Program Background
Section 507 of the 1990 Clean Air Act (CAA) requires that all U.S. states have a small business assistance program to help small businesses comply with the requirements of the CAA. In 1992, the VA General Assembly established the Small Business Assistance Program in Virginia, with the passage of Senate Bill 509 and the subsequent changes to Virginia's Air Pollution Control Law, §10.1-1323 to §10.1-1326 of the Code of Virginia.
Program Components
According to Section 507, each state program is required to include the following three components:
- A Small Business Ombudsman (SBO) who advocates on behalf of small business owners or operators within the regulatory environment.
- A Small Business Environmental Assistance Program (SBEAP) that provides detailed environmental and technical assistance to small businesses.
- A Compliance Advisory Panel (CAP) that provides feedback on the effectiveness of the SBEAPs and assists with identifying priority small business issues and obstacles to the advancement of the program.
In 1992, the Virginia General Assembly created the Virginia Small Business Environmental Compliance Advisory Panel (CAP). The panel consists of representatives from small businesses, the Virginia government and the public.