(a)
(1)The state board or a regional board, upon receipt of applications for waste discharge requirements for discharges of dewatered, treated, or chemically fixed sewage sludge and other biological solids, shall prescribe general waste discharge requirements for that sludge and those other solids. General waste discharge requirements shall replace individual waste discharge requirements for sewage sludge and other biological solids, and their prescription shall be considered to be a ministerial action.
(2)
The general waste discharge requirements shall set minimum standards for agronomic applications of sewage sludge and other biological solids and the use of
that sludge and those other solids as a soil amendment or fertilizer in agriculture, forestry, and surface mining reclamation, and may permit the transportation of that sludge and those other solids and the use of that sludge and those other solids at more than one site. The requirements shall include provisions to mitigate significant environmental impacts, potential soil erosion, odors, the degradation of surface water quality or fish or wildlife habitat, the accidental release of hazardous substances, and any potential hazard to the public health or safety.
(b)
The state board or a regional board, in prescribing general waste discharge requirements pursuant to this section, shall comply with Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code and guidelines adopted pursuant to that division, and shall consult with the State Air Resources Board, the Department of Food and Agriculture, and the Department of Resources
Recycling and Recovery.
(c)
The state board or a regional board may charge a reasonable fee to cover the costs incurred by the board in the administration of the application process relating to the general waste discharge requirements prescribed pursuant to this section.
(d)
Notwithstanding any other law, except as specified in subdivisions (f) to (i), inclusive, general waste discharge requirements prescribed by a regional board pursuant to this section supersede regulations adopted by any other state agency to regulate sewage sludge and other biological solids applied directly to agricultural lands at agronomic rates.
(e)
The state board or a regional board shall review general waste discharge requirements for possible amendment upon the request of any state agency, including, but not limited to, the Department of
Food and Agriculture and the State Department of Public Health, if the board determines that the request is based on new information.
(f)
This section is not intended to affect the jurisdiction of the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery to regulate the handling of sewage sludge or other biological solids for composting, deposit in a landfill, or other use.
(g)
This section is not intended to affect the jurisdiction of the State Air Resources Board or an air pollution control district or air quality management district to regulate the handling of sewage sludge or other biological solids for incineration.
(h)
This section is not intended to affect the jurisdiction of the Department of Food and Agriculture in enforcing Sections 14591 and 14631 of the Food and Agricultural Code and any regulations adopted
pursuant to those sections, regarding the handling of sewage sludge and other biological solids sold or used as fertilizer or as a soil amendment.
(i)
This section does not restrict the authority of a local government agency to regulate the application of sewage sludge and other biological solids to land within the jurisdiction of that agency, including, but not limited to, the planning authority of the Delta Protection Commission, the resource management plan of which is required to be implemented by local government general plans.