HB 555: Solid Waste Facilities (2026)

Summary: Moves Idaho’s solid waste regulatory framework from public health districts to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, consolidating authority with minor changes to regulatory requirements and review.

ICL’s Position: Neutral

Current Bill Status: Passed through House

Issue Areas: Pollution, Waste

House Bill 555 would transfer regulatory authority over solid waste and landfills in Idaho from the state’s seven public health districts to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Based on our analysis, the scope of the state’s regulatory authority would not materially change. Rather, the bill’s primary objective is to standardize landfill compliance requirements and procedures statewide. DEQ already plays a technical role in reviewing landfill design and regulatory compliance and is therefore well positioned to assume this expanded responsibility. Because the underlying human health and environmental protections governing solid waste and landfills would remain largely unchanged, ICL does not have a specific concern with this bill.