The issues brought to light by the performance review drew comments from scores of public interest groups and individual citizens around the state. Of the final recommendations, environmentalists and advocacy groups said they hoped the Sunset Commission would go farther in strengthening environmental safeguards. The Sunset Commission urged the Legislature to consider some fundamental changes for example, in the way the agency formulates rules and handles complaints from the public. The following are excerpts from the report, listing some of the issues highlighted by the Sunset Commission staff and the recommended solutions adopted by the 10-member panel. Authorize the agency to transfer a percentage of the agency s appropriations.
Traditional regulation needs to be balanced with innovative programs.
What constitutes a company s compliance history is not clearly defined and varies in how it is used. Therefore, the agency is less able to hold these entities accountable. Participation in innovative regulatory programs is not performance-based and lacks sufficient accountability. Innovative regulatory programs lack accountability and are not having their intended impact. Eligibility requirements are lax, allowing all but those with the worst compliance histories to participate.