49-554. Technical assistance review

A. The department of environmental quality, with the assistance of the governor's energy office and state universities, shall develop a program to:

1. Expedite testing and certification of technological developments related to improving air quality through a reduction in vehicle emissions.

2. Develop incentives to encourage development and innovation of technologies that improve air quality through a reduction in vehicle emissions.

3. Establish a board with technical expertise to assist developers of promising technologies with the emission certification processes of the California air resources board and the United States environmental protection agency. The board shall:

(a) Perform an initial evaluation of the technology including a review of existing test data.

(b) Develop procedures to apply those technologies in this state that have been certified by the California air resources board, the United States environmental protection agency or this state.

(c) Recommend a program of incentives to encourage private entities to use technologies that have been reviewed and approved by the board.

(d) Recommend legislation requiring the use of approved technologies by the state and political subdivisions.

(e) Recommend a credit trading and banking program to encourage innovative solutions to the reduction of emissions from all sources.

B. The department may enter into intergovernmental agreements and memorandums of understanding to accomplish the purposes of this section.