GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I'D
LIKE TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO A
JOINT MEETING OF THE ASSEMBLY,
ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY AND TOXIC
MATERIALS COMMITTEE. AND WITH ME
IS. I'M BILL QUIRK WITH ME IS
BEN ALLEN, CHAIR OF THE SENATE.
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE.
TODAY'S INFORMATIONAL HEARING IS
A FIRST STATUS UPDATE. RECENT
POLICY AND FISCAL REFORMS MADE
TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TOXIC
EXCEPTIONS, CONTROL, OR DTSC,
INCLUDING THE NEWLY CREATED
BOARD OF ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY.
OVER THE PAST NINE YEARS OR SO.
THE LEGISLATURE IS THOUGHT. HAS
SOUGHT. TO ADDRESS CONCERNS
RAISED BY STAKEHOLDERS THAT HOW
DTSC IMPLEMENTS ITS PROGRAMS.
THE LEGISLATURE LISTEN TO
COMMITTEES. EXCUSE ME,
COMMUNITIES LIVING NEAR
HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITIES AND
CONTAMINATED SITES. WE'VE
CONSIDERED INPUT FROM
STAKEHOLDERS THAT OPERATE
HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITIES. AND
CLEAN UP CONTAMINATED SITES. IN
RESPONSE, LAWMAKERS HAVE PUT
FORWARD SEVERAL POLICY PROPOSALS
OVER THE YEAR. LEGISLATION HAS
FOCUSED ON THE PERMITTING OF
HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITIES. AND
IMPROVING THE INVOLVEMENT.
ENGAGEMENT OF COMMUNITIES NEAR
CONTAMINATED SITES. AND HOLDING
ENTITIES FINANCIALLY ACCOUNTABLE
FOR THE CONTAMINATION THAT CAUSE
LEGISLATURE HAS ALSO HELD
OVERSIGHT HEARINGS AND RESULTED
IN FURTHER POLICY PROPOSALS. ONE
HALLMARK PROPOSAL WAS PUT
FORWARD IN 2020. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
CRISTINA GARCIA. INTRODUCED A B
995 A BILL THAT WOULD HAVE
CREATED A BOARD OF ENVIRONMENTAL
SAFETY AND IMPLEMENTED NEW
NUMEROUS POLICY REFORMS TO DTSC.
UM, I WILL MENTION THAT PRIOR TO
THIS, THERE WAS WHAT WAS IT THE
INTERIM WELL. THE INDEPENDENT
REVIEW PANEL, WHICH IT MADE MANY
POLICY. RECOMMENDATIONS,
INCLUDING THAT THERE SHOULD BE
CONTINUING. EVALUATION OF THE
DEPARTMENT. AND THIS IN PART,
LED TO MISS GARCIA'S BILL.
ANYWAY THE BILL WAS VETOED BY
THE GOVERNOR. HIS VETO MESSAGE.
GAVIN NEWSOM STATED THAT POLICY
REFORM NEEDED TO BE ACCOMPANIED
BY FISCAL REFORM. AT THE TIME,
THE LEGISLATURE WAS STILL
SEEKING MORE INFORMATION FROM
DTSC. AND HOW ADDITIONAL FUNDING
WOULD BE USED DESPITE BEING
VETOED. MAYBE 995 WAS CRUCIAL IN
MOVING MUCH NEEDED CONVERSATIONS
BETWEEN THE ADMINISTRATION AND
THE LEGISLATION FORWARD. LAST
YEAR, DTSC RELEASED A DETAILED
WORKLOAD ANALYSIS, WHICH
INCLUDED A BREAKDOWN. OF DTSC S
CURRENT RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS AND
OUTLINE WHAT COULD BE
ACCOMPLISHED WITH ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES. FURTHER THE
ADMINISTRATION PROPOSED DTSC
REFORM, INCLUDING BOTH FISCAL
CHANGES IN POLICY CHANGES. MANY
OF WHICH WERE TAKEN FROM
CHRISTINA GARCIA'S A B 995. AND
ALSO FROM THE INTERIM REVIEW
BOARD. MONTHS OF NEGOTIATION. SP
1 58 WAS PASSED. WHO'S BILL WAS
THAT? HMM. BUDGET COMMITTEE. OH,
IT'S BUDGET COMMITTEE BILL.
THAT'S ONE THING THE ONLY WAY
THE GOVERNOR CAN PROPOSE
LEGISLATION IS THROUGH THE
BUDGET. SO. ANYWAY SO SB 1 58
WAS PASSED AND SIGNED, CREATING
THE BOARD OF ENVIRONMENTAL
SAFETY AND ACTING SEVERAL POLICY
CHANGES, INCREASING IT UPDATING
DTS ES FEES. I THINK THIS WAS A
MASTER STROKE BY THE
ADMINISTRATION. AND SHOWS HOW
THESE DECISIONS REALLY NEED TO
BE MADE, AND I VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE THE GOVERNOR. AND HIS
STAFF AND WHAT THEY AND THE DTSC
STAFF AND WHAT THEY DID HERE.
BOARDS DUTIES IN AUTHORITIES
INCLUDE DEVELOPING LONG TERM
GOALS FOR DTSC PROGRAMS. THE
DROPPING, ADAPTING PERFORMANCE
METRICS SUGGESTING FEE RACE BEST
UPON CHANGES MADE IN THE ANNUAL
BUDGET ACT HEARING AND DECIDING
HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITY PERMIT
APPEALS. AND PROVIDING
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC
HEARINGS ON PERMITTED AND
REMEDIATION SITES, AMONG OTHER
THINGS. I WANT TO EMPLOY THE
GOVERNOR OF THE SENATE PRESIDENT
PRO TEM AND THE SPEAKER FOR
POINTING, HIGHLY QUALIFIED
CANDIDATES TO THE BOARD. SINCE
SB 1 58 WAS SIGNED TODAY WE'LL
BE HEARING FROM THE CHAIR OF THE
BOARD OF ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY.
THE DIRECTOR OF DTSC AND
REPRESENTATIVES OF COMMUNITY
GROUPS AND ENTITIES REGULATED BY
DTSC. SENATOR ALLEN. DO YOU WANT
TO ADD ANYTHING? YEAH WELL,
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU CHAIR
QUIRK, AND I CERTAINLY
APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO,
UM. TO WEIGH IN ON THIS
IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT WE'VE
CERTAINLY BEEN LOOKING AT QUITE
A BIT AT THE COMMITTEE AND THE
SENATE SIDE REFORM PROPOSAL YOU
TALKED ABOUT WAS A VERY
SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE. IT WAS A
LONG TIME COMING IT, YOU KNOW,
OF COURSE, GAVE THE DEPARTMENT
OF THE TOOLS AND FUNDING THAT IT
NEEDS TO RIGHT THE SHIP TOWARDS
CLEANER AND SAFER COMMUNITIES
FROM TOXIC SUBSTANCES, AND WE
SHOULD CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE OUR
COLLEAGUE. THE SAME IMAGE GARCIA
FOR HER WORK IN THIS SPACE,
PUSHING THE GOVERNOR AND PUSHING
THE WHOLE LEGISLATURE. SO WE'RE
LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING FROM
THE DEPARTMENT ABOUT PROGRESS
THAT'S BEEN MADE IN IMPLEMENTING
THE REFORM MEASURES AND WHATEVER
CHALLENGES THAT MIGHT NEED OUR
ATTENTION. UM FROM THE
DEPARTMENT'S PERSPECTIVE AND, OF
COURSE, FROM THE BOARD OF
ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY. AND WE'RE
ALSO WELCOMING ANY INSIGHTS INTO
DEPARTMENTS PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS
, ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY
MEASURES THAT ARE THAT ARE IN
THE WORKS. UM I'M PARTICULARLY
INTERESTED IN HEARING MORE ABOUT
THE PROCESS THAT'S BEING PUT
TOGETHER. WITH THE HAZARDOUS
WASTE MATERIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN.
RELATED TO ESTABLISHING WASTE
REDUCTION GOALS AND UPDATING THE
POLLUTION PREVENTION PROGRAM.
THAT'S CONNECTED TO SOME OF THE
WORK THAT I'VE BEEN DOING. I'M
ALSO EAGER TO LEARN ABOUT THE
DEPARTMENT'S PROGRESS IN
IMPLEMENTING THE REFORM MEASURES
, AND YOU KNOW ANY OTHER
CHALLENGES THAT MIGHT NEED OUR
ATTENTION FROM THE LEGISLATIVE
SIDE. SO WOW VERY MUCH WELCOME
THIS HEARING AND GLAD TO SEE
COLLEAGUES. I KNOW THAT'S
SOMETHING GARCIA IS ON HER WAY
AS WELL AND GOOD LOOKING FORWARD
TO THIS. WE'LL HAVE TO LET HER
KNOW. WE SAID VERY NICE THINGS
ABOUT YOU. UM BEFORE WE GET
STARTED, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE
WITNESSES WE HAVE WITH US TODAY.
YOU'VE TRAVELED HERE TO PROVIDE
TESTIMONY ON THIS IMPORTANT
TOPIC. PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC TO SHARE THEIR VIEWS
AT THE END OF THE HEARING,
EITHER IN PERSON OR OVER THE
PHONE LINE. UM THE FIRST TWO
SPEAKERS ARE AND THEY CAN COME
FORWARD NOW, OR DR MEREDIH
WILLIAMS AND FRANCESCA NEGRE. UM
AND AFTER THAT, WE'LL HEAR FROM
JEANNIE RIZZO. TO START THE
HEARING OFF DR MEREDITH
WILLIAMS, WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF
DTSC. AND FRANCESCA NEGRI, THE
CHIEF DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF DCS,
DTSC, PROVIDING UPDATE ON THE
REFORMS. THE DEPARTMENT HAS
IMPLEMENTED THEIR VISION FOR
DTSC. ANY ADDITIONAL, UM,
UPDATES THEY WISH TO SHARE
PLEASE GO AHEAD. GOOD AFTERNOON
CHAIR QUIRK AND CHAIR ALAN AND
MEMBER MATHIS. IT'S VERY HARD TO
BELIEVE THAT IT WAS TWO YEARS
AGO. WE NEED TO MOVE THE
MICROPHONE CLOSER TO YOUR MOUTH
. OKAY HOW'S THAT BETTER? MUCH
pYEAH SO FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME
IS MEREDITH WILLIAMS. I'M THE
DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL. AND IT%
WAS ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO THAT I
WAS BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE FOR
MY CONFIRMATION HEARING AND
DURING THAT CONFIRMATION HEARING
, I TALKED ABOUT THE PROMISING
TRAJECTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT THE
PROGRESS THAT HAD BEEN MADE SO
FAR. AND THE PROJECTS THAT WERE
OVER THE HORIZON THAT REALLY, WE
THINK OFFERED HOPE FOR A
STRONGER, MORE EFFECTIVE, MORE
ACCOUNTABLE, MORE TRANSPARENT
DTSC. ONE THAT WOULD BETTER
SERVE ITS STAKEHOLDERS BY
LISTENING BY RESPONDING AND BY
TAKING MEANINGFUL ACTION ON
BEHALF OF THOSE WHO COUNT ON US
TO PROTECT THEM. WELL, THANKS TO
YOU, AND TO MANY OTHERS. WE'VE
CROSSED THAT HORIZON, AND WE'RE
NOW SITTING OUR SIGHTS ON NEW
HORIZONS THAT ARE MADE POSSIBLE
BY THE REFORM. I WANT TO START
BY EXPRESSING GRATITUDE. I'M
IT'S JUST BEEN THANKS TO YOU. TO
THE INDUSTRY AND ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE ADVOCATES WHO WORK
CLOSELY TOGETHER OVER THE LAST
TWO YEARS TO BUILD CONSENSUS AND
BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE
REALITY OF THE DEPARTMENT'S
CONSTRAINTS AND THE SHARED
VISION OF WHAT DTSC NEEDS TO BE.
WE HAVE MUCH STRONGER AND
HEALTHIER PARTNERSHIPS THAT I
HOPE WILL CONTINUE AND GROW
STRONGER WELL INTO THE FUTURE.
I'M PERSONALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE
FAITH THAT'S BEEN PLACED IN ME.
AND DTS ES TEAM OF DEBT, VERY
DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS. AND
OF COURSE, I HAVE IMMENSE
GRATITUDE AND FOR THE FAITH AND
COMMITMENT OF GOVERNOR, GOVERNOR
GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM. CAL E P A
SECRETARY BLUMENFELD. AND MY
COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE
ADMINISTRATION. THE GOVERNOR
MADE IT CLEAR WHAT HIS PRIORITY
WAS FOR A STRONG AND EFFECTIVE
DTSC FOR THE SAKE OF HEALTHIER
COMMUNITIES. AND I CAN ATTEST
THAT SECRETARY BLUMENFELD WAS
UNWAVERING IN HIS FOCUS AND
DRIVE WORKING STEADILY AND
COLLABORATIVELY TOWARD THAT
GOAL. I'M NOT HERE TODAY TO
CLAIM THAT OUR WORK IS DONE. WE
KNOW IT'S NOT DONE. AND ALL OF
US NEED CONTINUED COOPERATION
AND FOCUS TO KEEP THE MOMENTUM
GOING. BUT THERE'S PLENTY OF
EVIDENCE THAT THE COLLABORATION
AND HARD WORK IS LEADING US TO
WHERE WE ALL AGREE. WE NEED TO
GO. TODAY CHIEF DEPUTY DIRECTOR
FRANCESCA NEGRI AND I WILL
PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE ON
FOUR GENERAL ISSUES WILL START
BY DESCRIBING SOME OF OUR SOME
OF THE ADVANCES IN OUR
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE AND
PRACTICES. WILL SPEND SOME TIME
TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE'VE DONE
AROUND TRANSPARENCY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY. AND ACTION WILL
THEN TALK A BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE
DOING WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT TO
ENSURE EQUITY IN ALL THAT WE DO.
AND OF COURSE, WE'LL TAKE SOME
MOMENTS AT THE END TO TALK ABOUT
THE FUTURE AND TO LOOK TOWARD
THAT NEXT HORIZON. SO STARTING
WITH OUR OPERATIONAL ADVANCES,
THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE OVER
MANY YEARS HAS REALLY PREPARED
US TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF THIS OPPORTUNITY. WE'VE
STRENGTHENED OUR OPERATIONS. WE
TIGHTENED OUR FINANCIALS. WE'VE
TRAINED STAFF AND PROJECT
MANAGEMENT. WE'VE DONE LEAN SIX
SIGMA PROJECTS WE'VE IMPROVED
OUR I T THESE ARE VERY
UNGLAMOROUS THINGS TO POINT TO,
BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT IT'S LAID
THE GROUNDWORK FOR US TO MOVE
FORWARD. SOME OF THESE EFFORTS
HAVE BEEN UNDERTAKEN AS PART OF
OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. AND THAT
PLAN HAS AS TWO GOALS ARE TWO OF
ITS GOALS ARE ORGANIZATIONAL
INFLUENCE AND HIGH PERFORMING
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. THOSE ARE
OUR 3RD AND 4TH GOALS, AND THEY
REALLY HAVE PUT US IN A GIVEN US
SOME STRONG FUNDAMENTALS AND
WITHOUT THOSE STRONG
FUNDAMENTALS, WE WOULDN'T BE
ABLE TO POINT TO OUR TRACK
RECORD TODAY. FOR SOME RECENT
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, SO, FOR
INSTANCE, WITHIN WITHIN THE NEXT
MONTH, WE WILL HAVE CLEANED UP.
4000 PROPERTIES AROUND THE EXIDE
FACILITY. ARE PERMITTING PROGRAM
KEEPS GETTING STRONGER AND
STRONGER. OVER THE PAST TWO
YEARS, WE'VE MADE 32 PERMIT
DECISIONS. THOSE DECISIONS
INCLUDE APPROVING AND RENEWING
PERMITS. REJECTING AND DENYING
PERMITS AND ALSO APPROVING OR
REJECTING MAJOR MODIFICATIONS TO
EXISTING PERMITS. ARE PERMITS
ARE STRONGER. THEY'RE MORE
EFFECTIVE, THEY'RE MORE
ENFORCEABLE THAN THEY EVER
HAPPEN. WE'RE IN OUR FOURTH YEAR
IMPLEMENTING THE VIOLATIONS
SCORING PROCEDURE THAT WAS
CALLED FOR BY SP 6 73, AND IT IS
PROVEN TO BE A PRACTICAL,
EFFECTIVE, EFFECTIVE AND LEGALLY
DEFENSIBLE TOOL FOR ASSESSING
FACILITY COMPLIANCE. CHIEF
DEPUTY CHIEF DEPUTY DIRECTOR
NEGRI WILL SAY MORE ABOUT THIS
IN A MOMENT. ALL OF THIS GIVES
US THE CONFIDENCE THAT WE CAN
IMPLEMENT THE REFORMS MANDATED
IN SB 1 58. EFFICIENTLY AND
EFFECTIVELY. THESE STRONGER
BUSINESS PRACTICES HAS HAVE
HELPED US RE ESTABLISHED LONG
DORMANT PROGRAMS SUCH AS OUR
HAZARDOUS WASTE CLASSIFICATION
UNIT. THEY ARE ALSO HELPING US
BUILD NEW PROGRAMS LIKE THE
CLEANUP AND VULNERABLE
COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE. WE'VE
BEEN ABLE TO STAND UP THAT
PROGRAM, THE CBC I PROGRAM WITH
THE $500 MILLION IN FUNDING THAT
WAS APPROPRIATED AS PART OF THE
REFORM. ONLINE YOU CAN LIST OU
CAN FIND A LIST OF THE 21 ORPHAN
SITES THAT ARE BEING CLEANED UP
AS A RESULT, AND THAT'S A
SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM THE
NUMBER OF ORPHAN SITES THAT WE
TYPICALLY TACKLE. LAST MONTH, WE
ANNOUNCED THE FIRST RECIPIENTS
OF THE ECUADOR COMMUNITIES
REVITALIZATION GRANTS, WHICH IS
AGAIN PART OF CBC. I THESE
BROWNFIELDS GRANTS WILL
ULTIMATELY RESULT IN THINGS LIKE
GROCERY STORES AND FOOD, DESERTS
, PARKS AND OPEN SPACE AND
COMMUNITY CENTERS IN UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES. OUR STAFF ARE
RESPONDING FAVORABLY TO WHAT
WE'VE BEEN DOING. WE HAVE SOME
PRELIMINARY EMPLOYING CAGE
ENGAGEMENT SURVEY RESULTS THAT
SHOW THT OUR STAFF ARE MORE
ENGAGED IN OUR RECOGNIZING THE
IMPROVEMENTS WE'VE PUT IN PLACE.
CHIEF DEPUTY DIRECTOR. NEGRI
WILL NOW PROVIDE ADDITIONAL
DETAIL ABOUT OUR WORK TO
ESTABLISH ORGANIZATIONAL
EXCELLENCE. GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR
AND MEMBERS. I WOULD LIKE TO
ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF DR
WILLIAMS AND EXPRESSED MY
APPRECIATION OF GOVERNOR NEWSOM.
YOU THE ASSEMBLY AND SENATE
LEADERSHIP POLICY AND MEMBER
STAFF AND THE MULTITUDE OF OUR
PUBLIC PARTNERS WHO WORKED WITH
US OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS
TO BRING ABOUT FISCAL AND
GOVERNANCE REFORM. IN MY 30,
PLUS YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE
STATE, THIS WAS PERHAPS THE
HIGHEST LEVEL OF COLLABORATION
I'VE EXPERIENCED. WITH THE
POTENTIAL TO HAVE THE GREATEST
IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITIES,
ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN
DEEPLY BURDENED BY ENVIRONMENTAL
POLLUTION. THE OPERATIONAL
ADVANCES WE'VE ACHIEVED OVER THE
PAST SEVERAL YEARS HAVE BEEN
MADE POSSIBLE WITH YOUR SUPPORT.
AND PROPELLED FORWARD THROUGH
THE PASSAGE OF SB 1 58, AND I'D
LIKE TO SHARE A FEW OF THOSE
WITH YOU. WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT
ADVANCES TO DRIVE EFFICIENCY,
ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY
THROUGH TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS AND
ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS. TECHNOLOGY
SECURITY IS NOW A TOP PRIORITY
FOR DTSC, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
MAKE CRITICAL IMPROVEMENTS
BECAUSE OF THE RESOURCES YOU
PROVIDED. WE'RE WORKING TO
DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A DATA
GOVERNANCE INITIATIVE, WHICH
INCLUDES AN ORGANIZATION WIDE
DATA STRATEGY TO IMPROVE DATA
MANAGEMENT ACROSS THE ENTERPRISE
, AND THIS IS CRITICAL TO
IMPROVING TRANSPARENCY AND
PROVIDING THE PUBLIC AND YOU
WITH ACCURATE DATA REGARDING OUR
WORK. WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY
IMPLEMENTED THE FIRST TWO PHASES
OF THE COST RECOVERY MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM, WHICH IS AN ELECTRONIC
CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT WILL
HELP DTSC HOLD RESPONSIBLE
PARTIES ACCOUNTABLE AND SUPPORT
OUR COST RECOVERY EFFORTS. THE
THIRD AND FINAL PHASE OF THIS
SYSTEM IS ON TARGET TO BE
DELIVERED THIS FALL. DTSC ALSO
CONTINUES TO BE DEEPLY COMMITTED
TO PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS THAT
WILL SAVE TIME AND MONEY FOR THE
DEPARTMENT. THE REGULATED
COMMUNITY AND THE PUBLIC. WE'VE
STRENGTHENED OUR CONTRACTING
PROCESSES. UM TO IMPROVE OUR
RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP. WE'VE
WORKED AGGRESSIVELY TO IMPROVE
HOW WE HIRE OUR STAFF FOCUSING
ON HIRING FROM THE COMMUNITIES
WE SERVE. LAST FISCAL YEAR, DTSC
HIRED OVER 300 EMPLOYEES
AVERAGING ABOUT 26 PER MONTH,
ALMOST DOUBLING OUR PREVIOUSLY
OUR PREVIOUS MONTHLY RATE. THIS
FISCAL YEAR. WE'VE ALREADY
FILLED 70 POSITIONS. WE ARE
EXAMINING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
FROM A HOLISTIC AND EQUITABLE
FRAMEWORK. FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE
DEVELOPING A PIPELINE FOR
COLLEGE STUDENTS TO ENTER INTO
DTSC CAREERS. WE'VE ALSO
IMPROVED INTERNAL FEEDBACK AND
ACCOUNTABILITY. APPROXIMATELY
90% OF EMPLOYEES RECENTLY
RECEIVED AN ANNUAL PERFORMANCE
REVIEW AND OUR GOAL IS TO REACH
100% BY NEXT YEAR. WE'VE
REIMAGINED OUR TRAINING PROGRAMS
, INCLUDING THOSE IN PROJECT
MANAGEMENT TO MAXIMIZE AN
INDIVIDUAL'S ABILITY TO SUCCEED
, CREATE, UM CARRY GREATER
LEVELS OF RESPONSIBILITY AND
RISE UP WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
OUR EMPLOYEES ARE GREATEST ASSET
AND WE'RE WORKING EVERY DAY TO
IMPROVE OUR INVESTMENT IN THEM.
