La. Admin. Code tit. 33 § VII-711

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 8, August 20, 2024

Section VII-711 - Standards Governing Landfills (Type I and II)

A. Surface Hydrology

1. Facilities located in a 100-year flood plain shall be filled to bring site elevation above flood levels, or perimeter levees or other measures must be provided to maintain adequate protection against a 100-year flood.

2. Facilities located in, or within 1,000 feet of, an aquifer recharge zone shall be designed to protect the areas from adverse impacts of operations at the facility.

3. Surface-runoff-diversion levees, canals, or devices shall be installed to prevent drainage from the units of the facility that have not received final cover. The proposed system shall be designed to collect and control at least the water volume resulting from a 24-hour/25-year storm event and /or the peak discharge from a 25-year storm event.

4. Facilities located in a 100-year flood plain shall not restrict the flow of a 100-year flood or significantly reduce the temporary water-storage capacity of the flood plain, and the design shall ensure that the flooding does not affect the integrity of the facility or result in the washout of solid waste so as to pose a threat to human health and the environment.

5. Runoff from operating areas or areas that contain solid waste and have not yet received interim compacted cover or final cover shall be considered contaminated and shall not be allowed to mix with noncontaminated surface runoff.

6. A run-on control system shall be installed to prevent run-on during the peak discharge from a 25-year storm event and/or to collect and control at least the water volume resulting from a 24-hour/25-year storm event.

B. Plans and Specifications

1. Facility plans, specifications, and operations represented and described in the permit application or permit modifications for all facilities shall be prepared under the supervision of and certified by a professional engineer, licensed in the state of Louisiana.

2. Daily and Interim Cover Requirements

a. Cover material shall:

i. minimize vector-breeding areas and animal attraction by controlling:

(a). fly, mosquito, and other insect emergence and entrance;

(b). rodent burrowing for food and harborage; and

(c). bird and animal attraction;

ii. control leachate generation by:

(a). minimizing external-moisture infiltration;

(b). minimizing erosion; and

(c). utilizing materials with minimum free-liquid content;

iii. reduce fire-hazard potential;

iv. minimize blowing paper and litter;

v. reduce noxious odors by minimizing outward movement of methane and other gases;

vi. provide an aesthetic appearance to the landfill operation; and

vii. allow accessibility regardless of weather.

b. Silty or sandy clays applied a minimum of 6 inches thick at the end of each operating day are satisfactory for daily cover, and silty clays applied a minimum of 1 foot thick are satisfactory for interim cover.

c. Alternative daily cover, interim cover, or interim compacted cover materials may be approved by the administrative authority provided the standards of Subparagraph B.2.a of this Section are met. The administrative authority reserves the right to require testing to confirm acceptability. The administrative authority may waive the requirements for daily cover, for Type I landfills only, if the permit holder or applicant can demonstrate that the nature of the waste is such that daily cover is not necessary. Daily cover requirements may not be waived for Type II landfills.

d. Alternative daily cover, interim cover, and interim compacted cover materials submitted for approval shall be available on a regular basis and demonstrate reasonably consistent composition and performance characteristics.

e. Interim cover or interim compacted cover shall be applied on all operating areas of a facility that will not receive solid waste for a period longer than 60 days. Interim cover or interim compacted cover must be applied within 48 hours of the last receipt of solid waste in the operating area or as soon as weather permits. Facilities that provide interim cover or interim compacted cover shall also implement erosion control measures. Any delay in the application/completion of interim cover due to weather shall not exceed seven calendar days unless a written extension is issued by the Office of Environmental Compliance.

f. Daily and interim cover shall be applied and maintained in a condition that meets the purposes of Subparagraph B.2.a of this Section.

g. The source of daily and interim cover must be accessible regardless of weather.

h. The facility shall maintain a daily log which includes the following information:

i. specific area of daily and interim cover placement;

ii. source of cover material; and,

iii. depth of cover material applied.

3. Levee Construction

a. Levees or other protective measures shall be provided in order to protect the facility against a 100-year flood.

b. If levees are required to protect the facility against a 100-year flood, such perimeter levees shall be engineered to minimize wind and water erosion and shall have a grass cover or other protective cover to preserve structural integrity and shall provide adequate protection against a 100-year flood.

