BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2678
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 21, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
AB 2678 (Ridley-Thomas) - As Amended: May 7, 2014
Policy Committee: Natural
ResourcesVote:8-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill revises the membership of the Oil Spill Technical
Advisory Committee (TAC) in the Office of Spill Prevention and
Response (OSPR) within the Department of Fish and Wildlife
(DFW). Specifically this bill:
1)Increases the number of members on the TAC from 10 to 12 and
requires the Governor to appoint one member from an
environmental group and one from an environmental justice
group as specified.
2) Deletes the requirement that the Governor appoint a person to
the TAC who has worked in state government and instead
requires the Governor to appoint a faculty member of the Karen
C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at UC Davis (WHC) or the
director of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN).
FISCAL EFFECT
Minor, absorbable costs.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale. Recently, there has been a dramatic increase in
the amount of oil transported to the state by rail due to the
hydraulic fracturing boom in other states, particulary North
Dakota with its Bakken oil shale formation. The possible
train routes are located along and through several waterways
and major metropolitan areas. In response to the potential
for train accidents and oil spills, the Governor's 2014-15
budget proposes to increase funding for OSPR to strengthen the
AB 2678
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state's oil spill program in inland areas.
The TAC provides public input and independent analysis of the
actions of OSPR. It makes sense to expand the membership of
TAC to include members who bring an inland environmental and
environmental justice perspective.
2)Background. The Legislature passed the
Lempert-Keene-Seastrand Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act
(Oil Spill Act) in 2003. The overall purpose of the Oil Spill
Act is to prevent and clean up oil spills and to restore
damage to the environment. OSPR and the State Lands
Commission are vested with the primary responsibility for
implementing the Oil Spill Act.
The TAC consists of 10 members, six of whom are appointed by
the Governor, two by the Speaker of the Assembly, and two by
the Senate Rules Committee. The membership must have
background in marine transportation, local government, oil
spill response and prevention programs, the petroleum
industry, state government, environmental protection and
ecosystems, and the dry cargo vessel industry. Pursuant to
its by-laws, TAC members serve until they are either replaced
by the appointing authority, a member resigns, or a member is
asked for their resignation after a vote of at least
two-thirds of the appointed TAC members.
Since 2003, the TAC has been required to report biennially to
the Governor and the Legislature on its evaluation of oil
spill prevention and response within the state. The TAC may
also prepare and send any additional reports it determines to
be appropriate to the Governor and the Legislature.
Analysis Prepared by : Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081