WE HAVE IMPROVED CROSS
PROGRAMMATIC ENGAGEMENT TO BREAK
DOWN SILOS, IMPROVING
COMMUNICATION AND UNDERSTANDING
AND INCREASING MORALE. DTSC HAS
INCREASED EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
SURVEY METRICS FROM 5 TO 20% ON
KEY ISSUES, INCLUDING PERCEPTION
OF LEADERSHIP'S ABILITY TO
MANAGE CHANGE AND OUTCOME OF
WORK PRODUCTS. BUT THE BENEFITS
OF INVESTMENT INTO INTERNAL
OPERATIONS ALSO RESULT IN STRONG
BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITIES WE
SERVE. AS OUR OPERATIONS HAVE
IMPROVED, SO HAVE OUR PERMITTING
ENFORCEMENT AND CLEANUP
PRACTICES AND OUTCOMES. AS DR
WILLIAMS SAID, WE'RE NEARING THE
MILESTONE OF HAVING COMPLETED
CLEANUP BEFORE 1000 PROPERTIES
IN COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING THE
FORMER EXIDE FACILITY. WE'VE
USED OUR CONTRACT IMPROVEMENT
INITIATIVE TO CONTROL COSTS, ALL
SCHOOLS, PARKS AND LICENSED
CHILDCARE FACILITY CLEANUPS HAVE
BEEN COMPLETED. AND WITH THE
FUNDS YOU PROVIDED WE'RE ON
TRACK TO CLEAN UP UP TO 6000
PROPERTIES AND CONDUCT
ADDITIONAL FACILITY CLEANUPS BY
2025. OUR WORKFORCE FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION OF
COMMUNITIES OR WORK PROGRAM HAS
TRAINED 160 CANDIDATES, OF WHICH
115 WERE HIRED INITIALLY ON THE
EXIDE PROJECT AND AVERAGE OF 70
GRADUATES CONTINUE TO WORK ON
THE PROJECT. OTHERS HAVE GONE ON
TO OTHER CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
OPEN TO THEM BECAUSE OF THE
TRAINING THEY RECEIVED. DR
WILLIAMS REFERRED TO THE
IMPROVEMENTS IN ARE ARE
PERMITTING PROGRAM, WHICH HAVE
LEAD TO COST SAVINGS FOR THE
DEPARTMENT. AND PERMITTED
FACILITIES. ALIKE. NOT ONLY DO
WE HAVE STRONGER PERMITS. THAT
PROTECT COMMUNITIES AND IMPROVE
OUR ENFORCEMENT CAPABILITIES OF
FASTER, MORE EFFICIENT DECISION
MAKING PROCESS. KEEP
STAKEHOLDERS APPRISED OF OUR
PROGRESS, IMPROVED FINANCIAL
ASSURANCE AND COST RECOVERY HOLD
FACILITIES ACCOUNTABLE FOR
PRESENT AND FUTURE COSTS, AND
WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS
ON CLOSING AND PREVENTING
BACKLOGS FOR CONTINUED PERMITS
IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. DURING
THAT TIME, DTSC ISSUED 33 FINAL
PERMIT DECISIONS. WE'RE NOW
FOCUSED ON SOME OF THE LAST FEW
OLDER AND MORE DIFFICULT PERMIT
DECISIONS. THERE ARE CURRENTLY
EIGHT PERMITS THAT HAVE BEEN
CONTINUED FOR MORE THAN FIVE
YEARS, AND WE'RE PLANNING ON
ISSUING DRAFT DECISIONS FOR THEM
BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
WE'RE ON TRACK TO MEET OUR GOAL
BY 2024. OF MAKING THE MAJORITY
OF OUR PERMIT DECISIONS WITHIN
TWO YEARS. THANK YOU, FRANCESCA.
MOVING ON TO WHAT WE'VE BEEN
DOING TO INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY
AND TRANSPARENCY WITHIN
DEPARTMENT. THE ACCOUNTABILITY
THAT MOTIVE MOTIVATED. THE
REFORM CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED IF
WE'RE TRANSPARENT. SIMPLY PUT
PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE'VE
COMMITTED TO THEY IN ORDER TO
HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE AND THEY
NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE'VE
COMMITTED TO IN ORDER TO MAKE
SURE THAT THOSE COMMITMENTS ARE
IN LINE WITH WHAT CALIFORNIANS
NEED AND EXPECT. IT WAS THE
TRANSPARENCY OF THE WORKLOAD
ANALYSIS THAT ALLOWED YOU TO
UNDERSTAND THE DEPARTMENT'S
NEEDS AND DEVELOP A REFORM THAT
MET THE MOST URGENT OF THOSE
NEEDS TO US THE SPEAKS DIRECTLY
TO THE BENEFIT AND VALUE OF
BEING TRANSPARENT. WE HAVE
MENTIONED OUR DASHBOARD TO A
NUMBER OF YOU BEFORE, AND IT'S
STILL AVAILABLE ONLINE AND
UPDATED REGULARLY. WE'RE ALSO
USING METRICS TO DRIVE OUR
INTERNAL PERFORMANCE WHETHER
THAT'S HIRING, WORKING WITH U. S
C P A OR ENGAGING THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR PUBLIC
OUTREACH EFFORTS. OF COURSE, THE
BOARD OF ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY IS
INTEGRAL TO PROVIDING THAT
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BOARD FROM
CHAIR RIZZO SHORTLY. DTSC IS
WORKING HARD TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF
THE BOARD BECAUSE WE ARE
COUNTING ON IT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH
CHAIR RIZZO AND THE BOARD
MEMBERS. THEY ARE MOVING FORWARD
WITH THEIR MANDATE AT A GOOD
CLIP AS YOU'LL HEAR. AND AS THEY
LEARN ABOUT DTSC, WE HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY IN TURN TO GAIN NEW
PERSPECTIVES ON THE WORK THAT
WE'RE DOING. TERRORISM WILL
SPEAK ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE BOARD METRICS PER SP 1 58.
WE ANTICIPATE A KIND OF FEEDBACK
LOOP AS WE SHARE WITH THEM WHAT
OUR TARGETS AND METRICS AND
PRIORITIES ARE AND THEY
INCORPORATE THAT INTO THEIR
STRATEGY AND GIVE US COURSE
CORRECTIONS AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK
TO US AND ULTIMATELY, BOTH PARTS
OF THE ORGANIZATION WILL BE
STRENGTHENED FOR THAT, FOR THAT
SHARED COMMITMENT TO THOSE THOSE
GOALS AND METRICS. ALTHOUGH MANY
OF MANY PEOPLE WHO WERE INVOLVED
IN THE REFORM WE'RE WE'RE VERY
FOCUSED ON THE TRANSPARENCY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY OF DTSC FOR THE
DEPARTMENT. WE HOWEVER, HAVE
PROGRESSED IN OUR ABILITY TO
HOLD THE REGULATED COMMUNITY
ACCOUNTABLE AND TO DO SO WITH
TRANSPARENCY. THE REFORM
REQUIRED STRONGER FINANCIAL
ASSURANCE, AND NOW THAT'S BEING
APPLIED TO CORRECTION ACT,
CORRECTIVE ACTION CLEANUPS AND
PERMITTED FACILITIES. AND THE
MORE ENFORCEABLE PERMITS THAT
CHIEF DEPUTY DIRECTOR NEGRI
DESCRIBED SERVED TO PROVIDE MORE
TRANSPARENCY TO PERMITTED
FACILITIES SO THAT THEY KNOW
EXACTLY WHAT'S EXPECTED OF THEM
TO BE IN COMPLIANCE. FRANCESCA
PLEASE SAY MORE SO AS YOU AS YOU
CAN TELL FROM DR WILLIAMS WERE
PASSIONATE AND MAKING GREAT
STRIDES IN IMPROVING OUR
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
, AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A
FEW MOMENTS TO SHARE OR BRIEFLY
ILLUSTRATE WHAT THIS COMMITMENT
LOOKS LIKE. SO WE CONTINUE TO
MAKE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN
OUR FISCAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
THAT ALLOW US TO TRACK AND
RECALIBRATE WORKLOAD AND
RESOURCES. WE'VE DEVELOPED
PROGRAM LEVEL OPERATIONAL PLANS
THAT FOCUS ON STRENGTHENING OUR
PROCESSES AND BRING ABOUT
GREATER EFFICIENCIES, AND THIS
WORK IS COMPLEMENTED BY
REFINEMENT OF INTERNAL
DASHBOARDS. FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE
DEVELOPING A NEW PROJECT
MANAGEMENT DASHBOARD IN OUR SITE
MITIGATION AND RESTORATION
PROGRAM, AND THIS IS GOING TO
HELP US BETTER TRACK OUR
COMMITMENTS, DELIVERABLES AND
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. FROM A
DEPARTMENT WIDE PERSPECTIVE.
WE'RE WORKING TO MATURE, THE
EXTERNAL DASHBOARD, DR WILLIAMS
REFERENCE TO IMPROVE HOW WE
MEASURE SUCCESS ON MEETING OUR
MISSION AND THE GOAL SET FORTH
IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. WE'RE
WORKING TO EXPAND OUR CURRENT
METRICS TO INCLUDE THOSE THAT
BETTER MEASURE PROGRESS TOWARDS
OUTCOMES THAT CAN BE FELT IN OUR
COMMUNITIES. THE STRATEGIC PLAN
, WHICH IS NOW HALFWAY THROUGH
COMPLETION WILL BE RELAUNCHED IN
THE COMING MONTHS AND WILL
BETTER REFLECT THE EVOLUTION THE
DEPARTMENT HAS MADE SINCE THE
PLAN WAS FIST IMAGINED IN 2018.
GOALS AND TACTICS WILL BE
CLEARER AND MORE SPECIFIC AND
THE DASHBOARD CURRENTLY UNDER
DEVELOPMENT WILL DISPLAY RESULTS
IN REAL TIME. WE'RE LOOKING
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE
BOARD TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL
OUTCOME BASED METRICS THAT TRACK
DTS ES OVERALL PERFORMANCE IN A
MEANINGFUL WAY FOR OUR PUBLIC
PARTNERS. AND WE'RE SHARING
CRITICAL INFORMATION WITH THE
PUBLIC BY INCREASING OUR
WEBSITES, ACCESSIBILITY,
READABILITY, USABILITY AND USER
EXPERIENCE, ALL OF WHICH
CONTRIBUTE TO GREATER
TRANSPARENCY. AND FINALLY, SINCE
THE BEGINNING OF 2021, WE'VE
HELD APPROXIMATELY 78 PUBLIC
MEETINGS. WITH OVER 5300
PARTICIPANTS. AND WHILE WE ARE
SEEKING TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY
OF OUR ENGAGEMENTS, THESE
OUTREACH ACTIVITIES PROVIDE US
WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE
TO IMPROVE PUBLIC ACCESS AND
VISIBILITY INTO OUR PROGRAMS AND
SERVICES. THANK YOU. I WANT TO
TALK A BIT ABOUT EQUITY AND
ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY IN
PARTICULAR. UM DTSC HAS A
CONTINUING COMMITMENT TO
ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY. AND WE'RE
CONSIDERING THE DISPARATE
IMPACTS AND BURDENS OF
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE A RESULT OF
LONGSTANDING RELEASES AND
HISTORICAL LAND USE DECISIONS
AND INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY. WE KNOW
THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST
IMPACTED BY DTS ES WITH WORK ARE
THE PEOPLE. AND THE PEOPLE. WHO
NEED THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND
STRONG DTSC ARE ALSO THE MOST
VULNERABLE. IT'S WITH THAT IN
MIND THAT WE HAVE COMMITTED
OURSELVES TO EQUITY THROUGHOUT
OUR WORK. WE'RE CONSIDERING IT
AND HOW WE ENGAGE WHAT WORK. WE
PRIORITIZE HOW WE RECRUIT AND
EVEN HOW WE CONTRACT WE'VE
TRAINED OUR STAFF TO SEE THEIR
OWN IMPLICIT BIAS, AND WE'RE
SCRUTINIZING HOW WE DO OUR WORK
TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO ACT
MORE EQUITABLY. WE'RE REVIEWING
OUR CIVIL RIGHTS PRACTICES TO
IDENTIFY POSSIBLE AREAS FOR
IMPROVEMENT. EACH OF OUR THREE
PROGRAMS IS USING THEIR
AUTHORITY TO PROMOTE EQUITABLE
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. OUR
ENFORCEMENT HAS BEEN A PRIORITY
FOR SECRETARY BLUMENFELD AND FOR
ME FUNDING LIKE IN LAST YEAR'S
BUDGET ALLOWED US TO STEP UP OUR
ENFORCEMENT IN VULNERABLE
COMMUNITIES. ADDITIONAL
INSPECTION AND LEGAL RESOURCES
ARE ALLOWING US TO FOCUS ON
ENFORCEMENT OF METAL SHREDDERS
OR EXCUSE ME, METAL RECYCLERS
AND HAZARDOUS WASTE TRANSPORTERS
, AND WE'RE FOCUSING THEIR
PRECISELY BECAUSE THOSE
FACILITIES AND THOSE OPERATIONS
ARE IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE
MOST IMPACTED. OR SAY FOR
CONSUMER PRODUCTS PROGRAM IS
LOOKING AT HOW DIFFERENCES IN
PURCHASING PATTERNS FOR
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. LEAD TO
DISPARATE CHEMICAL EXPOSURES.
THIS HAS LED THEM TO PRIORITIZE
ACTION. ON PRODUCTS AFFECTING
THE PREDOMINANTLY VIETNAMESE
WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE WHO
WORK IN THE NAIL SALON INDUSTRY.
AND TO TARGET BEAUTY PRODUCTS
USED BY MANY WOMEN OF COLOR TO
STRAIGHTEN THEIR HAIR TO CONFORM
TO THE PREDOMINANT STANDARDS OF
BEAUTY IN THE IN OUR SOCIETY.
THE CLEANUP AND VULNERABLE
COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE HAS BEEN
DESIGNED TO HELP COMMUNITIES WHO
CARRY A HIGH POLLUTION BURDEN BY
CLEANING UP BROWNFIELDS AND
ENABLING PRODUCTIVE REUSE OF
IDLE PROPERTIES. AND TO SUPPORT
VIBRANT COMMUNITIES. THE
INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS OF CVC I,
INCLUDING DISCOVERY AND
ENFORCEMENT, EQUITABLE
COMMUNITIES, REVITALIZATION
GRANT. THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM, ETCETERA ALL HAVE
EQUITY IN MIND. FOR INSTANCE,
KALLEN VIRUS SCREEN SCORES WERE
USED TO PRIORITIZE WHICH ORPHAN
SITES WOULD BE CLEANED UP. WITH
THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING. AND
PROJECTS PROPOSED FOR FUNDING BY
THE EC R G GRANTS PROGRAM ARE
RATED BASED ON THEIR POTENTIAL
TO PROMOTE EQUITABLE OUTCOMES,
SUCH AS REDUCING DISPLACEMENT OR
PROVIDING ACCESS TO HEALTHY
FOOD. FRANCESCA CAN SHARE MORE
ABOUT OUR PUSH FOR EQUITY. THANK
YOU. SO COMMITTING TO THE
PRINCIPLES OF EQUITY MEANS WE'VE
HAD TO START WITHIN OUR OWN
ORGANIZATION. WE ARE CREATING AN
EQUITY FRAMEWORK THAT'S BASED ON
THE IMPORTANT WORK OF DTSC S, D
E I WORK GROUP IN COUNCIL IN
WHICH FOCUSES ON INCREASED
AWARENESS OF HOW DIVERSITY
EQUITY AND INCLUSION ARE
ESSENTIAL TO SERVING CALIFORNIA
. THE FRAMEWORK INCLUDES
STRATEGIES TO BUILD A WORKFORCE
THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
COMMUNITIES WE SERVE AND ONE IN
WHICH OUR DIFFERENCES ARE
CELEBRATED AND USED TO
STRENGTHEN HOW WE DELIVER OUR
MISSION. 25% OF THE CANDIDATES
WE'VE RECENTLY RECRUITED ARE
FROM THE VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES
WE SERVE. WE'RE ALSO DEVELOPING
A FRAMEWORK TO RECRUIT
CANDIDATES FROM THESE
COMMUNITIES FOR INTERNSHIPS TO
PREPARE THEM FOR FUTURE
OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN DTSC AND
WE'RE DOING WE'RE GOING TO
INCREASE OUR WORK IN THIS AREA
AND OUR FRAMEWORK INCLUDES
RESULTS RESULTS BASED EQUITY
STRATEGIES A FEW OF WHICH I'M
GOING TO SHARE THE E C. R G
PROGRAM, DR WILLIAMS OR THE
GRANT PROGRAM, DR WILLIAMS
REFERRED TO AS AWARDED 53 GRANTS
TOTALING $75.4 MILLION TO ASSESS
INVESTIGATE AND CLEAN UP 84
SITES FOR REDEVELOPMENT. 69% OF
THE APPLICATIONS WERE TO BENEFIT
COMMUNITIES WITH THE CALEN VIRUS
SCREEN SCORE OF GREATER THAN 75%
WHICH REPRESENTS THE MOST
IMPACTED COMMUNITIES IN
CALIFORNIA. AND WE'RE USING
FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FROM THE
FIRST ROUND OF GROUND AWARDS TO
REVISIT PROGRAM GUIDELINES WITH
OUR PUBLIC PARTNERS TO ENHANCE
PUBLIC HEALTH AND PROTECTIONS
AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION FROM
OUR BROADER GEOGRAPHIC BASE TO
ENSURE THAT ALL COMMUNITIES AND
EVERY DISTRICT HAVE ACCESS TO
THIS FREE, FOUNDATIONAL AND
TRANSFORMATIVE FUNDING FOR
COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION PROJECT
PROJECTS THAT YOU PROVIDED. THE
SITE DISCOVERY AND ENFORCEMENT
PROGRAM HAS SO FAR IDENTIFIED
112 DRY CLEANING SITES LOCATED
IN VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES THAT
WILL UNDERGO ENVIRONMENTAL SITE
ASSESSMENTS. THE PROGRAM EXPECTS
TO ADD ADDITIONAL SITES EVERY
YEAR FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. WE
HAVE ALREADY BEGUN ACTIONS TO
CLEAN UP THE PRIORITIZED ORPHAN
SITES, DR WILLIAMS REFERENCED
AND THE SAFER CONSUMER PRODUCTS
PROGRAM IS ALREADY UNDERWAY OR
DOING SO MUCH TO ADDRESS
INEQUITY AND CONSUMER PRODUCTS.
WE HOLD THE PUBLIC WORKSHOP ON
THE PROFESSIONAL NAIL PRODUCTS
LAST WEDNESDAY, WE SHARED OUR
RESEARCH AND WE DISCUSSED NEXT
STEPS WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
WE'VE ALSO HELD PUBLIC WORKSHOPS
ON HAIR STRAIGHTENING AND
RELAXING PRODUCTS AND EXPECT TO
RELEASE PRE REGULATORY TECHNICAL
DOCUMENTS ON A RESEARCH LATE
THIS YEAR OR EARLY NEXT.
HAZARDOUS WASTE IS GENERATED BY
EVERYONE IN THEIR HOMES AND BY
BUSINESSES AND MANY OF THESE
BUSINESSES THAT STORE TREAT
DISPOSE AND TRANSPORT THE WASTE
ARE IN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES
. SO THAT'S WHERE WE FOCUS OUR
WORK WHERE THE NEED IS GREATEST.
PROTECTING THE COMMUNITIES AND
THE ENVIRONMENT IS OUR PRIORITY.
WHEN WE FIND A VIOLATION. WE
WORK TO ENSURE THE FACILITIES
COME INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE
HAZARDOUS WASTE CONTROL LAWS.
OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WE
HAVE STRENGTHENED OUR
ENFORCEMENT PROCESSES SO THAT AN
AVERAGE OF 95% OF VIOLATORS
RETURNED TO COMPLIANCE. THE
REMAINING 5% OR IN SOME ASPECT
OF THE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS. AND
WE'VE INCREASED INSPECTION AND
INSPECTION FOCUS ON TRANSPORTERS
IN GENERATORS IN DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES OVER 55% OF OUR
INSPECTIONS ARE CONDUCTED IN
THESE COMMUNITIES. NOW THAT THE
BOARD IS IN PLACE AND WE'VE
BEGUN TO IMPLEMENT THE REFORMS
WERE LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE.
SOON WE'LL BE REALIZING THE
REVENUE FROM THE NEW FEES AND
THAT WILL ALLOW US TO IMPROVE
OUR LEVELS OF SERVICE AND CLOSED
THE SERVICE GAPS THAT WERE
PRIORITIZED THROUGH THE REFORM.
THE RESOURCES WE WILL BEGIN TO
GENERATE OUTPUTS AND OUTCOMES
FOR ALL IMPACTED BY THE
DEPARTMENT. THE REGULATED
COMMUNITY CAN TURN TO US FOR
ASSISTANCE WITH HAZARDOUS WASTE
CLASSIFICATION. WE EXPECT MORE
CONSISTENT LOCAL ENFORCEMENT
ACROSS THE STATE BECAUSE WE'RE
ALREADY WORKING WITH OUR
COOPER'S TO PROVIDE THE
TRAINING. THEY HAVE LONG BEEN
WAITING FOR. WE WILL FULLY
IMPLEMENT ALL FOUR STEPS OF THE
SAFER CONSUMER PRODUCTS PROGRAM.
TWO AND THAT WILL ALLOW US TO
TACKLE MORE POTENTIALLY HARMFUL
PRODUCT CHEMICAL COMBINATIONS.
AND TAKE ACTION. WE WILL PRESENT. A NEW DATA DRIVEN HAZARDOUS
WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN TO THE
BOARD THAT SPEAKS TO THE
CONCERNS OF THOSE WE REGULATE
AND THOSE WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED
BY HAZARDOUS WASTE GENERATION
AND DISPOSAL. WE WILL PUT ALL OF
OUR EFFICIENCY GAINS AND
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS TO
WORK AS WE GRAPPLE WITH THE
URGENT CHALLENGES BEFORE US WE
NEEDED TO HAVE OUR HOUSE IN
ORDER. CLIMATE CHANGE IS ALREADY
HEAVILY IMPACTING OUR EMERGENCY
RESPONSE WORK. BUT THAT'S NOT
THE ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT
WE NEED TO ADDRESS WE HAVE
CONVENED A WORKGROUP. TO DEVELOP
NEW GUIDANCE FOR CONSIDERING SEA
LEVEL RISE IN OUR CLEANUPS WERE
ONE OF THE 15 STATE DEPARTMENTS
IMPLEMENTING CALIFORNIA'S SEA
LEVEL RISE ACTION PLAN. AND
WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH LOCAL
AGENCIES AND NGOS IN THE BAY
AREA ON RESILIENT, RESILIENT
SOLUTIONS. SOME COMMUNITY
REPRESENTATIVES HAVE PROVIDED
CÂM FEEDBACK THAT WE ARE AS A
DEPARTMENT MORE ACCESSIBLE AND
MORE ENGAGED THAN WAS THE CASE
IN THE PAST, BUT THEY'VE ALSO
LET US KNOW THAT THIS ISN'T
TRANSLATING INTO A DIFFERENCE ON
THE GROUND. WE NEED TO DO MORE.
WE'RE JUST BEGINNING TO
UNDERSTAND HOW THINGS LIKE
REDLINING AND OTHER PRACTICES
REALLY LED TO THE SIGHTING OF
HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITIES IN
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. WHILE WE
DON'T CONTROL LAND USE, WE
RECOGNIZE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO
DO WHAT WE CAN WITHIN OUR
AUTHORITIES TO ADDRESS THOSE
WRONGS. WE'RE TAKING STEPS TO
DEEPEN OUR TRIBAL ENGAGEMENT
WITH AN EYE TOWARD A NUMBER OF
TRIBAL LANDS VISITS AT THE END
OF 2023. AND WE WILL FURTHER
REFORM BE SEATING AND
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVISORY
COMMITTEE. THE NEEDS GO ON
CUMULATIVE IMPACTS, REGULATIONS
AND EFFECTIVE, ENFORCEABLE
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR THE
METAL SHREDDING INDUSTRY,
FINDING WAYS TO APPLYEMERGING
SCIENCE TO OUR DECISION MAKING.