4. Leachate Control, Collection, Treatment, and Removal Systems

a. Leachate shall not be managed by allowing the leachate to be absorbed in the waste, unless it is a part of leachate recirculation or other approved technology.

b. Infiltration of water into the waste shall be minimized by daily, interim, and final cover, as required by these regulations.

c. The impact of leachate on the environment shall be minimized by a leachate collection and removal system and a leachate treatment system designed to ensure positive removal and treatment of generated leachate.

d. Leachate removed shall be handled in such a manner that it does not adversely affect the environment.

e. Migration of leachate shall be prevented by liners or other barriers.

f. The following minimum standards apply to leachate collection and removal systems.

i. The leachate collection system shall be located above the primary liner.

ii. All leachate collection pipes shall be perforated, a minimum of 6 inches in diameter, and constructed of materials resistant to the leachate.

iii. Leachate cleanout risers or manholes shall be provided for each leachate collection line. The maximum length of leachate collection lines shall not exceed the capabilities of the cleanout device.

iv. A granular leachate collection drainage blanket, consisting of a natural or a synthetic material with permeability of 1x10^-3 cm/sec or higher, shall be provided to trap fines and prevent waste from entering the drainage layer while allowing the passage of leachate. If natural material is used for the drainage blanket, the thickness of the material shall be at least 12 inches, unless otherwise approved by the administrative authority. If synthetic material is used, sufficient thickness of buffer material shall be placed over the synthetic material to provide protection for the liner system.

v. The flow path of leachate on the liner surface shall be no greater than 100 feet to the point of collection. (For the purpose of determining this distance, the permit holder or applicant may assume that the leachate flow path is perpendicular to the leachate collection pipe along the cell floor.)

vi. The slope on the surface of the liner toward the leachate collection lines shall be a minimum of 2 percent based on post-settlement conditions. Settlements shall be calculated based on geotechnical testing performed on soil samples extracted from the site. Flatter slopes may be approved by the administrative authority if the slopes keep positive drainage and it is demonstrated that the slopes will not adversely affect the maximum required leachate head in accordance with Clause B.4.f.viii of this Subsection.

vii. The slope of all leachate collection pipes shall be a minimum of 1 percent based on post-settlement conditions. Settlements shall be calculated based on geotechnical testing performed on soil samples extracted from the site. Flatter slopes may be approved by the administrative authority if they keep positive drainage and it is demonstrated that they will not adversely affect the maximum required leachate head in accordance with Clause B.4.f.viii of this Subsection.

viii. The leachate head shall be maintained in a pumped-down condition such that not more than 1 foot of head shall exist above the lowest elevation of the leachate collection lines. Compliance with the 1 foot leachate head standard shall be achieved by compliance with LAC 33:VII.711.D.3.e. and f, and the provisions of the facility operational plan that address LAC 33:VII.711.D.2.g.-i

ix. The equipment used to remove leachate from the collection system shall be adequately sized to accommodate normal facility operations.

x. Trenches or swales shall be provided to protect the leachate collection pipes.

xi. The leachate collection lines shall be sloped down toward the perimeter of the unit. However, other designs may be approved depending on site-specific conditions.

xii. An adequate thickness of gravel shall be placed on all sides of the leachate pipes.

xiii. Gravel size shall be selected to ensure that it is larger than the perforations in the collection pipe.

xiv. The migration of fines into the tops of the trenches shall be minimized by a properly designed, graded soil filter or geotextile.

xv. Materials such as limestone and dolomite shall not be used in the leachate collection system. However, the administrative authority may allow alternate materials to be used in construction of the leachate collection system if the permit holder or applicant can demonstrate that the materials can provide equivalent or superior performance.

xvi. Leachate lines (and other engineering structures) shall not penetrate the liner, unless the permit holder or applicant can demonstrate that special or unusual circumstances warrant liner penetration.

xvii. An antiseep collar shall be placed around the leachate line that penetrates the liner. A minimum of 3 feet of recompacted clay or equivalent material shall be placed around the collar.

