AB 2063 (Alejo D) Regional water quality control boards.
Introduced: 2/23/2012
Digest: Under existing law, the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, the State Water Resources Control Board and the 9 California regional water quality control boards are the principal state agencies with responsibility for the coordination and control of water quality in the state. The act requires the state board to formulate and adopt state policies for water quality control, and requires the regional boards to adopt regional water quality control plans in compliance with the state policies. Existing law requires each regional board to conduct certain proceedings, including, but not limited to, holding at least 6 regular meetings each calendar year.
Existing law, the Administrative Procedure Act, provides for the conduct of administrative adjudication proceedings of state agencies. Existing law generally prohibits communication during a pending proceeding, regarding any issue in the proceeding, to the presiding officer by an employee or representative of an agency that is a party to the proceeding without notice and opportunity for all parties to participate, except as specified.
This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to permit the interaction and communication between board members of a regional board and interested parties that are members of the community so that the regional board conducts its affairs in an open objective manner with public awareness and participation.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.
AB 2117 (Achadjian R) Waste discharge requirements: storm water.
Introduced: 2/23/2012
Digest: Under existing law, the State Water Resources Control Board (state board) and the California regional water quality control boards prescribe waste discharge requirements for the discharge of storm water in accordance with the federal national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit program. Existing law requires the state board or the regional boards to issue waste discharge requirements which apply and ensure compliance with all applicable provisions of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and any more stringent effluent standards or limitations necessary to implement water quality control plans, or for the protection of beneficial uses, or to prevent nuisance.
This bill would prohibit implementation of any new storm water effluent standards or limitations more stringent than the provisions of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act until January 1, 2017. This bill would require the state board, in consultation with affected stakeholders to prepare a comprehensive statewide storm water plan, as prescribed, and submit it to the Legislature by January 1, 2016.
Existing law requires waste discharge requirements be adopted only after notice and any necessary hearing.
This bill would permit state board and regional board staff and members to discuss pending storm water waste discharge requirements with affected parties so long as the discussion is publicly disclosed.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
SB 1306 (Blakeslee R) State Water Resources Control Board.
Introduced: 2/23/2012
Digest: Under existing law, the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, the State Water Resources Control Board (state board) and the 9 California regional water quality control boards are the principal state agencies with responsibility for the coordination and control of water quality in the state. The act requires the state board to formulate and adopt state policies for water quality control, and requires the regional boards to adopt regional water quality control plans in compliance with the state policies.
This bill would add findings and declarations to the act.
Existing law requires the California Environmental Protection Agency, or a board, department, or office within the agency, to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences, the University of California, the California State University, or any similar scientific institution of higher learning, or any combination of those entities, or with a scientist or group of scientists of comparable stature and qualifications that are recommended by the President of the University of California, to conduct an external scientific peer review of the scientific basis for any proposed rule, as defined, to include a policy adopted by the state board that has the effect of a regulation and that is adopted in order to implement or make effective a statute, and prescribes procedures for conducting that scientific peer review, as specified.
This bill would include the issuance, denial, or revocation, on a statewide, regionwide, or industrywide basis, of waste discharge requirements, permits, and waivers, by the state board to the definition of rule for the purposes of the above provisions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
We are also tracking AB 2311 (Atkins D) which is a spot bill (placeholder) but may turn into something more substantive in the future. Bill text – http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_2301-2350/ab_2311_bill_20120224_introduced.pdf