The Southwest Arkansas Regional Solid Waste Management District Board shall be responsible for overseeing and implementing the following planning controls and authorities for the units of local government comprising the six-county Southwest Arkansas Regional Solid Waste Management District:

1. (1)

   1. (A) Prepare a regional needs assessment evaluating the solid waste management needs within the district.
   2. (B) The assessment shall be presented to the Division of Environmental Quality as required.

   3. (C) The assessment shall include, at the minimum, the following:

      1. (i) An evaluation of the amount of solid waste generated within the district and the amount of remaining disposal capacity, expressed in years, at the solid waste disposal facilities within the district that are permitted by the division;
      2. (ii) An evaluation of the needs of all localities within the district as to the adequacy or inadequacy of solid waste collection, transportation, and disposal within those localities; and
      3. (iii) An evaluation and balancing of the environmental, economic, and other relevant factors which would be implicated by acceptance of solid waste from beyond the boundaries of the district;
2. (2) Update the regional needs assessment as required by the division;
3. (3) No later than five (5) years before the disposal capacity of the district reaches its projected capacity, the board shall seek requests for proposals to increase the district’s projected capacity for solid waste disposal within the district according to the regional needs assessment;

4. (4)

   1. (A) On or after January 31, 1991, issue or deny the issue of certificates of need to applicant seeking a solid waste landfill permit from the division.

   2. (B) The board shall ensure that the applicant's petition:

      1. (i) Is consistent with the regional needs assessment;
      2. (ii) Does not conflict with land use plans;
      3. (iii) Does not disturb archeological or rare species sites; and
      4. (iv) Will not adversely affect the public use of local, state, or federal facilities; and
5. (5) Conduct public hearings on certificate of need applications.