xviii. All leachate transfer (force-main) lines shall be pressure tested prior to their use.

xix. All control systems for pumps, valves, and meters shall be designed to be operated from the ground level.

g. Alternate leachate collection and removal system designs may be approved by the administrative authority if the applicant can demonstrate, using modeling methods acceptable to the administrative authority, that the alternate leachate collection and removal system would offer equivalent or greater groundwater protection than the protection offered in LAC 33:VII.711.B.4.f. The demonstration shall indicate the specific types of waste to be disposed and shall include all other relevant site-specific factors. If the administrative authority determines the proposed alternate leachate collection and removal system has not been demonstrated to offer equivalent or greater groundwater protection, the alternate design will be denied and the applicant will be required to follow the standards of Subparagraph B.4.f of this Subsection.

5. Liners

a. The permit holder or applicant shall provide and implement a quality-assurance/quality-control plan for liner construction and maintenance that will ensure that liners are designed, constructed, installed, and maintained properly. All facilities shall have quality-assurance/quality-control plans for the excavations. All excavations and liners shall be inspected and certified by a professional engineer, licensed in the state of Louisiana, with the appropriate expertise.

b. The permit holder or applicant must demonstrate that the liner is placed upon a base that provides the following:

i. adequate support for the contents;

ii. maximum resistance to settlement of a magnitude sufficient to affect the integrity of the liner or the proper positioning of the leachate collection or leak-detection system;

iii. maximum resistance to hydrostatic heave on the sides or bottom of the excavation; and

iv. maximum resistance to desiccation.

c. Units of landfills shall be lined along the sides and bottom with a liner system installed under the supervision of a professional engineer, licensed in the state of Louisiana and with the appropriate expertise, which consists of the following, in descending order:

i. a leachate collection system designed and constructed in accordance with Paragraph B.4 of this Section; and

ii. a composite liner that consists of a geomembrane liner at least 30-mil thick installed directly above and in uniform contact with a 3-foot recompacted clay liner having a hydraulic conductivity no greater than 1x10^-7 cm/sec (If the geomembrane component is high-density polyethylene, then the geomembrane component must be at least 60-mil thick. Any geomembrane liner used must be compatible with the solid waste and leachate in the unit.); or

iii. an alternative liner system that provides equivalent or greater groundwater protection at the site as compared to the composite liner design in Clause B.5.c.ii of this Section, as demonstrated by generally accepted modeling techniques and based on factors specific to the site and to the solid wastes received. The burden of proof of adequacy of the alternate liner design shall be on the permit holder or applicant.

d. Special design conditions may be required in areas where circumstances warrant such conditions, as determined by the administrative authority. These special design standards may include more protective or stringent standards.

6. Gas Collection/Treatment or Removal System

a. Each unit of the facility with a potential for methane gas production and migration shall be required to install a gas collection/treatment or removal system:

i. when the facility is required to install a gas collection/treatment or removal system under 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart WWW; or

ii. when needed to limit methane gas to the lower-explosive limits at the facility boundary and to 25 percent of the lower explosive limits in facility buildings.

b. Sampling protocol, chain of custody, and test methods shall be established for all gas collection/treatment or removal systems.

7. Slope Stability Analysis

a. A slope stability analysis shall be conducted by a professional engineer, licensed in the state of Louisiana, with expertise in geotechnical engineering.

b. Slope stability analyses shall contain an evaluation of the slopes of cell excavations deeper than 10 feet, proposed final elevations, and critical intermediate conditions, when applicable. Both short-term and long-term analyses shall be performed.

c. A minimum safety factor of 1.5 shall be required for all slope stability analyses unless an alternate safety factor is approved by the administrative authority.

d. Verifications of landfill slopes shall include, at a minimum, analysis of critical surfaces passing through the waste mass, along the liner system interface(s), and through the foundation soils.

e. Soil parameters and conditions utilized in the slope stability analysis shall be based on in-situ geotechnical and hydrogeological data. Geotechnical testing shall be signed by a professional engineer, licensed in the state of Louisiana, with expertise in geotechnical engineering. Geotechnical testing shall be representative of the site conditions with respect to the number of samples and types of tests selected, and in accordance with LAC 33:VII.519.B.3.b. Waste parameters utilized in the analyses shall be justified.

