Bill Text: CA SB49 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: California Environmental, Public Health, and Workers Defense Act of 2017.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2017-09-12 - From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS. [SB49 Detail]
Download: California-2017-SB49-Amended.html
Amended
IN
Assembly
September 08, 2017 |
Amended
IN
Assembly
September 05, 2017 |
Amended
IN
Assembly
July 18, 2017 |
Amended
IN
Senate
May 26, 2017 |
Amended
IN
Senate
February 22, 2017 |
Senate Bill | No. 49 |
Introduced by Senators De León and Stern (Coauthors: Senators Beall and Skinner) (Coauthors: Assembly Members Chiu, Dababneh, Friedman, Levine, and McCarty) |
December 05, 2016 |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
(5)This bill would require state agencies, on a semi-annual basis, to report to the Legislature on compliance with the above requirements.
(6)
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.
Title 24 (commencing with Section 120000) is added to the Government Code, to read:TITLE 24. California Environmental, Public Health, and Workers Defense Act of 2017
DIVISION 1. General Provision
120000.
This title shall be known, and may be cited, as the California Environmental, Public Health, and Workers Defense Act of 2017.DIVISION 2. Environment, Natural Resources, and Public Health
CHAPTER 1. Findings and Declarations
120010.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:120011.
The purposes of this division are to do all of the following:For purposes of this division, the following definitions apply:
(a)“Baseline federal standards” means federal laws or federal regulations implementing the federal laws in effect as of January 19, 2017.
(b)“Baseline federal standards for other federal laws” means other federal laws or federal regulations implementing the other federal laws in effect as of January 19, 2017.
(c)“Federal law” means any of the following:
(1)The federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7401 et seq.).
(2)The federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. Sec. 1531 et seq.).
(3)The federal Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 300f et seq.).
(4)The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1251 et seq.).
(d)“Other federal laws” means any of the following:
(1)The federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. Sec. 1271 et seq.).
(2)The federal San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act (Part I of Subtitle A of Title X of Public Law 111-11).
(3)The federal Central Valley Project Improvement Act (Title 34 of Public Law 102-575).
CHAPTER 2. Operative Provisions
(a)Except as authorized by state law, a state or local agency shall not amend or revise its rules and regulations to be less stringent than the baseline federal standards.
(b)This division does not prohibit a state or local agency from establishing rules and regulations for California that are more stringent than the baseline federal standards.
(a)To the extent authorized by federal law and except as authorized by state law, a state or local agency that is delegated the authority to enforce other federal laws or that implements the state law that is an analogue to other federal laws shall not amend or revise its rules and regulations to be less stringent than the baseline federal standards for other federal laws.
(b)This division does not prohibit a state or local agency from establishing rules or regulations for California that are more stringent than the baseline federal standards for other federal laws.
Article 1. Air
120040.
The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:Except as otherwise authorized by state law, all of the following apply:
(a)In addition to maintaining air quality requirements and standards under state law, the State Air Resources Board, air quality management districts, and air pollution control districts shall maintain and enforce all air quality requirements and standards to be at least as stringent as the baseline federal standards, as determined by the state
board or an air district, in addition to air quality requirements and standards required under state law.
(b)If the State Air Resources Board determines that baseline federal standards regarding air quality have been repealed, revised, or amended to be less stringent, the state board shall adopt a standard or requirement to be at least as stringent as the baseline federal standards, as determined by the state
board.
(c)Notwithstanding the repeal, revision, or amendment of any federal requirements for a state implementation plan that would make those requirements less stringent than the baseline federal standards, the State Air Resources Board, air quality management districts, and air pollution control districts shall adopt state implementation plans for California that meet requirements that are at least as stringent as those required by the applicable baseline federal standards, as determined by the state board or an air district, in addition to those required by state law.
(d)If the state board determines the federal transportation conformity program is repealed or becomes less stringent than the applicable baseline federal
standards, the State Air Resources Board, air quality management districts, and air pollution control districts shall adopt and implement requirements that are at least as stringent as those required by the applicable baseline federal standards, as determined by the state board or an air district, in addition to those required by state law.
(e)If the state board determines that the United States Environmental Protection Agency repealed or no longer implements the prevention of significant deterioration program in accordance with the applicable baseline federal standards, then, where an air quality management district or air pollution control district has not received authority to issue prevention of significant deterioration permits, the State Air Resources Board shall
establish a state prevention of significant deterioration program to issue permits that are at least as stringent as the applicable baseline federal standards, as determined by the state board.
(f)Notwithstanding any other law, the State Air Resources Board, when adopting regulations pursuant to this article, may adopt those regulations in accordance with Section 100 of Title 1 of the California Code of Regulations and the regulations shall be deemed to be a change without regulatory effect pursuant to paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) of that section.
120041.
For purposes of this article, “baseline federal standards” means federal laws or federal regulations implementing the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7401 et seq.) in effect as of January 19, 2017, including federal requirements for a state implementation plan, federal requirements for the transportation conformity program, and federal requirements for the prevention of significant deterioration.120042.
Except as otherwise authorized by state law, all of the following apply:Article 2. Water
120050.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:Except as otherwise authorized by state law, all of the following apply:
(a)(1)In addition to maintaining and enforcing water supply and water quality standards under state law, the State Water Resources Control Board and regional water quality control boards shall maintain and enforce all water supply and water quality standards
to be at least as stringent as applicable baseline federal standards, as determined by the State Water Resources Control Board or the regional water quality control boards.
(2)In addition to maintaining and enforcing drinking water standards
under state law, the State Water Resources
Control Board shall maintain and enforce all drinking water standards to be at least as stringent as applicable baseline federal standards, as determined by the board.
(b)If
the State Water Resources Control Board determines that baseline federal standards regarding water supply, water quality, or drinking water standards have been revised or amended to be less stringent, the board shall adopt a standard or requirement to be at least as stringent as the baseline federal standards, as determined by the board.
(c)(1)Waste discharge requirements and permits that are issued on and after January 1, 2018, shall be at least as protective of the environment and comply with all applicable water quality standards, effluent limitations, and restrictions as required by the applicable baseline federal standards, in addition to those required by state law.
(2)Drinking
water supply permits that are issued on and after January 1, 2018, shall be at least as protective of public health and comply with all applicable drinking water standards as required by the applicable baseline federal standards, in addition to those required by state law.
(d)A water quality control plan adopted on or after January 1, 2018, shall be at least as protective of the environment pursuant
to, and in compliance with, all applicable water quality standards, effluent limitations, and restrictions as required by the applicable baseline federal standards, in addition to those required by state law.
(e)When a waste discharge requirement or water quality control plan is renewed or amended, any water quality standards, effluent limitations, restrictions, and conditions shall be at least as protective of the environment pursuant to, and in compliance with, all applicable water quality standards, effluent limitations, and restrictions as required by the applicable baseline federal standards, in addition to those required by state law.
(f)Notwithstanding any other law, the State Water Resources Control Board or a regional water quality control board,
when adopting regulations pursuant to this article, may adopt those regulations in accordance with Section 100 of Title 1 of the California Code of Regulations and the regulations shall be deemed to be a change without regulatory effect pursuant to paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) of that section.
120051.
For purposes of this article, “baseline federal standards” means federal laws or federal regulations implementing the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 300f et seq.) and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1251 et seq.) in effect as of January 19, 2017, including water quality standards, effluent limitations, and drinking water standards.120052.
Except as otherwise authorized by state law, all of the following apply:Article 3. Endangered and Threatened Species
120060.
The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:Except as otherwise authorized by state law, both of the following apply:
(a)All native species not already listed pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 2070) of Chapter 1.5 of Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code that are listed as endangered or threatened pursuant to the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 as of January 1, 2017, shall be listed as an endangered or threatened species, as
appropriate, pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 2070) of Chapter 1.5 of Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code. The Fish and Game Commission may review and modify the listing of species pursuant to this section.
(b)Any new or revised consistency determination or incidental take permit issued to a permittee on or after January 1, 2018, shall only authorize incidental take if it requires conditions at least as stringent as required by the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 and applicable regulations in effect as of January 19, 2017, as determined by the Department of Fish and Wildlife, including, but not limited to, any federal incidental take statement, incidental take permit, or biological opinion in effect and applicable to a permittee or project as of
January 19, 2017. This subdivision does not modify the requirements of Section 2081 of the Fish and Game Code.
(c)Notwithstanding any other law, the commission or the Department of Fish and Wildlife, when adopting regulations pursuant to this article, may adopt those regulations in accordance with Section 100 of Title 1 of the California Code of Regulations and the regulations shall be deemed to be a change without regulatory effect pursuant to paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) of that section.
To the extent authorized by the federal Reclamation Act of 1902 (Public Law 57-161) and other federal law, the California Endangered Species Act shall apply to the operation of the federal Central Valley Project.
120061.
For purposes of this article, “baseline federal standards” means federal laws, federal regulations, federal incidental take statements, federal incidental take permits, and federal biological opinions implementing the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. Sec. 1531 et seq.) in effect as of January 19, 2017.120062.
Except as otherwise authorized by state law, the following apply:DIVISION 3. Labor Standards
CHAPTER 1. Definitions
120100.
For purposes of this division, the following definitions apply:CHAPTER 2. Operative Provisions
120110.
Except as authorized by state law, a state agency shall not amend or revise its rules or regulations in a manner that is less stringent, as determined by the state agency, in its protection of workers’ rights or worker safety than standards established pursuant to federal law in existence as of January 1, 2016.120111.
This division does not prohibit a state agency from establishing workers’ rights and worker safety standards for California that are more stringent, as determined by the state agency, than those provided in federal law in existence as of January 1, 2016.DIVISION 4. Miscellaneous
Every state agency, including the Department of Justice, shall undertake all feasible efforts using its authority under state and federal law to implement and enforce this title. Notwithstanding Section 10231.5, every state agency that takes steps to enforce this title shall submit a report to the Legislature, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, at least once every six months describing its compliance with this title.
120200.
The provisions of this title are severable. If any provision of this title or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.120201.
The provisions of this title are severable. If any provision of this title or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)For over 25 years, the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7401 et seq.) has required major new and modified sources of air pollution to be subject to a new source review program for nonattainment areas and for the prevention of significant deterioration, in order to ensure that those sources use the requisite level of emission control, offset any new emissions, and comply with other requirements, as a means of ensuring that those new and modified sources do not adversely affect air quality.
(b)Requiring controls and emission offsets for new and modified
sources ensures that industrial growth does not result in
unacceptable levels of air pollution and that existing sources operate more cleanly over time by applying emission controls when those sources are overhauled or upgraded. Without these limits, air quality would degrade over time, and industrial growth, critical to the economic health of the state, would be foreclosed.
(c)The new source review program has been a cornerstone of the state’s efforts to reduce pollution from new and existing industrial sources by requiring those sources to use the requisite level of emission controls based on the attainment status of the area where the source is located.
(d)The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) initially promulgated, and subsequently has revised, the new source review program to carry out the
requirements of the federal Clean Air Act for preconstruction review of new and modified sources of air pollutants by the states.
(e)On December 31, 2002, the USEPA, under the direction of the President of the United States, promulgated regulations that substantially weaken the basic federal new source review program (67 Fed.Reg. 80186-80289 (Dec. 31, 2002)). In promulgating the regulatory amendments, the USEPA claims that the new source review program has impeded or resulted in the cancellation of projects that would maintain or improve reliability, efficiency, and safety. This claim is contradicted by California’s experience under the new source review programs of the air pollution control and air quality management districts.
(f)The amendments promulgated December 31, 2002,
will drastically reduce the circumstances under which modifications at an existing source would be subject to federal new source review. The USEPA has also proposed a rule that will change the definition of “routine maintenance, repair and replacement.” If that rule is finalized, it will significantly worsen the situation.
(g)The newly revised and proposed federal new source review reneges on the promise of clean air embodied in the federal Clean Air Act, and threatens to undermine the air quality of the State of California and thereby threaten the health and safety of the people of the State of California.
(h)Beginning in 2017, a new presidential administration and United States Congress will be in control of one party that has signaled a series of direct challenges to the
federal Clean Air Act and the programs and protections they provide, as well as to the underlying science that makes these programs and protections necessary, and to the rights of the states to protect their own environment, natural resources, and public health as they see fit.
(i)Section 107 of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7407) provides that the state has primary responsibility for meeting ambient air quality standards in all areas of the state, and that the means to achieve the standards shall be set out in the state implementation plan, or SIP.
(j)Section 116 of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7416) preserves the right of states to adopt air pollution control requirements that are more stringent than comparable federal requirements. Moreover, the
recent revisions to the federal new source review regulations provide that the states may adopt permitting programs that are “at least as stringent” as the new federal “revised base program,” and that the federal regulations “certainly do not have the goal of ‘preempting’ State creativity or innovation.” (67 Fed.Reg. 80241 (Dec. 31, 2002)).
(a)An air district shall not amend or revise its new source review rules or regulations to be less stringent than those in effect on January 19, 2017. If the state board finds, after a public hearing, that a district’s rules or regulations are not equivalent to or more stringent than the rules or regulations
in effect on January 19, 2017, the state board shall promptly adopt for that district the rules or regulations that may be necessary to establish equivalency, consistent with subdivision (b).
