BILL ANALYSIS
Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
532 (Romero)
Hearing Date: 5/5/03 Amended: 4/21/03
Consultant: Miriam Barcellona Ingenito Policy Vote:
EQ 5-2
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BILL SUMMARY: SB 532 would amend the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) by expanding what is to be
included in an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). SB 532
also would include legislative intent that promoting
environmental justice must be a guiding criterion in public
decisions made pursuant to CEQA.
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
Fund
Cumulative Risk
Assessment Unknown, potentially significant costs
General
STAFF COMMENTS: This bill meets the criteria for referral
to the Suspense file.
SB 532 would replace the definition of "cumulatively
considerable" with "cumulative effects." The definition
for cumulative impacts is similar to the definition
currently defined in the CEQA guidelines. Costs to amend
the guidelines to conform to SB 532 would be minor.
SB 532 would require EIRs to specify the significant
cumulative effects on the environment, and to include a
determination of whether or not there is a reasonable
possibility that the project or its cumulative effects
would pose a significant risk to public health. If a
reasonable possibility exists, then a risk assessment must
be performed to ascertain the risk to human health.
By requiring lead agencies to make determinations about the
cumulative public health risks from exposure to one or more
hazardous or toxic substances or materials, SB 532 would
result in unknown but potentially significant costs to the
State in its capacity as lead agency on state projects. The
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (which is
charged with providing scientific leadership in developing
guidelines, criteria, and risk assessment methodologies
that will protect public health and the environment and
form the basis of a unified scientific multimedia approach
to risk assessment) indicated to staff that costs per
project could range from nothing (in the case of a negative
declaration) to about $100. Costs to the State would be
dependent on the size, type, and location of a project and
how many projects are under taken each year. Significant
costs could be borne by the Departments of Transportation,
Corrections and General Services, as well as the University
of California system, the California State University
system, and the community college system. SB 532 could
result in costs to other state agencies as well.