f. The administrative authority may require deep soil borings and/or cone penetration tests (CPTs) to be performed in addition to the soil boring requirements of LAC 33:VII.803.A.2. The number of deep soil borings and/or cone penetration tests and their depths shall be sufficient to adequately represent the subsurface conditions for the slope stability analysis.

g. Slope stability analysis shall also be performed for vertical and lateral expansions, and for any expansion that includes an increase of steepness of the landfill slopes.

h. A report with the results of the slope stability analysis shall be prepared, clearly identifying the methods utilized. The report shall also include references and a summary of the data and parameters utilized, the location of the sections analyzed, a depiction of the slope geometry and critical surfaces, the minimum safety factor for each type of analysis, and the computer-generated print-outs.

C. Facility Administrative Procedures

1. The permit holder shall submit an annual certification of compliance, as required by LAC 33:VII.525.

2. Recordkeeping

a. The permit holder shall maintain all records specified in the application as necessary for the effective management of the facility and for preparing the required reports for the life of the facility and for a minimum of three years after final closure. These records shall be maintained on-site for a minimum of three years. These records may be retained in paper copy or in an electronic format. Electronically maintained records shall be a true and accurate copy of the records required to be maintained. Records older than three years may be kept at an off-site location provided they are readily available to the administrative authority for review upon request. All permit applications and addenda (including those pertaining to prior permits) shall be maintained with the on-site records.

b. The permit holder shall maintain records of transporters transporting waste for processing or disposal at the facility. The records shall include the date of receipt of shipments of waste and the transporter's solid waste identification number issued by the administrative authority.

c. Records kept on site for all facilities shall include, but not be limited to:

i. copies of the applicable Louisiana solid waste rules and regulations;

ii. the permit;

iii. the permit application;

iv. permit modifications;

v. certified field notes for construction (may be stored at an off-site location with readily available access);

vi. operator training programs;

vii. daily log;

viii. quality-assurance/quality-control records;

ix. inspections by the permit holder or operator, including, but not limited to, inspections to detect incoming hazardous waste loads;

x. operator certificates from the Board of Certification and Training for Solid Waste Disposal System Operators, if applicable;

xi. records, including field notes, demonstrating that liners, leachate-control systems, and leak-detection and cover systems are constructed or installed in accordance with appropriate quality assurance procedures;

xii. records on the leachate head, volume(s), and results of the leachate sampling;

xiii. monitoring, testing, or analytical data;

xiv. any other applicable or required data deemed necessary by the administrative authority;

xv. records on groundwater sampling results;

xvi. post-closure monitoring reports;

xvii. copies of all documents received from and submitted to the department;

xviii. records on leachate pump tests; and

xix. records of action(s) taken under LAC 33:VII.711.D.2.i.

3. Personnel

a. Facilities shall have the personnel necessary to achieve the operational requirements of the facility. All personnel involved in waste handling at the facility must be trained adequately in procedures to recognize and exclude receipt or disposal of hazardous wastes and PCB wastes.

b. Facilities receiving residential and commercial solid waste shall have the numbers and levels of certified operators employed at the facility as required by the department in accordance with LAC 46:XXIII. Operator certificates shall be prominently displayed at the facility. The Board of Certification and Training for Solid Waste Disposal System Operators and the Office of Environmental Services shall be notified within 30 days of any changes in the employment status of certified operators.

D. Facility Operations

1. Facility Limitations

a. The receipt of hazardous waste and TSCA-regulated PCB waste shall be strictly prohibited and prevented. Permit holders of Type II landfills must implement a program of random inspections of incoming loads to detect and prevent the disposal of hazardous waste or PCB waste and must keep records of these inspections. Any other wastes that present special handling or disposal problems may be excluded by the administrative authority.

b. Open burning of solid waste shall not be practiced at Type I or II landfills.

c. Salvaging shall be prevented unless approved by the administrative authority.

d. Scavenging shall be prevented.

