At the beginning of each interim, the committee shall hold one organizational meeting to develop a work plan and budget for the period prior to January 1 preceding the next regular session of the legislature. The work plan and budget shall be submitted to the New Mexico legislative council for approval. Upon approval of the work plan and budget by the legislative council, the committee shall examine all matters relevant to the purposes of the Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Act and shall submit recommended legislation, together with a report on the activities and expenditures of the committee, to the legislature. In making recommendations, the committee shall review and monitor the following areas:
A. the generation, treatment, storage, transportation or disposal of radioactive or hazardous materials and wastes;B. the control and handling of mixed waste transported to the waste isolation pilot plant site for disposal;C. the progress and effectiveness of remediation actions at sites contaminated by radioactive or hazardous materials;D. the compliance with the environmental protection agency, the council on environmental quality and the office of surface mining regulations and standards pursuant to federal environmental statutes;E. the provision of activities and investigations and the dissemination of information by the environmental evaluation group; however, nothing in the Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Act shall be construed to limit the independent technical review and evaluation by that group of the impact on health and safety of the waste isolation pilot plant;F. the disposition of uranium mine and mill tailings;G. the means through which disposition of low-level wastes may be accomplished, such as participation in a regional compact with other states;H. the state emergency response capability;I. the Ground Water Protection Act [Chapter 74, Article 6B NMSA 1978], in cooperation with other legislative committees, regarding the use or management of storage tanks and releases;J. the Hazardous Chemicals Information Act [Chapter 74, Article 4E NMSA 1978], in cooperation with other legislative committees; andK. such matters assigned by the legislature and consultations and negotiations with the federal government and other state governments or their representatives and agreements and revisions thereto.Laws 1979, ch. 380, § 10; 1981, ch. 374, § 5; 1986, ch. 61, § 7; 1991, ch. 2, § 7; 2001, ch. 325, § 11.