BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 467
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Date of Hearing: May 8, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
AB 467 (Stone) - As Amended: April 11, 2013
Policy Committee: Environmental
Safety Vote: 6-1
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill creates the Freshwater Protection Fund (fund) to
provide drinking water solutions for disadvantaged/severely
disadvantaged communities, fertilizer management and groundwater
quality. Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires the requires the State Water Resources Control Board
(SWRCB) to use the funds for:
a) Direct and indirect assistance, as defined.
b) Emergency response.
c) Natural Resource Protection.
1)Allows administrative costs up to 20% of the annual
appropriation from the fund. Defines administrative costs as:
a) Groundwater monitoring for fertilizers.
b) Development and enforcement of natural resource
protection rules.
c) Coordination of state and federal programs.
d) Management of fertilizer sales information.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)Cost pressures in the hundreds of millions of dollars to
fulfill the activities identified in the bill. This bill does
not provide a funding source.
2) Increased administrative costs for SWRCB in the hundreds of
thousands of dollars.
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Many of the administrative costs and direct actions defined in
the bill are statutory activities of other departments such as
the Department of Public Health, the Department of Water
Resources, and the Department of Food and Agriculture. It is
likely that SWRCB would have to contract or enter into
memorandums of agreement with other state departments and
agencies to fulfill the requirements of this bill.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale. According to the author, high concentrations of
nitrates in groundwater are primarily caused by human
activities including fertilizer application, animal
operations, industrial sources and septic systems.
Agricultural fertilizers and animal wastes applied to cropland
are the largest sources of nitrates in groundwater, although
it varies by community.
This bill responds to the chronic need for safe drinking water
in disadvantaged and severely disadvantaged communities.
2)Background . Nitrate pollution in groundwater is a widespread
water quality problem that can pose serious health risks if
consumed at specific concentrations. According to a February
20, 2013 SWRCB report to Legislature, Recommendations
Addressing Nitrate in Groundwater, it is critical that a new
funding source be established to ensure that all Californians,
including those in disadvantaged communities, have access to
safe drinking water.
The Department of Public Health indicates that nitrate
contaminated groundwater is a particularly significant problem
in the Tulare Lake Basin and Salinas Valley areas, where about
2.6 million people, including many of the poorest communities
in California, rely on groundwater for their drinking water.
Many other areas of the state also have nitrate contaminated
groundwater.
Analysis Prepared by : Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081
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