e. Infectious waste from hospitals or clinics may be deposited in Type I or II landfills only if it has been properly packaged and identified and is treated by a method approved by the Department of Health and Hospitals.

f. Grazing of domestic livestock shall not be allowed in the vicinity of active landfill units or units under closure or post closure.

g. Except as otherwise provided in this Subparagraph, liquid wastes shall not be disposed of in a landfill, and facilities that plan to accept liquid wastes shall provide a means for solidifying them and an appropriate quality-assurance/quality-control program. The only bulk or non-containerized liquid that may be placed in a landfill is residential waste (excluding septic waste), leachate and gas condensate that is derived from the landfill, and liquid from a leachate recirculation operation.

h. Residential, commercial, and other wastes deemed acceptable by the administrative authority on a site-specific basis may be disposed of in Type I and II landfills. A comprehensive quality-assurance/quality-control plan shall be provided for facilities receiving asbestos-containing waste and dewatered domestic wastewater treatment plant sludge.

i. No solid waste shall be deposited in standing water, and standing water in contact with waste shall be removed immediately.

j. Industrial solid waste, incinerator ash, and nonhazardous petroleum-contaminated media and debris generated by underground storage tanks (UST) corrective action shall be disposed of or processed only in Type I or Type I-A facilities. A comprehensive quality-assurance/quality-control plan shall be in place before the receipt of these wastes.

k. Operating slopes within the landfill shall be maintained in a manner that provides for the proper compaction of waste and the application of cover as required by LAC 33:VII.711.D.3.b.

2. Facility Operational Plans. Operational plans shall be provided that describe in specific detail how the waste will be managed during all phases of disposal operations. At a minimum, the plan shall address:

a. the route the waste will follow after receipt;

b. the sequence in which the waste will be processed or disposed of within a unit;

c. the method and operational changes that will be used during wet weather (Particular attention shall be given to maintenance of access roads and to water management.);

d. the recordkeeping procedures to be employed to ensure that all pertinent activities are properly documented;

e. the sampling protocol, chain of custody, and test methods that will be used in the gas-monitoring systems;

f. the methods that will be used to ensure that the grade and slope of both the on-site drainage system and the run-on diversion system are maintained and serve their intended functions;

g. the methods that will be used to ensure that the leachate collection/treatment system is functioning as designed including, but not limited to:

i. the testing and inspection of system components;

ii. the repair and/or replacement of system components; and

iii. the time frame for such repair and/or replacements;

h. the measuring protocol, frequency, and recordkeeping used to monitor leachate head and how the leachate will be removed and transported to the treatment facility; and

ithe actions to be taken when monitoring indicates leachate head exceeds the standard in LAC 33:VII.711.B.4.f.viii.

3. Facility Operational Standards

a. Air-Monitoring Standards

i. Facilities receiving waste with a potential to produce methane gas shall be subject to the air-monitoring requirements of this Subparagraph. Facilities subject to this Subparagraph that are also required to maintain a surface monitoring design plan under an effective 40 CFR Part 70 (Title V) operating permit shall comply with the monitoring requirements of the Title V operating permit. Compliance with the monitoring requirements under an effective Title V operating permit shall constitute compliance with the air monitoring requirements of this Section.

ii. The permit holder or applicant subject to air-monitoring requirements shall submit to the Office of Environmental Services a comprehensive air-monitoring plan that will limit methane gas levels to less than the lower-explosive limits at the facility boundary and to 25 percent of the lower-explosive limits in facility buildings.

(a). The type and frequency of monitoring shall be determined based on the following factors:

(i). soil conditions;

(ii). hydrogeologic conditions surrounding the facility;

(iii). hydraulic conditions surrounding the facility; and

(iv). the locations of facility structures and property boundaries.

