BILL ANALYSIS �
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| SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER |
| Senator Fran Pavley, Chair |
| 2011-2012 Regular Session |
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BILL NO: AB 1459 HEARING DATE: June 12, 2012
AUTHOR: Huber URGENCY: No
VERSION: January 9, 2012 CONSULTANT: Katharine Moore
DUAL REFERRAL: No FISCAL: Yes
SUBJECT: Scientific Advisory Committee on Acid Deposition.
BACKGROUND AND EXISTING LAW
The State Air Resources Board (board) is the state agency
charged with coordinating efforts to attain and maintain ambient
air quality standards, and to conduct research into the causes
of and solutions to air pollution, among other responsibilities
(Health and Safety Code (HSC) � 39003).
Atmospheric deposition plays an important role in air and water
quality, and, thus, public and environmental health and welfare.
Atmospheric deposition can be dry (gas and particles) or wet
(dew, cloud drops and precipitation). Modern focus on
atmospheric acid deposition began to intensify in the 1960s and
1970s when, for example, large scale forest declines in the
United States and Europe were associated with acid rain.
In 1977, the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP)
began to monitor precipitation chemistry. Also, the National
Acidic Precipitation Assessment Program (NAPAP) was established
in 1980 to investigate the causes and effects of acid deposition
in the US. Both the NADP and NAPAP continue to operate national
long-term monitoring programs - including sites in California.
The 1990 amendments to the federal Clean Air Act require
reductions in sulfur and nitrogen oxide emissions - principal
precursors to acid deposition - and atmospheric concentrations
of both continue to decline in California despite population
increases and economic growth.
Reflecting the national concern, two five year programs were
established in California in the 1980s to study acid deposition.
The first was the Kapiloff Acid Deposition Program (KADP)(AB
2752, Kapiloff and coauthors, c. 1473, Statutes of 1982). The
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KADP sunset in 1988 and was repealed and replaced by the
Atmospheric Acidity Protection Program (AAPP) (AB 2930, Sher, c.
1518, Statutes of 1988). A Scientific Advisory Committee was
established by statute to provide guidance to the KADP and was
subsequently incorporated into the AAPP.
According to the board, funding for the two programs totaled $25
million from 1983 - 1993, and numerous acid deposition-focused
research projects - ranging from the role of atmospheric
processes to impacts on human health, aquatic ecosystems,
forests and agriculture were conducted. A Final Assessment
report, overseen by the Scientific Advisory Committee, was
completed in October 2000 and summarized the results. The
assessment found that acid deposition in California was
dominated by oxidized nitrogen species, and many impacts
specific to acid deposition were relatively minor or moderate.
The report concluded that the state's existing control measures
for ozone and particulate matter were sufficient to address acid
deposition in the state and recommended against establishing
separate atmospheric acidity or acid deposition air quality
standards. No research under the auspices of the AAPP has been
reported since 2002.
PROPOSED LAW
This bill would eliminate the Scientific Advisory Committee on
Acid Deposition.
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT
According to the author, "California is a complex and dynamic
state that needs support of a responsive government. It is
imperative that entities no longer of use to the people are
removed from statute to ensure that government is streamlined,
efficient, and effective."
ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION
None received
COMMENTS
The Atmospheric Acidity Protection Program is no longer active.
As noted above, the Final Assessment was issued in October 2000
and fee collection for the AAPP ceased by 1994. The statute
establishing the AAPP (HSC �� 39900 - 39905) is narrowly
tailored to the program. The first sections provide numerous
legislative findings reflecting mid-1980s era scientific
concerns and the last three provide the program's scope of work.
The research completed in 1993 largely addressed the concerns
raised by the findings. Since then, the board's research focus
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has shifted to other pressing scientific issues, such as climate
change. Should acid deposition again become a specific concern,
further research could be conducted under the board's existing
authority and active research programs. Therefore, following
the author's rationale, the committee may wish to delete both
the AAPP and its Scientific Advisory Committee from statute
(Amendment 1).
SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS
AMENDMENT 1
Delete HSC �� 39900 - 39905, inclusive
SUPPORT
None Received
OPPOSITION
None Received
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