(a)  The department shall develop a permitting process for transportable hazardous waste treatment units for treating hazardous waste in accordance with the federal act and in accordance with this chapter for hazardous wastes that are not otherwise subject to the federal act. The permitting process shall require the units to be permitted pursuant to the regulations of the department for operation pursuant to a permit-by-rule, a hazardous waste facilities permit, or pursuant to the regulations of the department for operation under a standardized permit adopted pursuant to Section 25201.6, whichever the department determines to be appropriate, by regulation, depending on the nature of the treatment units and the type of hazardous waste to be treated, and without regard to whether the units are determined to be onsite or offsite treatment units.

(b)  (1)  The operator of a transportable hazardous waste treatment unit shall pay the same annual fee as facilities authorized to operate pursuant to a permit-by-rule specified in subdivision (a) of Section 25205.14. The operator of a unit is exempt from paying the facility fee specified in Section 25205.2 for any year or reporting period during which the unit was operating for any activity authorized under permit, except as specified in subdivision (b) of Section 25205.12.

(2)  The department shall report on the actual costs of managing the transportable hazardous waste treatment units in the annual onsite treatment report required pursuant to subparagraph (D) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 25171.5. Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Legislature may authorize the department to recover the costs to manage the transportable treatment units should the actual costs exceed the revenue raised by the fees specified in Section 25205.14.

(c)  A transportable hazardous waste treatment unit operating pursuant to a hazardous waste facilities permit, a standardized permit, or pursuant to the department’s regulations for operation under a permit-by-rule may operate at a facility for a period not to exceed one year. If the owner or operator of the transportable hazardous waste treatment unit shows cause, the department may authorize up to two extensions of this period, of six months duration, during which the transportable hazardous waste treatment unit may operate at the facility, if the department reviews the justification for the extension request after the first six-month period.

(d)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, if, as of March 1, 1996, the department has not issued proposed regulations, or has not adopted emergency regulations, to implement the changes made to this section by the act adding this subdivision, until the department issues or adopts those regulations, the department shall regulate all transportable treatment units operating pursuant to a permit-by-rule on January 1, 1996, pursuant to the regulations adopted by the department with regard to permit-by-rule, and shall regulate all transportable treatment units operating pursuant to a hazardous waste facilities permit on January 1, 1996, pursuant to the regulations providing for a standardized permit.

(Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 778, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1998.)