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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 11101987 - S.3 • 3 !M .,: BOARD OF. SUPERVISORS 1 .ii -FRCMC llra•: � Supervisor Sunne Wright McPeak mA C DATE: Introduced November 3, 1987, for CO "* Action on November 10, 1987 SUBJECT; Transportation of Inhalation Hazards SPECIFIC REQUEST S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACIAiOUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION Endorse the concepts in Preprint Assembly Bill 5 relating to the transportation of inhalation hazards. Further, refer Preprint Assembly Bill 5 to the Hazardous Materials Committee and the Hazardous Materials Commission for review and recommendations on specific amendments. In particular, request the Hazardous Materials Committee to review the proposed time periods for prior notification and advise the Board of Supervisors on whether or not the notification period should be shortened. BACKGROUND I believe that. the Board of Supervisors should take a leadership role in assuring safer transportation of the most toxic hazardous materials. Please see attachments for additional information. Attachments: 1) Fact Sheet 2) Press Release CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE; RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER S 1 GNATURIE s ACTION OF BOARD ON —November ..., APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED ?; OTHER VOTE OF SUPEWISOBS ; 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TARN AYES' NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. cc: County Administrator ATTESTED November 10, 1987 Hazardous Materials Commission PHIL BATCHELOR. CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR a BY ,DEPUTY �I382/7-�3 • SUNNE WRIGHT McPEAK Board of Supervisors Supervisor;District.Four Cwtrd -2301 Stanwell Drive WJt� •(;oncorri, California 94520 GOU� (415) 687- 8663 November 2, 1987 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ginny Crawford 646-5763 Supervisor Sunne Wright McPeak today called for stronger regulations and more aggressive enforcement of laws regarding the transportation of highly-toxic and hazardous materials on the state' s highways. McPeak testified before . ,the Assembly Task Force on the Transport of Hazardous . Materials and supported proposed legislation unveiled by Assemblyman Richard Katz, Chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee. "There are hundreds of mobile disasters waiting to happen' traveling throughout California," McPeak told the Task Force. According to the Assembly Transportation Committee, between 4 and - 5 million truckloads transport more than 170 million tons of hazardous material in California each year. The new legislation would make safer the transportation of the most toxic materials, called "inhalation hazards," which require widespread evacuation in the event of a spill or accident. Inhalation hazards include anhydrous hydrazine, fuming -nitric acid, liquid nitrogen tetroxide and certain poisonous gases. Many inhalation hazards are used in making rocket fuel. Katz and McPeak advocated the following provisions in the proposed regulations: restricted routes for the transportation of inhalation hazards to be determined by the California Highway Patrol through a public hearing process; notification of local police and fire officials when inhalation hazards are being transported through their jurisdictions; requirement of two qualified drivers, breathing apparatus and emergency communication equipment in all MORE vehicles transporting inhalation hazards plus the use of an escort vehicle; stiff penalties for carriers who do not follow the required procedures. Supervisor McPeak told the Task Force that there also must be greater enforcement of existing laws for the transportation of all .bazardous materials and toxics. She cited 1386 recommendations from the Contra osta Hazardous C Waste Task Force which called for: (a) development of a formalized agreement with the CHP for stepped-up inspection and enforcement programs; -and (b) development of local ordinances prohibiting the transportation of hazardous materials and hazardous waste on local streets by drivers who do not possess a certificate of advanced training. "The California Highway Patrol, state agencies and local officials must launch a concerted effort to see that hazardous materials are transported only by qualified, trained drivers in well-designed and maintained vehicles over safer routes. There must be an ongoing inspection and enforcement program conducted by the CHP. We have an obligation to prevent disasters as well as respond to them," testified McPeak. -30- COMMITTEES: j4CRAMENTO OOICL L • STATE CAPITOL � Environmental Safety and SACRAMENTO.CA 9581: Toxic Materials Finance 8 Insurance (916):45.161[ • ` �� • Policy Research Managemr [' TRANSTCOr/.MITTF.E CHAIRMAN � � � � STATEE CA CAPITOL � W SACRAMENTO.CA 95814 5etecl Committee on (916)445.7278 Small Business DISI MCI OFF ICE 9140 VAN NUYS BLVD.,SUITE 109 RICHARD KATZ PANORAMA CITY,CA 9140"e (8181894.3671 ASSEMBLYMAN.THIRTY-NINTH DISTRICT Chairman, ASSEMBLY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE FACT SHEET PREPRINT ASSEMBLY BILL 5 TRANSPORTATION OF INHALATWWARDS Over 110 million tons of hazardous material are transported annually in California. Between four and five million truckloads move on California highways each year. Preprint Assembly Bill 5 seeks to make the transportation of the most toxic of these hazardous materials safer. The bill : 1) Establishes a new category of hazardous materials for the purpose of regulating transportation. The category, called "inhalation hazard", includes anhydrous hydrazine, fuming nitric acid, and liquid nitrogen tetroxide, the- components of rocket fuel being shipped in California. Inhalation hazards are substances similar to those which caused the Bhopal , India tragedy. They are highly hazardous, and require widespread evacuation in the event of an accident. Also included are certain poisonous gases. 2) Restricts trucks carrying inhalation hazards to a limited number of approved highway routes. The route network will be developed through a public hearing process under the direction of the California Highway Patrol. The CHP must consider population density and emergency personnel capability when recommending a route. 3) Requires local police and fire chiefs to be notified when inhalation hazards are transported through their jurisdiction. 4) Sets stiff penalties for carriers of inhalation hazards who do not follow required procedures. 5) Requires vehicles transporting inhalation hazards to have two qualified drivers, breathing apparatus, and emergency communication equipment, and to be accompanied by an escort vehicle.