BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 89
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 9, 2000

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS 
                              Carole Migden, Chairwoman

                    SB 89 (Escutia) - As Amended:  June 20, 2000 

          Policy Committee:                             Natural  
          ResourcesVote:7-1

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires the Secretary of CalEPA to take a number of  
          preliminary steps to enhance the state's environmental justice  
          (EJ) program to ensure that environmental laws and regulations  
          do not unfairly disadvantage any racial, cultural or income  
          group.  Specifically,  this bill  : 

          1)Requires the CalEPA Secretary to convene, by January 15, 2002,  
            an EJ working group comprised of the Secretary, the directors  
            or executive officers of the six CalEPA entities, and the  
            director of the governor's Office of Planning and Research  
            (OPR).

          2)Requires the working group to look at EJ studies, hold public  
            hearings, consult with federal and local agencies and other  
            state agencies, and make recommendations to the Secretary on  
            current laws and policies that might hinder achieving the goal  
            of EJ and on environmental documents that should be translated  
            into other languages.

          3)Requires the CalEPA Secretary to appoint an advisory committee  
            to help the EJ working group and to report on the progress of  
            the work group every three years, starting by        January  
            1, 2006. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Moderate costs, about $300,000 in FY 2001-02, to the CalEPA to  
          coordinate meetings of the 
          EJ working group and the advisory committee and to hold public  
          hearings, provide translation services, pay per diem and prepare  








                                                                  SB 89
                                                                  Page  2

          a cost-benefit analysis of the EJ working group's  
          recommendations.  (General Fund)

           COMMENTS  

           Rationale  .  The author believes the state's EJ strategy needs to  
          be better defined and focused by creating and convening a work  
          group comprised of the leadership of each CalEPA board or  
          department.  The primary issues of concern involve the siting of  
          hazardous waste and other regulated facilities in low-income  
          and/or minority communities and the ability of these communities  
          to effectively participate in related decision-making processes.  


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Steve Archibald / APPR. / (916)319-2081