HB193 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Tommy Hanes

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Biosolids composed of human fertilizer, reg. by ADEM, minimum standard set out, enforcement, tax on delivery of biosolids used to administer act

Summary

HB 193 would require ADEMs to regulate biosolids made from treated human sewage used as fertilizer, enforce the rules, and impose a $20-per-ton tax on delivery to fund administration.

What This Bill Does

The bill authorizes the Alabama Department of Environmental Management to regulate the use of biosolids on land for farming and to enforce these rules. It sets specific application, storage, and handling standards (such as injection or tilling within 24 hours, grazing rules with a distance from dwellings, no runoff, and 60-day water monitoring), requires compliance with federal standards, and imposes penalties for violations. It also creates a $20-per-ton privilege license/excise tax on biosolids sold or delivered, with revenue collected by the Department of Revenue and directed to a special account for ADEMs administration and enforcement. In addition, it requires disclosures related to land use and livestock/products when biosolids have been applied.

Who It Affects

• Landowners or entities seeking to apply biosolids to land for agricultural purposes (must follow application, storage, monitoring, and disclosure requirements).
• Sellers or deliverers of biosolids and related livestock businesses (must pay the $20-per-ton tax, handle licensing/collection, and make required disclosures in sales and processing).

Key Provisions

• ADEM is authorized to regulate biosolids (treated human sewage) used as fertilizer or soil amendment and enforce the act.
• Application rules: biosolids may be injected or tilled into soil within 24 hours if applied on the ground; grazing applications require a setback of 1,320 feet from nearby dwellings; no runoff into streams; 60-day monitoring of ditches/streams for contaminants.
• Storage rules: up to 150 cubic yards may be stored; storage distance from dwellings; containment requirements; temporary storage up to 60 days with silt fence and tarpaulin; containment of runoff.
• Transportation rule: biosolids transported to application sites must avoid contaminating public roads.
• Disclosure rules: landowners must disclose biosolids applications to prospective buyers; livestock buyers and processing facilities must be informed if biosolids were used on land or if feed/livestock came from such land.
• Enforcement and penalties: administrative fines up to $1,000 per violation.
• Tax provisions: a $20 per ton privilege license/excise tax on biosolids sold or delivered; collected by the Department of Revenue, with 10% of collections for cost of collection; net proceeds deposited into a special ADEMs administration/enforcement account.
• Effective date: the act becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval.
• The act is supplemental and does not repeal other laws unless they directly conflict.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Environmental Management Department