BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2379
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 21, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 2379 (Feuer) - As Amended: April 7, 2010
Policy Committee: Environmental
Safety and Toxic Materials Vote: 9-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill expands the number of priority categories of hazardous
waste generators that the Department of Toxic Substances Control
(DTSC) must select for participation in the department's
cooperative source reduction technical assistance and outreach
program. Specifically, this bill:
1)Expands, from two to four, the number of priority categories
of hazardous waste generators DTSC must select for
participation in DTSC's cooperative source reduction technical
assistance and outreach program.
2)Requires that at least one selected category of generators is
one that primarily consists of businesses affected by action
taken by DTSC pursuant to the Green Chemistry program.
FISCAL EFFECT
According to DTSC, this bill will result in no additional costs.
This is because, according to DTSC, the bill codifies existing
practices as described in a budget request approved by the
Legislature as part of the 2008 Budget Act.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . The author contends, given the considerable
regulatory tools soon to be wielded by DTSC under the Green
Chemistry program, it is important that DTSC focus its
existing technical assistance programs on affected industries
to help them comply with impending requirements.
AB 2379
Page 2
2)Background .
a) Pollution Prevention . DTSC's pollution prevention
program, which began in 1985, was expanded in 1998 with the
passage of SB 1916 (Sher). The bill stated the
Legislature's intent to "expand the State's hazardous waste
activities . . . to promote implementation of source
reduction measures using education, outreach, and other
effective voluntary techniques." Key to this expansion was
the requirement that DTSC establish a "technical assistance
and outreach program to promote implementation of model
source reduction measures in priority industry categories."
SB 1916 directs DTSC to focus on at least two priority
categories of industries with source-reduction potential
every two years, including one category consisting
primarily of small businesses. SB 1916 also created an
external Source Reduction Advisory Committee to provide
advice on and critical review of DTSC's source reduction
program.
b) Green Chemistry . In 2008, the Governor signed AB 1879
(Feuer) and SB 509 (Simitian), which established the
statutory foundation of California's Green Chemistry
program. These bills encourage a lifecycle approach to
pollution control focused on pollution prevention at all
phases of production. This approach contrasts with the
conventional "end-of-the-pipe" approach focused on
management of toxic chemical and hazardous waste after they
have been created. In keeping with these bills, DTSC
intends to adopt regulations by January 1, 2011, to
identify and prioritize chemicals of concern, to evaluate
alternatives, and to specify regulatory responses.
3)Support and Opposition . There is no registered support or
opposition to this bill on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081