BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 1715
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 16, 2012

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                    AB 1715 (Smyth) - As Amended:  April 30, 2012 

          Policy Committee:                              Environmental 
          Safety and Toxic Materials                    Vote: 9-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires the State Water Resources Control Board 
          (SWRCB) to report to the Legislature, by January 1, 2014, on 
          recommendations for standards and measurements by which to judge 
          a local agency's compliance with the underground storage tank 
          (UST) cleanup standards.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Minor costs to SWRCB, likely in the range of tens of thousands 
          of dollars.  (Special fund.)

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale.   The author contends there are varying standards 
            for cleanup of leaking underground storage tanks.

           2)Background  .  An underground storage tank is defined by law as 
            "any one or combination of tanks, including pipes connected 
            thereto, that is used for the storage of hazardous substances 
            and that is substantially or totally beneath the surface of 
            the ground."   Such tanks generally contain petroleum 
            products.  SWRCB, in consultation with the Department of Toxic 
            Substances Control, is statutorily authorized to develop and 
            implement a program to establish local oversight programs to 
            oversee the management and cleanup of UST sites. A UST site 
            qualifies to receive a "No Further Action" (closure) letter 
            once the owner or operator meets all appropriate corrective 
            action requirements. After this occurs, the local regulatory 
            agency or regional board will inform the responsible party in 
            writing that no further work is required.








                                                                  AB 1715
                                                                  Page  2


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081