Hazardous waste: facilities permitting.

Existing law, as part of the hazardous waste control law, requires a facility handling hazardous waste to obtain a hazardous waste facilities permit from the Department of Toxic Substances Control. Existing law requires the department to impose certain conditions on each hazardous waste facilities permit and authorizes the department to impose other conditions on a hazardous waste facilities permit, as specified. A violation of the hazardous waste control law is a crime. The bill would require the department, as a condition for a new hazardous waste facilities permit or a renewal of a hazardous waste facilities permit, to require a facility operator to install monitoring devices or other equipment at the fence line of the facility to monitor for potential releases from the facility into the surrounding community, except as specified. The bill would require the department to grant such a request from a member of the public for a technical assistance grant for the purpose of getting assistance relating to, and information about, a pending hazardous waste facilities permit if the department receives the request within one year of the submission of the applicable hazardous waste facilities permit application, and would authorize the department to, in its discretion, grant such a request received more than one year from the submission of the applicable permit application. The bill would require the permit applicant to fund the grants. The bill would require the department, upon receipt of an application for a new hazardous waste facilities permit or for a renewal of a hazardous waste facilities permit, to post on its Internet Web site that the application has been received, and to include with this information a description of the process for applying for a technical assistance grant. Because a violation of the bill's requirements would be a crime, 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.