(a) In furtherance of the objectives in Section 39741.1, on or before January 1, 2025, the state board shall, in consultation with relevant state and local agencies, adopt regulations for a unified permit application for the construction and operation of carbon dioxide capture, removal, or sequestration projects to expedite the issuance of permits or other authorizations for the construction and operation of those projects. The unified permit application shall solicit from applicants, and direct to all relevant state agencies, all information needed to obtain permits and other authorizations from relevant state and local agencies necessary for the construction and operation of a carbon dioxide capture, removal, or sequestration project. An applicant’s use of the unified permit application shall be optional.

(b) (1) Before adopting the unified permit application described in subdivision (a), the state board shall conduct at least three public workshops to receive comments from the public.

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(2) The state board shall design the workshops to allow the public to participate from any location via the internet or a call-in telephone number.

(c) The unified permit application developed by the state board pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not impair, abridge, or alter any rights or obligations under the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code), or its implementing regulations, with respect to the review or approval of a carbon dioxide capture, removal, or sequestration project.

(d) The unified permit application developed by the state board pursuant to subdivision (a) is for the purpose of efficiency but shall not displace the role of individual permitting agencies and shall not eliminate, abridge, or reduce the review or issuance of the individual permits covered by the application by the respective agencies. As part of the unified permit application, the state board shall, where possible, streamline duplicative administrative requirements or permit application questions.

(e) The unified permit application shall be used by relevant state agencies when issuing a permit or other authorization for the construction and operation of a carbon dioxide capture, removal, or sequestration project.

(Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 359, Sec. 2. (SB 905) Effective January 1, 2023.)