CBIA’s 2007
Government Affairs Program:

 

Environment and Land Use

 

Goal: Adopt environmental and land-use policies that promote sustainable economic growth, job creation, and improved environmental quality through effective and efficient management of natural resources.

 

Recommendations:

Standards

• Base environmental standards and regulations on consideration of both scientific and economic considerations.
• Ensure that proposed environmental standards and regulations reflect a thorough consideration of the latest federal standards.
• Adopt clear and reasonable state standards for the reporting of spills and follow the federal reporting standards until state standards are adopted.
• Revise state cleanup standards and the state Transfer Act to allow for more expedited cleanups with reasonable and defined endpoints.

Development

• Adopt a new system for fostering brownfield redevelopment that focuses on maximizing private sector incentive and minimizing government hurdles; revising liability laws, and assigning a single authority with the responsibility and accountability for accelerating brownfield redevelopment.

Enforcement

• Implement a transparent, predictable and consistent enforcement program that places greater emphasis on compliance assistance, penalizes entities that disregard environmental compliance, and ensures timely documentation of inspection results and compliance with notices of violation.

Permitting

• Use stakeholders to help the DEP identify opportunities to streamline its operations including the permit application, modification and renewal processes.

Read CBIA's Priorities for 2007