Article 6.3. Technology Demonstration Program of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 20. >> Chapter 6.8. >> Article 6.3.

Notwithstanding Section 25355.5, the department shall carry out a program of full-scale demonstrations to evaluate treatment technologies that can be safely utilized for removal and remedial actions to hazardous substance releases.

For the purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:
  (a) "Treatment technologies" means methods, techniques, or processes, including proprietary or patented methods, that permanently alter the composition of hazardous substances at hazardous substance release sites through chemical, biological, or physical means so as to make the substances nonhazardous or to significantly reduce the toxicity, mobility, or volume, or any combination thereof, of the hazardous substances or contaminated materials being treated.
  (b) "Full-scale demonstration" means a demonstration of a technology that is of a size or capacity which permits valid comparison of the technology to the technical performance and cost of conventional technologies, that is likely to be cost-effective, and that will result in a substantial or complete remedial or removal action to a hazardous substance release site.

The department shall select technology demonstration projects to be evaluated pursuant to this article using criteria that include, at a minimum, all of the following requirements:
  (a) The project proposal includes complete and adequate documentation of technical feasibility.
  (b) The project proposal includes evidence that a technology has been sufficiently developed for full-scale demonstration and can likely operate on a cost-effective basis.
  (c) The department has determined that a site is available and suitable for demonstrating the technology or technologies, taking into account the physical, biological, chemical, and geological characteristics of the site, the extent and type of contamination found at the site, and the capability to conduct demonstration projects in a manner to ensure the protection of human health and the environment.
  (d) The technology to be demonstrated preferably has widespread applicability in removal and remedial actions at other sites in the state.
  (e) The project will be developed to the extent that a successful demonstration on a hazardous substance release site may lead to commercial utilization by responsible parties at other sites in the state.
  (f) The department has determined that adequate funding is available from one or more of the following sources:
  (1) Responsible parties.
  (2) The Environmental Protection Agency.
  (3) The state account.

The department shall identify hazardous substance release sites, listed pursuant to Section 25356, that are particularly well-suited for technology demonstration projects. In identifying hazardous substance release sites, the department shall consider, at a minimum, all of the following:
  (a) The state's priority ranking for removal and remedial actions to hazardous substance release sites adopted pursuant to Section 25356.
  (b) The volume and variability of the hazardous substance release at the site.
  (c) The availability of data characterizing the hazardous substance release.
  (d) The accessibility of the hazardous substance release.
  (e) Availability of required utilities.
  (f) Support of federal and local governments.
  (g) Potential for adverse effects to public health and the environment.

(a) The department shall annually, on or before July 1, publish a solicitation for proposals to conduct treatment demonstration projects which utilize technologies which are at a stage of development suitable for full-scale demonstrations at hazardous substance release sites. The solicitation notice shall prescribe information to be included in the proposal, including technical and economic data derived from the applicant's own research and development efforts, and any other information which may be prescribed by the department to assess the technology's potential and safety and the types of removal or remedial action to which it may be applicable.
  (b) Any person and private or public entity may submit an application to the department in response to the solicitation. The application shall contain a proposed treatment demonstration plan setting forth how the treatment demonstration project is to be carried out and any other information which the department may require.

(a) On or before January 1, after reviewing all proposals submitted pursuant to Section 25368.4, the department shall annually select at least two treatment demonstration projects, to be commenced during that calendar year, using, at a minimum, the criteria specified in Section 25368.2.
  (b) If the department determines that the required number of demonstrations required by subdivision (a) cannot be initiated consistent with the criteria specified in Section 25368.2 in any fiscal year, the department shall inform the appropriate committees of the Legislature of the reasons for its inability to conduct these demonstration projects.
  (c) Each treatment demonstration project selected pursuant to this section shall be performed by the applicant, or by a person approved by the applicant and the department.

Notwithstanding Section 25360, if the department determines that using an alternative treatment technology to conduct a removal or remedial action at a hazardous substance release site listed pursuant to paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 25356 would be more costly than another available and feasible removal or remedial action method that would also achieve satisfactory results, the department may determine not to attempt to recover from the liable person the incremental costs of the removal or remedial action attributable to the alternative treatment technology.

The department shall conduct a technology transfer program that shall include the development, collection, evaluation, coordination, and dissemination of information relating to the utilization of alternative or innovative hazardous waste treatment technologies demonstrated pursuant to this article. The information shall include an evaluation of each treatment demonstration project's efficacy relating to performance and cost in achieving permanent and significant reduction in risks from hazardous substance releases. The information shall also include documentation of the testing procedures utilized in the project, the data collected, and the quality assurance and quality control which was conducted. The information shall also include the technology's applicability, pretreatment and posttreatment measurements, and the technology's advantages or disadvantages compared to other available technologies.

Notwithstanding paragraph (5) of subdivision (c) of Section 25356.1, when preparing or approving a remedial action plan for a site listed pursuant to paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 25356, that has been selected for a treatment demonstration project pursuant to this article, the department shall consider the cost-effectiveness of the project but is not required to choose the most cost-effective measure.