Board of Public Utilities reports; contents

14. a. The Board of Public Utilities shall, within 30 months of the effective date of this amendatory and supplementary act, submit a preliminary report to the Governor and the Legislature concerning the implementation of P.L.1991, c.381 (C.48:13A-7.1 et al.). The board shall provide interested parties and the general public with an opportunity to submit written comments on the contents of the preliminary report in a manner to be determined by the board. b. The board shall, within 36 months of the effective date of this amendatory and supplementary act, submit a final report to the Governor and the Legislature concerning the implementation of P.L.1991, c.381 (C.48:13A-7.1 et al.). The final report shall include, but need not be limited to: (1) An evaluation of the success of solid waste collection rate bands in promoting competition within the solid waste collection industry while at the same time ensuring safe, adequate and proper solid waste collection services at competitive rates; (2) An evaluation of the success of solid waste collection rate bands in eliminating predatory pricing and other anticompetitive activities within the solid waste collection industry; (3) An evaluation of the success of uniform specifications for municipal solid waste collection contracts in promoting competition within the solid waste collection industry while at the same time ensuring safe, adequate and proper municipal solid waste collection services at competitive rates; (4) An assessment of the economic viability and competitiveness of the solid waste collection industry and a recommendation, as warranted by the circumstances, as to whether the termination of rate regulation of the solid waste collection industry by the board will promote meaningful competition and ensure efficient solid waste collection services at competitive rates; and (5) A summary of any written comments submitted by interested parties or the general public on the contents of the preliminary report required pursuant to subsection a. of this section.