HOW CAN WE SUSTAIN AND JUST
DISCOVERY AND ENFORCEMENT
PROGRAM OF FOR THE CONTAMINATED
SITES ONCE THE CVC FUNDING ENDS?
WHAT IS THE VISION FOR A
MODERNIZED APPROACH TO POLLUTION
PREVENTION AND THE CIRCULAR
ECONOMY? WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE
FOR CALIFORNIA TO LEAD AND
REDUCING HAZARDOUS WASTE
GENERATION? PEOPLE INVESTED
THEIR BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS
INTO THE REFORM SO THAT WE WILL
BE SO THAT WE WOULD ALL BE
BETTER POSITIONED TO TACKLE
THESE TOUGH PROBLEMS. AND WE
KNOW THAT WHILE SB 1 58 CLOSES
OUR PRIORITY GAPS, IT DOESN'T
ADDRESS THE FULL SCOPE OF DTS ES
UNFUNDED MANDATES. WE WILL WORK
VERY CLOSELY WITH THE BOARD TO
LOOK AT THOSE MANDATES AND WORK
WITH THE LEGISLATURE ON FEE
SETTING IN APPROPRIATIONS FOR
ANY SOLUTIONS THAT WE IDENTIFY
THAT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES. I HOPE OUR COMMENTS
HAVE GIVEN YOU AN UNDERSTANDING
OF ALL THE DTSC HAS ACCOMPLISHED
IN THE LAST FEW YEARS AND ALL
THAT WE'RE DOING. WE COULDN'T
HAVE DONE THIS. A LOT OF THIS
WORK WITHOUT THE LEGISLATURE
WITHOUT YOU AND WITHOUT OUR
INVESTORS, THE VERY INVESTED
STAKEHOLDERS. OUR SHARED VISION
OF A THRIVING STATE CONTINUES TO
CHALLENGE US TO DO BETTER FOR
THE ENVIRONMENT AND FOR THE
PEOPLE OF THE STATE. FRANCESCA
AND I HAVE A SHARED VISION THE
EXECUTIVE TEAM HAS BROUGHT IN
AND WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER. ONE
OF THE THINGS WE LIKE TO
CULTIVATE IN THE DEPARTMENT, IN
OUR WITH OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM IS
MAKING IT SAFE FOR PEOPLE
THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION TO
CHALLENGE IDEAS AND TO HAVE
HEALTHY CONFLICT THAT LEADS TO
BETTER SOLUTIONS. WE NEED OTHERS
TO BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH US,
THE BOARD YOU AND THE REST OF
THE LEGISLATURE AND THE FULL
RANGE OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS. AND
LIKE OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM
PARTNERSHIP, WE EXPECT TO BE
CHALLENGED. BUT WE ALSO BELIEVE
THAT THOSE CHALLENGES COME FROM
A COMMITMENT TO SEEING THE
DEPARTMENT CONTINUE ON A PATH TO
SUCCESS. YOU LOOK FORWARD TO OUR
CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS WITH
YOU. AND YES, EVEN THOSE VERY
CHALLENGING ONES. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, AND THAT
WAS VERY WELL TIMED TO 25
MINUTES. THANK YOU. UM THE NEXT
I'D LIKE TO GET COMMENTS AND
QUESTIONS. AH, I'LL JUST
INTRODUCE THE OTHER MEMBERS WHO
HAVE COME. AH ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
CHRISTINA GARCIA'S HERE AND WE
HEARD ABOUT HER. EARLY
LEGISLATION THAT LED TO MANY OF
THESE CHANGES. UM, AND SHE WAS
BORN AND RAISED IN THE SHADOW OF
LEAD PLANT. LEAD RECYCLING
PLANT, WHICH. PROBABLY IS THE
BIGGEST CLEANUP WE'VE EVER HAD
IN CALIFORNIA. SHE WAS RAISED
THERE. SO NEEDLESS TO SAY, SHE
FEELS IT EVERY DAY, SENATOR
WIECKOWSKI. SENATOR LENA
GONZALEZ AND ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
MATHIS. UM DO ANY OF YOU HAVE
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS? SENATORS
I HAVE A QUESTION ON HAZARDOUS
TRANSPORTATION. SEVERAL YEARS
AGO, THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH
THE MANIFEST HAD TO BE IN 12
DIFFERENT PIECES OF PAPERS IN
DIFFERENT COLORS. IT WAS
REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT AS YOU'RE TRYING TO
DEVELOP YOUR TRANSPARENCY WITH
THE REGULATED COMMUNITIES SO
THAT THEY KNOW WHERE THIS THE
PRODUCT IS, AS IT GOES IN HAS.
CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON ON
THAT PROGRAM. BECAUSE I REMEMBER
SOMETIMES WHEN I SET BILL SEAT,
IT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW UPS HEADED
ON THE LITTLE COMPUTER AND WE'RE
DEALING WITH PAPER. IT'S ALL
ELECTRONIC NOW WITH THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT TO IMPLEMENT THE
MANIFEST SYSTEM. EXCUSE ME, AND
IT'S THROUGH THE CHAIR.
EVERYBODY FOCUSES ON CLOSING
EXIDE CLEANING UP EXIDE DOING
THAT WORK HAS BEEN DONE. WE
STILL HAVE BATTERIES TAT NEED
TO BE PROCESS. THE CLERK, ACID
AND LEAD OR NASTY THINGS UNDER
ANY CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE OUR
BATTERIES GOING NOW. I MEAN,
WE'RE HOW HOW ARE WE? I'M A
BELIEVER AND IF WE PRODUCE
HAZARDOUS WASTE HERE IN
CALIFORNIA, WE CLEAN UP OUR
HAZARDOUS HUESO. TELL ME WHERE
WE ARE. TODAY THERE IS ONE
OPERATING BATTERY RECYCLING
FACILITY LEFT IN CALIFORNIA,
WHICH IS THE CHEMICAL FACILITIES
THAT ARE THEY ABLE TO
ACCOMMODATE ALL THE USED
BATTERIES THAT CALIFORNIA
PRODUCES. DON'T KNOW. I DON'T
BELIEVE SO NOT. SO WHAT IS OUR
PLAN FROM DTS ES. WE'VE GIVEN
YOU NEW FEES WE'RE GIVING. YOU
KNOW THE YOU. YOU MAKE YOU MAKE
WASTE. YOU CLEAN UP YOUR WASTE.
NO, I GOT THE PROBLEM WITH
SIGHTING AND THE YOU KNOW,
EQUITY PROGRAMS THAT YOU HAVE,
BUT IS THERE. IS THE BOARD AWARE
OF THIS? ARE WE LOOKING AT HOW
WE'RE GOING TO SELF SELF CLEAN,
I GUESS. YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT
TO BE A STATE THAT CREATES WASTE
AND SHIPS IT OFF TO BE ON OUR
BORDERS BECAUSE WE'RE CLEANING
UP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. GOOD LUCK
IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS. SO YOU'RE
REALLY TOUCHING ON ONE OF THE
BIG MOTIVATIONS FOR THE
HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN
THAT WAS ALWAYS A DRIVER BEHIND
ME OLD HAZARDOUS WASTE
MANAGEMENT PLAN, WHICH IS, HOW
ARE THE DECISIONS BEING MADE
ABOUT CITING FACILITIES? UM AND
THAT'S ONE REASON WHY IT GOT PUT
INTO THE REFORM. SO THAT HASN'T
WE'VE WE'VE STAFFED UP THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA WHO ARE
ALREADY COLLECTING ALL THE DATA
THAT WILL SUPPORT THAT PLAN. SO
THE FIRST THING THEY'LL DO AND
ARE WELL UNDERWAY IN DOING THEIR
HOLDING WORKSHOPS ALREADY
GETTING INPUT FROM STAKEHOLDERS
ABOUT CONCERNS AROUND HAZARDOUS
WASTE. UM AND THEY'RE COMPILING
DATA FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT
DATA SOURCES SO WE CAN
UNDERSTAND WHAT HAZARDOUS WASTE
ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? WHAT ARE
WE, YOU KNOW? WHERE IS IT GOING
NOW? IS IT ALL GOING OUT OF
STATE? WHAT MORE DO WE NEED TO
DO IN CALIFORNIA? SO THE FIRST
STAGE OF THAT PROJECT IS THE
DATA GATHERING AND REPORTING. SO
YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR,
WE WILL PRESENT THAT DATA TO
THAT DATA REPORT TO THE BOARD
WILL BE DISCUSSION AND THEN
THERE'LL BE SOME POLICY
DECISIONS ABOUT WHERE IS
CALIFORNIA GOING GOING TO GO?
BUT IT WILL BE SEVERAL YEARS
BEYOND THAT, UNTIL THE ACTUAL
PLAN IS FULLY IN PLACE. I MEAN,
I THINK IN EVERY REGULATED ARENA
CERTAINLY THE METAL SHREDDERS
HAVE GOTTEN SOME ATTENTION
BECAUSE OF GROUPS THAT ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT THE DUST AND
PARTICLES. BUT THEY'RE AN
INTEGRAL PART OF OUR CIRCULAR
ECONOMY. IF WE CAN'T SHRED ON
MOBILES IN CALIFORNIA THAT'S GOT
A GAZILLION CARS. THAT'S A
PROBLEM. THAT'S A PROBLEM THAT
THAT WE WANT TO DO THE BEST JOB,
BUT WE WANT TO GIVE THESE
INTEGRAL PARTS OF OUR CIRCULAR
ECONOMY OPPORTUNITY TO EXIST.
ONE LAST QUESTION. BECAUSE WE
WERE JUST LONG LONG. NOT SO LONG
AGO, WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT
THE POTENTIAL OF DRY CLEANERS.
AND I KNOW YOU INDICATED AT
LEAST THE TESTIMONY THAT YOU'RE
CURRENTLY DOING ASSESSMENT OF
112. DRY CLEANING SITES OVER
THIS FOUR YEAR PLAN. YOU HAVE A
EMPHASIS ON DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES, SO IT IS SORT OF
WHERE YOU'RE GONNA GO FIRST. I
THINK IT'S WE HAVE MANY
ABANDONED DRY CLEANING SITES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE. IT'S A
GIGANTIC PROBLEM. CAN YOU GIVE
ME SOME IDEA OF WHERE WE ARE?
I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE
FOCUSED ON IT. WE KNOW IT. THIS
IS WHAT AN UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES OF LOOKING DAPPER
AND THE IN OUR IN OUR COMMUNITY
THAT THAT TELL US WHERE WE ARE
IN THE LARGER PICTURE IF YOU
COULD. WELL. AND, UM, GONNA KICK
IT TO YOU PRETTY QUICKLY. I WILL
JUST SAY, AND I'M SURE YOU'LL
HEAR FROM JEAN GENIE RESULT THAT
WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO
A WET CLEANER IN L A RECENTLY
AND REALLY LOOK AT THAT
TECHNOLOGY AND UNDERSTAND WHAT
THE POTENTIAL IS TO AVOID THIS
WHOLE, YOU KNOW, NOT TO GO FROM
ONE EVIL TO ANOTHER, BUT INSTEAD
FIND A WHOLE NEW SOLUTION. UM
GIVEN THE WATER PRESSURES AND
AGAIN, THESE PLUMES ARE FAST.
THEY MOVE QUICKLY. THEY'RE
HIGHLY PROBLEMATIC AND WE NEED
EVERY DROP OF WATER WE CAN GET
IN THE STATES. SO YES, WE WILL
CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE THE
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. BUT I
DO THINK THAT AS WE DID THE DATA
GATHERING TO DO THAT
PRIORITIZATION WE NOW HAVE A
MUCH BETTER PICTURE. OF WHAT THE
STATE OF AFFAIRS IS FOR DROPPING
CLEANING CONTAMINATION AROUND
THE STATE. AND WE WOULD BE HAPPY
TO GET BACK TO YOU WITH MORE
DETAILS ON THAT. AND FRANCESCA I
DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SAY,
MR CHAIR. I JUST SAY THERE ARE
PLENTY OF ABANDONED SHOPPING
CENTERS WANNA TRY CYCLING SITE
THAT ITS NUMEROUS IT'S MORE THAN
112 FOR SURE. AND I GUESS THE
QUESTION IS, IS THAT THAT
LIABILITY BECAUSE I GET A FEW
YEARS AGO, THE LIABILITY THOSE
PEOPLE ARE LONG GONE. THERE IS
NO DEEP POCKET THERE, SO THOSE
ARE ALMOST BY DEFINITION
ABANDONED SITES. AND THEN YOU
GOT THE OWNER OF THE SHOPPING
CENTER HAS A SHOPPING SITE THAT
CAN'T BE REDEVELOPED BECAUSE
THEY'VE GOT A. CLOSED DRY
CLEANER IN THERE, SO IT'S A IT'S
A REALLY AN ECONOMIC NIGHTMARE.
I WOULD JUST ADD THAT THE THERE
ARE OVER 7000 DRY CLEANERS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. SOME OF THOSE ARE
CLOSED AND ABANDONED SUMMER AND
OPERATION. SO UM, THE 112. WE'RE
GOING TO BE CONDUCTING SITE
ASSESSMENTS, AND THAT'S GOING TO
GIVE US BETTER INFORMATION.
ABOUT THE LARGER PICTURE OF THE
EXTENT OF CONTAMINATION AND THE
COST OF CLEAN UP, SO WE LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO
PROVIDE THAT CLARITY IN THE
FUTURE SO WE CAN SEE HAVE BETTER
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCOPE OF
THE PROBLEM. OKAY UM, SENATOR
GONZALEZ. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE
PRESENTATION. UM I KNOW JUST A
COUPLE WEEKS AGO, A FEW OF US IN
THE LEGISLATURE WROTE A LETTER
ABOUT DESIGNATING EXILED AS A
SUPER FUN SITE ON THE NATIONAL
PRIORITIES LIST. I'D LIKE I KNOW
IT'S ONLY TWO WEEKS AND I KNOW
IT'S A TWO YEAR SPAN UNTIL WE
GET A FINAL DECISION FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. ANY
CHALLENGES. WE FORESEE ANYTHING
WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IN THESE
TWO YEARS. AND HOW WILL WE
CONTINUE? I KNOW WE'RE
CONSTANTLY TALKING TO COMMUNITY
, BUT HOW ELSE WILL BE ENGAGED
WITH COMMUNITY ON THIS SPECIFIC
ISSUE? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM NOT NEXT MONDAY, BUT THE
MONDAY AFTER WE ACTUALLY HAVE A
JOINT WORKSHOP KIND OF A RETREAT
WITH ARE EPA PARTNERS IN REGION
NINE TO TALK THROUGH WHAT WHAT
THE PROCESS WILL LOOK LIKE OVER
THE COMING TWO YEARS AND IN
PARTICULAR WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA
TO LOOK AT WHAT THE PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT WILL BE THROUGHOUT
THAT PROCESS. WHERE IS AND WE
KNOW WE ALREADY KNOW FROM THE
LAST BOARD OF ENVIRONMENTAL
SAFETY MEETING THAT PEOPLE WANT
TO KNOW WHERE DO WE? WHERE ARE
WE GOING TO FIND OUT WHAT'S
HAPPENING WITH THE LISTING? AH
IN TERMS OF CHALLENGES. WE HAVE
BEEN SO PLEASED WITH THE
ENGAGEMENT. OF WITH EPA SINCE
THIS WAS JUST A CONCEPT THROUGH
NOW, AND THEY'VE TOLD US WHAT
DATA THEY NEED PREPARED THAT
DATA. WE'VE TURNED IT OVER TO
THEM, SO WE ARE IN SOME WAYS
AHEAD OF WHERE MANY SUPER FUN
SIGHTS ARE BECAUSE EXCITED WAS
SO WELL CHARACTERIZED. THEY HAVE
TO GO THROUGH THEIR PROCESS, BUT
THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION ARE
VERY GOOD. AND UM, I'M REALLY
FEELING VERY GOOD ABOUT THE
PARTNERSHIP. GREAT WE DO
APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT FOR THE
SUPERFUND LISTING THAT WE'RE
RECEIVING MORE BROADLY. GREAT
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND ONE
LAST QUESTION, MR. CHAIR ON. UM
I BELIEVE YOU MENTIONED ALL OF
THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN
DOING SO FAR THIS FAR AND
ENSURING THAT YOU'RE
IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMS TO GET THE
REGULATED ENTITIES INTO 95%
COMPLIANCE OR SUCH WHAT THE 5%
IS THERE ANYTHING WE SHOULD KNOW
ABOUT THE 5% OF WHAT THE HICCUPS
ARE? IN THAT 5% THAT IS STILL
NON COMPLIANT. SO THAT 5% THERE
IN VARIOUS STAGES OF THE
ENFORCEMENT PROCESS, AND THAT
COULD BE LEGAL ACTION BEING
TAKEN OR YOU KNOW ENFORCEMENT
ORDERS BEING ISSUED, SO WE SAVE
95% RETURN TO COMPLIANCE. THAT'S
THAT'S A QUICK RETURN TO
COMPLIANCE. THERE'S ALWAYS GOING
TO BE SUMMER CALC TRAHANT
ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE HAVE TO
WORK WITH IN ORDER TO GET THEM
THERE. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M
TALKING ABOUT. THERE'S ACTION
BEING TAKEN. I DIDN'T MEAN TO
SUGGEST THAT WE HAD 5% WHERE
ACTION WASN'T BEING TAKEN
ACTIONS BEING TAKEN. IT'S
TYPICALLY IN THE ENFORCEMENT
ARENA AND IN THE EAGLE ARENA.
OKAY THANK YOU FOR THE
CLARIFICATION. APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. ALL RIGHT.
UM I NOTE THAT MIKE, THE VICE
CHAIR OF MY COMMITTEE, SMITTY
SMITH HAS COME. UM. DO YOU WANT
TO MAKE THE COMMENT? I KNOW YOU
JUST GOT HERE, BUT, UH, NO, I'M
NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW
TO BID TO PLACE AT THE SAME
TIME, SO BUT I'M HERE. YEAH,
ALRIGHT. ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
MATHIS. NO. ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
GARCIA. THANK YOU ACTUALLY DON'T
HAVE QUESTIONS. JUST A COUPLE OF
COMMENTS AND CHALLENGE TO OUR
PIERS ARE GOING TO BE HERE NEXT
YEAR AND BEYOND INTO THE
ADVOCATES OUT THERE. I'M
APPRECIATIVE OF THE WORK THAT
HAS BEEN DONE AND PRAGMATIC, YOU
KNOW, AND THOSE ARE THESE PIECES
ARE SO IMPORTANT AND I GO HOME
AND YOU'RE RIGHT. IT DOESN'T
ALWAYS FEEL FELT UNDERGROUND,
AND IT'S THAT BALANCE OF THIS
WORK. WE'RE DOING SO THAT YOU
CAN FEEL IT IN THE GROUND. I
DIDN'T KNOW THAT, AT LEAST ON
EXCITED IT'S FELT ON THE GROUND
AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. ARE ARE
APPRECIATIVE AND EXCITED TO SEE
THEIR HOMES AND THEIR NEIGHBOR'S
HOMES BEING CLEANED UP AND WHAT
THAT MEANS FOR THEM. AND THAT
WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WHICH
THERE WAS NO ROAD MAP WHEN WE
STARTED AND IT HASN'T BEEN
PERFECT. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF
GROUND PAINS THAT HAVE BEEN
REALLY PAINFUL FOR A LOT OF
PEOPLE, AND I THINK WE
TRAUMATIZING ALONG THE WAY, BUT
UM, NONETHELESS, I AM
APPRECIATIVE OF THE WORK THAT WE
ARE. DOING AND THE UPDATES, BUT
YOU KNOW, PART OF YOUR
PRESENTATION, TALKED ABOUT THIS
BREAD IMPACT AND THE LIMITATIONS
TO WHAT THE TSC CAN DO. AND SO
WHILE I THINK WE NEED TO
CONTINUE TO TRACK THAT WORK
TRACK THE WORK OF THE BOARD, UH
AND APPRECIATIVE FOR THAT, I
THINK WHEN YOU START THINKING
HOW DO WE PUT ADDITIONAL TOOLS
AND TO THE TOOLKIT, BUT THAT THE
STATE AND THE FEDERAL LEVEL AT
THE FEDERAL LEVEL REPRESENTATIVE
GRIJALVA HAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE BILL OF RIGHTS OUT THERE
, AND THERE'S A LOT IN THAT BILL
, BUT I WOULD POINT OUT THAT ONE
OF THE THINGS HE DOES IS THAT HE
LOOKS AT THIS RIGHT, IN FACT,
SPECIFICALLY, AND HE CHANGES THE
BURDEN. OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO
ALLOW LAWSUITS TO MOVE FORWARD
AND USE THE CIVIL RIGHTS CODE
OUT THERE, AND I THINK IT'S
SOMETHING THAT THE STATE SHOULD
BE LOOKING AT HERE AS WELL. TO
ADD AN ADDITIONAL TWO OR 12 OUR
COURTS TO BE OUR PARTNERS IN
OTHER WAYS TO COMBAT
GENERATIONAL DISCRIMINATION,
WHETHER IT'S INTENTIONAL OR NOT
. THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF THE
DISTRICT IMPACT. IT MIGHT NOT
HAVE BEEN INTENTIONAL.
UNINTENTIONALLY WE'VE TARGETED A
CERTAIN COMMUNITY ACTUALLY
VULNERABLE OUT THERE. AND
MARRYING THAT WITH THEIR CIVIL
RIGHTS PIECES OUT THERE LIKE
WE'VE DONE WITH VOTING. I THINK
IT'S A REALLY STRONG TOOL THAT
WE NEED TO LOOK AT. IT'S A
CHALLENGE FOR US TO LOOK AT AND
SO FOR ME, IT'S MORE OF A
CHALLENGE FOR THOSE OF US. WHO
ARE GOING TO BE HERE TO THINK
ABOUT THE NEXT STEPS OF HOW DO
WE EXPAND THE WORK BEEN DOING?
UH AND SO THE TOC PIECE IS
IMPORTANT. BUT WHAT ELSE CAN WE
DO OUT THERE AS WELL? BECAUSE
THERE'S LIMITATIONS TO WHAT YOU
COULD DO BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE
ALL OF THE LAND USE RIGHTS YOU
CAN AND DO ALL OF THOSE
GENERATIONAL PROBLEMS OUT THERE.
AND SO I ENCOURAGE BOOKS TO LOOK
AT MR GONSALVES BILL. AND TO
THINK ABOUT THIS DESPERATE
IMPACT QUESTION AND FIGURE OUT
HOW CALIFORNIA CAN BE A LEADER
AND NOT WAIT FOR THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT BUT LEAD BY EXAMPLE,
ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW, WHERE WE
HAVE PARTNERS THAT WANT TO BUILD
ON THE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING.
OKAY CHAIR, ALAN. YOU HAVE ANY
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS? WELL I APPRECIATE ALL
THE UPDATES AND ALL THE WORK
YOU'RE DOING. I MEAN, I KNOW
THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT MORE
FOLLOW UP, AND I THINK IN SOME
RESPECTS, NEXT YEAR'S HEARING IS
GOING TO BE MUCH MORE IMPORTANT
, BUT THIS IS A BUT WE
APPRECIATE THE PROGRESS YOU'RE
MAKING SO FAR AND, UM I GUESS.
