Much of the work that goes into environmental permitting may be applied beyond state borders. The reciprocity agreement formed under this MOU will enable participating states to take advantage of that knowledge and information. Site specific conditions and individual state regulatory requirements will always be necessary, but through this reciprocal agreement, states will improve their ability to rapidly approve, permit and certify technologies for both environmental and economic benefits. Researchers and developers of emerging environmental technologies often cite the difficulty and redundancy of state environmental approval procedures as a major barrier to the quick deployment of their products to protect and restore the environment. California has already certified 26 technologies and the agreement we signed today to establish common evaluation and data exchange procedures will help add new technologies from across the country to that list.
New Jersey is committed to the goal of promoting the use of environmental technology in our state.
Through the actions outlined in the amended MOU, there is a clear direction for this effort. New York is pleased to join with these other states to formalize our commitment for cooperation between the states to assist in the development and proliferation of innovative environmental technologies. These efforts are consistent with our mandate to find better, scientifically-based, more cost effective and easier ways in which to protect and clean the environment. The environmental industry has long been a mainstay of the Massachusetts economy and the development and commercialization of new environmental technologies is the key to maintaining that success. This landmark agreement allows Massachusetts to leverage our existing resources, to open up interstate markets to our entrepreneurs and to enhance our ability to identify and promote the use of innovative environmental technologies in Massachusetts.