid waste management methods and technology.
- At least one member shall be a representative of the public at large.
- A member shall serve for a term of four years and may not serve more than two consecutive terms.
Since its establishment in 2013, the Hearing Panel has met twice in Concord (one hearing, split into two evening sessions).
On February 14, 2022, the IOC approved a recruitment plan and schedule prepared by the County Administrator’s Office in consultation with Environmental Health, calling for interviews to be held by the Internal Operations Committee on March 14, 2022. In response to the call for applications, the County received two applications, from incumbent Victoria Smith, who is eligible to serve a second term, and from retired County Environmental Health Specialist Joe Doser. Incumbents Daryl Young and Larry Sweetser are not currently eligible for reappointment because each has just completed two consecutive terms on the panel.
Since the number of well-qualified applicants is fewer than the number of vacancies, staff recommends the direct appointment of the applicants. The recommended appointment of Joe Doser will satisfy the requirement that at least one panelist shall be a technical expert in solid waste management and technology.
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