UM WELL, ESPECIALLY POSE MY ONE
QUESTION TO BE, UM BUILDING UPON
WHATEVER. YOU FEEL YOU NEED FROM
THE LEGISLATURE. TO ENSURE A
POSITIVE PATH. SO WE TALKED
ABOUT JUST THE PARTNERSHIP IN
THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION. I
MEAN, WE MET WITH LEDGE STAFF
AND I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT
THE ALLEGED STAFF DURING
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR LAST YEAR,
BUT WE MET WITH THEM EVERY WEEK
ON VARIOUS TOPICS TO REALLY GO
THROUGH THE DETAILS OF GETTING
THE THIS REFORM LANGUAGE, RIGHT
AND GETTING THAT BILL, UM AS IT
NEEDED TO BE. AND SO WHAT'S
HAPPENED AS A RESULT, AS WE NOW
HAVE JUST OPEN? YEAH WE'RE JUST
MORE COMFORTABLE WILL BE HAPPY
TO BRIEF YOU NOT AT THE DROP OF
A HAT. BUT HONESTLY, WE'VE HAD A
NUMBER OF BRIEFINGS. THIS YEAR
WE HAD ONE ON METAL SHREDDERS.
WE HAVE GIVEN ONE I THINK ON THE
HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN,
BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
BRIEFINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN, UM,
BEEN HAPPY, VERY HAPPY TO HOST.
SO IF THAT'S OF VALUE, WE WANT
TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. KEEPING
THOSE LINES OF COMMUNICATION IS
OPEN, AND I WOULDN'T SAY IT JUST
NEEDS TO BE BRIEFING ON A LARGER
ISSUE. WE KNOW DO A MUCH BETTER
JOB OF LOOKING AT INDIVIDUAL
DISTRICTS AND HELPING YOU
UNDERSTAND WHERE THE
INTERSECTION IS BETWEEN YOUR
DISTRICT AND THE DEPARTMENT SO
WE CAN TELL YOU WHERE THE DRY
CLEANERS ARE THAT HAVE BEEN
ABANDONED, AND WE CAN TELL YOU
WHERE THE HAZARDOUS WASTE
FACILITIES SITES ARE IN THE
CLEANUP SITES, AND WE WILL
CONTINUE TO MAKE THAT
INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO YOU. IF
IT'S HELPFUL, BECAUSE I DO THINK
IT'S EYE OPENING PEOPLE, YOU
KNOW. IT'S ALWAYS DIFFERENT WHEN
IT'S AN ABSTRACTION VERSUS WHEN
IT'S REALLY VERY SPECIFIC. AND
THESE ARE THE SITES THAT ARE
THAT ARE THE FOCUS WITHIN YOUR
DISTRICT, SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO
DO THAT. UM YOU KNOW I IT'S WE
ARE WE HAVE OUR HANDS FULL.
WE'RE VERY AMBITIOUS. WE HAVE A
BIG LONG AGENDA. FRANCESCA AND I
JUST KEEP SEEING TO RATCHET IT
UP AND SAY, WELL, LET'S DO ONE
MORE THING, WHICH YOU'RE WELCOME
STAFF. UM YEAH, BUT. WE KNOW WE
CAN'T DO EVERYTHING THAT WE WANT
TO DO. THERE'S A REASON THERE
WAS FEAR AUTORITY GIVEN TO THE
BOARD THAT WOULD THEN YOU KNOW,
GO THROUGH THE APPROPRIATIONS
PROCESS. WE KNOW WE DIDN'T CLOSE
ALL THE GAPS AND WE JUST IT'S WE
HAVE OUR HANDS FULL. WE'RE NOT
GOING TO ASK FOR RESOURCES, YOU
KNOW SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES IN IN
THE NEXT HOT MINUTE, BUT WE KNOW
THAT THEY WILL COME WHERE, FOR
INSTANCE, WE DID NOT FUND
POLLUTION PREVENTION. WE FUNDED
HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN
THAT WE HOPE LEADS TO A ROADMAP
FOR WHAT POLLUTION PREVENTION
COULD LOOK LIKE. BUT YOU KNOW,
WHAT'S IT GONNA TAKE TO REALLY
THINK THAT THROUGH WE AGAIN WE
TRACK WORKLOAD IN A COMPLETELY
DIFFERENTWAY NOW AND SO WE'LL%
HAVE THE DATA TO SUPPORT IT TO
CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE
INFORMATION SO THAT WHEN WE COME
AND SAY IS THIS A PRIORITY? IF
IT IS A PRIORITY OF THE BOARD
SAYS IT'S A PRIORITY AND THE
LEGISLATURE IS THINKS IT'S A
PRIORITY WILL WANT TO BE IN
PARTNERSHIP TO SEE HOW TO
ADDRESS IT. GOOD UM, I'M GONNA
MAKES HIM QUICK COMMENTS BECAUSE
WE SHOULD MOVE ON FAIRLY SOON.
UM FIRST OF ALL, I REALLY
APPLAUD YOUR WORK ON INTERNSHIPS
. I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF
BRIGHT PEOPLE OUT THERE. OUR
SPEAKER HERE IN THE ASSEMBLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, HE WAS. CONVINCED
BY A SISTER TO GO TO COMMUNITY
COLLEGE EVENTUALLY GOT A PHD UM,
BUT HE'S AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE
THAT COULD JUST AS EASILY. YOU
KNOW, BE FIXING CARS SOMEWHERE.
UM SO BRINGING PEOPLE IN WHO
DIDN'T HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF
PARENTS PUSHING THEM WHEN THEY
WERE YOUNGER. UM THAT AREN'T
FAMILIAR WITH THE SYSTEM. I
THINK IT'S JUST A TERRIFIC IDEA.
UM I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT
YOU'RE USING CALIBER VIRUS
SCREEN. AND THOSE OF US IN THE
BAY AREA YOU MAY HAVE HEARD IT'S
ALL RIGHT TO USE IT FOR SOME
THINGS, FOR EXAMPLE FOR AIR
POLLUTION, IT'S A NO BRAINER. WE
DON'T HAVE A LOT OF IT IN THE
BAY AREA, AND IF WHAT YOU'RE
DOING IS AH, THAT'S AN AIR
POLLUTION PROBLEM. PROBABLY THE
ONLY PLACES THAT WOULD QUALIFY
OR RIGHT AROUND OUR REFINERIES.
BUT IF IT'S A WATER POLLUTION
PROBLEM, SINCE CALENDAR VIRUS
SCREEN IS LOOKING AT AIR
POLLUTION. YOU KNOW, I WOULD
WORRY THAT PERHAPS WE'RE NOT
GETTING THE FULL BENEFIT OF YOUR
DEPARTMENT IN THE BAY AREA IN
OTHER AREAS. SO I'D LIKE YOU TO
JUST THINK ABOUT THAT I UNLESS
YOU HAVE A QUICK RESPONSE DO YOU
IF YOU HAVE A QUICK RESPONSE. GO
AHEAD. QUICK IN IN ONE WAY, I DO
WANT TO JUST GO BACK TO THE
INTERNSHIPS. JUST WONDERFUL.
JUST SAY THAT THE INTERNS ARE
MAKING REALLY MEANINGFUL
CONTRIBUTIONS. REALLY SO
IMPRESSIVE. WHAT THE VALUE THAT
WE'RE GETTING FOR SOMEONE WHO IS
AN INTERN. I MEAN, THEY'RE JUST
REALLY ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING
EMPLOYEE, AND I WILL SAY THAT
WE'RE TRACKING IN OUR HIRING.
WHERE WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING
FROM. ARE THEY COMING FROM THOSE
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW,
MOST IMPACTED, SO WE ARE KEEPING
CLOSE TABS ON THAT AND MAKING
SURE THAT THAT PIPELINE REALLY
REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA. UM WITH RESPECT TO
CALENDAR. IRIS SCREEN. YES, WE
ARE AWARE THAT IT'S NOT THE
PERFECT TOOL IT AND SO. WE HAVE
TEASED IT APART FOR DIFFERENT
DECISIONS WHERE IT'S NOT A
BLANKET USE OF CALENDAR VIRUS
SCREEN FOR ANYTHING THAT WE'RE
DOING, AND IN FACT, WE GAVE SOME
OF THOSE EQUITABLE COMMUNITY
REVITALIZATION GRANTS. TWO
COMMUNITIES THAT ACTUALLY HAVE
LOWER KALLEN VIRUS SCREEN
SCORES, BUT THEY WERE PROVIDING
SERVICES. THE PROJECT WOULD
PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THE UN
HOUSED, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S NOT A
ONE SIZE FITS ALL. WE'RE REALLY
TRYING TO HAVE SOME NUANCE.
THAT'S HOW WE USE THE TOOL AND
CERTAINLY THAT'S THE TYPE OF
FUNDING THAT I HOPE DOESN'T
DEPEND UPON CAL AND FIBROUS
SCREEN. SERVICES FOR THE HOUSES.
PROBLEM EVERYWHERE. UM. THE
FINAL QUESTION AND ONE YOU COULD
SPEND SOME MORE TIME ON IS BUT
WE HAVE SOMETHING IN LAW ABOUT
HOW THE DEPARTMENT AND THE
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE OR THE
ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY COMMITTEE
WILL INTERACT, BUT IT WILL
PREDOMINANTLY BE DETERMINED ON A
DAY TO DAY BASIS. HOW YOU AND
THE CHAIR OF THE OVERSIGHT WORK
TOGETHER. ONE THING THAT I'VE
ALWAYS BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT IT.
I'LL ASK JEANIE RIZZO ABOUT THIS
AS WELL. IS HOW DO WE AND WE
HAVE SO MANY WOMEN LEADERS IN
THIS AREA? I LOVE IT. SO DO WE,
UM AND YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS A
TECHNICAL AREA, AND YET THE
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IS HAS GREAT
TECHNICAL PEOPLE AND THEY'RE ALL
WOMEN. AND OBVIOUSLY, THE
LEADERSHIP OF THIS GROUP IS
FEMALE AND YEAH. YOU KNOW, I'M
76 I REMEMBER THE FIFTIES AND
SIXTIES. WHEN WOMEN YOU KNOW
WOULD NEVER HAVE GOTTEN A
CHANCE. AND I'M JUST MY WIFE WAS
REALLY ONE OF THE PIONEERS IN
THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES, WOMEN
MAKING IT UP AND MANAGEMENT AND
I'M VERY PROUD OF WHAT YOU ALL
HAVE ACCOMPLISHED. AT ANY RATE.
UH HOW ARE YOU GOING TO WORK AND
MY BIGGEST CONCERN, AND I'LL ASK
CHAIR RIZZO ABOUT THIS IS THAT
HAVING AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
MIGHT SLOW THINGS DOWN RATHER
THAN SPEED THEM UP. AND SO
PERHAPS YOU COULD ADDRESS THAT.
YEAH I CAN SPEAK WELL START WITH
THE SPECIFIC OF, FOR INSTANCE,
WHEN THE IN THE PERMITTING ARENA
MHM UM IT WILL TAKE THE BOARD
AND SHARE RIZZO WILL DESCRIBE IT
A LITTLE WHILE TO PUT IN PLACE
THEIR PERMIT APPEALS PROCESS.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO USE THE
SAME PROCESS THE DEPARTMENT USED
. THEY'VE BEEN VERY THOUGHTFUL
ABOUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO
APPROACH DEVELOPING THEIR OWN
PROCESS THAT SAID THEY WILL BE
THE APPEALS THAT WILL NOT IMPACT
OUR DECISION MAKING FOR ANY OF
THE PERMITS. YOU KNOW FOR OUR
PERMIT DECISIONS AND HOPEFULLY
YES, THINGS LIKE THE FACT THAT
WE ARE MUCH TIGHTER IN HOW WE
MANAGE THE ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD
AND WE HAVE INFORMATION WILL
ACTUALLY SERVE THE BOARD AS WELL
AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE PERMIT
APPEALS PROCESS SO UM, ONCE
THEY'RE STUFFED UP, I THINK THAT
WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT. I IT'S
SO. MHM BAGLEY. KEEN, WE'LL JUST
SAY IS CAN BE SOME CHALLENGE CAN
BE CHALLENGING TO GET TO
DECISION IN A TIMELY FASHION.
BUT I DO THINK CERTAINLY. I'M
JUST SO IMPRESSED WITH HOW
THEY'RE GETTING THEIR FEET UNDER
THEM AND HOW THEY'RE FROM MAKING
SETTING THEIR PRIORITIES AND HOW
THEY'RE THEY'RE VIEWING HOW TO
KEEP THINGS MOVING. THIS IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO THEM. SO I
SHOULDN'T OVER SPEAK, BUT WE
KNOW THAT IN OUR INTERACTIONS
WERE ABLE TO JUST GIVE THEM WHAT
THEY NEED SO THAT THEY ARE SELF
SUFFICIENT. WE'VE BEEN TRAINING
THEM ON A BROAD ARRAY OF ISSUES
BECAUSE I MEAN THE BREADTH OF
THINK TOPICS I TOUCHED ON BOTH
OF US TOUCHED ON DURING THIS
THIS TIME IS SO BROAD. IT'S A
LOT TO GET A HANDLE ON AND SO WE
HAVE WHAT WE CALL PERMITTING
ONE. OH, ONE WHICH SOME OF YOU
MAY HAVE HAVE TAKEN, BUT WE NEED
PERMITTING 201 AND 301 AND
POSSIBLY FOUR. OH, ONE. UM SO
WE'RE WE'RE MAKING SURE THEY
HAVE THAT BODY OF KNOWLEDGE
AMONGST THE BOARD MEMBERS, LET
ALONE THEIR STAFF ABLE TO BE
SELF SUFFICIENT AND KEEP MOVING.
AND THIS I MEAN, THAT WAS A
TREMENDOUS PEOPLE. MARKET THE
BOARD OF ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
AND SAY, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? THEY
ACTUALLY HAVE STAFF AND THEY
NEED TO. THEY NEED STUFF. BUT
MANY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
DON'T GET THAT STAFF AND THEN IT
IS IMPACTFUL FOR THE DEPARTMENT
. AND SO WE LEARNED FROM THE
INDEPENDENT REVIEW PANEL, BUT IT
TAKES RESOURCES AND SO THAT IT'S
SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED SO THAT
THAT IMPACT IS NOT TREMENDOUS,
AND IT DOESN'T SLOW DOWN THE
WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT. GOOD. UM
LAST. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN NOW
? AT DTSC? DR WILLIAMS 2014. I
TOOK OVER HIS DEPUTY FOR SAFER
CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND THEN
BECAME THE DIRECTOR. I THINK ONE
OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS
THAT'S BEEN DONE HERE BY THE
PREVIOUS GOVERNOR AND THIS
GOVERNOR WAS TO KEEP YOU THERE
IN CHARGE OVER A LONG PERIOD OF
TIME PRIOR TO YOUR COMING IT
SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS A NEW
DIRECTOR EVERY YEAR, AND THAT'S
NO WAY TO RUN THE DEPARTMENT AND
I'M VERY GLAD THAT YOU HAVE
PERSISTED AND THAT THE GOVERNORS
HAVE HAD FAITH IN YOU, AND I
THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT THINGS THAT'S BEEN
DONE TO BRING THIS ABOUT. SO
THANK YOU, DR WILLIAMS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND
IT'S ALRIGHT PRIVILEGE, AND NOW
WE'LL HEAR FROM THE CHAIR. OF
THE ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY. BOARD
OR THE BOARD OF ENVIRONMENTAL
SAFETY GENIE RIZZO. CHAIR. AND
DESCRIBE HOW THE BOARD SEES ITS
ROLE AND PROVIDE THE COMMITTEES
WITH WITH THE FIRST IMPRESSION
OF DTSC. UM. SO GO AHEAD. THANK
YOU, UH, WELL CHAIR SENATOR
ALLEN IN ABSENTIA.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S WORK AND ALL
THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS. I'M
REALLY, REALLY PLEASED TO BE
HERE AND LET ME CONGRATULATE THE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR BEING HERE
WE OFTEN I'M THE ONLY WANTED IT
HEARING AND WE HAVE A GOOD CROWD
HERE TODAY. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR
BEING HERE. AND I KNOW SENATOR
ALLEN WILL BE BACK SHORTLY.
RIGHT SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAR BEFORE
YOU AND THE PUBLIC TODAY AS THE
FIRST APPOINTED CHAIR OF THE
NEWLY CREATED BOARD OF
ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY. I WANT TO
PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE THAT
YOU REQUESTED ON THE CREATION
AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE BOARD,
INCLUDING MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS
OF DTSC. PROGRESS ON THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BOARD
INTERACTIONS WITH DTSC AND
STAKEHOLDERS AND OUR PERSPECTIVE
SO FAR ON WHETHER DTSC IS
IMPLEMENTING THE RECENTLY
ENACTED REFORMS EFFECTIVELY AND
EFFICIENTLY. SO SINCE BEING
APPOINTED ON FEBRUARY 11TH. I
WANT TO FURTHER RECOGNIZE THE
CHAMPIONS IN THE SENATE AND
ASSEMBLY WHO WERE TIRELESS AND I
WATCHED THIS FROM MY OTHER PERCH
RIGHT BEFORE I WAS INVITED BY
THE GOVERNOR TO TAKE THIS
POSITION. YOU WERE TIRELESS,
EMBOLDEN YEARS LONG EFFORTS TO
PROVIDE THE LEGISLATIVE SUPORT
NECESSARY FOR TRUE REFORM OF DTS
, ES PROGRAMMATIC AND FISCAL
FUNCTIONS. AS IMPORTANTLY, I
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH AND
JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS. AS
MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE
REGULATED BUSINESSES WHO HAVE
DEDICATED IN SOME INSTANCES,
DECADES OF DETERMINED WORK TO
SEE THIS THROUGH, INCLUDING YOUR
NEXT PANEL, INGRID BRUNNSTROM,
REPRESENTING THE CENTER FOR RACE
, POVERTY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
AND DON KEPT REPRESENTING
REGULATED BUSINESS INTERESTS.
WHILE WE ALL GATHER HERE IN THE
RELATIVE SAFETY OF THE HEARING
ROOM. I ALSO ALWAYS WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS MUCH
SUFFERING IN THIS GREAT STATE.
WITH DISPROPORTIONATE,
DEVASTATING URGENT AND
CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ON THOSE
WITHOUT THE POWER TO CONTROL AND
PROTECT THEIR OWN FATE. SO IT'S
ON US. OUR MISSION AS THE BOARD
OF ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY IS
COMPLEX, AND IT'S ALSO ELEGANTLY
SIMPLE. IT'S DEPARTMENT WITH ALL
STAKEHOLDERS AND ENSURE THAT
DTSC DILIGENTLY BUILDS ON AND
IMPLEMENTS THE REFORMS AND
PROGRESS BEING MADE UNDER THIS
CURRENT ADMINISTRATION TO RIGHT
HISTORICAL WRONGS BORN BY
VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES. WE
UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT THE
RESPONSIBILITY TO IMPLEMENT THE
MANDATES. SB 1 58 SET FORTH THAT
FALL UNDER OUR GOVERNANCE
RESPONSIBILITY, INCLUDING
HEARING AND DECIDING PERMIT
APPEALS, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES
FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR
PERMITTED AND REMEDIATION SITES.
REVIEWING AND APPROVING THE
DIRECTOR'S PRIORITIES. ADOPTING
PERFORMANCE METRICS THAT
INCLUDES DTSC S PROGRAMS AND
THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH RELATED
PROGRAMS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT
AND OTHER AGENCIES HERE AND
APPROVAL. CONTEMPORARY HAZARDOUS
WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN IN DUE
TIME, THERE'S A SCHEDULE FOR
THAT. WE WILL CONDUCT AN
ANALYSIS OF DTS ES FEE RATE
STRUCTURE AND MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS AND ESTABLISH AN
OFFICE OF AM BOARDS AND
INTEGRATE THAT INTO ALL OF OUR
WORK. NORTH STARS TO ENSURE THAT
THE FUTURE OF ALL CALIFORNIANS
OF EXPOSURE TO TOXIC CHEMICALS
AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
WITH CLEAR AND RIGHTEOUS FOCUS
ON COMMUNITIES THAT FOR TOO LONG
LACKED THE CURRENCY IN DECISIONS
AFFECTING THEIR ENVIRONMENT,
HEALTH AND THEIR VERY LIVES.
HELLO. PRIOR TO THIS APPOINTMENT
, I SERVED AS CEO OF BREAST
CANCER PREVENTION PARTNERS
THROUGH 22,018. YOU'VE MOST
LIKELY HEARD FROM THEM OVER THE
YEARS AND CONTINUE TO. IT'S AN
ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BEEN ON
THE FOREFRONT OF ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH SCIENCE POLICY. BUSINESS
ACCOUNTABILITY AND COLLABORATIVE
ADVOCACY FOR CANCER PREVENTION
FOR WELL OVER TWO DECADES,
STARTING WITH THE PRECAUTIONARY
PRINCIPLE ORDINANCE IN SAN
FRANCISCO TO SPONSORING BILLS
HERE IN CALIFORNIA THAT ARE
WITHIN DTSC S PURVIEW. AND ALSO
TO ESTABLISH THE BIO MONITORING
PROGRAM, THE GREEN CHEMISTRY
INITIATIVE AND CONSUMER PRODUCTS
PROGRAM, INGREDIENT DISCLOSURE
BILLS AND ALTERING. ULTIMATELY
THE REFORM AND FUNDING FOR DTSC.
SHIFTING THE PARADIGM TO ONE OF
PRECAUTION AND PREVENTION, WHICH
I HEARD EARLIER IS CONTINUES TO
BE OF CONCERN OF THIS COMMITTEE.
THESE COMMITTEES HAS BEEN AT THE
CORE OF MY WORK. I KNOW
FIRSTHAND BOTH THE ENTHUSIASM
FOR AND THE CHALLENGES THAT DTSC
HAS FACED IN IMPLEMENTING
LEGISLATION LEGISLATION THAT WE
SPONSORED, CO SPONSORED AND
PROFFERED THAT IS NOT ADEQUATELY
FUNDED. THE BOARD HAS ONLY BEEN
OPERATING SINCE MARCH OF THIS
YEAR. DIRECTOR WILLIAMS AND
CHIEF DEPUTY DIRECTOR NEGRI I
WILL SAY HAVE BEEN NOTHING SHORT
OF AMAZING AND THEIR
ACCESSIBILITY INCLUSION AND
THEY'RE RESPECTFUL DEFERENCE TO
OUR NEW AND UNIQUE ROLE. DTS ES
LEADERSHIP HAS MADE THEMSELVES
AND THEIR TEAMS AVAILABLE TO US
ON A DAILY BASIS, CREATING
BRIEFINGS ON BOARDING
ORIENTATIONS. PUBLIC MEETINGS
SUPPORT MATERIALS FROM THE
REFORM PROCESS THAT ARE GUIDING
OUR WORK. SECRETARY BLUMENFELD
IS A CALL AWAY BETWEEN OUR
REGULAR MEETINGS. SO MY FIRST
IMPRESSION OF DTSC FROM THIS NEW
ROLE IS THAT IT WANTS THIS
REFORM. TO PROGRESS AT A PACE
AND WELCOMES THIS GENERAL
GENERAL GENERATIONAL OPPORTUNITY
THAT SB 1 58 PRESENTS. BUT
THEY'RE STRETCHED ARE STRETCHED
TO ACCOMPLISH THE EXPANSION AS
THEY SIMULTANEOUSLY WORK TO
REINFORCE THE CULTURE OF
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS BRING ON
MORE STAFF REVITALIZE THEIR
ACCOUNTABILITY METRICS. THE
SHEER NUMBER OF NEW AND
REPLACEMENT HIRES THAT ARE
POSTED ALMOST DAILY. TELLS US A
STORY BOTH THAT THE DEPARTMENT
HAS BEEN SEVERELY UNDER
RESOURCED FOR FAR TOO LONG AND
THAT THE CURRENT DEMANDS OF
EXPANDING THEIR WORKFORCE IS
CHALLENGING AND IT'S CHALLENGING
IN A TIME IN GENERAL FOR
WORKFORCE. WE FOUND IT IN OUR
POSTINGS. WHERE WE'VE HAD A
REPOST POSITIONS AND WE'RE
WAITING FOR RESPONDENTS TO THAT
SO GOING FORWARD, IT IS
THRILLING TO KNOW THAT MORE
RESOURCES HAVE BEEN AND WILL BE
BROUGHT TO BEAR TO ENSURE THAT
DTSC PRODUCES THE OUTCOMES THAT
CAN BE UNDERSTOOD AND
EXPERIENCED BY ALL CALIFORNIANS
WITH A DIRECT AND DEDICATED
EMPHASIS ON COMMUNITIES THAT
HAVE BORNE THE MOST TOXIC
BURDEN. IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME
IN A SUSTAINED EFFORT. BUT
HONESTLY, I DON'T SEE THEM
LETTING UP OR GIVING UP AND I
APPRECIATED YOUR SUPPORT FOR
DIRECTOR WILLIAMS BECAUSE SHE IS
NOT GIVING UP. I MEAN, EVERY WE
MEET AND TALK REALLY ON A DAILY
BASIS. AS YOU KNOW, SINCE THE
PASSAGE OF THE LANDMARK
LEGISLATION THAT CREATED AND
FUNDED THE BOARD, WE'VE BEEN IN
START UP MODE. MEMBER GÓMEZ WAS
APPOINTED BY THE SENATE IN
AUGUST OF 21, BUT THE REMAINING
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WERE SWORN
IN FEBRUARY MARCH OF 22. MEMBER
ALEXIS STRAUSS HACKER WAS HERE
WITH US TODAY. SUSHMA BHATIA AND
I WERE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR
IN FEBRUARY OF 22 MEMBER LIZETTE
RUIZ BY THE ASSEMBLY IN MARCH.
