(a) The secretary may immediately implement those aspects of the unified program which do not require statutory changes. If the secretary determines that statutory changes are needed to fully implement the program, the secretary shall recommend those changes to the Legislature on or before March 1, 1995, so that the changes, if approved by the Legislature, can be implemented as part of the program by January 1, 1996.

(b) The secretary shall work in close consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency, and shall implement this chapter only to the extent that doing so will not result in this state losing its authorization or delegation to implement the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 6901 et seq.), the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1251 et seq.), the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 11001 et seq.), and any other applicable federal laws.

(c) The secretary shall adopt regulations necessary for the orderly administration and implementation of the unified program. The regulations shall include, but are not limited to, performance standards to guide the secretary in evaluating unified program agencies including evaluation of fee accountability and enforcement activities. The secretary shall adopt those regulations as emergency regulations in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and for the purposes of that chapter, including Section 11349.6 of the Government Code, the adoption of the regulations is an emergency and shall be considered by the Office of Administrative Law as necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, and general welfare.

(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 144, Sec. 10. Effective July 19, 2000.)