(b). The minimum frequency of monitoring shall be quarterly.

iii. If methane gas levels exceeding the limits specified in Clause D.3.a.ii of this Section are detected, the permit holder shall:

(a). immediately take all necessary steps to ensure protection of human health and notify the Office of Environmental Compliance in the manner provided in LAC 33:I.3923;

(b). within 30 days of detection, submit a remediation plan to the Office of Environmental Services for the methane gas releases. The plan shall describe the nature and extent of the problems and the proposed remedy and shall include an implementation schedule. The plan shall be implemented within 60 days of detection.

iv. The permit holder shall make prompt notification to the Office of Environmental Compliance in accordance with LAC 33:I.3923 when strong odors occur at facility boundaries.

v. Records of inspections, surveys, and gas monitoring results shall be maintained at the facility.

vi. Odors shall be controlled by the best means practicable.

vii. Facilities shall ensure that the units do not violate any applicable requirements developed under a state implementation plan (SIP) approved or promulgated in accordance with Section 110 of the Clean Air Act, as amended.

b. Waste shall be deposited under facility supervision in the smallest practicable area, spread in layers, and compacted to approximately 2 feet thick or, if baled, stacked and daily cover applied.

c. Vector Control

i. Food or harborage shall be denied to rats, insects, and birds to the extent possible by using proper cover or other means acceptable on a site-specific basis. Where necessary, an approved pesticide shall be applied in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.

ii. A schedule of the type and frequency of vector control measures to be used shall be submitted to the Office of Environmental Services for approval in the operational plan.

d. Waste Characterization. The permit holder shall review and maintain the hazardous waste determination performed by the generator in accordance with LAC 33:V.1103 for all solid waste prior to acceptance. Every year thereafter, the permit holder shall require the generator to submit either a written certification that the waste being sent to the permit holder remains unchanged or a new waste characterization. All characterizations and certification records shall be maintained on-site for a period of three years.

e. Leachate Pumps

i. Leachate pumps shall be tested at least weekly, maintained, and operated to ensure compliance with LAC 33:VII.711.B.4.f.viii.

ii. Testing results shall be documented within 24 hours and maintained in accordance with LAC 33:VII.711.C.2.a-c.

iii. For nonfunctioning leachate pumps and/or not maintaining liquid head below the 1 foot leachate head standard set forth in LAC 33:VII.711.B.4.f.viii, action to repair and/or to replace pumps shall be initiated and completed within seven days, or as otherwise approved by the administrative authority.

iv. Any request for an extension under LAC 33:VIII.711.D.3.iii shall be submitted for approval to the Office of Environmental Services and shall at a minimum include:

(a) reason(s) for the extension; and

(b) estimated time for repair or replacement, including supporting documentation.

f. Leachate Head Monitoring

i. Leachate head shall be monitored and recorded:

(a) in accordance with the facility operational plan at least every normal operating day; or

(i) as otherwise approved by the administrative authority for cells without final cover; and

(b) at least every seven days for cells that have received final cover.

ii. If monitoring of leachate head shows an exceedance of more than 1 foot of head above the lowest elevation of the leachate collection lines under the facility operational plan, action shall be taken in accordance with LAC 33:VII.711.D.2.i.

4. Sufficient equipment shall be provided and maintained at all facilities to meet the facilities' operational needs.

5. Segregation of Wastes

a. White goods may be stored in a unit separate from other solid wastes and shall be removed every 30 days. The facility shall maintain a log of dates and volumes of white goods removed from the facility.

b. Tree limbs, leaves, clippings, and similar residues may be segregated and deposited in a permitted unit separate from other solid waste and shall be covered every 30 days, or more often if necessary to control blowing and prevent rodent harborage.

c. Construction material and woodwastes may be deposited in a permitted unit separate from other solid wastes and covered every 30 days. This unit must meet the standards provided in LAC 33:VII.719 and 721.

6. Emergency Response Plan

a. If required under LAC 33:VII.513, an emergency response plan shall be filed with the closest fire department, emergency medical services (EMS) agency, hospital or clinic, and the Office of Environmental Services, after approval by the Louisiana state fire marshal. Any significant revision of the plan shall be approved and filed in the same manner. The plans shall be reviewed by the permit holder annually, and updated if necessary, or when implementation demonstrates that a revision is needed.

b. Training sessions concerning the procedures outlined in Subparagraph D.6.a of this Section shall be conducted annually for all employees working at the facility. A copy of the training program shall be filed with the Office of Environmental Services.

c. Requirements for Emergency Response Plan

i. The emergency response plan shall describe the actions facility personnel must take in response to accident, fire, explosion, or other emergencies.

