Bill Text: CA SCR60 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Water utility and chemical facilities: Inherently Safer
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-21 - Re-referred to Com. on EQ. [SCR60 Detail]
Download: California-2009-SCR60-Introduced.html
BILL NUMBER: SCR 60 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Senator Negrete McLeod
SEPTEMBER 10, 2009
Relative to public safety.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SCR 60, as introduced, Negrete McLeod. Water utility and chemical
facilities: Inherently Safer Technology (IST).
This measure urges the state, county, and local governments, the
owners and operators of water utility facilities, and the chemical
companies that supply these utilities, to mitigate the potential harm
involved in the release of hazardous substances by substituting
Inherently Safer Technology (IST).
Fiscal committee: yes.
WHEREAS, There has been growing concern over the security of our
nation's chemical and water utility facilities which traditionally
use and produce Toxic Inhalation Hazard (TIH) chemicals, or TIH
chemical derivatives; and
WHEREAS, The vulnerabilities of chemical-related industries are
dramatically increased given that the majority of TIH chemicals, such
as chlorine, are generally shipped to and from certain water utility
facilities, and chemical facilities that supply these water utility
facilities, in unprotected, conspicuously marked railcars; and
WHEREAS, Finding alternative measures to produce and use needed
goods should be a priority of water utilities and the chemical
facilities that use TIH chemicals, or products derived from TIH
chemicals, and protecting our communities by removing the threat of
TIH chemicals being released is of ultimate importance; and
WHEREAS, Inherently Safer Technology (IST) differs from the
traditional chemical processing approach because the hazard is
eliminated or reduced by changing the process rather than by adding
layers of safety protection; and
WHEREAS, IST is accomplished through four basic strategies:
substituting highly hazardous substances with less hazardous ones;
minimizing levels of hazardous substances; moderating hazards with
the use of alternative forms of materials; and reducing unnecessary
systems' complexity to increase process controllability; and
WHEREAS, To protect our communities from TIH chemicals and the
danger of a TIH accident, water utility facilities and the chemical
facilities that supply water utilities should implement best
procurement practices where major disinfection and treatment
materials that are derived from an IST production process are
considered first in the purchase selection process, insofar as they
are available and economically feasible; and
WHEREAS, State, county, and local governments in partnership with
the environmental health community have a unique opportunity to play
a key role in advocating for, and supporting improvements in
prevention of, and preparation for, unintended release of hazardous
substances; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the State of California, county and local
governments, the owners and operators of water utility facilities,
and the chemical companies that supply these utilities are hereby
urged to utilize Inherently Safer Technology (IST) measures where
necessary and appropriate in order to mitigate the potentially
catastrophic effects of unintended releases of hazardous substances;
and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
