1.17 Review the hazardous waste facilities plan for your state and prepare a one-page
summary of the most serious problems.
[Note: answers will vary from state to state, a brief example of Pennsylvania can be found below.]
The goal of the Pennsylvania Hazardous Waste facilities Plan is to “address the present and future needs
for the treatment and disposal of hazardous waste in [the] Commonwealth.” This plan provides
information on existing facilities available for hazardous waste treatment and the types of facilities needed
for proper management of waste. Also, information on pollution prevention is provided and the plan calls
for generators to improve waste generating technology, promotion resource recovery over treatment and
disposal.
One crucial part of the plan is its role in the establishment of new hazardous waste management facilities.
In cases where a Certificate of Public Necessity (CPN) is required the Environmental Quality Board is
given the power by the plan to issue a CPT, regardless of local restrictions. A CPN will, however, only
be issued based on the four criteria set in the plan. There are; 1) the extent to which the facility is in
compliance with the Pennsylvania Hazardous waste Facilities Plan, 2) the impact of the proposed facility
on adjacent populated areas and areas through which the waste is transported, 3) The impact on the
municipality in which the facility will be located, including health, safety, cost and consistency with local
planning and 4) the extend to which citizens have had and opportunity to participate in site selection,
including the development of siting criteria, evaluation of alternate sites and technologies, and
socioeconomic assessment.