ii. If the owner or operator has already prepared an emergency response plan or contingency plan, he need only amend that plan to incorporate solid waste management provisions that are sufficient to comply with these requirements as applicable.

iii. The plan must designate those fire departments or mutual aid societies, emergency medical services agencies, and hospitals with which the facility will coordinate emergency services.

iv. For fire departments or mutual aid societies, the applicable response requirement shall be that of operations level responder from the National Fire Protection Association, Standard 472, or other appropriate requirement from an applicable National Fire Protection Association standard. At least one person trained to this level shall respond in any incident requiring activation of emergency response services.

v. For emergency medical services (EMS), the response requirement shall be that of emergency medical technician - basic, or equivalent. At least one person trained to this level shall respond in any incident requiring activation of EMS.

vi. The plan must include a list of all emergency equipment (where required) at the facility, such as fire extinguishing systems, spill control equipment, communications and alarm systems (internal and external), and decontamination equipment. This list must be kept up to date. In addition, the plan must include the location and a physical description of each item on the list and a brief outline of its capabilities.

vii. The plan shall include an evacuation plan for facility personnel. The plan must describe signals to be used to begin evacuation, evacuation routes, and alternate evacuation routes.

viii. The plan shall include emergency notification procedures required in LAC 33:I.Chapter 39.

d. The provisions of this Paragraph shall not apply if the applicant demonstrates that he meets the response requirements of the applicable sections of the National Fire Protection Association standards, in accordance with LAC 33:VII.513.B.4.

7. All permit holders shall demonstrate that the permitted landfill height has not been exceeded and shall document that information in the operating plan for the facility. Additionally, the method used to determine overall landfill height shall be documented. The landfill height shall be certified at least every five years by a professional land surveyor, licensed in the state of Louisiana, or a registered professional engineer, licensed in the state of Louisiana. This certification shall be included with the annual certification of compliance required by LAC 33:VII.525.

E. Facility Closure Requirements

1. Notification of Intent to Close a Facility. All permit holders shall notify the Office of Environmental Services in writing at least 90 days before closure or intent to close, seal, or abandon any individual units within a facility and shall provide the following information:

a. the date of the planned closure;

b. changes, if any, requested in the approved closure plan; and

c. the closure schedule and estimated cost.

2. Preclosure Requirements

a. Final cover installation shall be initiated no later than 30 days after and shall be completed no later than 90 days after final grades are reached in each unit of a facility or the date of known final receipt of solid waste in the unit, whichever comes first. These deadlines may be extended by the administrative authority if necessary due to inclement weather or other circumstances to a maximum of 60 days for initiation and a maximum of 180 days for completion.

b. Standing water shall be solidified or removed.

c. The runoff-diversion system shall be maintained until the final cover is installed.

d. The runoff-diversion system shall be maintained and modified to prevent overflow of the landfill to adjoining areas.

e. Insect and rodent inspection is required to be documented before installation of final cover, and extermination measures must be provided if required as a result of the facility inspection.

f. Final compaction and grading shall be completed before capping.

g. All facilities with a potential for gas production or migration shall provide a gas collection/treatment or removal system.

3. Closure Requirements

a. Final Cover

i. Final cover shall be placed on top of the daily or intermediate cover that is used as the grading layer to provide a stable base for subsequent layers.

ii. Final cover shall be a minimum of 24 inches of recompacted clay with a permeability of less than 1x10^-7 cm/sec overlain with an approved geomembrane covering the entire area. Areas that are steeper than 4:1 slope do not require geomembrane overlay.

iii. The Office of Environmental Services shall be notified after the final cover is applied.

iv. A minimum of 6 inches of topsoil shall be placed on top of the soil cover to support vegetative growth to prevent erosion.

v. Other covers that satisfy the purposes of minimizing infiltration of precipitation, fire hazards, odors, vector food and harborage, as well as discouraging scavenging and limiting erosion, may be submitted for consideration by the administrative authority.

vi. Alternate final cover used in accordance with Clause E.3.a.v of this Section must provide performance equivalent to or better than the final cover requirements in Clauses E.3.a.ii and iv of this Section.

vii. The side slopes shall be no steeper than 3(H):1(V) and the top of the final cap shall be at minimum a 4 percent slope, for proper maintenance and drainage.

b. After a closure inspection and approval, the permit holder shall plant a ground cover to prevent erosion and to return the facility location to a more natural appearance.

c. Landfills must be closed in a manner that minimizes the need for further maintenance and minimizes the post-closure release of leachate to groundwaters or surface waters to the extent necessary to protect human health and the environment. Quality-assurance/quality-control procedures shall be developed and implemented to ensure that the final cover is designed, constructed, and installed properly.

d. The permit holder shall update the parish mortgage and conveyance records by recording the specific location of the facility and specifying that the property was used for the disposal of solid waste. The document shall identify the name and address of the person with knowledge of the contents of the facility. An example of the form to be used for this purpose is provided in LAC 33:VII.3011.Appendix F. The facility shall provide the Office of Environmental Services with a true copy of the document filed and certified by the parish clerk of court.

4. Upon determination by the administrative authority that a facility has completed closure in accordance with an approved plan, the administrative authority shall release the closure fund to the permit holder. The permit holder shall submit a request for the release of this fund to the Office of Management and Finance.

F. Facility Post-Closure Requirements

1. The post-closure period begins when the Office of Environmental Services approves closure. The length of the post-closure care period for landfills may be:

a. decreased by the administrative authority if the permit holder demonstrates that the reduced period is sufficient to protect human health and the environment in accordance with LAC 33:I.Chapter 13, and this demonstration is approved by the administrative authority (Any demonstration must provide supporting data, including adequate groundwater monitoring data.); or

b. increased by the administrative authority if the administrative authority determines that the lengthened period is necessary to protect human health and the environment in accordance with LAC 33:I.Chapter 13.

2. Post-Closure Care Length

a. Facilities that receive solid waste on or after October 9, 1993, must remain in post-closure care for 30 years after closure of the facility.

b. Existing facilities that do not receive waste on or after October 9, 1993, must remain in post-closure care for three years after closure of the facility.

c. However, if the facility received waste on or after October 9, 1991, the final cover must be maintained as specified in Subparagraph F.3.a of this Section for 30 years after closure.

3. The post-closure care, except as otherwise specified above, must consist of at least the following:

a. maintaining the integrity and effectiveness of the final cover (including making repairs to the cover as necessary to correct the effects of settling, subsidence, erosion, or other events), preventing run-on and runoff from eroding or otherwise damaging the final cover; and providing annual reports to the Office of Environmental Services on the integrity of the final cap (The Office of Environmental Compliance shall be notified of any problems and corrective action measures associated with the integrity and effectiveness of the final cover.);

b. maintaining and operating the leachate collection and removal system, until leachate is no longer generated or until the permit holder can demonstrate that the leachate no longer poses a threat to human health or the environment in accordance with LAC 33:I.Chapter 13;

c. maintaining and operating the gas collection/treatment or removal system and the gas-monitoring system; and

d. maintaining the groundwater-monitoring system and monitoring the groundwater in accordance with LAC 33:VII.805.

La. Admin. Code tit. 33, § VII-711

Promulgated by the Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Solid and Hazardous Waste, Solid Waste Division, LR 19:187 (February 1993), amended LR 19:1143 (September 1993), repromulgated LR 19:1316 (October 1993), amended by the Office of the Secretary, LR 24:2251 (December 1998), amended by the Office of Environmental Assessment, Environmental Planning Division, LR 26:2523 (November 2000), repromulgated LR 27:704 (May 2001), amended LR 30:1676 (August 2004), amended by the Office of Environmental Assessment, LR 30:2024 (September 2004), amended by the Office of the Secretary, Legal Affairs Division, LR 31:2492 (October 2005), LR 33:1047 (June 2007), LR 33:2145 (October 2007), LR 34:1901 (September 2008), LR 37:1564 (June 2011), LR 37:3248 (November 2011), Amended by the Office of the Secretary, Legal Affairs and Criminal Investigations Division LR 492103 (12/1/2023).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 30:2001 et seq.