BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 1261 Page 1 SENATE THIRD READING SB 1261 (Jackson) As Amended June 12, 2014 Majority vote SENATE VOTE :29-5 ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 7-0 APPROPRIATIONS 17-0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Ayes:|Alejo, Dahle, Bloom, |Ayes:|Gatto, Bigelow, | | |Donnelly, Gomez, | |Bocanegra, Bradford, Ian | | |Lowenthal, Ting | |Calderon, Campos, | | | | |Donnelly, Eggman, Gomez, | | | | |Holden, Jones, Linder, | | | | |Pan, Quirk, | | | | |Ridley-Thomas, Wagner, | | | | |Lowenthal | |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------| | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY : Revises and recasts the area and business plan requirements for certified unified program agencies (CUPAs). Specifically, this bill : 1)Requires the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA), in coordination with Office of Emergency Services (OES), to specify the hazardous materials inventory required to be submitted by handlers, including the data to be collected and submitted for hazardous materials. Revises the information required to be included in the business plan, and makes other updates to the unified hazardous waste and hazardous materials management regulatory program. 2)Requires the CUPAs to exempt from specified reporting requirements an unstaffed facility located at least one-half mile from the nearest occupied structure, unless required by a local ordinance. Requires the facility to make a one-time business plan submittal that will not be required to include specified elements of the plan and repeals the authorization for the CUPA to require an unstaffed remote facility to submit a plan and inventory. 3)Requires the handler to submit the business plan annually, and SB 1261 Page 2 requires a business to at least annually review and verify that the business plan information in the statewide information management system meets specified requirements. 4)Requires the CUPA to make the information in the statewide information management system available to the public. 5) Provides a definition of "Consumer Product" to specify that consumer products are not subject to business plan requirements. 6) Limits the definition of retail establishment to require retail pesticide supply companies to be subject to business plans and reporting. 7) Provides that only non-flammable gases defined in the California Fire Code for use in refrigeration systems and refrigerant gases, other than ammonia, in a closed system used in comfort or space cooling for computer rooms are exempt from business plans. FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, costs for this bill would be minor and absorbable within the existing Cal/EPA budget. COMMENTS : Need for the bill: According to the author, "SB 1261 updates, rearranges, and clarifies Health and Safety Code Chapter 6.95, Article 1 Section 25500 et seq. The purpose of the bill is to modernize the provisions of this statute, which addresses the unified hazardous and hazardous materials management regulatory program. These changes will ensure that the program functions more efficiently and effectively." Certified Unified Program Agencies: The Secretary of Cal/EPA has established a "unified hazardous waste and hazardous materials management" regulatory program (Unified Program). Currently, there are 83 CUPAs in California. The Unified Program consolidates, coordinates the following six existing programs: 1)Hazardous Materials Release Response Plans and Inventories; SB 1261 Page 3 2)California Accidental Release Prevention Program; 3)Underground Storage Tank Program; 4)Aboveground Petroleum Storage Act; 5)Hazardous Waste Generator and Onsite Hazardous Waste Treatment Programs; and, 6)California Uniform Fire Code: Hazardous Material Management Plans and Hazardous Material Inventory Statements. Related legislation: AB 1620 (Wieckowski), Chapter 190, Statutes of 2012 , modified the definition of hazardous waste treatment so that various types of activities that often take place when hazardous wastes are accumulated or stored are exempted from the regulatory requirements that apply to hazardous waste treatment facilities. SB 483 (Jackson), Chapter 419, Statutes of 2013, made various changes to update, rearrange, and clarify provisions of the health and safety related to CUPAs. AB 2748 (Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee) of the current legislative session, provides that a business that handles paint that will be recycled or otherwise managed under an architectural paint recovery program approved by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery is only required to establish and implement a hazardous materials business plan if it handles postconsumer (leftover) paint above specified quantities. Analysis Prepared by : Bob Fredenburg / E.S. & T.M. / (916) 319-3965 FN: 0004232