WE LAUNCHED OUR FIRST MEETING ON
MARCH 30TH WITH THE FULL SUPPORT
OF DTSC TODAY WE'VE HIRED OUR
EXECUTIVE OFFICER. SWATI SHURMUR
, WHO IS HERE TODAY. SHE'S
EXPERIENCED RESEARCH AND POLICY
EXPERT AND A LIKEWISE
EXPERIENCED ATTORNEY FROM THE
OFFICE OF LEGAL COUNSEL GREG
FOREST, WHO IS ALSO WITH US
TODAY. OREO IS WORKING WITH
HUMAN RESOURCES ON POSTING AND
SCREENING FOR OUR POSITIONS.
WE'VE EXECUTED CONTRACTS FOR
MEETING SUPPORT, INTERPRETATION
AND TRANSLATION, SO THAT WE'RE
NOT RELYING ON DTSC STAFF TO
PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES GOING
FORWARD AS OUR PRIORITIES FULLY
REVEAL THEMSELVES. WE WILL
REPORT BACK TO YOU ON MATCHING
THE MANDATES WITH THE RESOURCES
THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO US.
WE WERE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
. PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD. WE
REALLY LIKE ORDER. JUST TELL YOU
THAT, SO WE'VE ESTABLISHED
SUBCOMMITTEES BASED ON PRIORITY
AREAS AND ASSIGNED BOARD MEMBER
LIAISONS TO SOME OF THE RELEVANT
DDOS SUPPORTED BY OUR EXECUTIVE
OFFICER, ATTORNEY MYSELF AND
ULTIMATELY WHEN WE GET
ADDITIONAL STAFF SUSHMA BHATIA
WILL LEAD STRATEGIC PLANNING
BOTH THE ASSESSMENT OF DTSC S
PLAN AND KEY PERFORMANCE
INDICATORS AS WELL AS WELL AS
THE BOARD'S OWN PLAN SHALL ALSO
FOCUS ON YOUTH OUTREACH, AND
SHE'S A LIAISON TO CARB AND DTS
ES HAZARDOUS WASTE PLAN
ASSESSMENT. GEORGIA GÓMEZ WILL
LEAD ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR
THE FOR THE BOARD AND IS A LATE
LIAISON TO DTSC E JACK WHEN IT
IS FULLY FORMED. RUIZ IS LEAD ON
PERMIT APPEALS PROCESS
DEVELOPMENT HAZARDOUS WASTE PLAN
AND SHE'S ENGAGED IN OUR
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, OUTREACH
AND COORDINATION. ALEXIS HACKER
, WHO AGAIN IS HERE WITH US
TODAY WAS VOTED BY THE BOARD TO
SERVICE VICE CHAIR. SHE WAS ALSO
VOTED AS PER 1 58 REQUIREMENT TO
BE THE LIAISON TO THE DEPARTMENT
OF DEFENSE. SHE'S ALSO ARE
DESIGNATED LIAISON TO THE
WATERBOARD OCEAN POLLUTION
COUNCIL CALORIE CYCLE, REGULATED
COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND
ASSISTING IN THE PERMIT APPEALS
PROCESS. OH, SHARMA AND ATTORNEY
FOREST AND I ARE IN THE PROCESS
OF DEVELOPING PROTOCOLS TO
RESPOND TO COMPLAINTS. QUESTIONS
PROGRAM INFORMATION PRS, WHICH
WHICH WILL SERVE THE NEW OFFICE
OF AM BOARDS WHEN IT IS FULLY
ESTABLISHED, SO WE THREE WILL
WORK AS A SUBCOMMITTEE GOING
FORWARD ON FEE STRUCTURE
AFTERWARDS STAFFED UP WE WILL
FULLY TACKLE PERMIT, APPEALS THE
STRUCTURE AND EVALUATE DTSC
STRATEGIC PLANNING. KPI S. IN
ORDER TO BEST UNDERSTAND THE
SCOPE OF THE ISSUES. WE ARE
MANDATED TO ADDRESS. WE HAVE
BEEN MEETING AND SCHEDULING
OPPORTUNITIES WITH
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE REGULATED
BUSINESSES AS WELL AS LEADERS IN
ENVIRONMENTAL, JUSTICE.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH COMMUNITIES
, REVIEWING EVERYTHING, WHICH
YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH FROM
THE PEOPLE SENATE TO THE END OF
THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW PANEL TO
THE MASSIVE EFFORTS BY
REPRESENTATIVE GARCIA AT ALL ON
A B 9 95 A B ONE. AND FINALLY 1
58. I HAVE PERSONALLY
REPRESENTED THE BOARD TO THE
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY COUNCIL OF
CALIFORNIA AND I'M SCHEDULED AT
A CALIFORNIA COUNCIL FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC
BALANCE MEETING LATER THIS
MONTH. AND I'VE MET WITH SCORES
OF COMMUNITY ADVOCATES AND
COLLEAGUES IN THE FIELD OF ICE
CHEST VICE CHAIR HACKER HAS
JOINED SECRETARY BLUMENFELD, DR
WILLIAMS AND DEPUTY NEGRI AT THE
ANNUAL SEED MEETING AT THE
INVITATION OF DAWN KEPT INGRID
ROSTRUM WHO'S ALSO HERE TODAY,
AND HER COLLEAGUES HAVE TRULY
BEEN A TREASURE TROVE OF
KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION, AND
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR
RECOMMENDATIONS ON EJ METRICS AS
WE DEVELOP OUR OWN ASSESSMENT
TOOLS SINCE MARCH, WE'VE ALREADY
HELD FOUR OPEN AND ONE CLOSED
MEETINGS. EVERYTHING'S ON OUR
WEBSITE. YOU CAN GO TO BES THAT
DTSC DOT CA.GOV. AND YOU CAN SEE%
OUR MEETINGS. UM I WANT TO CALL
OUT HERE, THOUGH, THE MOST
ROBUST OF OUR MEETINGS AND OUR
FIRST COMMUNITY LISTENING TOUR
IN SOUTH EAST L. A ON JULY 11TH
AND SUBSEQUENT BOARD MEETING ON
JULY 12TH AND MONTE BELLO.
WORKING WITH COMMUNITY ADVOCATES
AND ORGANIZATIONS LED BY THE
COMMUNITIES FOR BETTER
ENVIRONMENT. PHYSICIANS FOR
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. LÀ
CALIFORNIA FOR A GREEN ECONOMY.
THE ENTIRE BOARD IN OUR E O.
JOINED DR WILLIAMS, JOINED BY DR
WILLIAMS, CHIEF DEPUTY NEGRA T
CHIEF COUNSEL EFFORTS, DIRECTOR
OF LEGISLATIVE LEGISLATIVE
AFFAIRS, BALLAST EROS AND
OFFICER ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY
DEPUTY CESAR AS WE WERE HOSTED
IN THREE SEPARATE ALL DAY TOURS,
BAGLEY KEEN WE DIVIDE IT UP, SO
WE WENT ON THREE SEPARATE TOURS.
ALL DAY TOURS OF THE PERIMETERS
OF DTS ES PERMANENT SITES, AND
WE HELD MEETINGS WITH COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, EJ ADVOCATES AND
ORGANIZATIONS BOARD MEMBERS
DIVIDED UP WITH THE ADVOCATES,
LITERALLY FROM DOZENS OF GROUPS
AND EFFORTS RANGING FROM THE P
SRL, A CB PARENTS AGAINST SANTA
SUSANNA FIELD LAB. ADEPTS SKA,
THE CUTIE HE ALLIANCE FOR
JUSTICE, BLACK WOMEN FOR
WELLNESS, EAST YARD COMMUNITIES
FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE,
CALIFORNIA SAFE SCHOOLS. DEL AMO
ACTION COMMITTEE, CLEAN AIR
COALITION OF AVOCADO HEIGHTS,
EARTH JUSTICE AND THE LAW
UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. AS WELL
AS ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S MIGUEL SANTA
SANTIAGO'S OFFICE, AND WE HEARD
OVER AND OVER THE RECALCITRANT
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
EXACERBATED BY RACIAL AND SOCIAL
JUSTICE THAT PLAGUED THEIR LIVES
. WE THEN GATHER GATHERED AT
MERCADO LA PALOMA FOR
PRESENTATIONS BY ADVERSE
ADVOCACY GROUPS. ON BECAME HALF
OF SITES THAT WE COULD NOT VISIT
ON THAT TRIP. SO IT WAS AN
AMAZING TWO DAYS OF LISTENING,
LEARNING VISITING REMEDIATION
SITES, INCLUDING DRY CLEANERS
WHO ARE TRYING TO TRANSITION TO
WET CLEANING. BEAUTY SALON AND
CRENSHAW THAT IS TRYING TO USE
SAFER PRODUCTS FOR BLACK AND
BROWN CLIENTELE. CAPTURING THE
IDEAS AND CONCERNS OF THOSE ON
THE GROUND. THE BOARD AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS REPORTED ON
OUR TOURS THAT ARE MEETING ON
JULY 12TH AND DETAILED REPORTS
FROM THOSE TOURS, AND THEIR
RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE
AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE WITHIN
THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. WE'RE ALSO
PROCESS IN THE PROCESS OF
COORDINATING RESPONSES TO THOSE
CONCERNS, QUESTIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS AND FOLLOW UPS
WITH DTSC. GIVEN THE RECENT
ANNOUNCEMENT THAT A REQUEST WAS
MADE ON JULY 1ST TWO U S EPA BY
THE GOVERNOR CALLI PH. DTSC AND
SOME OF YOUR COLLEAGUES IN THE
LEGISLATURE TO LIST THE
ABANDONED EXIDE FACILITY ON THE
MPL. WE ASKED DTSC WHO ASSISTED
US IN ARRANGING FOR MIKE
MONTGOMERY FROM REGION NINE AND
CHOPPED IN CHARGE OF THEIR
SUPERFUND. PROGRAM TO ATTEND OUR
JULY 12TH MEETING IN PERSON. AND
PRESENT ON THE PROCESS, AS WELL
AS THE ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THE
BOARD AND THE PUBLIC. WHO HAVE
ASKED FOR REPRESENTATION IN THE
PROCESS. IT WAS AN AMAZING OUR
IT GAVE EVERYONE A CHANCE TO
BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WILL
MEAN FOR EXCITED TO BE ON THE
NPL IN A WAY THAT COULDN'T HAVE
HAPPENED JUST BY POSTING
SOMETHING ON OUR WEBSITE. SO
CLEARLY, AS YOU'VE NOTED, IN THE
PAST, EXIDE IS AN EXAMPLE OF
COMMUNITIES LIVING IN A STATE OF
COMMUTE CUMULATIVE IMPACT, EVEN
AS REMEDIATION CONTINUES, WE SAW
SOME OF THE REMAINING
REMEDIATION ACTUALLY GOING ON
AND VISITED HOMES OF PEOPLE WHO
SHOWED US HOW IT HAD BEEN DONE.
WHAT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AND
QUESTIONS WERE. SO WE HAVE THREE
MORE OPEN MEETING WORKSHOPS
SCHEDULED FOR THIS CALENDAR YEAR
, TWO OF WHICH WILL BE HELD IN
COMMUNITIES WERE TRYING TO GET
THE SIXTH IN THREE OF WHICH ARE
IN COMMUNITIES THERE IN THE
MANDATE A LITTLE TOUGH HAVING
STARTED JUST IN MARCH, BUT WE
ARE GOING TO GET IT DONE WILL BE
IN OAKLAND IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY
FOR TWO OF OUR MEETINGS. AND
WE'VE SAID OUR 2023 CALENDAR
WITH SEVEN MEETINGS,
ANTICIPATING THERE MAY BE MORE
HEARINGS NECESSARY, DEPENDING ON
PERMIT APPEALS ON AUGUST, 25TH
WILL HOLD A MEETING AND WORKSHOP
IN SACRAMENTO, DURING WHICH TIME
WE WILL HAVE AN OPEN DIALOGUE
WITH THE PUBLIC AND THE
COMMUNITY ON THE PERMIT APPEALS
PROCESS. DTSC STAFF WILL PRESENT
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
REPRESENTATIVES OF PERMITTED
REGULATED FACILITIES WILL ALSO
BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PRESENT THEIR PERSPECTIVE. TO
BEST INFORM THE PROCEDURES THAT
WE WILL ADOPT. WE'RE REVIEWING
THE CURRENT PROCESS AND WILL
ASSIGN APPROPRIATE STAFF AND
BOARD TO LEAD OUR EFFORT. WE
WANT TO ESTABLISH A
COMPREHENSIVE APPEALS PROCEDURES
THROUGH A SERIES OF OPEN
MEETINGS, SO AUGUST IS THE FIRST
WILL COME AWAY FROM THAT AND
COME BACK AND SEPTEMBER AND
AGAIN. HOPEFULLY IN NOVEMBER, WE
WILL ABLE BE ABLE TO REPORT OUT
ON OUR RECOMMENDED PROCESS WHEN
THAT PROCESS IS COMPLETE, AND WE
FEEL WE HAVE IT DOWN, PAT. WE
WILL PROVIDE OUR PROPOSAL TO THE
OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW FOR
APPROVAL, AND THEN WE CAN
PROVIDE YOU WITH THAT
INFORMATION AS WELL ONCE THOSE
ARE ADOPTED AT THAT POINT WE
WILL BE PREPARED TO HEAR ANY
PENDING APPEALS. ONE PERMIT
APPEAL WAS SUBMITTED EARLY IN
OUR TENURE, BUT IT WAS
WITHDRAWN. JUST LAST WEEK OR
ATTORNEY AND EXECUTIVE OFFICER
WERE ALERTED TO ANOTHER. SO WE
HAVE TO INFORM THE APPELLANT AND
THE PERMIT APPLICANT THAT THE
BOARD WILL NOT BE HEALING
HEARING PERMITS UNTIL APPEAL.
PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN ADOPTED IN
THE SPIRIT OF SB 1 58. SO I WANT
TO RECOGNIZE THAT AND KNOW THAT
THAT ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I
WAS ASKED TO ADDRESS IS WHAT'S
GOING TO HAPPEN WITH PERMIT
APPEALS. WE WILL NOT HEAR ANY
PERMIT APPEALS IN THIS CALENDAR
YEAR WITHOUT HAVING A PROCESS IN
PLACE PROCEDURES THAT ARE MORE
EXPENSIVE AND MORE RESPONSIVE TO
WHAT S B 1 58, THE LEGISLATURE
AND THE COMMUNITIES HAVE ASKED
FOR. BOTH THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER
AND I MEET REGULARLY WITH DR
WILLIAMS AND DEPUTY MAKE NEGRI
AND MONTHLY WITH THE SECRETARY
BLUMENFELD AND AD HOC IS
REQUESTED BY ANY ONE OF US WERE
ALIGNED ON THE NEED FOR OPEN,
TRANSPARENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
THE BOARD AND THE DEPARTMENT.
WHILE SOME IN THE COMMUNITIES
WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE VARIOUS
STAGES OF THE REFORM, SEE THE
BOARD AS A FULL ON GOVERNANCE
ENTITY WITH AUTHORITIES THAT ARE
NOT OURS POINTS TO OUR NEED TO
BOTH. EXPLAIN AND REASSERT BOTH
OUR SCOPE AND OUR LIMITATIONS.
THERE ARE THOSE MAYBE WHO
HEARKENED BACK TO 9 95, OR
EARLIER DISCUSSIONS AND THINK WE
ARE A TOTAL GOVERNING BOARD. TO
THAT END, WE'RE IN THE INITIAL
FAGE OF DEVELOPED PHASE OF
DEVELOPING FACT SHEETS AND
EASILY ACCESSIBLE MATERIALS ON
OUR WEBSITE. THAT WILL CLARIFY
OUR ROLE IN DIRECT CONCERNS TO
THE APPROPRIATE PROGRAMS WITHIN
DTSC. IT WILL INCLUDE
INFORMATION ABOUT ITS CURRENTLY
INCLUDES INFORMATION ABOUT A
COMING MEETINGS, RECORDINGS OF
PAST MEETINGS. HOW TO EMAIL US
HOW TO HOW TO CONTACT EACH OF
US. SO ONCE WE HAVE OUR OFFICE
OF OMBUDSMAN ESTABLISHED, THIS
WILL FLOW MORE SEAMLESSLY. IN MY
VIEW, COMMUNICATIONS IS
ESSENTIAL IN THIS WORK. I'VE
NEVER DONE ANY WORK IN MY CAREER
WHERE I DIDN'T HAVE A STRONG AND
RIGHT HAND OF CALMS PEOPLE AND I
FEEL LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING I'LL
BE COMING BACK AND TALKING ABOUT
MORE WITH YOU NEXT YEAR. SO FIVE
MONTHS INTO OUR TENURES WORKING
BOARD. WE'RE SETTING THE
INFRASTRUCTURE WE NEED TO
GENERATE THE BEST METHOD OF THE
VALUATION OF THE DEPARTMENT,
INCLUDING ISSUES AROUND PERMIT
BACKLOGS UNTIL DTSC AND BES OR
STAFFED UP. IT IS PREMATURE FOR
US TO MAKE THAT ASSESSMENT FIVE
MONTHS INTO OUR TENURE. SO I DO
TRUST THAT DTSC KELLY, PA. AND
THE BOARD KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THE
PROCESS OF REFORM IS TO THE
HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF
CALIFORNIANS. WRITING HISTORICAL
WRONGS IS A PRIORITY AND EQUALLY
IMPORTANT IS SETTING A PATH TO
PROTECT THE FUTURE. THE
PREVENTION ASPECT, THE POLLUTION
PREVENTION, THOSE THINGS THAT
DON'T KEEP FEEDING THE SYSTEM
WITH TOXIC MATERIALS AND
BURDENS. SO THE FUTURE WE WANT
TO PROTECT THE FUTURE OF
VULNERABLE, DISPROPORTIONATELY
EFFECTIVE COMMUNITIES PREVENT
FURTHER DEGRADATION OF OUR
HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND
PIONEER SOME MODEL CHANGE. WE
ARE CALIFORNIA. AND WE ARE USED
TO BEING IN THE VANGUARD. IT'S
WHAT WE DO BEST. SO IT IS A
DAUNTING TASK. BUT IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL OF YOU AND
THE LEADERSHIP OF CALI, PA. AND
DTSC, AND WITH ALL THE
STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE HEAVILY
INVESTED I BELIEVE WE'LL GET IT
DONE. SO WITH THE ONE YEAR MARK
OF OUR INCEPTION, WE WILL BE
BETTER PREPARED TO EVALUATE THE
PERFORMANCE AND WE WELCOME THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK BEFORE
YOU AGAIN AT THAT POINT OR AT
ANY POINT THAT YOU WANT TO HEAR
FROM US. SO THANK YOU. YOU'RE
TODAY. I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE
TINA MAKIN ER, WHO WAS RECENTLY
ELECTED TO THE ASSEMBLY. AND
WHAT'S THE ASSEMBLY? WHAT'S YOUR
DISTRICT NUMBER AND LOCATION?
62, WHICH IS WHAT AREA? THE
AIRPORT. L A L IN YOUR L A OKAY?
UM SO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
ALSO THE NEWEST MEMBER OF
ASSEMBLY ES TÌM. ALL RIGHT, UM
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM. THE
ASSEMBLY MEMBERS AND SENATORS.
YES YOU MENTIONED NEXT SIDE SO I
KNOW THERE WAS SOME MONEY
BUDGETED FOR THE CLEANUP BEINGS.
EXIDE WENT BANKRUPT. UH WHAT IS
THE PROCESS? HOW WAS THE PROCESS
GOING FOR EXCITE AND TO CLEAN UP
? WELL, THERE'S I THINK, UM UH
THE BEST MEREDITH AND FRANCESCA
KIM. BUT THERE ARE SITES THERE
ARE THOUSANDS OF HOMES THAT HAVE
ALREADY BEEN CLEANED UP. WE GOT
TO VISIT THEM. WE GOT TO SEE.
YOU KNOW, THE WE ACTUALLY GOT TO
SEE ONE IN PROGRESS WHERE
THEY'RE DIGGING DOWN 18 INCHES
OF DIRT. THEY'RE THEY'RE
REPLACING IT. THEY'RE WORKING
WITH THE HOMEOWNERS AS TO HOW
THEY WANT THAT MITIGATED. DO
THEY WANT TO LONG DO THEY WANT
NATURAL PLANTS? SO THAT'S GOING
ON. IT'S A 1.7 MILE RADIUS AND
ALASKA. YOU ALL TO CORRECT ME IF
I DON'T HAVE THIS RIGHT? I THINK
THERE ARE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO
WHO HAVE THOUGHTS THAT MAYBE IT
SHOULD BE A FIVE MILE RADIUS.
BUT AT LEAST AT THIS STARTING
POINT, THE 1.7 MILE RADIUS IS
THE FOCUS OF THE CLEANUP AND
IT'S RESIDENTIAL. THEIR ONGOING
, UM, MONITORING TO MAKE SURE
THAT IT IS BEING MITIGATED 16
INCHES. WHAT IF IT'S 24. WELL IT
MIGHT BE BEST. UM YEAH, I THINK
SO. TO BRING UP. MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY ARE
THERE IN A PROCESS OF CLEANING
UP. WHAT'S THERE, AND MAYBE ONE
OF YOU CAN RESPOND TO THAT
MORNING. WHY DON'T ONE OF YOU,
DOCTOR WILSON OR. THANK YOU MY
SHORT TERM IN THIS COMMITTEE.
THAT WAS A BIG CONCERN FOR ME
WITH ABSOLUTELY NO. I UNDERSTAND
THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE
WANTED TO MAKE SOUTHEAST DELAY
ONE OF OUR FIRST. UM UH VISITING
TOURS. SO JUST TO CLARIFY. ARE
YOU ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
FACILITY ITSELF FOR ABOUT THE
RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY RESIDENTIAL
NEIGHBORHOOD? I KNOW IT'S
BANKRUPT, CLOSED DOWN, AND SO
EACH OF THE PROPERTIES HAS BEEN
SAMPLED AND YOU KNOW, TO A DEPTH
. UM AND THERE'S KIND OF
CONFIRMATION SAMPLING AT THE END
OF ANY REMEDIATION TO MAKE SURE
THAT THAT THE MEDIA THAT THE
CLEANUP HAS MET THE CLEANUP
GOALS. SO THAT'S THAT'S STANDARD
PROCEDURE. I WILL NOTE THAT
THERE IS A COLLABORATION. I
BELIEVE IT'S /C L A. I COULD BE
WRONG. BUT WITH EAST YARDS
COMMUNITIES FOR A BETTER
ENVIRONMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE, AND THEY'RE DOING SOME
ADDITIONAL SAMPLING. JUST IN THE
WHOLE, UM WHAT WE CALL THE
PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION AREA.
PROPERTIES AFTER THE FACT TO SEE
IF IT IN FACT, THEY CAN
INDEPENDENTLY CONFIRM THE
REMEDIATION HAS MET THE GOAL. SO
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. MARJORIE
JUST SIT THERE FOR ANOTHER
MINUTE IN CASE THERE ARE OTHER
QUESTIONS. UM, ANYONE ELSE? YES
SENATOR GONZALEZ? YES THANK YOU.
CHAIR IS SO I JUST WANT. I
ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS
BECAUSE YOUR PRESENTATION WAS
VERY THOROUGH. BUT I JUST WANT
TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
AND YOUR WORK ON THIS BOARD
CONJUNCTION WITH MANY OF OUR
COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE
ASSEMBLY MEMBER GARCIA AND I
SHARE SOUTHEAST LOS ANGELES. I
KNOW SHE WAS RAISED THERE, AND
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO
HAVE THIS HIGHLIGHTED EFFORT.
YOU KNOW THIS COLLABORATION TO
ENSURE THAT COMMUNITY REALLY CAN
SEE. UM JUST PHYSICALLY, WHAT'S
GOING ON, BUT ALSO
GOVERNMENTALLY, UM WHAT IS WHAT
IS OCCURRING AND WHAT'S, UH,
PROGRESSING IN THEIR
NEIGHBORHOODS? IT WAS QUITE
AMAZING TO HAVE THE DTSC TEAM
MEMBERS. I MEAN, WE WERE ON
THERE WERE 30 OF US ON ELECTRIC
BUS. UM WHICH WE DIDN'T PAY FOR
IT BECAUSE WE KNOW WE CAN'T BUT
, UM, TOURING. I MEAN, IT WAS
AMAZING. WE STOPPED AT ALL THESE
PLACES TOGETHER. WE REALLY TOOK
IT IN AND THEY SAY, OH, I THINK
I THINK THAT WAS POWERFUL FOR
EVERYONE. NOW, OF COURSE, THE
PROOF WILL BE IN THE PUDDING.
WHAT DO WE TAKE FROM IT? AND HOW
DO WE HOW DO WE RESPOND BACK,
BUT AND IT'S THE FIRST OF MANY.
I MEAN, IF WE WERE AT THE TIME
AND RESOURCES, I MEAN REMINDER
THAT I'M A FULL TIME BOARD
MEMBER. UM THE OTHER BOARD
MEMBERS ARE ALL HALFTIME. UM WE
HAVE. WE HAVEN'T HIRED UP YET.
SO WE HAVE TO STAFF SO FAR
ATTORNEY AND EXECUTIVE OFFICER
AND LOOKING FOR OUR SCIENTISTS
OR ENGINEERS ARE OMBUDSMAN. SO
WE HAVE A LOT MORE TO DO BEFORE
WE CAN BE ON THE GROUND AS MUCH
AS WE WANT TO BE, BUT WE WILL BE
TOURING OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL
LOCALES. AND IF THERE'S
SOMETHING ON ANY OF YOUR MINDS
THAT YOU WANT TO PASS THROUGH,
I'M SURE THROUGH DIANA WOULD BE
HAPPY FOR INVITATIONS AND TO
KNOW IF THERE'S SOMETHING YOU
WANT US TO SEE. THANK YOU. YES
SOMETHING MEMBER GARCIA. I JUST
HAVE A WELL FIRST I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT THE
BOARD IS COMING DOWN TO TOUR
HOSTED THOSE TOURISTS IN THE
PAST AND THE IMPACTFUL AND LIKE
YOU SAID, IT'S THE FIRST STEP
AND WE'LL COMES NEXT. SO I'M
HAPPY TO TRACK TO BE TRACKING
THAT. BUT UM MANAGING
EXPECTATIONS IS HAS BEEN OUR
CHALLENGE CONSTANTLY. THE NEEDS
ARE DEEP AND WIDE. GENERATIONAL
IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE ROLES
OF WHAT DIFFERENT AGENCIES ARE
BOARDS ARE DOING ARE LIMITED AND
NOT HOLISTIC AND INEXPENSIVE.
OUT THERE, AND I SPENT A LOT OF
TIME IN MANAGING EXPECTATIONS
AND TELLING THAT COMMUNITY
MEMBERS THIS IS WHAT THEY DO.
LET'S FORGET WHAT ELSE WE NEED
TO BRING, YOU KNOW, TO EXPAND
WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THERE OR
THROUGH IT DIFFERENT AVENUE. OUT
THERE UNTIL THE IN IN YOUR TOURS
AND THE WORK YOU'RE DOING. I
COULDN'T IMAGINE AS YOU
MENTIONED THAT THERE'S A MUCH
LARGER EXPECTATION ON YOU, THEN.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE AUTHORITY
TO ABSOLUTELY. AND YOU MENTIONED
THAT BRIEFLY IN YOUR
PRESENTATION. CAN YOU GO A
LITTLE BIT MORE OF HOW WE ARE
MANAGING THOSE EXPECTATIONS WHAT
IT IS THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS
THEY FEEL THEY ALSO NEED IN
ADDITION TO THIS, YOU KNOW, AND
I KNOW WE CAN'T GET AHEAD OF
OURSELVES IS ONE STEP BEFORE THE
OTHER, BUT I DO LIKE TO THINK.
AHEAD AND A B 995. YOU KNOW, IT
WAS MUCH BETTER THAN WHERE WE
LANDED IN AND STILL PROUD OF
WHERE WE LANDED IN. IT'S STILL
YOU KNOW, A LANDMARK BILL. IT
WAS A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH,
UH, YOU KNOW. I USED TO CALL
YOU. MEREDITH I'M SORRY, DR
WILLIAMSON WITH R. KELLY PEE
SECRETARY WORKING ON THAT. AND
SO I'M I'M PROUD OF THAT WORK,
BUT UM, HOW YOU KNOW A LITTLE
MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE ASKING
FOR, JUST LIKE THE DIRECTION OF
WHAT'S AHEAD IN THE FUTURE OF
WORK. WE SHOULD BE THINKING
ABOUT, UH, TO ENSURE THAT THAT
WE'RE BEING SUCCESSFUL
HOLISTICALLY. I THINK ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT THAT WE HEARD WAS
WELL AS WELL. THE RAPIDITY WHICH
THINGS HAPPEN, COULD YOU PLEASE
HOLD A HEARING ON THIS AND MAKE
THIS HAPPEN? FASTER OR, UM,
WE'RE NOT SURE WE THINK THAT MOU
IS A GOOD IDEA AND THE BOARD
HOLD A HEARING AND REVIEW IT AND
THAT'S NOT OURS TO DO, RIGHT.
THAT'S NOT OURS TO DO. UM NOW
THAT SAID WE PASS ALONG,
EVERYTHING WERE IN DIALOGUE WILL
COMMUNICATE BACK ABOUT IT. WE'RE
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. AND I
THINK THERE'S AN HISTORICAL
ISSUE OF COMMUNITIES BEING UPSET
ABOUT SOMETHING AND YOU TALKED
ABOUT THE REVOLVING DOOR OF
DIRECTORS RIGHT WHERE THEY
DIDN'T GET THE ANSWERS THEY
WANTED. AND NOW SOMETIMES
THEY'RE JUST NOT SURE WHAT THEY
CAN TRUST. OKAY I MEAN, WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT THAT. HOW DO WE
RESTORE TRUST WHEN THERE ARE
TRUSTWORTHY ANSWERS BEING GIVEN
BUT THERE'S A HISTORY OF NOT
BEING ABLE TO TRUST. SO HOW DO
WE INCREASE THE COMMUNICATION?
YOU HAVE TO REPEAT OVER AND
OVER. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GO
BACK AGAIN AND GO BACK THROUGH
THINGS WHICH CAN BE REALLY
FRUSTRATING AND TIME CONSUMING.
SO WE'RE HOPING THROUGH ALL THE
WORK WE DO WITH THE OFFICE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY WITH THE E
JACK WITH THE BOARDS OMBUDSMAN
THAT WE CAN HELP WITH THE
TRANSLATION. ONE OF THE BIG
THINGS. I CERTAINLY FOUND IT IN
MY LAST CAREER ON BREAST CANCER
PREVENTION. HOW DO YOU TRANSLATE
THE SCIENCE INTO UNDERSTANDING?
WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT, RIGHT
? YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO
TRANSLATE AND DISSEMINATE
INFORMATION IN WAYS THAT PEOPLE
CAN HEAR IT OVER AND VER. AND I
THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WHEN I
TALK ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS AS
REAL HIGH PRIORITY. UM THAT
INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATION AND
THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE A POINT
AT WHICH YOU'RE JUST NOT GOING
TO AGREE ON A SOLUTION. YOU KNOW
THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO CAME TO
THE MEETING THAT SAID, WELL, YOU
KNOW, AT THE BEGINNING I DIDN'T
THINK I LIKED THIS EXCITING NPL
LISTING. I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT
BUT NOW I UNDERSTAND IT BETTER
AND I'M OKAY WITH IT. SO THE
IDEA THAT THAT THESE OPEN
DISCUSSIONS AND ENGAGEMENTS
WHERE YOU'RE EXPLAINING
SOMETIMES OVER AND OVER AND
WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AS A
BOARD AND THROUGH THE OFFICE OF
AM BOARDS, HOW WE CAN BE PART OF
SOLVING THAT OF COMMUNICATING IN
A TIMELY WAY AND JUST OVER TIME
HEALING THE COMMUNITY CONCERNS
ABOUT NOT UNDERSTANDING THINGS,
AND TEN THERE'LL BE TIMES WHEN
IT WILL JUST BE A DIFFERENCE.
RIGHT WHERE WE'RE NOT GOING TO
COME TO FULL UNDERSTANDING OR
AGREEMENT, BUT I THINK OUR
EFFORT IS TO REALLY BE PART OF
THE SOLUTION TO THAT. YEAH THEY
THINK THE OMBUDSMEN IS GOING TO
BE KEY ON THAT. I WILL SAY THAT
ON THE M P. L. P S. WITH EXILE.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN
ASKING FOR THE RADIUS TO EXPAND
RIGHT BEEN ASKING THE REALITIES
THAT EXCITED JUST ONE OF MANY
SMELTERS THAT ARE HISTORICALLY
IN THAT REGION AND ACTUALLY HAS
THE STATE. THERE'S WAY MORE THAN
WHAT WE HAVE. PUBLICLY LISTED,
AND I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO GET A
FULL PICTURE OUT THERE AND WE
HAVE OTHER BILLS THAT ARE BEYOND
EXCEPT TO TRY TO LOOK AT THAT
THAT WE'VE WORKED. UM ON AND
THIS CAN BE A TOOL TO GET US TO
EXPAND THAT SCHOOL TO GET US
LOOK AT THOSE REGIONS ILLICITLY
BEYOND JUST ACCEPTED THOSE OTHER
SMELTERS. WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE
A FULL LIST OUT THERE, AND THEN
WE TALK ABOUT THE THAT LANGUAGE
AND TRANSLATING THE ACTION AND
TO WHAT IS IT REALLY MEAN? AND
THE POTENTIAL AND REBUILDING
THAT TRUST? I THINK THAT'S A
PIECE OF WHEN I STARTED, LIKE,
OH, PERFECT. THIS IS GOING TO
GET US TO WHERE WE WANT TO GET
BUT WE NEED TO BE EXPLICIT ABOUT
EXPLAINING THAT TO OUR COMMUNITY
MEMBERS AND NOT JUST ASSUMING
THEY REALIZED THAT THAT STEP IS
THERE. I'M NOT SAYING YOU
HAVEN'T DONE IT. IT WAS LIKE
THAT INITIAL THAT CARRY UP IN A
HURRY. ANNOUNCEMENT AND I WAS
LIKE, WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN?
AND I WAS LIKE, OH, I WAS LIKE I
WAS THERE FROM THE ANNOUNCER WAS
THE GUY POLISH SHOULD'VE SAID
THAT MYSELF AS A MESSENGER,
ALWAYS IN THAT COMMUNITY. UH YOU
KNOW, UH AS WELL AND SO, YOU
KNOW, I THINK THERE ARE LOTS OF
EXAMPLES OF TRYING TO MAKE SURE
WE'RE DOING IT RIGHT AND WE'RE
ALL NOT ALWAYS GOING TO DO IT
RIGHT. BUT INTENTIONS BEING
WHERE THEY NEED TO BE AND THEN
BUILDING FROM THERE RIGHT AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS DID INDICATE
THAT TOO. UM MIKE MONTGOMERY
RIGHT? THEY RAISED THEIR
CONCERNS. THEY CAME TO THE MIC
AND THEY SAID, WE THINK IT
SHOULD BE FIVE MILES OR MAYBE
ONE POINT SEVENTH THEN, AND HE
SAID, WE'LL DO OUR OWN
ASSESSMENT. RIGHT THAT'S AN
INITIAL. THE 1.7 CORRECT,
MEREDITH THAT I GOT THAT RIGHT,
RIGHT. YOU'VE GOT AMOUNT OF
RESOURCES YOU'VE GOT THE WORST
POSSIBLE SET OF CONDITIONS.
WE'RE GOING TO START THERE. AND
I THINK, UM, THE PEOPLE WHOSE
HOMES HAVE BEEN CLEANED UP UM,
YOU KNOW, BUT BUT THEN THERE'S
ISSUES LIKE CAN'T GO INSIDE
THEIR HOME. SO THERE IS THE
CRAWLSPACE IN ISSUE SO TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW
YOU WORK ACROSS ONE OF SB 1 58
IS ACROSS AGENCIES. THAT'S
THAT'S LIKE A BIG THING TO THINK
ABOUT. WHERE WHAT? WHAT OTHER,
YOU KNOW AGENCIES. COULD COME TO
BEAR ON AN ISSUE THAT IS NOT
WITHIN DETAIL C OR EVEN CALI P A
. AND SO HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT
THAT? SO I THINK OVER TIME WILL
BE MAKING THAT LIST WILL BE
MAKING NOTE OF THAT. AND TO THE
EXTENT THAT WE CAN COLLABORATE
WITH OTHER AGENCIES AND OTHER
DEPARTMENTS WITHIN CALLIE WILL
BE DOING THAT. CULTURAL
CHALLENGES ARE AHEAD FOR YOU. UH
AND IT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T TRY
TO HAVE A DIFFERENT BILL THAT
BRINGS DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND
CLEANER TRYING TO GET CLEANER
AND AH, WHEN ALL THE AGENCIES
ARE NOT IMPORTANT CHALLENGES
SYSTEM, THE ROAD BUT A CHALLENGE
I WANT TO BELIEVE ALREADY TO
MEET THANK YOU. OKAY, ANYONE
ELSE? UM, I'LL JUST MAKE A QUICK
COMMENT, WHICH IS I HOPE THAT
WHAT YOUR BOARD DOES. IS A
MATTER OF INJECTING VALUES. I
DON'T THINK YOU'RE THERE TO
SECOND GUESS THE SCIENCE. BUT
IT'S THE VALUES AND INTERACTIONS
WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT I THINK
WILL MAKE YOU AN EXTREMELY
VALUABLE PART OF THIS. UM. YOU
KNOW, I RESPECT THE SCIENCE THAT
DTSC I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING
TO DO ANY BETTER. UM, BUT IT'S A
MATTER OF THAT COMMUNITY
RELATIONSHIP IN THE VALUES THAT
I THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING FOR YOU TO BRING. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU BOTH FOR
ATTENDING, AND, UH WE WILL HEAR
FROM THE NEXT PANEL. THANK YOU
ALL. OKAY UH, INGRID BUST ROOM
AND DON KEPT KI. UM. INGRAM IS
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER
ON RACE, POVERTY AND THE
ENVIRONMENT. AND WE'LL SPEAK FOR
I HOPE AROUND 15 MINUTES. SHE
HAS, UH. BEING A REGULAR STM
MEETINGS. UM. WE'VE ASKED INGRAM
BOSS SERUM. TO PROVIDE HER VIEW
OF HOW THE BOARD IN DTSC HAVE
BEEN IMPLEMENTING THE REFORM
MEASURES. NOW THE BOARD AND DTSC
ARE ENGAGING STOCKHOLDERS,
ESPECIALLY THOSE IN COMMUNITIES
IMPACT BY HAZARDOUS WASTE. AND
SUBSTANCES AND THEN WE'LL FOLLOW
WITH DON KEPT FROM A. CUSTOMER
POINT OF VIEW AND AGAIN, DI.
I'M GOING TO MISS A LOT OF THE
PEOPLE HERE. I'M NOT RUNNING
AGAIN, AND I WILL CERTAINLY MISS
THE TWO OF YOU AS WELL. AND DR
WILLIAMS AND I JUST MET, UH,
JEANNIE RIZZO, BUT WE HAVE SOME
GREAT PEOPLE HERE AND I WANT TO
THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU DO.
SO GO AHEAD AND QUIT. ALL RIGHT
. THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO
BE HERE TODAY. I HAVE BEEN
TRACKING DTSC FOR OVER THE PAST
15 YEARS AND HAVE BEEN WITNESS
TO MANY OF THE PROGRAMMATIC AND
COMMUNITY CONCERNS. UM OVER THAT
PERIOD OF TIME. UM AND YOU KNOW
THE PASSAGE OF SB 1 58 WAS
PRETTY HISTORIC. MY ORGANIZATION
HAD BEEN WORKING ON DTSC REFORM
. UM YOU KNOW, FOR THE PAST
DECADE, AND WE SPONSORED MANY OF
THE BILLS LISTED IN YOUR IN YOUR
FACT SHEET, UM AND ALSO WANT TO
RECOGNIZE THE PEOPLE SENT IT.
WHO IN 2014 1ST ACKNOWLEDGE THE
NEED FOR AN ACCOUNTABILITY BODY
OR AN OVERSIGHT BOARD. UM SO IT
WAS REALLY GREAT, TOO. HAVE THAT
PASS AND NOW TO TRACK WHETHER
OUR THEORY OF CHANGE, UM IS
ACTUALLY SEEING SUCCESS. UM SO I
WOULD LIKE TO SHARE MY
PERSPECTIVE ON PROGRESS MADE THE
CHALLENGES FACED BY BOTH DTSC
AND THE BOARD AND THE PRIORITIES
AND NEXT STEPS THAT I SEE FOR
BOTH THE BOARD AND THE
DEPARTMENT. UM FIRST OFF IN
TERMS OF PROGRESS. IT OBVIOUSLY
IS TOO SOON TO TELL WHETHER THE
THEORY OF CHANGE. UM YOU KNOW,
IT'S GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL. IT
HAS ONLY BEEN A COUPLE OF
MONTHS. UM, BUT I WILL SAY THERE
HAS BEEN A FLURRY OF ACTIVITY.
UM YOU KNOW, I MYSELF HAVE BEEN
INVOLVED IN A FEE STUDY THAT WAS
CONTRACTED BY DTSC THAT WILL
FULFILL ONE PART OF 1 58. AH
THERE'S BEEN A FLURRY OF
ACTIVITY RUN REMEDIATION,
INCLUDING THE CLEANUP AND
VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES
INITIATIVE, EQUITABLE COMMUNITY
RIVER REVITALIZATION GRANT
ALREADY AWARDED ITS FIRST ROUND
, WHICH I'LL GET TO LATER ABOUT
SOME OF OUR CONCERNS THERE. UM
THERE'S BEEN MOVEMENT ON DRY
CLEANERS, UM, TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE TO COMMUNITIES. I'VE
GOTTEN A SURVEY ABOUT WHAT THAT
MIGHT LOOK LIKE. UM TALK LAST
WEEK WITH DTSC ABOUT COMMUNITY
BENEFITS AGREEMENTS AND HOW THEY
MAY BE USED AT AT DTSC, UM, AND
ALSO HAVE GOTTEN NOTIFICATIONS
ABOUT DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE
HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN
. SO THAT'S A LOT. THAT'S A LOT
FOR ADVOCATES. AND SO I THINK
ONE OF THE STRUGGLES MOVING
FORWARD IS, YOU KNOW, AS DTSC
HAS RESOURCES, AND A LOT OF
MANDATES IS HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW,
REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
THOUGHTFUL WITH THESE PROCESSES
WITH SO MANY GOING ON AND NOT A
TON OF ADVOCATES AND
STAKEHOLDERS THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO PARTICIPATE. UM. ONE THING
THAT I REALLY SEE AS PROBLEMATIC
AND AS A CHALLENGE FOR THE BOARD
. UM IS HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT
THERE ARE BETTER COMMUNITY
OUTCOMES? UM AND HOW DO WE
MEASURE THAT BECAUSE ALL OF THIS
DOESN'T MATTER IF WE'RE NOT
SEEING PROGRESS ON THE GROUND.
AND SO, UM, ONE THING I DID WANT
TO NOTE IS I WAS VERY INVOLVED
WITH THE I R P PROCESS
INDEPENDENT REVIEW PANEL AND ONE
OF THE BIG PROBLEMS THAT WE FACE
WITH THE I. R. P IS THE REFUSAL
TO LOOK AT SPECIFIC SITES. YOU
KNOW, THEY REALLY WERE FOCUSED
ON, YOU KNOW, MAKING
RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT PROGRAMS
AND YET WHERE WE SEE MOST OF THE
PROBLEMS AND THE LACK OF
COMMUNITY TRUST IS WHERE WE SEE
COMMUNITIES FACING CONTINUAL
HARMS AND NOT SEEING PROGRESS ON
THE GROUND, SO WE DID RIGHT INTO
1 58 THE ABILITY FOR THE BOARD
TO LOOK AT AND HOLD SITE.
SPECIFIC HEARINGS FOR
CONTROVERSIAL SITES OR SITES
WHERE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, UM
COMMUNITY INTERESTS AND
CONCERNS. AND SO YOU KNOW, AS
THE BOARD REALLY DEVELOPS, WHAT
ITS ROLE IS, I BELIEVE VERY
STRONGLY THAT IT MUST INCLUDE IN
ITS AUTHORITY AND IN ITS
PLANNING THE ABILITY TO HEAR
COMMUNITIES AND HOLD THOSE
HEARINGS ON SITE AND SPECIFIC
SITES. IN ADDITION TO ALL THE
PROGRAMMATIC REVIEW, IT'S GOING
TO BE UNDERTAKING. UM. AND ALSO
I WILL NOTE THAT ONE OF THE
REASONS WHY THE PEOPLE SENATE
AND TRP HAS REALLY BEEN PUSHING
FOR A BOARD STRUCTURE IS IN THE
PREVIOUS STRUCTURE. THERE WAS NO
PLACE FOR COMMUNITIES TO GO. SO
IF THERE WAS COMMUNITY PROBLEMS
, YOU COULD GO TO THE YOU KNOW
THE PROGRAM MANAGER WHO IS GOING
TO BE DIFFERENT, EVERY SINGLE
SITE, AND THERE WAS REALLY NO
MECHANISM. UM TO GET THOSE
CONCERNS ADDRESSED, AND SO THE
BOARD DOES PROVIDE THIS SPACE
FOR AGAIN TRANSPARENT
TRANSPARENCY AND A PLACE IN A
FORM FOR COMMUNITIES TO RAISE
THOSE CONCERNS, SO I JUST I
REALLY WANT TO PUT IT OUT THERE
THAT WE DO NEED TO FIGURE OUT
HOW THE BOARD COMPLAIN.
