State Air Resources Board: regional air quality incident response program.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's status is currently passed by the Legislature but has not yet been signed into law, so its implementation details are still pending.

State Air Resources Board: Regional Air Quality Incident Response Program

This law requires the State Air Resources Board to establish a regional network of air quality incident response centers, including at least one in the South Coast Air Quality Management District, for emergency monitoring during disasters or crises affecting air quality and public health.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the State Air Resources Board to expand its incident air monitoring program to support a regional network of air quality incident response centers.
• Establishes at least one air quality incident response center in the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
• Requires coordination between the State Air Resources Board and local districts for emergency air monitoring during disasters or crises affecting air quality and public health.
• Allows funding from the Legislature to be used for planning, creating, equipping, and maintaining these centers.

Who It Names or Affects

• The State Air Resources Board
• Local air quality management districts

Terms To Know

Air Quality Incident Response Center

A center that provides emergency monitoring and response during disasters or crises affecting air quality.

State-mandated local program

A program where the state requires local agencies to perform certain duties, often with additional funding provided by the state.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill needs approval from the Legislature and a budget appropriation before it can be implemented.
• Local districts may need to provide additional resources if the State Air Resources Board does not fully fund the program.
• If the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to statutory provisions.

Official Summary Text

AB 2349, as introduced, Solache.
State Air Resources Board: regional air quality incident response program.
Existing law generally designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency with the primary responsibility for the control of vehicular air pollution, and air pollution control districts and air quality management districts with the primary responsibility for the control of air pollution from all sources other than vehicular sources. Existing law requires the state board to inventory sources of air pollution within the air basins of the state, determine the kinds and quantity of air pollutants, and monitor air pollutants in cooperation with districts and other agencies.
This bill would require the state board to expand its incident air monitoring program, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature for those purposes, to provide support for a regional network of air quality incident response centers, including at least one air quality
incident response and evaluation center located at the South Coast Air Quality Management District, in order to facilitate emergency air monitoring response at the local and regional level. The bill would require each air quality incident response center to be operated by the state board or an air district and would require the state board and each district that operates an air quality incident response center to coordinate to provide emergency air monitoring response for disasters or other crises impacting air quality and public health in the state. The bill would provide that funding made available by the Legislature for purposes of these provisions may be used for various purposes, including program funding to plan, create, equip, and maintain air quality incident response centers.
To the extent that the bill would expand the duties of an air district, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The
California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF