BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                    SB 1408
                                                                    Page  1


          Date of Hearing:   August 9, 2000

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS 
                              Carole Migden, Chairwoman

                   SB 1408 (Alarcon) - As Amended: August 7, 2000 

          Policy Committee:                              Natural  
          ResourcesVote:6-2

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              

           SUMMARY  :

           This bill  establishes the "Environmental Justice Technical  
          Assistance Grant Demonstration Program" to do the following:

          1)Allocate grants of up to $25,000 to community-based or  
            non-profit organizations (CBOs).  

          2)Help pay costs incurred by low-income or minority communities,  
            disproportionately affected by adverse human health or  
            environmental effects, to obtain technical assistance to  
            participate in a broad array of actions contemplated by Cal  
            EPA entities, the California Energy Commission, or Caltrans. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  :

          Significant GF cost pressures, in excess of $250,000, to fund a  
          grant program for CBOs. (The author unsuccessfully sought a  
          $300,000 budget augmentation in the 2000 Budget Act.) 

           COMMENTS  :

           1)Background  .  Studies indicate the siting of facilities to  
            handle hazardous wastes and other environmental and public  
            health hazards disproportionately affect low-income and  
            minority populations living near these facilities. The effort  
            to more equitably distribute these facilities and other  
            programs that may have a negative impact on a community is  
            called "environmental justice."  In 1999, SB 115 (Solis) was  
            enacted to require state agencies to address environmental  
            justice issues.








                                                                    SB 1408
                                                                    Page  2



           2)Rationale  .  The author contends that the lack of financial and  
            other resources in low-income and minority communities  
            prevents these communities from obtaining the technical  
            assistance needed to fully participate in complicated state  
            permitting processes.  Providing CBOs with grants will help  
            these communities obtain technical assistance and more  
            effectively participate in the decision-making process.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Natalie Stites / APPR. / (916) 319-2081