The Legislature further finds and declares all of the following:

(a)  The people of the State of California have a primary interest in safeguarding the air quality in the state from degradation and in ensuring the enhancement of the air quality of the state.

(b)  Emissions from nonvehicular sources are a significant contributing factor to unhealthful levels of air pollution in California. These emissions must be controlled to protect public health and the environment, and to allow the economic benefits of new and expanded business in this state without compromising those important goals.

(c)  Under state law, air quality management districts and air pollution control districts have primary responsibility for controlling air pollution caused by nonvehicular sources, including stationary sources. The primary mechanism for controlling pollution from new and modified stationary sources is the existing new source review program of the districts. The application of the new source review programs requires that all new and modified sources, unless specifically exempted, must apply control technology and offset emissions increases as a condition of receiving a permit.

(d)  The districts generally require the application of the lowest achievable emission rate, also known as California BACT, to achieve the necessary level of emission control from new or modified sources.

(e)  The requirement for California BACT, offsets, and other requirements are set out in the rules and regulations adopted by the districts to establish the new source review program. These rules and regulations, which typically are more stringent than the minimum requirements established by federal law, are reviewed and approved by the state board and transmitted to the U.S. E.P.A. for inclusion in the SIP.

(f)  The districts have one of the most effective new source review programs in the nation, with requirements for advanced emission control technology on new and expanding sources as its foundation. This technology-based program succeeds by requiring application of emission control technology at the time of construction or when a source undergoes a significant modification, which maximizes the emission reduction benefits and reduces costs.

(g)  With this and other programs, California has been able to improve air quality despite increases in population, industrial output, and motor vehicle use. However, significant areas of the state still do not meet the federal or state ambient air quality standards, which are set at levels necessary to protect public health and welfare. Any rollback of the new source review program, as a result of the federal “reforms,” would exacerbate the continuing air pollution challenges faced by the state and delay attainment of the state and federal ambient air quality standards.

(Added by Stats. 2003, Ch. 476, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2004.)