SECTIONS 41515-41517 - California Statutes

HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE

SECTION 41515-41517

41515. The Legislature finds and declares (a) that present methods
of generating and using energy in California result in substantial
waste of such energy through the loss of exhaust steam and heat which
is not recovered or otherwise put to use, and that this waste of
energy results in adverse environmental and economic impacts and
accelerates the need for new powerplant construction, and increases
dependence upon imported oil, (b) that the use of cogeneration
technology can substantially increase the efficiency of energy use in
California and can also result in environmental and economic
benefits for the people of the state, (c) that the expanded use of
cogeneration technology is specifically encouraged as a matter of
national energy policy through the tax and regulatory incentives
provided in the National Energy Act, and through state legislation
which encourages the expeditious approval of cogeneration projects,
and (d) the construction and operation of cogeneration facilities
will result in an incremental air quality emissions benefit to the
extent they reduce demand on existing utility combustion generation
facilities in the same air basin and that such benefit should be
recognized in determining requirements for new cogeneration projects.

41516. The Legislature further finds and declares (a) that the
disposal of liquid and solid waste poses serious environmental and
economic problems for local governments in California, (b) that
resource recovery technology presently exists which can convert
municipal waste to energy while also recovering substantial
quantities of raw materials, (c) that the construction of resource
recovery projects can help alleviate the environmental and economic
problems associated with municipal waste disposal, while at the same
time producing additional supplies of energy and raw materials, and
(d) that such projects should therefore be encouraged as a matter of
state policy.

41517. The Legislature further finds and declares that the 1977
amendments to the federal Clean Air Act specifically authorize local
governments to provide for the mitigation of the air quality impact
of projects with communitywide benefits, such as cogeneration
technology and resource recovery projects, by providing regional
growth increments in the state implementation plan.