Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-13-14-.05

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024

Section 335-13-14-.05 - Design Criteria

(1) Specifications for site preparation measures including, but not limited to clearing and grubbing, stormwater control structures, leachate collection systems, access roads, screening, fencing, buildings, and compost pads, must be included in the engineering design report developed for the site.

(2) A composting facility shall not be located in the 100-year floodplain.

(3) A composting facility shall not cause a discharge of pollutants into waters of the State, including wetlands, that is in violation of the requirements of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), Alabama Water Pollution Control Act, Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 22-22-1 to 22-22-14 and/or section 404 of the Clean Water Act, as amended.

(4) A composting facility shall not cause non-point source pollution of waters of the State, including wetlands, that violates any requirements of an area wide and State-wide water quality management plan that has been approved under the Alabama Water Pollution Control Act.

(5) A composting facility shall not be permissible in wetlands, beaches or dunes.

(6) A composting facility shall be located outside the boundaries of the coastal area, unless no other reasonable alternative is available. If a site within the coastal area is proposed for development as a composting facility, it shall be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Department that siting, design, construction, and operation will ensure that present levels of coastal plants and animals will be maintained.

(7) The applicant shall design the facility so that the bottom elevation of the composting facility shall be a minimum of five (5) feet above the highest measured groundwater level, as determined by a minimum of two measurements taken during each of the three consecutive months of February, March and April with no two measurements taken within any twelve-day period. If the measurements are taken outside of February, March and April, the minimum bottom elevation of the composting facility shall be ten (10) feet above the highest measured groundwater level. The applicant shall submit to the Department all data known to exist concerning groundwater elevations at the proposed site and shall submit to the Department a location map showing all monitoring wells or piezometers and drilling logs for all monitoring wells or piezometers used to obtain any groundwater elevation data that is submitted. Nothing herein shall prevent the Department from requiring additional groundwater measurements or from requiring an additional buffer as it may deem appropriate with respect to a particular site.

(8) A composting pad, as defined by rule 335-13-14-.02, shall be provided for the receiving and storage areas, and the processing and curing areas. The surface shall be constructed of asphalt, concrete or compacted soil. If a compacted soil surface is utilized, the minimum requirement will be 24 inches of soil with a permeability of 1×10^-7 cm/sec. A pad is not required for the storage of finished compost product.

(9) The raw material receiving and storage areas shall be covered in a manner to minimize exposure of the material to the elements.

(10) A stormwater control system shall be constructed to control at least the water volume from a 24-hour, 25-year storm. Stormwater or other water that comes in contact with the solid waste received, being stored, processed or composted, or which mixes with leachate shall be considered leachate.

(11) The composting facility shall have a leachate collection and removal system designed to collect and remove leachate from the waste receiving and storage areas and the processing area.

(12) Buffer zones around the perimeter of the composting facility shall be a minimum of 100 feet measured in the horizontal plane. No composting, storage practices, stormwater controls or leachate collection shall take place in the buffer zone.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-13-14-.05

New Rule: Filed February 28, 2012; effective April 3, 2 012.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXVI, Issue No. 07, April 30, 2018, eff. 6/8/2018.

Authors: Phillip D. Davis, S. Scott Story

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 22-27-9, 22-27-12.