HB 23-1194

House Bill 23-1194, which has been signed into law, establishes a grant program to help local governments in Colorado pay for cleaning up and managing closed landfills. The state will provide $15 million from its general fund to support this effort starting in the fiscal year 2023-2024. This money will be used to award grants to local governments that need assistance with environmental cleanup at old landfill sites. The program is set to run until September 1, 2033, after which it will undergo a review to decide if it should continue.

Official Summary

The act creates the closed landfill remediation grant program (grant program) to help eligible local governments pay the costs of environmental remediation efforts and landfill management. On and after July 1, 2024, the department of public health and environment (department) is required to administer the grant program in accordance with rules promulgated by the solid and hazardous waste commission (commission) in the department. The department, in consultation with a 5-person advisory committee created in the act, may award grants from money in the closed landfill remediation grant program fund (fund), which fund is also created in the act. On or before February 1, 2026, and on or before each February 1 every 3 years thereafter, the commission must evaluate the current and future financial needs of the grant program and make written recommendations to the general assembly regarding funding. Additionally, the department must prepare and post on its public website an annual report that summarizes the use of all grant money awarded under the grant program in the preceding fiscal year. The grant program is repealed, effective September 1, 2033, subject to a sunset review by the department of regulatory agencies. For the 2023-24 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $15,000,000 from the general fund to the fund for use by the department. Of this amount, $170,702 is reappropriated to the department for the solid waste control program. Of this reappropriated amount, $87,976 is appropriated to the department of law to pay for legal services provided to the department. APPROVED by Governor May 19, 2023 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2023 NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause and takes effect 90 days after sine die. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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