(a)  If an action or proceeding has been commenced in any court to attack, review, set aside, void, or annul the acts or decisions of a lead agency for a specified hazardous waste facility project on the grounds of noncompliance with Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code, the proponent may, notwithstanding the action or proceeding, request the responsible agencies for the specified hazardous waste facility project to continue to process applications for approval of permits for the project received and accepted as complete by each responsible agency. If a responsible agency receives such a request, the time limits specified in subdivisions (a), (b), and (c) of Section 25199.6 shall apply.

(b)  Except as provided in subdivision (d), if any action or proceeding is commenced to review the acts or decisions of a lead or responsible agency for a specified hazardous waste facility project, the proponent may petition the court to stay the action or proceeding. The court, in its discretion, may stay the action or proceeding until all public agencies for the project have completed reviewing and approving or disapproving the applications for permits for the project. The proponent may, at any time prior to completion of these actions by the lead or responsible agencies, file a petition with the court requesting that the action or proceeding be permitted to proceed and, upon receiving such a petition, the court shall discontinue the stay.

(c)  Notwithstanding subdivision (b), a court may enjoin a lead or responsible agency from approving a permit or license if the court finds that the approval would result in an imminent or substantial endangerment of the public health or the environment or if there are other compelling reasons that the action or proceeding should not be stayed.

(d)  Subdivision (b) does not apply to an action or proceeding which alleges that a lead or responsible agency has not complied with Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code.

(Amended by Stats. 1989, Ch. 1354, Sec. 2. Effective October 2, 1989.)