The legislature recognizes the need for new, modified, or expanded facilities to treat, incinerate, or otherwise process or dispose of hazardous substances safely. In order to encourage the development of such facilities, the department shall adopt rules as necessary regarding the permitting of such facilities to ensure the most expeditious permit processing possible consistent with the substantive requirements of applicable law. If owners and operators are not the same entity, the operator shall be the permit applicant and responsible for the development of the permit application and all accompanying materials, as long as the owner also signs the application and certifies its ownership of the real property described in the application, and acknowledges its awareness of the contents of the application and receipt of a copy thereof.