Mississippi § 57-49-7 - Composition of nuclear waste policy advisory council; qualifications, appointment, terms of office and compensation of members; officers.

§ 57-49-7. Composition of nuclear waste policy advisory council; qualifications, appointment, terms of office and compensation of members; officers.

The Nuclear Waste Policy Advisory Council hereby created and hereinafter referred to as the “council” shall exercise the powers and duties and discharge the responsibilities enumerated herein. The council shall consist of the following members, each of whom shall be a qualified elector. Two (2) members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives from among the membership of the House; two (2) members shall be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor from among the membership of the Senate; four (4) members shall be appointed by the Governor or his designee, one (1) of whom shall be a member of the Governor’s staff, one (1) of whom shall be a member of a statewide, chartered, public interest group, one (1) of whom shall be a resident from the various counties, except Perry County, which comprise the Fifth Congressional District of the State of Mississippi as it exists on the date of the passage of this chapter and one (1) of whom shall be from Perry County at large; one (1) member who shall be the Executive Director of the Department of Environmental Quality or his designee; one (1) member who shall be the Attorney General or his staff designee and who shall serve in a nonvoting capacity; one (1) member shall be appointed by the Perry County Board of Supervisors from among the nongovernmental members of the general public legally residing in Perry County; and one (1) member shall be appointed by the Town of Richton Board of Aldermen from among the nongovernmental members of the general public legally residing in the Town of Richton, Perry County, Mississippi; one (1) member shall be appointed by the New Augusta Board of Aldermen from among the nongovernmental members of the general public legally residing in the Town of New Augusta, Perry County, Mississippi; one (1) member shall be appointed by the Beaumont Board of Aldermen from among the nongovernmental members of the general public legally residing in Beaumont, Perry County, Mississippi; and one (1) member shall be appointed by the board of supervisors of each county in the State of Mississippi wherein an operational commercial nuclear facility is located. A chairman and a secretary shall be elected annually from among the membership of the council. The members shall be appointed to serve terms of two (2) years. Vacancies in office shall be filled by appointment in the same manner as the original appointment to the position which becomes vacant. An appointment to fill a vacancy other than by expiration of a term of office shall be for the balance of the unexpired term. The members of the council shall receive reimbursement for mileage and actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties at the rate authorized by Section 25-3-41. Members of the council who are state employees shall be reimbursed for those expenses incurred which are authorized by Section 25-3-41. Provided that funding is available under Section 57-49-39, the members of the council shall receive per diem compensation at the rate authorized by Section 25-3-69 for each day spent in the actual discharge of their duties when attending a meeting of the council.