Bill Text: CA AB345 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Natural resources: environmental justice: oil and gas: regulation of operations.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-08-10 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. [AB345 Detail]
Download: California-2019-AB345-Amended.html
Amended
IN
Assembly
January 23, 2020 |
Amended
IN
Assembly
April 29, 2019 |
Amended
IN
Assembly
April 03, 2019 |
Amended
IN
Assembly
March 26, 2019 |
Introduced by Assembly Member Muratsuchi |
February 04, 2019 |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
Existing
The
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 12805.4 is added to the Government Code, to read:12805.4.
(a) The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency shall create an environmental justice program within the Natural Resources Agency to identify and address any gaps in existing programs, policies, or activities that may impede the achievement of environmental justice.SEC. 2.
Section 3203.5 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:3203.5.
(a) The Legislature finds and declares that it is vital that populations and residents impacted by oil and gas extraction activities have equitable access to, and can meaningfully contribute to, decisionmaking processes that address impacts related to oil and gas extraction activities.SEC. 3.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.(a)The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:
(1)Proximity to oil and gas extraction, including the use of hydraulic fracturing, well acidization, and other nonconventional oil and gas extraction techniques, adversely impacts public health and safety.
(2)These adverse impacts are reduced by locating oil and gas operations away from sensitive receptors such as schools, childcare facilities, playgrounds, residences, hospitals, and health clinics.
(b)For purposes of this section, both of the following definitions apply:
(1)“Enhancement operations” means operations intended to increase the hydrocarbon production of an oil and gas well. Those enhancement operations shall include well stimulation treatments, acid well stimulation treatments, and restoring a plugged and abandoned well or an idle well into production, and shall not include repairs or well maintenance work.
(2)“Oil and gas development” means exploration for, and drilling, production, and processing of, oil, gas, or other gaseous and liquid
hydrocarbons.
(c)Except as provided in subdivisions (d) and (e), and notwithstanding any other law, commencing January 1, 2020, all new oil and gas development or enhancement operation permitted under this division, that is not on federal land, shall be located at least 2,500 feet from a residence, school, childcare facility, playground, hospital, or health clinic.
(d)Except as provided in subdivision (e), a city or county may require by ordinance that new oil and gas development
or enhancement operation be located a larger distance away from a residence, school, childcare facility, playground, hospital, or health clinic than required by subdivision (c). In the event that two or more cities and counties with jurisdiction over the same geographic area establish different health protection zone distances, the larger health protection zone distance shall apply.
(e)Notwithstanding subdivisions (c) and (d), an operator of an oil or gas well or a production facility subject to this section may file a written request with the division for a variance to reduce the health protection zone to the maximum achievable distance. The request shall include competent, substantial, and relevant evidence demonstrating that the applicable health protection zone would extend beyond the area on
which the operator has a legal right to locate the oil or gas well or production facility and that the variance would be consistent with the intent of this section and protect public health and safety. The supervisor may grant a variance upon making a written finding that the operator has no other feasible means of accessing a legal subsurface right, that the variance provides as much distance between sensitive receptors and those oil and gas operations as achievable, and that the variance would not endanger public health and safety.
(f)For the duration of a permit lawfully issued pursuant to this division before January 1, 2020, this section shall not apply to oil and gas development
or enhancement
operations conducted pursuant to the permit and that are in compliance with all applicable requirements for the duration of the permit.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.