BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 429
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 429 (Ed Hernandez)
As Amended June 6, 2013
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :36-0
ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 7-0 APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
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|Ayes:|Alejo, Dahle, Bloom, |Ayes:|Gatto, Harkey, Bigelow, |
| |Donnelly, Lowenthal, | |Bocanegra, Bradford, Ian |
| |Stone, Ting | |Calderon, Campos, |
| | | |Donnelly, Eggman, Gomez, |
| | | |Hall, Holden, Linder, |
| | | |Pan, Quirk, Wagner, Weber |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Extends the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority
(SGBWQA) from July 1, 2017, to July 1, 2030.
EXISTING LAW :
Establishes the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority Act
(Act), which provides the following:
1)Requires the SGBWQA to develop and adopt a groundwater quality
management and remediation plan that includes certain
components, such as characterization of basin contamination,
development and implementation of a comprehensive basin
cleanup plan, a financing plan, and a public information and
participation plan.
2)Requires SGBWQA to provide a status report to the State Water
Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and the Los Angeles Regional
Water Quality Control Board (LARWQCB) every six months on
activities undertaken pursuant to the basin groundwater
quality management and remediation plan. The report must
include certain information, such as an overview of
contamination, coordination with other agencies, funding from
potentially responsible parties and other sources, status of
certain plans, and project activities information.
3)Requires SGBWQA to provide a biannual report, in consultation
SB 429
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with the LARWQCB, on the SGBWQA's progress in implementing the
Act, including any recommendations for improving the SGBWQA's
progress.
4)The San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority Act sunsets on
July 1, 2017.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, reports negligible state costs. The SGBWQA estimates
the ability to extend the operating agreement until 2030 may
result in an increase of hundreds of millions of dollars in
funding from potentially responsible parties and others for
cleanup projects.
COMMENTS :
1)Need for the bill . According to the sponsors, the SGBWQA,
this bill is needed "To continue protecting residents and
businesses in the communities of the San Gabriel Valley
through its ongoing efforts to clean up the regional
groundwater supply, the SBGWQA has an urgent and compelling
need to extend its legislatively granted charter from the
current sunset date of 2017 to 2030."
The author states that, "This extension provides incentive to
the Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs), as well as the US
Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), to finish
negotiating settlement agreements and allocate project
funding. The PRPs and federal agencies would otherwise be
cautious to enter into final terms and conditions with an
entity that could disappear or change in three years. All
parties need to know they are negotiating with a long-term
agency that possesses renewed authority and responsibility.
In terms of dollars and impact, SGBWQA estimates the value of
the operating agreement extension to be a minimum of $400-$500
million in funding from PRPs and others for cleanup projects
over the life of the bill.
"An extension gives sufficient time to achieve the dual goals
of cleaning-up groundwater and to replenish regional
groundwater supplies."
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2)The San Gabriel Valley Superfund site . According to the
United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), the
San Gabriel Valley Area 1 Superfund Site was placed on the
National Priorities List in 1984 and overlays approximately
eight square miles of solvent-tainted groundwater in the areas
of South El Monte, El Monte and Rosemead. The San Gabriel
Valley is a suburban, largely-developed portion of Los Angeles
County containing more than one million residents and covering
more than 170 square miles.
Four areas of groundwater contamination in San Gabriel Valley
have been placed on US EPA's National Priorities List. The
South El Monte cleanup project (Operable Unit) is part of the
San Gabriel Valley Area 1 Superfund Site, and addresses
contaminated groundwater under the cities of South El Monte,
El Monte, and Rosemead. The groundwater contamination is the
result of decades of poor chemical handling and disposal
practices by hundreds of industrial facilities. The primary
chemical contaminants in the Site's groundwater are
tetrachloroethene (PERC) and trichloroethene (TCE), both
industrial solvents; 1, 4-dioxane, used as a stabilizer in
chlorinated industrial solvents; and perchlorate, used in
fireworks and rocket fuel. EPA's ongoing remedy includes
extracting and treating contaminated groundwater.
Analysis Prepared by : Bob Fredenburg / E.S. & T.M. / (916)
319-3965
FN: 0001602