BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 935 Page 1 Date of Hearing: July 13, 2011 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Felipe Fuentes, Chair SB 935 (Committee on Environmental Quality) - As Introduced: March 14, 2011 Policy Committee: Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Vote: 9-0 Urgency: Yes State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No SUMMARY This bill makes several noncontroversial changes to code, including: 1)Changing the definition of "bio-fouling" to "hull fouling" and "wetted portion of a vessel" to "submerged portion of a vessel" and expands the latter definition to include internal piping structures in contact with water taken onboard. 2)Extends the date, from on or before January 1, 2008, to on or before January 1, 2016, by which the State Lands Commission (SLC) must approve the application by an owner or operator of a vessel to install an experimental ballast water treatment system, thereby requiring SLC to deem that system to be in compliance with any future ballast water treatment standard adopted. 3)Codifies ballast water discharge standards recommended in Table x-1 of the California State Lands Commission Report on Performance Standards for Ballast Water Discharges in California Waters, instead of referencing the report. FISCAL EFFECT Negligible state costs. COMMENTS Rationale . This bill is intended to update provisions of code to conform to current uses. In addition, the bill seeks to SB 935 Page 2 better allow SLC staff to permit the operation of vessels that have installed experimental ballast water treatment systems as part of the United States Coast Guard's Shipboard Technology Evaluation Program (STEP). Current law requires the SLC, if an owner or operator of a vessel applies to install an experimental ballast water treatment system under STEP and the SLC approves that application on or before January 1, 2008, to deem the system to be in compliance with any future treatment standard adopted for a period not to exceed five years. Analysis Prepared by : Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081