(a)  On or before January 1, 1995, the Secretary for Environmental Protection shall develop a hazardous waste facility regulation and permitting consolidation program, after holding an appropriate number of public hearings throughout the state. The program shall be developed in close consultation with the director and with the executive officers and chairpersons of the State Water Resources Control Board and the California regional water quality control boards, and with affected businesses and interested members of the public, including environmental organizations.

(b)  The hazardous waste facility regulation and permitting consolidation program shall provide for all of the following:

(1)  The grant of sole authority to either the department, or the State Water Resources Control Board and the California regional water quality control boards, to implement and enforce the requirements of Article 6 (commencing with Section 66264.90) of Chapter 14 of, and Article 6 (commencing with Section 66265.90) of Chapter 15 of, Division 4.5 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, but not including Section 66264.100 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, and of Article 5 (commencing with Section 2530) of Chapter 15 of Division 3 of Title 23 of the California Code of Regulations, but not including Sections 2550.10, 2550.11, and 2550.12 of those regulations.

(2)  The development of a process for ensuring, at each facility which conducts offsite hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal activities, or which conducts onsite treatment, storage, or disposal activities which are required to receive a permit under the federal act, and which is required to clean up or abate the effects of a release of a hazardous substance pursuant to Section 13304 of the Water Code, or which is required to take corrective action for a release of hazardous waste or constituents pursuant to Section 25200.10, or both, that sole jurisdiction over the supervision of that action is vested in either the department or the State Water Resources Control Board and the California regional water quality control boards.

(3)  The development of a unified hazardous waste facility permit, issued by the department, which incorporates all conditions, limitations, and requirements imposed by the State Water Resources Control Board or the California regional water quality control boards to protect water quality, and incorporate all conditions, limitations, and requirements imposed by the department pursuant to this chapter.

(4)  The development of a consolidated enforcement and inspection program designed to ensure effective, efficient, and coordinated enforcement of the laws implemented by the department, the State Water Resources Control Board, and the California regional water quality control boards, as those laws relate to facilities conducting offsite hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal activities, and to facilities conducting onsite treatment, storage, and disposal activities which are required to receive a permit under the federal act.

(c)  The Secretary for Environmental Protection may immediately implement those aspects of the program which do not require statutory changes. If the Secretary for Environmental Protection determines that statutory changes are needed to fully implement the program, the secretary shall recommend these changes to the Legislature on or before January 1, 1995. It is the intent of the Legislature that the program be fully implemented not later than January 1, 1996.

(d)  The Secretary for Environmental Protection shall work in close consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency, and shall implement this section only to the extent that doing so will not result in this state losing its authorization to implement the federal act, or its delegation to implement the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1251 et seq.).

(Amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 639, Sec. 45. Effective January 1, 1996.)