The legislature finds that whenever meteorological conditions occur which reduce the effective volume of air into which air contaminants are introduced, there is a high danger that normal operations at air contaminant sources in the area affected will be detrimental to public health or safety. Whenever such conditions, herein denominated as air pollution episodes, are forecast, there is a need for rapid short-term emission reduction in order to avoid adverse health or safety consequences.

Therefore, it is declared to be the policy of this state that an episode avoidance plan should be developed and implemented for the temporary reduction of emissions during air pollution episodes.

It is further declared that power should be vested in the governor to issue emergency orders for the reduction or discontinuance of emissions when such emissions and weather combine to create conditions imminently dangerous to public health and safety.