BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 1459|
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CONSENT
Bill No: AB 1459
Author: Huber (D)
Amended: 6/18/12 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER COMM. : 9-0, 6/12/12
AYES: Pavley, La Malfa, Cannella, Evans, Fuller, Kehoe,
Padilla, Simitian, Wolk
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 74-0, 4/26/12 (Consent) - See last page
for vote
SUBJECT : Scientific Advisory Committee on Acid
Deposition
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill deletes the Scientific Advisory
Committee on Acid Deposition from statute.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
1. Creates the Atmospheric Acidity Protection Program to
investigate how and if atmospheric acidity has affected
public health and the state's ecosystems.
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2. Establishes the Scientific Advisory Committee on Acid
Deposition to assist the Air Resources Board in the
development of the Atmospheric Acidity Protection
Program.
This bill deletes the Scientific Advisory Committee on Acid
Deposition from statute.
Background
The Air Resources 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.
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.
Comments
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
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government is streamlined, efficient, and effective."
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 74-0, 4/26/12
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall,
Bill Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford,
Brownley, Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos,
Carter, Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Davis, Dickinson,
Donnelly, Eng, Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes, Beth
Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick, Gatto, Gordon, Gorell, Grove,
Hagman, Hall, Hayashi, Roger Hern�ndez, Hill, Huber,
Hueso, Huffman, Jeffries, Knight, Lara, Logue, Bonnie
Lowenthal, Ma, Mansoor, Mendoza, Miller, Mitchell,
Monning, Morrell, Nestande, Nielsen, Norby, Olsen, Pan,
Perea, V. Manuel P�rez, Portantino, Silva, Skinner,
Solorio, Swanson, Torres, Valadao, Wagner, Wieckowski,
Williams, Yamada, John A. P�rez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Cedillo, Furutani, Halderman, Harkey,
Jones, Smyth
CTW:d 7/3/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: NONE RECEIVED
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