§ 138. Small business pollution prevention and environmental compliance ombudsman program. 1. There is hereby established within the division for small businesses a small business pollution prevention and environmental compliance ombudsman program. The primary purpose of such program is to represent small businesses on issues relating to pollution prevention and compliance with the environmental conservation law.

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2. The department shall, through the small business pollution prevention and environmental compliance ombudsman program, provide the following services:

a. soliciting input from small businesses regarding pollution prevention and compliance with the environmental conservation law, including interacting with organizations representing small businesses such as trade associations or other entities;

b. participating in, facilitating and promoting the participation of small businesses in the development and implementation of rules and regulations adopted pursuant to the environmental conservation law;

c. participating in and sponsoring meetings with the department of environmental conservation, local environmental agencies, industry groups and small business representatives;

d. providing guidance and recommendations to the department of environmental conservation on the development, content and operation of the small business pollution prevention and environmental compliance assistance program as created by section 28-0109 of the environmental conservation law;

e. distributing to small businesses information and materials on pollution prevention and the requirements of the environmental conservation law;

f. reporting to the pollution prevention and environmental compliance coordinating council as established pursuant to section 28-0111 of the environmental conservation law on any problems or difficulties experienced by small businesses in complying with the environmental conservation law, including the degree and severity of enforcement;

g. aiding in the investigation and resolution of complaints and disputes from small businesses against the department of environmental conservation and local environmental authorities;

h. conducting periodic evaluations of all aspects of the small business pollution prevention and environmental compliance assistance program created pursuant to section 28-0109 of the environmental conservation law including reviewing the work and services of the program with trade associations and representatives of small business;

i. reviewing and providing comments and recommendations to the United States environmental protection agency and the department of environmental conservation regarding the development and implementation of regulations that impact small businesses;

j. arranging for and assisting in the preparation of guidance documents by the small business pollution prevention and environmental compliance assistance program as required pursuant to section 28-0109 of the environmental conservation law to ensure that the language is readily understandable by the layperson;

k. referring small businesses to specialists for information and assistance on affordable alternative technologies, process changes, products and operational methods to help achieve pollution prevention;

l. providing information to small businesses on state-sponsored programs offering financial and technical assistance, and in locating sources of funding for pollution prevention and compliance with the requirements of the environmental conservation law; and

m. establishing procedures for assuring the confidentiality of information received from small businesses.

3. The small business pollution prevention and environmental compliance ombudsman program shall coordinate its services with the office of waste prevention services established pursuant to article fourteen of this chapter.