§ 29-0501 — Citizen advisory committee on permanent disposal facilities siting and disposal method selection

§ 29-0501. Citizen advisory committee on permanent disposal facilities\n siting and disposal method selection.\n 1. A citizen advisory committee on siting and disposal method\nselection for permanent disposal facilities is hereby established\nindependent of the commission and shall continue in existence until the\ndepartment has issued its final environmental impact statement pursuant\nto section 29-0105 of this article. The members shall be appointed by\nthe governor and shall consist of: two representatives of non-profit\nenvironmental organizations; two health physicists or medical doctors\nknowledgeable of radiation health effects; two representatives of\nlow-level radioactive waste generators in New York; a private citizen\nresiding in New York who is technically competent and knowledgeable\nconcerning low-level radioactive waste; four private citizens, residing\nin New York who are knowledgeable concerning low-level radioactive\nwaste, of whom one shall be knowledgeable and experienced in\nagricultural production and one in local public health services; and one\nelected local government representative of each county in which a\ncandidate site has been identified, which county shall be represented\nuntil such time as no candidate site is being considered therein and,\nupon issuance of the commission's draft environmental impact statement\npursuant to subdivision six of section 29-0303 of this article, three\nprivate citizens from the county within which each proposed site is\nprimarily located. The governor shall designate the chairman from among\nthe members of the committee. No member shall receive any compensation,\nbut shall be entitled to reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses\nin performing the duties of the citizen advisory committee.\n 2. The citizen advisory committee shall:\n a. meet at least bi-monthly to provide information and review\nactivities of the commission and the department pursuant to sections\n29-0103, 29-0105, 29-0303 and 29-0509 of this article and to receive a\nwritten report from the commission, the department and the energy\nresearch and development authority on plans and progress in carrying out\nactivities and duties pursuant to the low-level radioactive waste\nmanagement act. In particular, the citizen advisory committee shall\nprovide information and recommendations in response to the commission's\ndraft environmental impact statements prepared pursuant to section\n29-0303 of this article, including reviewing public views, comments, and\ninformation submitted in response thereto;\n b. review and comment semi-annually on the commission's plans and\nschedule for carrying out the provisions of section 29-0303 of this\narticle;\n c. have minutes taken of each meeting of the citizen advisory\ncommittee and make them available to the public within ten working days\nfrom the date of the meeting, and a video or audio record of any meeting\nsponsored by the committee shall be kept, copies of which shall be made\navailable at the actual cost of reproduction;\n d. consult with and advise the commissioner of health in planning and\ncarrying out a public information and education program on low-level\nradioactive waste pursuant to the provisions of article twenty-four-C of\nthe public health law;\n e. hire an executive director, and clerical support, and may contract\nfor necessary specialized services;\n f. facilitate the public review and comment process and issue reports\ncontaining the committee's comments and recommendations concerning:\n (i) the candidate disposal method selection process;\n (ii) the site selection process, including previously excluded lands\nand voluntary sites;\n (iii) site characterization;\n (iv) the process for matching the site with the preferred disposal\nmethod;\n (v) the draft environmental impact statement; and\n (vi) the manner in which the commission carries out its\nresponsibilities to keep the public informed of its activities;\n g. make copies of its reports available to the public upon request and\nsubmit copies to the governor, the majority leader of the senate, the\nspeaker of the assembly, the minority leader of the senate and the\nminority leader of the assembly; and\n h. exercise and perform such other advisory functions related to the\ncommission's or the department's activities conducted pursuant to\nsections 29-0103, 29-0105, 29-0303 and 29-0509 of this article as the\nchairman of the commission or commissioner of environmental conservation\nmay request.\n 3. The department of health shall provide such administrative support\nservices to the citizen advisory committee as may be determined\nreasonable for the proper execution of the committee's responsibilities.\n 4. All agencies and authorities of the state are hereby directed to\ncooperate with the citizen advisory committee in order to facilitate and\nexpedite the responsibilities and duties of the committee.\n