(a) A proponent may file an appeal of a land use decision made by a local agency for a specified hazardous waste facility project with the Governor or the Governor’s designee pursuant to subdivision (b), (c), or (d) and any interested person may file an appeal of a land use decision made by a local agency for a specified hazardous waste facility project pursuant to subdivision (e). The proponent or an interested person shall file the appeal within 30 calendar days after the date the local agency takes final action on the land use decision. If the proposed project would accept or manage both hazardous waste and solid waste, the appeal shall relate only to the local land use decision concerning the hazardous waste portion of the proposed facility. Any decisions of an appeal board involving the proposed facility shall affect only the hazardous waste portion of the local land use decision.
(b) If an application for a land use decision for a specified hazardous waste facility project is disapproved by a local agency, the proponent for the specified hazardous waste facility project may file an appeal of the disapproval with the Governor or the Governor’s designee. The Governor or the Governor’s designee shall convene an appeal board pursuant to Section 25199.10 to hear the appeal pursuant to this subdivision if the proponent has applied for, and obtained, all permits for the specified hazardous waste facility project which can be obtained before construction from those responsible agencies which are state agencies.
(c) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), if an application for a land use decision for a specified hazardous waste facility project is disapproved by a local agency before an environmental impact report for the project is prepared and certified, as specified in Section 21151 of the Public Resources Code, or before a negative declaration for the project is adopted pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 21080 of the Public Resources Code, the proponent may file an appeal of the disapproval with the Governor or the Governor’s designee.
(2) Within 30 days after an appeal is filed pursuant to this subdivision, the Governor or the Governor’s designee shall convene an appeal board, pursuant to Section 25199.10. The appeal board shall thereafter be the lead agency for the specified hazardous waste facility project and shall perform the duties specified in, and carry out the actions required by, Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code. The proponent may apply for those permits for the specified hazardous waste facility project which can be obtained before construction from those responsible agencies which are state agencies, at any time before or after the appeal board’s compliance with actions required by Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code. The time limits specified in subdivisions (a), (b), and (c) of Section 25199.6 apply to these responsible agencies except that, for the purposes of these time limits, the date when the appeal board has complied with all actions required by Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code shall be deemed equivalent to the date when a lead agency decides to approve or disapprove a project.
(3) After the proponent has applied for and obtained the permits specified in paragraph (2), the proponent for the specified hazardous waste facility project may request the Governor or the Governor’s designee to reconvene the appeal board to hear the appeal. The Governor or the Governor’s designee shall reconvene the appeal board pursuant to Section 25199.10 to hear the appeal of a disapproval pursuant to this subdivision if it has been demonstrated to the Governor or the Governor’s designee that the proponent has applied for, and obtained, all permits for the specified hazardous waste facility project which can be obtained before construction from those responsible agencies which are state agencies.
(d) If an application for a land use decision for a specified hazardous waste facility project is approved by a local agency, the proponent for the specified hazardous waste facility project may file an appeal of one or more conditions imposed by the land use decision with the Governor or the Governor’s designee. An appeal filed under this subdivision shall specify the particular condition or conditions imposed by the land use decision that are appealed and shall be based solely on the grounds that the condition or conditions imposed on the operation of the facility by the land use decision are so onerous and restrictive that their imposition is the same as a disapproval of the application for a land use decision. The Governor or the Governor’s designee shall convene an appeal board pursuant to this subdivision if the proponent has applied for, and obtained, all permits for the specified hazardous waste facility project which can be obtained prior to its construction from those responsible agencies which are state agencies.
(e) If an application for a land use decision for a specified hazardous waste facility project is approved by a local agency, any interested person may file an appeal of the approval with the Governor or the Governor’s designee. An appeal may be filed pursuant to this subdivision only if the appeal is based solely on the grounds that the conditions imposed on the project by the land use decision do not adequately protect the public health, safety, or welfare. The Governor or the Governor’s designee shall convene an appeal board pursuant to this subdivision if the proponent for the specified hazardous waste facility project has applied for, and obtained, all permits for the project which can be obtained prior to its construction from those responsible agencies which are state agencies. An interested person filing an appeal pursuant to this subdivision shall state in the appeal why the conditions imposed by the land use decision do not adequately protect the public health, safety, or welfare and shall specify the additional condition or conditions which are necessary to provide that protection.
(Amended by Stats. 1989, Ch. 1354, Sec. 3. Effective October 2, 1989.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018