Air quality: standard: hydrogen sulfide.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on enforcement or penalties for local agencies failing to adopt new thresholds.

Air Quality Rules for Hydrogen Sulfide

The bill requires the State Air Resources Board to review and update air quality standards for hydrogen sulfide, hold public workshops in affected areas, consult with stakeholders, publish a report online, and develop health-based threshold levels by January 1, 2030.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the State Air Resources Board (SARB) to conduct a comprehensive review of current hydrogen sulfide air quality standards and update them if needed to protect public health, including sensitive and overburdened communities.
• Mandates SARB to hold at least three public workshops during the review process, including one in each of the Tijuana River Valley region and Salton Sea region.
• Requires SARB to consult with local air districts, environmental agencies, public health departments, tribal governments, community-based organizations, and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) during the review process.
• Directs SARB to publish a report on its website after completing the review and adopt an updated standard within one year of publishing the report.
• Authorizes OEHHA to develop health-based threshold levels for hydrogen sulfide by January 1, 2030.

Who It Names or Affects

• The State Air Resources Board
• Local air districts and environmental agencies
• Public health departments
• Tribal governments and community organizations

Terms To Know

Ambient air quality standard

A limit set by the government to protect public health from harmful levels of pollutants in outdoor air.

Threshold level

The concentration of a pollutant below which it is unlikely to cause harm, used as a reference for setting standards and guidelines.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify how much funding will be provided for the development of health-based threshold levels.
• Requires local agencies to adopt new thresholds but does not provide details on enforcement or penalties.
• The bill's effectiveness depends on timely updates and adherence by local authorities.

Official Summary Text

SB 58, as amended, Padilla.
Air quality: standard: hydrogen sulfide.
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 designates 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 conduct a comprehensive review, as provided, of the current ambient air quality standard for hydrogen sulfide and adopt an updated standard, as necessary, to protect public health, including the health of sensitive
and overburdened communities. The bill would require the state board to conduct at least 3 public workshops during the review, including at least one in the Tijuana River Valley region and one in the Salton Sea region. The bill would require the state board to consult with local air districts, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, the State Department of Public Health, affected tribal governments, and community-based organizations. The bill would require the state board to publish, after completing the review, a publicly available report on its internet website and, no later than 12 months after publishing the report, to adopt an updated hydrogen sulfide ambient air quality standard, as necessary, to protect sensitive populations and overburdened communities.
Existing law requires the state board to adopt standards of ambient air quality for each air
basin in consideration of the public health, safety, and welfare, including, but not limited to, health, illness, irritation to the senses, aesthetic value, interference with visibility, and effects on the economy. Existing law authorizes these standards to vary from one air basin to another. Existing law requires the standards relating to health effects to be based upon the recommendations of the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.
This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2030, the office to develop health-based threshold levels for hydrogen sulfide. The bill would further authorize the office to develop threshold levels for additional air pollutants with the considerations specified for hydrogen sulfide upon an appropriation for this purpose from the Legislature. The bill would require the office to conduct at least 3 public workshops,
including at least one located in the Tijuana River Valley region, at least one located in the Salton Sea region, and at least one selected in consultation with a community that has experienced significant hydrogen sulfide exposure.
The bill would require the air pollution control districts and air quality management districts to adopt, and would authorize local environmental and public health agencies to consider, any threshold level later developed by the office pursuant to the bill. By imposing new duties on air pollution control districts and air quality management districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The bill would also authorize the state board to adopt additional or updated standards based on the threshold levels developed pursuant to the bill. The bill would additionally express
the intent of the Legislature to develop guidelines that would require the state board, in consultation with specified entities, to develop a response framework to establish best practices and guidance based on the office’s development of thresholds established pursuant to the bill.
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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Current Bill Text

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