IMPORTANT ROLE FOR THOSE, UH,
SITE SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT NEED
TO BE AIRED. UM AND REALLY THE
THEORY OF CHANGE FOR THIS BOARD
IS THAT TRANSPARENCY WILL YIELD
TO MORE ACCOUNTABILITY, BECAUSE,
AS WE JUST HEARD, THIS IS NOT A
APPEAR OVERSIGHT BOARD. BUT IT'S
A HYBRID. YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING
TO BUILD AN ACCOUNTABILITY. YOU
KNOW, WE HAVE DIFFERENT MEASURES
FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, INCLUDING
THIS VERY SPACE IN THIS FORUM.
UM THAT THERE WILL BE CONTINUAL,
UM REPORTS BACK TO THE TO THE
LEGISLATURE. UM. SO AGAIN,
TRANSPARENCY IS GOING TO BE
VITALLY IMPORTANT AND AGAIN.
THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO HAVE A
SITE SPECIFIC AUTHORITY FOR THE
FOR THE BOARD. UM. THE OTHER
THING I DIDN'T WANT TO TALK
ABOUT FOR THE BOARD. IS THIS
ACCOUNTABILITY STRUCTURE? UM SO
IT'S NOT ENTIRELY INDEPENDENT,
WHICH YOU KNOW, WE HAD PUSHED
FOR AN AND IN DIFFERENT VERSIONS
OF THE BILL. UM BUT THERE ARE
THINGS THAT THE LEGISLATURE CAN
DO THAT STAKEHOLDERS CAN DO, AND
ESPECIALLY THAT THE BOARD CAN DO
TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAS THE
ABILITY TO HOLD DTSC
ACCOUNTABLE. UM SO AGAIN, OF
COURSE, THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE
LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT HEARINGS
OTHER THINGS, UM, THAT WE HAVE
PUT INTO THE BILL OR WORKED ON
TO GET INTO THE BILL IS
PERFORMANCE REVIEW OF THE
DIRECTOR SO ANNUALLY? THERE'S A
REPORT THAT GOES TO CALI P. A
THAT REVEALS BOTH DTSC AND THE
DIRECTOR. UM AND THEN THE FINAL
THING THAT WE'VE REALLY WORKED
HARD ON. IS THE ADOPTION OF
PERFORMANCE METRICS. YOU KNOW
SOMETHING? WHAT IS THE
BENCHMARK? WHAT IS THE MEASURING
STICK? BECAUSE IF WE DON'T KNOW
WHERE WE'RE GOING, WE DON'T KNOW
WHEN WE GET THERE, AND SO WE
DON'T HAVE THAT YET, SO IT'S ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT'S THE MOST
VITAL IN MY OPINION, UM, INITIAL
STEPS THAT THE BOARD CAN TAKE
AND NOT ONLY ADOPT THE
PERFORMANCE METRICS. UM
CONTRIBUTED BY DTSC ITSELF, AND
I KNOW THEY HAVE A BUNCH OF
PERFORMANCE METRICS THAT THEY'RE
WORKING TOWARDS BUT ALSO
PERFORMANCE METRICS DEVELOPED
THROUGH A PUBLIC PROCESS. SO
HERE EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT THE
COMMUNITY THINKS WOULD BE A
SUCCESS. YOU KNOW, AND OTHER
STAKEHOLDERS UM AND THE BOARD,
HE WILL HAVE TO SHIFT THROUGH
THOSE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S
REASONABLE FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO
DO. UM BUT ONCE WE HAVE THOSE
PERFORMANCE METRICS IN PLACE, IT
WILL BE EASIER FOR THE
LEGISLATURE, THE STAKEHOLDERS
AND COMMUNITIES AND DTSC TO
FIGURE OUT ARE WE ON TRACK? AND
SO FOR THAT REASON, I'M VERY, UM
, UM, INTERESTED IN EAGER TO
PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROCESS,
WHICH I THINK WILL BE MOVING
FORWARD SHORTLY. UM. THE OTHER
THING THAT I WANTED TO TALK
ABOUT WITH THOSE PERFORMANCE
STANDARDS IS WE'VE HEARD YOU
KNOW TIME AND AGAIN, THAT REALLY
THE BENCHMARK NEEDS TO BE
WHETHER COMMUNITIES ON THE
GROUND ARE SEEING BENEFITS. UM
AND SO FAR, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE
CAN SAY THAT THEY HAVE. IT'S FAR
TOO SOON. AND I'VE HEARD ALREADY
. YOU KNOW THAT COMMUNITIES ARE
CONTINUING TO NOT SEE THOSE
CHANGES. AND SO ONE THING THAT I
WOULD LIKE THE BOARD AND DTC TO
GRAPPLE WITH IS HOW DO WE
MEASURE COMMUNITY OUTCOMES. YOU
KNOW, UM, WE NEED TO HAVE THAT
METRICS IN PLACE AND WHETHER IT
BE COMMUNITY SURVEYS OR THAT
DEEP OUTREACH OR THE E, UM THERE
NEEDS TO BE A WAY TO MEASURE
THAT WE ACTUALLY ARE. THROUGH
THESE REFORMS GETTING DIFFERENT
AND BETTER OUTCOMES ON THE
GROUND, AND SO THAT'S CERTAINLY
WHAT I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING. UM
YOU KNOW, TOWARDS AS THE BOARD
MOVES FORWARD. I WILL REPORT
THAT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT I
WORK WITH, WHICH IS DELANOE,
CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS A DRY
CLEANER PLUME. UM AND IT WAS
BEEN A PRIORITY ONE A ORPHAN
SITE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, I
WILL SAY THAT WE HAVE SEEN
IMPROVEMENT, UM, WITH DTS IN
WITH PTSD STAFF AND WITH
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WE FORMED
A COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP, UM,
JUST RECENTLY AND WORKED VERY
CLOSELY WITH THE TSC STAFF. AND
SO I KNOW THAT THAT IS A LITMUS
TEST OF ONE. BUT AT LEAST IN
THAT ONE COMMUNITY I HAVE
ACTUALLY. BE SEEN IMPROVEMENT
AND I'M HAPPY. FOR THAT. UM SO
FOR DTSC SOME OF THE PRIORITIES
THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM ONE
AND WE HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT THIS
TOO MUCH, BUT SB 6 73
REGULATIONS ARE MASSIVELY
OVERDUE. THERE WERE THERE WERE
THEY WOULD DO MANY, MANY YEARS
AGO, THEY GOT HALF OF IT DONE
WITH THE VSP, THE VIOLATION
SCORING PROCEDURE. BUT THE OTHER
HALF, WHICH IS REALLY
CONSIDERING COMMUNITY
VULNERABILITY AND CUMULATIVE
IMPACTS AND PERMITTING DECISIONS
THAT HAS BEEN ON, YOU KNOW THAT
HAS YET TO HAPPEN. AND YOU KNOW,
JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL THESE
NEW MANDATES DOESN'T MEAN THAT
WE CAN LET GO OF THE OLD
MANDATES. UM SO I DEFINITELY
DON'T WANT TO LOSE THOSE
REGULATIONS. THOSE ARE VITALLY
IMPORTANT. AND WAY OVERDUE, SO I
REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME
PROGRESS ON THOSE THOSE NEED TO
BE ADOPTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
WE'VE SEEN TWO DRAFTS ALREADY,
BUT I PERSONALLY HAVE NOT HEARD
WHEN WE CAN HEAR A DECISION ON
THAT. UM ANOTHER PRIORITY. THE
HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN
. WE'VE HEARD THAT THIS IS KIND
OF THE BASIS FOR ANY FUTURE
POLLUTION PREVENTION PROGRAM.
THE FACT THAT WE DON'T KNOW
WHERE STATE IS COMING FROM AND
WHERE IT'S GOING. IT IS A BIG
PROBLEM. AND IF WE DON'T HAVE
THAT INFORMATION AND THAT DATA,
WE CAN'T PLAN FOR THE FUTURE. WE
CAN'T PLAN HOW TO REDUCE THAT
AND HOW TO REDUCE BURDENS ON
VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES. AND SO
TO ME, THAT'S A VERY HIGH
PRIORITY FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO
GET DONE, AND THEN AFTER THAT'S
DONE TO IMMEDIATELY START TO
FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE REDUCE
POLLUTION? AND WE'RE NOT JUST
SHIFTING IT FROM ONE COMMUNITY
TO ANOTHER, UM, THE
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE
WHAT WE'VE BEEN CALLING TODAY,
THE E. JACK. UM THAT NEEDS TO BE
PUT TOGETHER, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE
PUT TOGETHER IN A MEANINGFUL WAY
WITH MEANINGFUL INVOLVEMENT.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONCERNS
ABOUT THE AIR BOARDS E, AND WE
DON'T WANT TO REPEAT THOSE
MISTAKES. AND SO THIS IS NOT
MERELY A CHECKBOX. YOU KNOW, HOW
DO WE INVOLVE COMMUNITY
RESIDENTS IN A WAY THAT IS
IMPACTFUL AND MEANINGFUL AND NOT
JUST A CHECK? CHECK BOX? UM. AND
THEN THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MONEY
FOR REMEDIATION AND GRANTS. A
LOT OF THOSE HAVE BEEN GOING TO
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO WE HAVE
SOME BASIC CONCERNS ABOUT USING
FORMERLY CONTAMINATED SITES. FOR
OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS TO
LIVE ON TOP OF IF WE ARE NOT YET
TRUSTING DTSC. SO YOU KNOW,
THERE'S A BIT OF A CHICKEN AND
EGG THING. UM YOU KNOW, SO FOR
US THESE GRANTS AND THE
GUIDELINES FOR THOSE GRANT
APPLICATIONS IS A PLACE THAT WE
CAN PUSH THE ENVELOPE THAT WE
CAN ASK FOR MORE FROM THOSE FROM
FROM THE DEVELOPERS AND FOR
FOLKS THAT ARE SEEKING THESE
STATE FUNDS, AND, UM, YOU KNOW,
THE FIRST GRANT APPLICATIONS
HAVE ALREADY BEEN AWARDED. UM
BUT THERE'S MORE COMING UP. AND
SO WE HAVE ASKED DTSC TO WORK
WITH US TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN
BEST USE THOSE GUIDELINES TO
ENSURE THAT THERE'S FAITH AND
TRUST IN THOSE REMEDIATION. UM
YOU KNOW, AND THAT WE'RE NOT
HAVING UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES
BY POTENTIALLY PUTTING PEOPLE AT
RISK BY LIVING ON SITES THAT MAY
NOT BE COMPLETELY REMEDIATED. UM
OTHER ONE FINAL THOUGHT THAT I
HAVE, WHICH HASN'T BEEN TALKED
ABOUT A LOT IS IN SB 1 58 WERE
ACTUALLY BUILT IN SOME, UM, SOME
PROVISIONS FOR COMMUNITIES SUCH
AS CONFIRMATION SAMPLING, SO
THAT IS ONE OF THOSE TOOLS. WE
HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT HOW TO USE
IT YET, BUT YOU KNOW, WE DON'T
HAVE TO PUT OUR BLIND FAITH IN
DTSC YET IF WE HAVE THESE, YOU
KNOW THESE PROVISIONS THAT
COMMUNITIES CAN DO THEIR OWN
CONFIRMATION SAMPLINGS TO SEE
THAT IN FACT, A SITE HAS BEEN
REMEDIATED TO THE LEVEL THAT'S
ACCEPTABLE. UM SIMILAR THING
WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT
RATHER THAN RELYING JUST ON DTSC
, FOR THEIR ANALYSIS IS THERE IS
ALSO PROVISION IN 1 58 TO HAVE
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE
TO RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY
GROUPS TO HELP THEM ANALYZED THE
VERY TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS. AND SO
THERE'S SOME TOOLS THAT WE HAVE
YET TO SEE. AND SO THAT IS
ANOTHER HIGH PRIORITY AREA AS WE
TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO REBUILD
TRUST. UM IN DTSC, AND I THINK
I'LL LEAVE IT THERE. THANK YOU.
EXCELLENT UM, LET'S SEE. DO WE
HAVE ANY PARTICULAR QUESTIONS
FROM MISBAH OSTROM BEFORE WE GET
STARTED ON THE WITH. UH, MISS
KEP KEE. UM I'LL JUST MAKE A
COMMENT THAT I FOUND YOUR
STATEMENT ON THE SORTS OF THINGS
THAT HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT. I
THINK IT WAS RIGHT ON AND I
DON'T KNOW WHO'S TAKING MY
PLACE. BUT WHEN WE HAVE THE NEXT
HEARING AH, WITH OUR COMMITTEES,
AND I AT THIS POINT WHO KNOWS
WHO WILL BE CHAIR OF SENATE
PROBABLY BEEN, BUT HE MAY MOVE
ON TO OTHER THINGS YOU NEVER
KNOW. SO IT'LL BE A NEW GROUP.
AND I'M SORRY WE'RE RUNNING OVER
TIME. AH! BUT. IT WILL BE A NEW
GROUP. AND I THINK IT WOULD BE
VERY HELPFUL IF YOU WOULD
CONTACT SENATOR ALLEN'S OFFICE
IN MY SUCCESSORS OFFICE PRIOR TO
US. AND, UH AND JUST GIVE US
WHAT YOU THINK OUR LIST OF
QUESTIONS SHOULD BE WHEN WE SET
UP. PANEL IN THE FUTURE. I THINK
IT IT WAS VERY HELPFUL, AND I
IMAGINE WE'LL HEAR SOME VERY
GOOD THINGS FROM MS KEPT IT AS
WELL. SO GO AHEAD. THANK YOU.
CHAIR QUIRK. CHAIR ALAN
COMMITTEE MEMBERS FROM BOTH THE
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE
AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY AND
TOXIC MATERIALS COMMITTEE. I'M
JOHN KEPT KEY, WITH MCCUE
CAPTAIN ASSOCIATES, PLEASED TO
REPRESENT THE CALIFORNIA COUNCIL
FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC
BALANCE. UH AS MANY OF YOU KNOW
, STEVE IS A COALITION OF
BUSINESS, LABOR AND PUBLIC
LEADERS THAT WORK TOGETHER TO
ADVANCE STRATEGIES TO TRY TO
ACHIEVE BALANCE IN PROTECTING
THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENSURING A
STRONG ECONOMY WAS FOUNDED IN
1973 BY THEN GOVERNOR PAT BROWN
IS A NONPROFIT AND NONPARTISAN
ENTITY. IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU'VE
HEARD TODAY, MUCH AGREEMENT IN
TERMS OF THE YEARS OF
FRUSTRATION, LACK OF
TRANSPARENCY CONCERNS. LACK OF
ACCOUNTABILITY, RESPONSIVENESS
TIMELINESS THAT LED TO SEE BEING
DEEPLY ENGAGED IN KIND OF THE
REFORM PROCESS THAT ULTIMATELY
LED UP TO THE PASSAGE AND
ENACTMENT OF SB 1 58. ALONG WITH
THAT ALONG THE THOSE CONCERNS
ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT'S HISTORY
ALONG WITH A PLETHORA OF
LEGISLATIVE BILLS, AS A OUTLINED
IN THE ANALYSIS, REFERRED TO BY
MR ROSTRUM REALLY KIND OF LED TO
SEEDS, ENGAGEMENT AND REALLY
BEING EAGER TO WORK WITH THE
ADMINISTRATION LEGISLATURE.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER GARCIA IN HER
LEADERSHIP ON THE REFORM. AS
WELL AS OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS
LIKE MISS ROSTRUM AND OTHERS, UM
, OVER A MULTI YEAR PROCESS TO
GET TO THE POLICE ACCOMMODATING
IN THE PASSAGE OF SB 1 58. UM
NOTABLY, C WAS PLEASED TO WORK
WITH SOME MEMBER GARCIA ROSTRUM
AND OTHERS ON A B 995 KIND OF
ONE OF THE ORIGINAL KIND OF
COMPREHENSIVE REFORM PACKAGES ON
KIND OF THE POLICY GOVERNANCE
ASPECTS OF DTSC AND SEE WAS
PLEASED TO HAVE GOTTEN TO A
PLACE WHERE SEEMS SUPPORTED 89
95. WHILE THAT BILL WAS NOT
ULTIMATELY TO BE IMPLEMENTED, WE
CONTINUED, AND WE'RE VERY
ANXIOUS TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH
THE LEGISLATURE ADMINISTRATION
DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE YOU ON
WHAT ULTIMATELY BECAME AS B 1 58
, AND SHE WAS PLEASED TO BE
NEUTRAL ON THAT BILL WHEN IT
PASSED, BUT THAT NEUTRALITY
DIDN'T COME LIGHTLY. AND THERE
WAS MUCH TREPIDATION ABOUT THE
IMPACT THAT THE FEE
RESTRUCTURING THAT WAS THE NEW
COMPONENT OF THAT. WOULD HAVE ON
THE REGULATED COMMUNITY AND
PERMITTED FACILITIES GENERATORS
IN CALIFORNIA. NEVERTHELESS C
CONTINUE TO REMAIN ENGAGED,
CONTINUES TO REMAIN ENGAGED WITH
THE DEPARTMENT BOARD OF
ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY HAS NEWLY
ESTABLISHED LEGISLATURE ON THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE KEY
REFORMS. AND I THOUGHT WHAT I
WOULD JUST DO IT JUST KIND OF
TOUCHED UPON A FEW KEY
PRIORITIES THAT CDVA ADVOCATED
AS PART OF THE NEGOTIATIONS THAT
LED TO THE PASSAGE OF THE
REFORMS. AND JUST KIND OF OUR
PERSPECTIVES ON KIND OF HOW
THOSE ARE PROCEEDING. SO AMONG
THOSE TOPICS, INCLUDING ISSUES
RELATED TO THE IMPORT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY, HAZARDOUS
WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN, HAZARDOUS
WASTE CLASSIFICATION, PERMITTING
TIMELINES AND ACCOUNTABILITY
SITE MITIGATION REMEDIATION, AS
WELL AS ISSUES RELATED TO
ENSURING THAT THERE WOULDN'T BE
DUPLICATION OF RESPONSIBILITIES
, REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS FEES
ACROSS MULTIPLE AGENCIES.
INCLUDING DTSC, SO WITH REGARD
TO THE BOARD OF ENVIRONMENTAL
SAFETY, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT
STEVE STRENUOUSLY OPPOSED EARLY
EFFORTS. UM YOU KNOW, SITTING
ACROSS FROM HIS BRUNNSTROM AND
HER EFFORTS TO TRY TO PASS A
BOARD EARLY ON VERY CONCERNED
FRANKLY, ABOUT ANY BOARD BEING
POLITICIZED. THESE ARE VERY
COMPLEX ISSUES WHEN IT COMES TO,
YOU KNOW, HAZARDS WASTE
GENERATION MANAGEMENT SITE,
REMEDIATION, CONTAMINATION
ISSUES AND CLEANUP. UM THEY'RE
COMPLEX AND THEY, YOU KNOW, FROM
A C REGULATED COMMUNITY
PERSPECTIVE, REALLY, YOU KNOW,
REQUIRE HAVING SOME, YOU KNOW,
SCIENTIFIC TECHNICAL EXPERTISE
WHEN GRAPPLING WITH THESE ISSUES
AND REALLY JUST A LOT OF CONCERN
AGAIN. ABOUT A BOARD THAT MIGHT
BE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MORE OF A
POLITICALLY APPOINTED, YOU KNOW,
POLITICALLY LEANING BOARD RATHER
THAN FOCUSING ON THOSE COMPLEX
ISSUES THAT TECHNICALITIES,
SCIENCE. WHAT HAVE YOU? UM EVEN
NOW? YOU KNOW, THESE ISSUES YOU
KNOW, STILL ARE CERTAINLY OF
CONCERN. BUT WE ARE OPTIMISTIC.
UH, AND TO THAT POINT FINALLY
ULTIMATELY CAME AROUND IN
CONJUNCTION WITH OUR WORK ON 89
95 AND SUBSEQUENTLY SB 1 58. TO
BE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF A BOARD AND
WORK STRONGLY WITH THE
LEGISLATURE AND STAKEHOLDERS
ADMINISTRATION TO ENSURE THAT
THERE WOULD BE RELEVANT
EXPERTISE THAT THOSE BOARD
MEMBERS WOULD HAVE TO BRING TO
BEAR AS PART OF THESE COMPLEX
DISCUSSIONS, DECISIONS. WHAT
HAVE YOU AND SO REALLY PLEASED
ABOUT THAT? BUT ALSO NOTES ALSO
STRONGLY SUPPORTED THE BOARD
HAVING AUTHORITY TO HEAR APPEALS
OF HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITY
PERMIT DECISIONS, AND WE
UNDERSTAND THAT THE BOARD IS
ALREADY BEGINNING THAT WORK TO
PUT THOSE KEY PIECES. GUIDANCE
GUIDELINES. WHAT HAVE YOU IN
PLACE, WHICH IS CERTAINLY
POSITIVE. FINALLY, STEVE ALSO
SUPPORTED PROVIDING THE BOARD
WITH THE AUTHORITY TO REVIEW AND
MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO
DTSC AUTHORITIES, OVERLAPPING
RESPONSIBILITIES WITH OTHER
AGENCIES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR
ADDITIONAL EFFICIENCIES IN BOTH
PROGRAMMATIC REGULATORY
RESPONSIBILITIES, AS WELL AS A
FEE EFFICIENCIES AND FEAST
SETTING, AND ITS MEMBERS ARE
PLEASED TO HAVE THE BOARD
ESTABLISHED UNDER CHAIR RIZZO'S
LEADERSHIP. THE CHAIR HAS BEEN
VERY ACCESSIBLE AND OPEN.
