Wilson OKs 2 Bills Easing State EPA Permit Process : Politics: Some fear measure by Sen. Marian Bergeson could turn agency into advocate for firms having trouble.

Hailing them as part of an effort to halt business flight from California, Gov. Pete Wilson on Monday signed two bills, one by an Orange County lawmaker, that make it easier for businesses to get environmental permits to operate.

Wilson, who faces a tough reelection fight next year in a state hard-hit by recession and business flight, said the new laws will “send a message that California is back in business.”

The measures are intended to simplify bureaucratic processes but not lower the state’s environmental standards, Wilson said.

Most environmental groups did not oppose the legislation, but suggested the measure by Sen. Marian Bergeson (R-Newport Beach) could potentially transform the state’s Environmental Protection Agency into a Cabinet-level advocate for businesses having trouble getting environmental permits.

Monday’s bill-signing ceremony was held at a family-owned North Hollywood manufacturing business, whose owner told the governor his firm had decided to resist the overtures of those trying to lure it out of state.

Instead, they chose to stay in California.

Bill Park, president of Titan Spring and Wire Products Inc., said his decision was based in part on efforts such as these two bills to streamline the state’s often convoluted environmental permit process.

The measures--one by Bergeson and the other by state Sen. Charles M. Calderon (D-Whittier)--were supported by a coalition of business groups and construction trade unions.

The governor said Titan is a prime example of a company whose future is imperiled by the state’s environmental regulatory maze. Metal plating is a key process in making Titan’s products, yet the metal plating industry often runs afoul of the state’s permitting processes.

“These bills will relieve the burden on companies on which Titan depends to stay in business,” Wilson said.

Jennifer Jennings, a lobbyist for the Planning and Conservation League, said her group took a neutral stance on both bills as part of a broader strategy to preserve the core of the state’s environmental protection laws.

“We wanted to respond to people’s concerns that there are problems of timing and coordination with these regulatory agencies,” she said. “We decided this was appropriate. We had to choose our fights this year.”

But, Jennings added, the league will watch to ensure that regulatory agencies do not begin acting more like cheerleaders than umpires under the Bergeson bill.

“We’re concerned that they will cross the line from maintaining a distance to being kind of an advocate,” she said. “That’s the risk this bill presents.”

Under the Bergeson measure, Cal/EPA will ensure that a business applicant has all the information it needs. It would coordinate environmental agencies’ review of the permit applications, ensure a timely decision and try to resolve conflicting requirements imposed by different agencies.

Cal/EPA will also be authorized to refund permit fees paid by businesses if state agencies fail to meet a timetable for processing permits.

The Calderon measure streamlines the process for obtaining hazardous waste permits.