(1) The legislature finds that:

(a) New and innovative environmental technologies can help improve environmental quality at lower costs;

(b) Current regulatory processes often include permits or approvals that require applicants to duplicate costly technical analysis;

(c) The commercialization of innovative environmental technologies can be discouraged due to the costs of repeated environmental analysis;

(d) The regulatory process can be improved by sharing and relying on information generated through demonstration projects and technical certification programs; and

(e) Other states have developed programs to certify environmental technologies in order to streamline the permitting process and to encourage use of environmental technologies.

(2) The legislature therefore declares that the department shall:

(a) Review environmental technology certification programs established by other states or federal agencies, and enter into agreements to use the information from these programs if the department finds that this information will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the state’s environmental regulatory process; and

(b) Participate in technology demonstration activities that support the state’s needs for environmental technology.