(b)(1)In amending or revising its new source review rules or regulations, a district shall not change any of the following that existed on January 19, 2017, if the amendments or revisions would exempt, relax, or reduce the obligations of a stationary source for any of the requirements listed in paragraph (2):
(A)The applicability determination for new source review.
(B)The definition of modification, major modification, routine maintenance, or repair or replacement.
(C)The calculation methodology, threshold, or other procedures of new source review.
(D)Any definitions or requirements of the new source review regulations.
(2)(A)Any requirements to obtain new source review or other permits to construct, prior to the commencement of construction.
(B)Any requirements for best available control technology (BACT).
(C)Any requirements for air quality impact analysis.
(D)Any requirements for recordkeeping, monitoring, and reporting in a manner that would make recordkeeping,
monitoring, or reporting less representative, enforceable, or publicly accessible.
(E)Any requirements for regulating any air pollutant covered by the new source review rules and regulations.
(F)Any requirements for public participation, including a public comment period, public notification, public hearing, or other opportunities or forms of public participation, prior to the issuance of permits to construct.
(c)In amending or revising its new source review rules or regulations, a district may change any of the items in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) only if the change is more stringent than the new source review rules or regulations in effect on January 19, 2017.
(d)Notwithstanding subdivisions (a), (b), and (c), a district may amend or revise a rule or regulation if a district board, at the time the amendments or revisions are adopted, makes its decision based upon substantial evidence in the record, the amendments or revisions are submitted to and approved by the state board after a public hearing, and all of the following conditions are met:
(1)The amended or revised rule or regulation will do one of the following:
(A)Will replace an existing rule or regulation that caused a risk to public health or safety from exposure to a toxic material, a dangerous condition, or an infectious disease with a rule or regulation that provides greater protection to public health or safety.
(B)Will replace an existing rule or regulation that has been found to be unworkable due to engineering or other technical problems with a rule or regulation that is effective.
(C)Will allow an amendment to an existing rule or regulation that otherwise will cause substantial hardship to a business, industry, or category of sources, if all of the following criteria are met:
(i)The amendment is narrowly tailored to relieve the identified hardship.
(ii)The district provides equivalent reductions in emissions of air contaminants to offset any increase in emissions of air contaminants.
(iii)All reductions in emissions of air contaminants are
real, surplus, quantifiable, verifiable, enforceable, and timely. For the purposes of this clause, reductions are timely if they occur no more than three years prior to, and no more than three years following, the occurrence of the increase in emissions of air contaminants.
(iv)Information regarding the reductions in emissions of air contaminants is available to the public.
(D)Is a temporary rule or regulation necessary to respond to an emergency consisting of a sudden, unexpected occurrence and demanding prompt action to prevent or mitigate loss of or damage to life, health, property, or essential services and the temporary rule or regulation does not extend beyond the reasonably anticipated duration of the emergency.
(E)Will not, if the district is in attainment with all national ambient air quality standards, impair or impede continued maintenance of those standards or progress toward achieving the attainment of state ambient air quality standards.
(2)The amended or revised rule or regulation will not exempt, relax, or reduce the obligation of any stationary source under the rules or regulations of the district, as those rules or regulations existed on January 19, 2017, to obtain a permit or to meet best available control technology requirements. This paragraph only applies to a source that constituted a major source under the rules or regulations of a district that existed on January 19, 2017, and does not apply to any individual best available control technology determination.
(3)The amended or revised rule or regulation is otherwise consistent with this division.
(4)The amended or revised rule or regulation is consistent with any guidance approved by the state board regarding environmental justice.
For purposes of this chapter, each district’s “new source review program” is comprised of those new source review rules and regulations for both nonattainment and prevention of significant deterioration for new, modified, repaired, or replaced sources that have been adopted by the district governing board on or prior to January 19, 2017, that have been submitted to the United States Environmental Protection Agency by the state board for inclusion in the state implementation plan and are pending approval or have been approved by the United States
Environmental Protection Agency, as well as any revisions to those rules necessary to address any deficiencies in rules and regulations identified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in a disapproval or partial disapproval of a district’s submitted rules and regulations.
To assist in interpreting district rules and regulations governing new source review for nonattainment areas and for prevention of significant deterioration, the state board shall provide on its Internet Web site and in writing for purchase by the public, a copy of the federal new source review regulations as they existed on December 30, 2002, and January 19, 2017, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s guidance document entitled, “New Source Review Workshop Manual: Prevention of Significant Deterioration and Nonattainment Area Permitting,” (October 1990 Draft).
The provisions of this act are severable. If any provision of this act or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.