Plan Review Process

Closure and postclosure maintenance plans may be preliminary, final, or partial final.

Preliminary Closure Plan

• • Purpose: To provide a generalized estimate of the maximum expected costs that would be incurred by a third party to close the landfill at any time during its active life (section 21820).
  • Contents to include: Identification of the steps necessary to perform a complete landfill closure under the SWRCB and CalRecycle requirements outlined in sections 21769 and 21790, respectively.

Preliminary Postclosure Maintenance Plan

• • Purpose: To provide an accurate annualized preliminary estimate of postclosure inspection, maintenance, and monitoring costs.
  • Contents to include: (1) a description of the planned uses of the property (section 21190), and (2) a preliminary description of the methods, procedures, and processes that will be used to maintain, monitor, and inspect the closed landfill to comply with §21190.

Final Closure Plan (section 21800)

• • Purpose: To provide (1) an accurate detailed (itemized) estimate of closure costs, and (2) a detailed plan and schedule for implementing closure and third-party closure certification.
  • Contents to include: (1) a detailed description of the steps necessary to perform closure (section 21790), (2) a detailed description of the sequence of closure stages with tentative implementation dates, and (3) a detailed schedule for disbursement of funds for closure activities from a trust fund, or enterprise fund if applicable, for advance payment or reimbursement of costs for closure activities in accordance with the plan.

Final Postclosure Maintenance Plan

• • Purpose: To provide an accurate detailed annualized cost estimate for the inspection, maintenance, and monitoring of the landfill during postclosure.
  • Contents to include, but not limited to: (1) an emergency response plan (section 21130), (2) contact information for the parties responsible for postclosure maintenance, (3) a description of the planned uses of the property during the postclosure period (section 21190), as-built descriptions of the landfill’s monitoring and control systems that will be in use and any modifications or changes that are proposed during the postclosure period, (5) a detailed description of the methods, procedures, and processes that will be used to maintain, monitor and inspect the landfill (section 21180), (6) an operations and maintenance plan for the gas control system, and (7) a summary of the requirements for reporting the results of monitoring and collection (section 21180).

Partial Final Closure Plan and Postclosure Maintenance Plan

• • The purpose and contents are the same as for final plans only the plans only apply to the part of the site being closed.

A registered civil engineer or a certified engineering geologist must certify the accuracy of the cost estimates for each plan, which enables the RWQCB and CalRecycle to assess the reasonableness of the cost estimates.

The performance standards and minimum requirements to protect public health and safety and the environment are outlined in regulations promulgated by the SWRCB and CalRecycle in Title 27, Division 2, Chapter 3, Subchapter 5, Articles 1 and 2, California Code of Regulations (27 CCR) section 20950 and section 21100, respectively. These regulations apply to:

• • All new or active landfills that were operating on and after January 1, 1988, and require solid waste facility operating permits (Public Resources Code (PRC) section 44001 et seq.).
  • Disposal sites that did not complete closure before November 18, 1990.
  • New postclosure activities that may jeopardize the integrity of closed disposal sites.
  • Previously closed, illegal, and abandoned disposal sites that pose a threat to public health and safety and the environment as determined by the EA.

The performance standards and minimum requirements for the development and implementation of closure and postclosure maintenance plans are outlined in 27 CCR Division 2, Chapter 4 Subchapter 4, 27 CCR section 21679 et seq. and section 21770 et seq. and apply to all solid waste landfills that were operating on or after January 1, 1988.

A registered civil engineer or a certified engineering geologist shall certify each submittal, and each shall include:

• The preliminary or final closure and postclosure maintenance plans containing all of the elements specified under sections 21790 through 21840, as applicable.
• Cost estimates for closure and postclosure activities to reflect the components under sections 21820 and 21840.
• Demonstration of financial responsibility (section 22205 et seq.).

The operator shall submit a copy of the draft plans to the LEA, the RWQCB, and CalRecycle (section 21780).

The plans must include drawings at an appropriate scale showing the landfill and its pertinent features, and will be marked “preliminary,” “final” or “partial final.”

Labor Transition Plan

• Operators are required to submit a Labor Transition Plan (LTP) and a certification respecting the LTP to the EA when the operator submits a final closure plan to the EA and CalRecycle.
• The LTP EAs shall receive a copy of the LTP and the operator’s certification.
• EAs are not responsible for assuring that the LTPs contain all the elements required by the statute, nor are they responsible for evaluating the adequacy or merits of the Plan.
• CalRecycle shall receive only a copy of the operator’s certification.

Preliminary closure and postclosure maintenance plans for existing solid waste landfills are submitted at the time the operator applies for each solid waste facility permit (SWFP) review or revision, either as part of a joint technical document (JTD) or as a separate but distinct component of a JTD.

Preliminary closure and postclosure maintenance plans for new landfills are submitted either as a part of a JTD or as a separate document in the form of a distinct component of a JTD at or before the time of application for a SWFP.

Final closure and postclosure maintenance plans are submitted two years prior to the anticipated date of final receipt of waste.

For the complete closure of discrete units, partial final closure and postclosure maintenance plans are submitted for each unit two years prior to the anticipated date of closure of that discrete unit in accordance with sections 21800 and 21830. Closure of a discrete unit must not begin before approval of the final partial closure and postclosure maintenance plans for that unit. The specific closure details for each discrete unit must be compatible with closure of the entire landfill.

Partial final closure and postclosure maintenance plans for individuals or for one or a combination of closure activities must be approved before the implementation of such activities.

If immediate closure is necessary to protect public health and safety and the environment or an operator should cease accepting waste permanently prior to the anticipated closure date, final plans shall be submitted in accordance with a schedule specified by the EA with the concurrence of the RWQCB and CalRecycle.