BOARD MEETING DATE: March 12, 1999 AGENDA NO. 42B
PROPOSAL:
Receive and File Permit Streamlining Study Report
SYNOPSIS:
As part of the Board Chairman's permit streamlining initiative, AVES, an Affiliate of ATC Associates, was retained by the AQMD in September 1998, to provide an independent and comprehensive review of AQMD's permit system and to recommend specific steps for permit streamlining. This final report details its findings and conclusions. Information from this study along with other ideas from Permit Streamlining Task Force members, industry, permit applicants, and staff were used to formulate the Task Force's final recommendations to the Board.
COMMITTEE:
Permit Streamlining Task Force, November 6, 1998, December 18, 1998, January 29, 1999 and February 5, 1999. Discussed.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive and file.
Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer
Background
The Permit Streamlining Task Force (Task Force) was formed in April 1998 as part of the Board Chairman's permit streamlining initiative, to help develop specific recommendations that would expedite processing of permits for conventional, Title V and RECLAIM facilities and operations. The Task Force is chaired by Board Vice-Chair Norma Glover and includes Board Members Mayor Loveridge and, until recently, Supervisor Silva, as well as eight other members, which include industry and environmental/community group representatives. Also, Mohsen Nazemi, the AQMD's Permit Streamlining Ombudsman, and the Permit Streamlining staff have been working with the Task Force to assist in development and implementation of various streamlining initiatives.
The Task Force and staff recommended and the Board approved hiring a contractor to conduct an independent review of the AQMD's permitting programs and to recommend solutions for consideration by the Task Force. The Board approved the release of Request for Proposal on June 12, 1998 and the awarding of a contract to AVES, an affiliate of ATC Associates Inc (AVES), on August 14, 1998. In addition, a facilitator was hired to conduct brainstorming meeting with staff and members of the public. Since hired, AVES and its sub-contractors participated in all of the PSTF meetings, the facilitated brainstorming sessions, conducted their own interviews with permitting managers and staff, conducted a survey of selected permit applicants and also surveyed best practices at other permitting agencies and organizations, to prepare their report.
Report
AVES and its sub-contractors discussed their findings and observations with the Task Force and AQMD’s staff and incorporated suggestions and feedback from these groups in finalizing their report. Attached to this letter is the executive summary of AVES’ Final Permit Streamlining Report, dated February, 1999. Information from this report, along with other ideas from Permit Streamlining Task Force members, industry, permit applicants, and staff, were used to formulate the Task Force's final recommendations to the Board.
Executive Summary of Final Permit Streamlining Report
(Due to the size of the full Final Permit Streamlining Report, copies have been provided to Board members only. A hard copy is available for review at the Public Information Center and the AQMD Library.)
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