Cal/EPA Joins Five Other States in Environmental Technology Agreement

For Immediate Release (C-19-96)
Contact: Communications Office (916) 324-9670
June 4, 1996

555 Capitol Mall, Suite 525
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 324-9670
FAX (916) 445-5563

WASHINGTON DC -- The nation's most aggressive state sponsored program to promote innovative environmental technologies today expanded to include New York and Pennsylvania. State executives from California, Illinois, Massachusetts and New Jersey, meeting in Washington, welcomed the two new states to the partnership which fosters cooperative approval and permitting for environmental technologies. The six states plan to launch a demonstration project with 12 technologies this summer to open up interstate markets, and better position US companies in the $400 billion global environmental technology marketplace.

"It is exciting to expand the scope of our cutting-edge environmental technology partnership. California has already certified 26 technologies and the agreement we signed today to establish common evaluation and data exchange procedures will help add new technologies from across the country to that list. Our achievements to date are testament to the environmental progress which can be achieved through cooperation between states," California Secretary for Environmental Protection James M. Strock said.

The memorandum of understanding signed at a meeting of state and federal environmental officials not only adds New York and Pennsylvania to an existing environmental technology partnership, but also establishes a 12 technology pilot program to help develop new data exchange and review procedures. Through this pilot project, the states will be able to identify common data and review protocols which will lead to expedited review and approval in the other five states once a technology has been approved in a lead state.

Much of the work that goes into environmental permitting may be applied beyond state borders. The reciprocity agreement formed under this MOU will enable participating states to take advantage of that knowledge and information. Site specific conditions and individual state regulatory requirements will always be necessary, but through this reciprocal agreement, states will improve their ability to rapidly approve, permit and certify technologies for both environmental and economic benefits.

Researchers and developers of emerging environmental technologies often cite the difficulty and redundancy of state environmental approval procedures as a major barrier to the quick deployment of their products to protect and restore the environment. The six states in the partnership recognize the environmental importance of accelerating the use of new technologies and the economic importance of promoting the growing $400 billion global environmental technology industry.

Comments made by other state officials at the ceremony include:

"New Jersey is committed to the goal of promoting the use of environmental technology in our state. Through the actions outlined in the amended MOU, there is a clear direction for this effort. New Jersey is proud to be part of this effort and I welcome our neighbors - New York and Pennsylvania - into this project," Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Robert C. Shinn, Jr. said.

"New York is pleased to join with these other states to formalize our commitment for cooperation between the states to assist in the development and proliferation of innovative environmental technologies. These efforts are consistent with our mandate to find better, scientifically-based, more cost effective and easier ways in which to protect and clean the environment.

Further, this process will allow technology that is developed in New York to reach a larger market with less effort," Executive Deputy Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Gary Spielmann said.

"The environmental industry has long been a mainstay of the Massachusetts economy and the development and commercialization of new environmental technologies is the key to maintaining that success. This landmark agreement allows Massachusetts to leverage our existing resources, to open up interstate markets to our entrepreneurs and to enhance our ability to identify and promote the use of innovative environmental technologies in Massachusetts.  I look forward to working with my colleagues in the other five states and I want to thank the Department of Energy for their support of this interstate effort," Massachusetts Secretary for Environmental Affairs Trudy Coxe said.

"We are committed to achieving environmental progress through state partnerships, and I am once again pleased to take part in this exciting event. When one state agrees to accept another state's evaluation of improved pollution prevention and waste management technologies, everyone benefits from the efficiencies of such cooperative efforts," Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Mary Gade said.

"To take the next step in environmental protection and improvements, we need to encourage new ideas -- to be smarter by realizing that economic benefits frequently come when environmental improvements go beyond current standards. Pennsylvania is pleased to participate in this project with other states to make it as easy as possible for innovative companies to introduce, share and profit from their green technologies. The environment will be the ultimate beneficiary," Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Secretary James M. Seif said.

Copies of the Memorandum of Understanding can be obtained from www.calepa.ca.gov or by calling (916) 324-9670.

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