News Release (C-21-98)

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For Immediate Release (C-21-98) Contact: Communications Office (916) 324-9670 October 30, 1998

South Orange County's Permit Consolidation Zone is Approved

SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY -- Secretary for Environmental Protection Peter M. Rooney today led scores of officials from 23 state and local agencies in signing an agreement establishing a South Orange County Permit Consolidation Zone.

"While this Permit Consolidation Zone affords South Orange County an opportunity to enhance environmental compliance of significant importance, it will expedite environmental permit processing," Secretary Rooney said. "The Zone pilot program will also enable us to collectively evaluate the single facility compliance plan as a possible new model for environmental regulation in California," he added.

SB 1299 (Peace, Chapter 872, Statutes of 1991) created a pilot program to test substituting a single facility compliance plan for separate environmental permits for air, water, hazardous materials, sewer discharges and biological resources. The South Orange County communities applied to be designated a Zone and the State approved the application.

The Zone’s Participating Agencies Agreement signing ceremony was held at the Irvine Spectrum Center which is located in the center of the Irvine Spectrum Business Park housing approximately 2,400 businesses with a total of 42,000 employees. Technology manufacturing and other companies in the Irvine Spectrum are potential beneficiaries of the Zone’s new facility compliance plans.

The Zone covers the cities of Irvine, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Beach, San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point, San Clemente, and adjacent County of Orange unincorporated areas. The environmental permitting agencies include: Cal/EPA, Department of Toxic Substances Control, Regional Water Quality Control Boards, Integrated Waste Management Board, State Department of Fish and Game, Air Resources Board, South Coast Air Quality Management District, County of Orange Environmental Health Division, Orange County Fire Authority, Irvine Ranch Water District, South East Regional Reclamation Authority and the Aliso Water Management Agency.

"In creating this Zone, we reaffirm our commitment to increasing the efficiency of government processes and assisting businesses complying with the nation’s highest environmental standards," Secretary Rooney said.

For more information on California’s Permit Consolidation Zones, please call Cal/EPA’s External Affairs Unit at (916) 323-2520.

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1998 Releases | Archived Press Releases