BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1059
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Date of Hearing: April 29, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
1059 (Eduardo Garcia) - As Introduced February 26, 2015
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|Policy |Environmental Safety and Toxic |Vote:|7 - 0 |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable:
No
SUMMARY:
This bill requires the addition of border environmental health
data in the California Communities Environmental Health
Screening Tool (CalEnviroScreen 2.0) program. Specifically,
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this bill:
1)Requires the Office of Environmental Health and Hazard
Assessment (OEHHA) to update its CalEnviroScreen 2.0 tool by
using any relevant environmental data relating to known
impacts of air pollution, water pollution, and toxic sites on
the environmental quality of the communities in the
California-Mexico border region.
2)Requires OEHHA to make a report to the Legislature at the next
update of the tool or by January 1, 2017, (whichever is
earlier) on any barriers to accessing the data.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Absorbable additional costs, if any.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. According to the author, the levels of air pollution
in the border region cannot be accurately assessed without
additional air quality monitoring in the area. This current
lack of reliable information may impact funding and
investment opportunities made available through the state's
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF)
2)Background. The California Global Warming Solutions Act of
2006 (AB 32) requires ARB to adopt: a) statewide GHG
emissions limit equivalent to 1990 levels by 2020; and b)
regulations, including market-based compliance mechanisms, to
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achieve maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective
GHG emission reductions.
As part of the implementation of AB 32 market-based compliance
measures, ARB adopted a cap-and-trade program that caps the
allowable statewide emissions and provides for the auctioning
of emission credits, the proceeds of which are quarterly
deposited into the GGRF available for appropriation by the
Legislature.
The 2014-15 Budget Act allocates cap-and-trade revenues for
the 2014-15 fiscal year and establishes a long-term plan for
the allocation of cap-and-trade revenues beginning in fiscal
year 2015-16.
The Budget continuously appropriates 35% of cap-and-trade
funds for investments in transit, affordable housing, and
sustainable communities. Twenty-five percent of the revenues
are continuously appropriated to continue the construction of
high-speed rail. The remaining 40% will be appropriated
annually by the Legislature for investments in programs that
include low-carbon transportation, energy efficiency and
renewable energy, and natural resources and waste diversion.
3)Disadvantaged Communities. SB 535 (De León), Chapter 830,
Statutes of 2012, requires no less than 10% of cap-and-trade
revenues fund projects located within disadvantaged
communities, and that 25% of available revenues fund projects
that benefit those communities.
In October 2014, CalEPA released its list of disadvantaged
communities for the purpose of SB 535. CalEPA relied on
CalEnviroScreen, to identify the areas disproportionately
burdened by and vulnerable to multiple sources of pollution.
CalEnviroScreen is a tool that assess all census tracts in
California to identify the areas disproportionally affected
and vulnerable to multiple sources of pollution.
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4)OEHAA. Work that is relevant to improving the understanding
of the environmental quality of the border region is already
underway. After the OEHAA evaluates the data for quality and
reliability, the data for the border region may be
incorporated into CalEnviroScreen.
OEHAA and other agencies are undertaking the following
projects:
a) In 2015-2017, an air monitoring study of communities in
the southern part of San Diego County, including the
community of San Ysidro near a major border crossing. This
study will be conducted by the University of Washington.
b) The University of Washington and the California
Environmental Health Tracking Program are conducting a
similar air quality monitoring study in the southern parts
of Imperial County, including the Calexico border crossing
area.
c) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the San
Diego Air Pollution Control District recently installed an
air monitor to measure the concentrations of fine particles
near the San Ysidro border crossing.
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This work can be incorporated into the requirements of the
bill.
Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081