(a)  No district shall issue or renew a permit for the construction of, renew a permit for the operation of, or issue a determination of compliance for, any project which burns municipal waste or refuse-derived fuel unless all of the following conditions have been met:

(1)  The project will not prevent or interfere with the attainment or maintenance of state and federal ambient air quality standards.

(2)  The project will comply with all applicable emission limitations established prior to issuance of the permit or the determination of compliance.

(3)  The project will, after issuance of the permit or determination of compliance, comply with toxic air contaminant control measures adopted by the district pursuant to Section 39666, and regulations adopted by the district pursuant to Section 41700 for the protection of public health. Notwithstanding Section 42301. 5, compliance with this subdivision shall be consistent with a reasonable schedule, as determined by the district.

(4)  (A)  A health risk assessment is performed and is submitted by the district to both the state board and the State Department of Health Services for review. The state board shall review and, within 15 days, notify the district and the applicant as to whether the data pertaining to emissions and their impact on ambient air quality are adequate for completing its review pursuant to this subdivision, and what additional data, if any, are required to complete its review. Within 45 days of receiving the health risk assessment, the state board shall submit its comments in writing to the district, on the data pertaining to emissions and their impact on ambient air quality. The district shall forward a copy of the comments of the state board to the State Department of Health Services. The State Department of Health Services shall review and, within 90 days of receiving the health risk assessment, shall submit its comments to the district on the data and findings relating to health effects.

(B)  For purposes of complying with the requirements of this paragraph, the State Department of Health Services may select a qualified independent contractor to review the data and findings relating to health effects. In those cases, the review by the independent contractor shall comply with the following requirements:

(i)  Be performed in a manner consistent with guidelines provided by the state department.

(ii)  Be reviewed by the state department for accuracy and completeness.

(iii)  Be submitted by the state department to the district in accordance with the schedules established by this paragraph.

(C)  Notwithstanding § 6103 of the Government Code, the district shall reimburse the State Department of Health Services, or a qualified independent contractor designated by the state department pursuant to subparagraph (B), for its actual costs incurred in reviewing a health risk assessment for any project subject to this section.

(D)  An application for any project which burns municipal waste or refuse-derived fuel is not complete until both of the following have been accomplished:

(i)  The health risk assessment has been performed and is submitted to the district.

(ii)  The state board and the State Department of Health Services, or a qualified independent contractor designated by the state department pursuant to subparagraph (B) have completed their review pursuant to this paragraph, and have submitted their comments to the district, unless the state board and the State Department of Health Services have failed to submit their comments to the district within 90 days and the district makes a finding that the application contains sufficient information for the district to begin its initial review.

(E)  This paragraph shall not apply to an application for permit renewal for any project otherwise subject to this section.

(5)  The district finds and determines, based upon the health risk assessment, comments from the state board and the State Department of Health Services, and any other relevant information, that no significant increase in the risk of illness or mortality, including, but not limited to, increases in the risk of cancer and birth defects, is anticipated as a result of air pollution from the construction and operation of the project. This paragraph shall not apply to an application for permit renewal for any project otherwise subject to this section.

(6)  Prior to, and during, commercial operation of the project, periodic monitoring of emissions, including, but not limited to, toxic air contaminants, is performed pursuant to specifications established by the district.

(b)  This section does not prohibit a district from requiring ambient air monitoring under any other provision of law.

(c)  This section does not apply to any project which does any of the following:

(1)  Exclusively burns digester gas produced from manure or other animal solid or semisolid waste.

(2)  Exclusively burns methane gas produced from a disposal site as defined in § 66714.1 of the Government Code, which is used only for the disposal of solid waste as defined in § 66719 of the Government Code.

(3)  Exclusively burns forest, agricultural, wood, or other biomass wastes.

Nothing in this subdivision is intended to prohibit a district from requiring those projects to meet one or more of the conditions of this section.

(d)  Nothing in this section prohibits the permit applicant from entering into a contract with any person pursuant to which the person may enforce this section or any other provision of law.

(Added by Stats. 1986, Ch. 1134, Sec. 3. Note: See this section as modified on July 17, 1991, in Governor’s Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1991.)