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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04091985 - 1.45 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra FROM: Phil Batchelor, County Administrator Costa DATE: April 9, 1985 v"u' "y SUBJECT: Legislation: Assembly Bill 703 (Johnston) SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION• Adopt a position of support for AB 703 by Assemblyman Pat Johnston which would authorize the State Public Utilities Commission to prohibit a railroad corporation from parking or storing any tank car containing flammable, explosive, or toxic chemicals or substances for a period of more than three weeks within a one mile radius of the jurisdiction of any city or county. BACKGROUND: The Board has previously expressed their concern about the right of railroad corporations to park tank cars containing flammable, explosive, or toxic chemicals near cities and other inhabited areas for extended periods of time, particularly when the local governmental jurisdiction is unaware of the contents of the tank cars and has no ability to regulate their being parked in or near the local government' s jurisdiction. Assemblyman Pat Johnston has introduced AB 703 which would authorize, but not require, the Public Utilities Commission to regulate such parking of tank cars. The Office of Emergency Services would like to see two features of the bill amended to strengthen it: 1. Require rather than authorize the PUC to so regulate railroad corporations; and 2. Authorize storage for longer than three weeks if approved by the local jurisdiction. Therefore, we recommend that the Board support AB 703 in its present form, but authorize the County Administrator to seek amendments which will strengthen the bill by requiring regulation by the PUC and by requiring some notification to and involvement of local government in these decisions. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: X RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE X APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S) t ACTION OF BOARD ON Pr> > APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER REFERRED the aforementioned report to the Hazardous Waste Committee and Fire Chiefs representing various fire protection districts for review and recommendations to the Board. VOTE OF SUPERVISORS X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AYES: NOES: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. County Administrator CC: OES Director ATTESTED April 9 , 1985 Public Works Director PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF Assemblyman Pat Johnston Hazardous Waste Committee SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Fire Chiefs M382/7-83 BY DEPUTY