BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  AB 425
                                                                  Page  1

          CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
          AB 425 (Atkins)
          As Amended  July 2, 2013
          Majority vote
           
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          |ASSEMBLY:  |73-0 |(May 23, 2013)  |SENATE: |35-2 |(September 3,  |
          |           |     |                |        |     |2013)          |
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           Original Committee Reference:    E.S. & T.M.

          SUMMARY  :  Requires the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR),  
          no later than February 1, 2014, to determine a leach rate for  
          copper-based antifouling paint used on recreational vessels and  
          make recommendations for appropriate mitigation measures that  
          may be implemented to protect aquatic environments from the  
          effects of exposure to that paint if it is registered as a  
          pesticide.

           The Senate amendments  make a technical, nonsubstantive change to  
          the bill.

           AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill required the DPR, not later  
          than February 1, 2014, to determine a leach rate for  
          copper-based antifouling paint used on recreational vessels and  
          make recommendations for appropriate mitigation measures that  
          may be implemented to protect aquatic environments from the  
          effects of exposure to that paint if it is registered as a  
          pesticide.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  According to the Senate Appropriations  
          Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.

           COMMENTS  :  Copper is highly toxic in aquatic environments with  
          adverse effect to various marine life.  There are currently 84  
          bodies of water throughout California listed under the Clean  
          Water Act as "impaired" water bodies due to copper  
          concentrations. Copper loading in the marine environment comes  
          from two major antifouling coating sources:  the passive  
          leaching of copper from the coatings applied to marine vessels,  
          and hull cleaning of the vessels by divers using abrasive tools.

          The EPA awarded a contract to test a variety of new non-copper  
          hull paints in San Diego.  Both biocides (a substance  








                                                                  AB 425
                                                                  Page  2

          destructive to many different organisms) and non-biocides were  
          tested.  The non-biocides were found to cause no harm to marine  
          life or their aquatic environment, nor did they put human health  
          at risk.


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Manny Hernández / E.S. & T.M. / (916)  
          319-3965


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