ANALYSIS OF HB 1792

House Agriculture & Ecology Committee                                        February 19, 1997

BACKGROUND:

California has created technology certification programs to verify the performance of various environmental technologies.  The purpose of the certification program is to reduce the amount of project specific review that occurs when evaluating a particular technology.  The Department of Ecology participates in a multi-state forum that was formed, in part, to expedite the permitting process for environmental technologies.  The California technology certification program does not include certification of technologies related to nuclear and mixed waste remediation. "Mixed waste" contains both radioactive and hazardous waste. 

SUMMARY:

When requested by a project proponent, the Department of Ecology is directed to use information from a technology certification program in making permit decisions relating to air, solid waste, hazardous waste, and water, if the certification program has been approved by the Department. Local governments that have received delegated regulatory authority from the Department may use information from an approved certification program when making regulatory decisions. 

The Department is authorized to develop a certification program for technologies not covered by an existing certification program.  All start-up costs must be financed using federal or private funds.  The Department must charge a fee to recover the costs of operating the certification program.  The Department must use the information in regulatory decisions if it creates a technology certification program.