HEARING FROM STAKEHOLDERS AS SHE
AND HER FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS
HAVE BEGUN THEIR WORK. AS THE
BOARD MOVES FORWARD, SAVED AS
ENCOURAGED AND APPRECIATED THE
COMMENTS OF THE CHAIR TODAY, BUT
CERTAINLY ENCOURAGES THE BOARD
TO BE MINDFUL OF THE LEGISLATIVE
INTENT TO AVOID THAT
POLITICIZATION IN THEIR WORK AND
TO ENSURE ITS OPERATING PLAN AND
APPROACH ARE ALIGNED TO THE
INTENT. AND SPECIFIC PROVISIONS
OF SENATE BILL 1 58. AND WE
ULTIMATELY REALLY DO LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE
CHAIR AND THE BOARD GOING
FORWARD WITH REGARD TO THE
HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN
SAVED STRONGLY SUPPORTED THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THAT PLAN, WHICH
NOTABLY HAS ACTUALLY BEEN A
REQUIREMENT TO BE DEVELOPED FOR
SOME TIME, SO CERTAINLY ONE THAT
WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO ADVANCE
AND CERTAINLY APPRECIATE. THE
DTSC HAS ALREADY BEGUN LAYING
THE FOUNDATION BY HOSTING A HOST
OF WORKSHOPS TO START DIGGING
INTO SOME OF THE KEY ELEMENTS
THAT WILL NEED TO BE CONSIDERED
AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THAT, SO CERTAINLY VERY POSITIVE
ON THAT FRONT. RELATIVE TO
HAZARDS. WASTE CLASSIFICATION AS
YOU ARE WELL AWARE CALIFORNIA
MANY CASES HAS KIND OF MORE
STRINGENT ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND
REGULATIONS THAN THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT AND OTHER STATES AND
WHILE STEPHEN ITS MEMBERS,
PERHAPS YOU KNOW, ABOVE MANY IN
THE REGULATED COMMUNITY, YOU
KNOW, UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE
CALIFORNIA'S PREROGATIVES TO SET
THOSE TOUGHER STANDARDS. OUR
MEMBERS DO CONTINUE TO GRAPPLE
WITH CONCERNS ABOUT SOME WASTE
BEING CONSIDERED HAZARDOUS WASTE
IN CALIFORNIA, WHERE THEY'RE NOT
ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY, AND SO
CERTAINLY AS PART OF THE
NEGOTIATION OF SENATE BILL FIT,
1 58 AND ITS PREDECESSORS,
REALLY, YOU KNOW, WANTED TO
ENSURE THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME
EFFORT PUT FORWARD ON LOOKING AT
CLASSIFICATION OF HAZARDOUS
WASTE SEEING ARE THERE REASONS
THAT IT IS APPROPRIATE TO, YOU
KNOW, TREAT THOSE WAYS
DIFFERENTLY IN CALIFORNIA, YOU
KNOW, ARE OR ARE THERE
OPPORTUNITIES TO LOOK AT
ALTERNATIVE MANAGEMENT STANDARDS
THAT PROVIDE KIND OF A DIFFERENT
PATH, FOR EXAMPLE, OR, YOU KNOW,
PERHAPS TO DECLASSIFY SOME OF
WASTE, YOU KNOW AS NONHAZARDOUS
, ESPECIALLY FOR THINGS LIKE
USED OIL. WHERE THERE'S NOT
SHOWN TO BE ANY CONTAMINANTS
THAT ARE CONCERNING PCBS. WHAT
HAVE YOU AND ALSO WHERE THAT
USED TYPE OF USED OIL IS
RECYCLED IN CALIFORNIA AND
ELSEWHERE AND LOOK AT DIFFERENT
THINGS LIKE THAT? CERTAINLY
DOESN'T YOU KNOW, ESTABLISH ANY
KIND OF CLEAR PATHWAY FOR ANY
DISEASE CLASSIFICATION? I DON'T
WANT TO MISS SPEAK ON THAT. BUT
I THINK FROM CP'S PERSPECTIVE,
JUST THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE
THAT DIALOGUE TO HAVE THOSE
TYPES OF THINGS HAVE THE
RESOURCES TO BE REVIEWED. WHAT
HAVE YOU AND THE OPPORTUNITY
ENSURE THAT THE SCIENCE AS WELL
AS THE PROPER MANAGEMENT IS
DRIVING THAT CLASSIFICATION TO
PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE
ENVIRONMENT IS REALLY KIND OF AT
THE FOREFRONT OF THAT. IN TERMS
OF PERMITTING TIMELINES AND
ACCOUNTABILITY. UM I KNOW MANY
OF YOU ON BOTH COMMITTEES HAVE
HEARD FROM MANY YEARS ABOUT THE
CONCERNS OF ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS
REGULATED COMMUNITY INCLUDED
ABOUT HISTORIC LANGUISHING OF
PERMIT DECISIONS, AND CERTAINLY
CONCERNS ACROSS THE BOARD ABOUT
NEEDING TO RECTIFY THAT, AND WE
DO BELIEVE THAT THE DEPARTMENT
IS MAKING CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS
AS THE DIRECTOR AND CHIEF DEPUTY
NOW AGREE, MENTIONED IN STARTING
TO KIND OF SET IN PLACE STEPS
PROCESSES TO ENSURE THOSE
PERMITS ARE REVIEWED, ENACTED
UPON ENOUGH MUCH MORE TIMELY
FASHION AND CERTAINLY SPEAK 1.
58 PROVIDED SOME OF THE
RESOURCES TO CONTINUE THAT WORK
AND CERTAINLY SEE PROGRESS ON
THAT. ON THE SITE MITIGATION AND
REMEDIATION SIDE OF THINGS. THE
REFORM PACKAGE ALSO PROVIDED FOR
REVIEW OF AND RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR REGULATORY AND POLICY
CHANGES TO ADDRESS CONCERNS WITH
DTSC S ACTIVITIES IN THESE
REGARDS OVER THE YEARS,
INCLUDING CORRESPONDING FUNDING
STATE FUNDING TO SUPPORT
ADVANCING CLEANUP FOR FROM SITES
. WHILE MUCH WORK REMAINS TO BE
DONE RELATIVE TO CLEAN UP AND
ENSURING CONTINUITY AND
CONSISTENCY IN APPLICATION OF
REQUIREMENTS ACROSS ALL
DEPARTMENT PROJECT MANAGERS.
DOES REMAIN OPTIMISTIC THAT THE
TIME AND EFFORT INVESTED BY THE
DEPARTMENT ON THE OPERATIONAL
SIDE, IN PARTICULAR IN TERMS OF
ADVANCING HANSE TRAININGS, LEAN
SIX SIGMA PROGRAMMING. WHAT HAVE
YOU IS HELPING TO MAKE PROGRESS
ON THESE ISSUES AND THEN FINALLY
RELATIVE TO NON DUPLICATION? THE
REFORM PACKAGE APPROPRIATELY
INSURED AND GUARDS AGAINST
REGULATORY DUPLICATION AND
OVERLAP OF RESPONSIBILITIES
BETWEEN DTSC AND OTHER AGENCIES,
INCLUDING THE STATE WATER.
RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD. THIS
WAS A SIGNIFICANT PRIORITY OF
SEVE IN PARTICULAR. AND
ESPECIALLY GIVEN OUR MEMBERS
OFTEN WORK ACROSS MULTIPLE
AGENCIES, WHERE SOME OF THOSE
ISSUES LIKE YOU KNOW,
GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION OF
WHAT HAVE YOU MAY STRADDLE
POTENTIALLY MULTIPLE AGENCIES.
WE APPRECIATED THOSE PROVISIONS
BEING IN PUT INTO THAT AND
REALLY HOPEFUL THAT THAT WILL
HELP ALSO DECREASED COSTS. FOR
THE REGULATED COMMUNITY WITHOUT
YOU KNOW, COMPROMISING
ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH AND PUBLIC
, UH PUBLIC HEALTH AND
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. SO IN
TERMS OF THE FEE REFORM
PROVISIONS REALLY JUST KIND OF
THE LAST COUPLE OF POINTS I JUST
WANT TO TOUCH UPON AS PREVIOUSLY
NOTED, WE WERE VERY CONCERNED AS
AS STEVE IN ORDER IN OUR
MOVEMENT AND AGREEMENT TO THESE
FEE INCREASES, THE IN MANY CASES
WERE VERY SIGNIFICANT ON OUR
MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, UPWARDS OF
100% PLUS AND SOME CASES A
COUPLE 100% INCREASES IN SOME OF
THESE FEES FOR OUR MEMBERS. UM
BUT ULTIMATELY SEE MEMBERS
UNDERSTOOD THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT
TO HAVE A FUNDED DTSC TO MAKE
PROGRESS ON THESE ISSUES AS WELL
, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE PROGRESS
JUST ON SOME OF THE POLICY,
REGULATORY PERMITTING ISSUES AND
WHAT HAVE YOU AND WERE
ULTIMATELY PLACING OUR TRUST IN
THE LEGISLATURE AS WELL AS THE
BOARD OF ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY TO
ENSURE THAT THE PRESSURE IS
MAINTAINED. TO SEE THE PROGRESS
IS MADE IN THESE AREAS. IN THIS
REGARD, STEPHEN ITS MEMBERS
REALLY APPRECIATE AND APPLAUD
THE WORK OF DIRECTOR MEREDITH
WILLIAMS CHIEF DEPUTY DIRECTOR
FRANCESCA NEGRI TO REALLY ENSURE
ENSURE AND PROVED TRANSPARENCY
AND COMMUNICATION RELATED TO
DTSC AS WELL AS ITS FISCAL
STATUS. WHILE THE FEES HAVE BEEN
SIGNIFICANT, AND CERTAINLY WE'RE
CONTINUING TO MONITOR THAT, WITH
OUR MEMBERS, THEY HAVE MADE
GREAT STRIDES IN TERMS OF
GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY,
TRANSPARENCY, RESPONSIVENESS AND
TIMELINESS. AND SO TO THAT END
AGAIN, JUST A GREAT DEAL OF
CREDIT. UM ULTIMATELY, THIS IS A
FIRST STEP. THERE'S MUCH MORE
WORK TO BE DONE, AS WAS NOTED BY
THE DIRECTOR BY CHAIR, RIZZO. UM
AND ULTIMATELY, IT'S GOING TO
CONTINUE TO NECESSITY. NOT ONLY
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SEB MY
COLLEAGUE, MR ROSTRUM, HER
ORGANIZATION, OTHER COMMUNITY
GROUPS AND ADVOCATES THE
LEGISLATURE. UM, IT'S GOING TO
TAKE, YOU KNOW, ONGOING WORK TO
ENSURE THAT WE'RE ALL KIND OF
GROWING IN THE SAME DIRECTION TO
ENSURE YOU KNOW THAT THE
DEPARTMENT IS MAKING HEADWAY
AND, ULTIMATELY, STEPHEN, ITS
MEMBERS COMMIT TO CONTINUING
THAT WORK AND DOING SO IN A VERY
PROACTIVE SOLUTIONS ORIENTED
WAY, SO WITH THAT I'LL LEAVE IT
THERE MR CHAIRS AND APPRECIATE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY ON
BEHALF OF STEVE TODAY. THANK
YOU, UM. KAREN ALLEN. IS THERE
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YOU
HAVE JUST APPRECIATE THE WORK
YOU'VE DONE TOGETHER TO GET TO
THIS PLACE, AND OBVIOUSLY A LOT
MORE TO DO, BUT IT'S WE'RE GOING
TO BE FOLLOWING THIS CLOSELY,
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT
YEAR'S HEARING THAT SEE THE
PROGRESS YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'VE
MADE. BUT, UM YOU KNOW, THERE'S
YEAH. THIS HAZARDOUS WASTE
MANAGEMENT PLAN. I'M. WHAT SO
WHAT? WHAT? WHAT'S THE WHAT'S
THE UH, THE STATUS OF THE OF THE
OF THE PLAN NOW. WELL WHY DON'T
THE THREE OF YOU COME UP?
PERHAPS MR CHERIF, I'M MARRIED
JUST IN RESPONSE TO THAT. I
MEAN, I'D CERTAINLY DEFER TO
YOUR DIRECTOR WILLIAM. WE'RE
JUST SOON HAVE EVERYONE AROUND
THE TABLE FOR ONE LAST FINAL.
BUT YEAH, GO AHEAD. DON'T I
WOULD JUST SAY I CAN SPEAK TO
THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY
BEGUN SOME WORKSHOPS ON THINGS
LIKE HAZARDOUS WASTE
CLASSIFICATION HAZARD SWITCH
TRANSPORTERS AND A FEW OTHER KEY
COMPONENTS, WHICH YOU KNOW,
ULTIMATELY WILL HELP SERVE AS A
FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS FOR
PUTTING TOGETHER THAT PLAN. I
BELIEVE THERE'S AN INITIAL
REPORT THAT'S DUE TO THE
LEGISLATURE. I THINK BY JANUARY
2023 I RECALL CORRECTLY. AND
THEN CERTAINLY KIND OF ONGOING
WORK THROUGH KIND OF COMPLETION
OF THAT, BUT CERTAINLY I MEAN,
YEAH, I'D LOVE TO HEAR, YOU
KNOW, ARE THERE WHAT SORT OF
BEST PRACTICES ARE OUT IN THE
REST OF THE COUNTRY ON THAT
ISSUE? YOU KNOW, THERE'S I'VE
HEARD OF VARIOUS EXTENDED
PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY PROGRAMS
ON HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE.
AND, UM LOVE TO JUST KINDA HERE.
YEAH, I THINK THE FIRST STAGE OF
IT IS VERY MUCH DATA GATHERING.
AGAIN JUST BY THE NUMBERS, AND
THAT MEANS GETTING INFORMATION
FROM RB BECAUSE AIR B DOES A
GOOD INVENTORY OF WHERE THE
DIFFERENT TOXIC SOURCES ARE AND
IN PRODUCTS AS WELL AS JUST
OVERALL WHICH CHEMICALS ARE MOST
PREVALENT IN COMMERCE. THINGS
LIKE THAT. SO THE VERY FIRST
STAGE IS VERY MUCH ABOUT THE
DATA GATHERING. BUT THE
WORKSHOPS ARE DESIGNED FOR
PEOPLE TO RAISE THE KINDS OF
QUESTIONS THAT THEY WAN TO SEE
ANSWERED IN THE PLAN, THE KINDS
OF THINGS THAT YOU'RE ASKING
FOR. I DO THINK, UM AND I'M I'M
JUST WILL SPEAK IS FOR FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE. WE NEED THIS PLAN
NOT TO BE CONSTRAINED BY WHAT WE
KNOW. BUT VERY MUCH TO BE
LOOKING OUT INTO THE WORLD AND
NOT JUST AROUND THE REST OF THE
COUNTRY AROUND THE REST OF THE
WORLD. WHAT IS THE REST OF THE
WORLD DOING TO MANAGE HIS
HAZARDOUS WASTE AND DOING A
BETTER JOB? IF THERE ARE
OPPORTUNITIES TO DO BETTER, AND
SO THAT HAS TO BE BROUGHT IN THE
INTO THE PLAN? I DO NOT THINK
THAT WILL BE IN THAT FIRST STAGE
REPORT. BUT I WOULD EXPECT IT TO
BE IN THE FULL FLEDGED PLAN. DO
THE AGAIN THE REPORT THAT WILL
SEE EARLY NEXT YEAR WILL BE THE
BASIS FOR DISCUSSIONS AMONGST
THE BOARD WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
PERHAPS WITH THE LEGISLATURE%
ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE IN THE
PLAN. WHAT YOU KNOW, TO MAKE
SURE THAT WHATEVER PLAN GETS
DELIVERED IS HOLISTIC ENOUGH AND
VISIONARY ENOUGH TO REALLY CARRY
US THROUGH. I MEAN, PART OF THE
PROBLEM WAS THAT THE LAST
HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN
WAS CRAFTED WITH A VERY VERY
NARROW SET OF QUESTIONS IN MIND,
AND THAT DIDN'T SERVE US FOR
VERY LONG. OKAY WELL, I LOOK
FORWARD TO REPEAT REGULAR
UPDATES ON HOW YOU'RE
PROCEEDING. LET ME SAY THAT I'M
VERY ANXIOUS TO SEE WHAT THE
DEPARTMENT DOES IN TERMS OF
TESTING. FOR HAZARDOUS WASTE. UM
THE GOLDFISH TEST I'VE BEEN
TRYING TO GET THAT REPLACED FOR
SOME TIME. NOT PARTICULARLY
ACCURATE. UH, EUROPE HAS
ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO LOOK AT AND
THEN WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO
MAKE SURE THEIR PRODUCT IS UH,
ANIMAL CRUELTY FREE AND SO THEY
WON'T DO THE TEST AND SO THEY'RE
AUTOMATICALLY DECLARED HAZARDOUS
EVEN IF IT'S TOOTHPASTE. UM,
WHICH WE CAN BE PRETTY SURE IS
AND HAZARDOUS SO YOU BROUGHT
THIS UP, MISS KEPT IN YOUR RIGHT
AND IT'S YOU ARE THE CUSTOMERS.
UM OF THE DEPARTMENT. AND I SAY
THAT IN A I HOPE INCLUSIVE WAY
THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO POLLUTE
ANYTHING AND THESE PEOPLE AROUND
TO HELP YOU. MAKE SURE THAT
DOESN'T HAPPEN. AND. THEY NEED
TO DO IT IN THE MOST EFFICIENT
WAY. AND IN THE LEAST COSTLY
WAY. AH THAT'S STILL THAT, BUT
ABSOLUTELY GIVES US PROTECTION
FOR THE PUBLIC'S HEALTH. BUT I
KNOW THAT THAT IS SEE. EVEN ITS
MEMBERS ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT
THE SAME THING. SO YOU ARE A
CUSTOMER. AND OF COURSE YOU'RE
ALSO THE SUPPORTER OF THE
PROGRAM, FROM THE FEES, POINT OF
VIEW AND THEN THAT'S GOING TO BE
TOUGH. SO UM. ONE THING I DON'T
KNOW IF IT'S TOO EARLY YET TO
SEE A PRESIDENT. DR WILLIAMS YOU
MENTIONED ON THE UM. PERMITTING
THAT THAT YOU'RE CATCHING UP. UM
IS, UM. COULD YOU ARRANGE A
BRIEFING AT SOME POINT ON THAT?
UM I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT
TIMING IS. PERHAPS IT WILL BE A
BRIEFING FOR MY SUCCESSOR NEXT
YEAR OR WHAT WOULD BE THE TIMING
WHEN YOU BE READY TO DO
SOMETHING ON THAT? SO I WE CAN
BE READY ANYTIME BECAUSE THERE'S
A LOT OF PROCESS IMPROVEMENT
THAT WE CAN SPEAK TO. I WILL SAY
THAT WE DO HAVE THOSE THIS LAST
LITTLE TRUNK. IT'S NOT A LITTLE
CHUNK THERE, YOU KNOW, EIGHT
PERMITS THAT WE ARE MORE THAN
FIVE YEARS OLD. EXPECT TO MAKE
AT LEAST THE ISSUE. THE
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATIONS ABOUT
BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
AND SO BY THE END OF THE FISCAL
YEAR, OKAY, SO MY SUCCESSOR IS
PROBABLY THE RIGHT PERSON
TOGETHER. WE COULD TALK ABOUT
WHERE WE ARE. WE'VE ISSUED SOME
. I THINK WE HAVE EVEN WITH THE
PERMITS THAT WE'VE ALREADY
ISSUED FOR SOME OF OUR OLDER
FACILITIES. WE CAN EXPLAIN IN
MORE DETAIL. HOW MUCH MORE
SPECIFIC THOSE THOSE PERMITS ARE
AND WHY THEY LEAD TO BETTER
INSPECTIONS AND WHY THOSE
INSPECTIONS ARE LEADING TO
BETTER ENFORCEMENT. WHY IT'S ALL
MORE TIMELY. WE CAN TALK ABOUT
SOME OF THE PROCESS IMPROVEMENT,
SO THAT CAN HAPPEN. ANYTIME I
AM. WHAT I ASK IS FOR COMMITTEE
STAFF. EARLY IN THE WHOEVER IT
IS THAT REPLACES ME THAT EARLY
ON THAT THEY GET A BRIEFING,
PARTICULARLY ON THE PERMITTING
PROCESS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S
ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS THAT
THAT THE INDUSTRY HAS HAD AND UM. BUT I SOMEDAY I WANT TO HEAR
WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO INSTEAD OF
THE GOLDFISH TEST. WELL YOU WILL
BE HAPPY TO KNOW THE
CLASSIFICATION UNIT IS FULLY
STAFFED AND THEY ARE WORKING SO
GREAT. GREAT. UM. ALRIGHT. I
THINK WE HAVE MADE THE COMMENTS
WERE GOING TO MAKE IF THE
COMMITTEE DOESN'T MIND STAYING
WHILE WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC
COMMENT. I DON'T THINK THERE'S
TOO MANY PEOPLE IN THE ROOM THAT
WILL COMMENT. UH, BUT THERE MAY
BE SOME FOLKS OVER THE PHONE. IF
YOU DON'T MIND STAYING FOR MAYBE
ANOTHER 10 MINUTES WHILE WE HEAR
FROM FOLKS. SO THERE MAY BE
QUESTIONS THAT ARE GENERATED
FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENT. UM SO.
PEOPLE HERE OR, UM, ON THE PHONE
LINES. YOU CAN HAVE TWO MINUTES
TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT. TWO
MINUTES EACH. UM IF YOU'RE GOING
TO CALL IN ON THE PHONE CALL
877. 692 8957. AND THE ACCESS
CODE IS 1 31 5444. SO AGAIN, THE
PHONE NUMBER IS 877. 69289. AND
THE ACCESS CODE IS 13154. THREE
FOURS. ALL RIGHT. SO IS THERE
ANYONE IN THE ROOM WHO WISHES TO
MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT? PLEASE
COME AHEAD. I SEE TWO PEOPLE
GETTING COMING UP. SO JUST COME
UP TO THE MICROPHONE. AND
ADJUSTED. GOOD GO AHEAD.
ADJUSTED GREAT. THANK YOU. UM,
SOME WOMAN CORK AND MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE. AND MEMBERS OF
THE TSC AND THE BOARD AND
OTHERS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR.
I'M MY NAME IS ERIC NOLAN. I
LIVE IN RANCHO CORDOVA SUMMA.
CALIFORNIA RESIDENT AND I HAVE
ABOUT 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT,
ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE.
HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT. I'M
A CERTIFIED HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
MANAGER. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN
THIS FOR A LONG TIME. I'VE DONE
GROUNDWATER REMEDIATION, SOIL
REMEDIATION. I'M VERY PROUD OF A
LOT OF THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE.
BUT I THINK THE MOST JOY I'VE
EVER HAD IN MY CAREER IS
ACTUALLY WORKING IN
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
COMMUNITIES. I'VE DONE A LOT OF
EJ WORK AS WELL. AND I THINK
THAT'S A GREAT THING. SO I'M
VERY, VERY PLEASED TO SEE THE
MOVEMENT OF THIS GROUP TOWARDS
MORE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
ACTIVITIES AND WHERE WE'RE
ADDRESSING COMMUNITIES WHERE
IT'S TRULY NEEDED, AND I'M VERY
PLEASED TO SEE THAT WE HAVE THIS
NEW BOARD OF ENVIRONMENTAL
SAFETY. IT'S AN AREA I'VE WORKED
IN AS WELL. AND I THINK IT'S A
GREAT THING THAT WE'RE DOING SO
IT WILL BE IMPORTANT AS THERE
WAS NOTED HERE THAT AH, WE TRACK
THE OUTCOMES AND UNDERSTAD
WHETHER THOSE OUTCOMES ARE REAL.
IF WE'RE HAVING THE REAL IMPACT,
WE ARE INTENDED TO HAVE. THE
COUNTERFACTUAL HAS BEEN TAKEN
CARE OF, AND WE UNDERSTAND
EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON AND
WE'RE TRULY HAVING IMPACT SO I
WOULD ENCOURAGE THE COMMITTEE TO
KEEP KEEP WORKING ON THOSE KPS
UNDERSTANDING. WHAT KIND OF
EFFECT YOU'RE TRULY HAVING AS WE
GO THROUGH THIS WORK. AND THEN
ONE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS A
LOT OF MY EXPERIENCE ALSO HAS
BEEN ON THE SAFETY SIDE OF THE
BUSINESS AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S
A WHOLE ANOTHER GROUP CAL OSHA.
WE HAVE ALL THOSE THOSE TEAMS,
BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND HAVING
SOME SORT OF LINKAGE WITH THAT
AS WELL BECAUSE A LOT OF FOLKS
THAT ARE BEING EXPOSED IN THE
COMMUNITY AND OUR E J.
COMMUNITIES ARE ALSO WORKING AT
THOSE FACILITIES SO THERE MAY BE
SOME LIKE IT. I THINK IT WOULD
BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR WORKERS'
SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
TO LINK UP AND UNDERSTAND AND
WORK TOGETHER TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT'S GOING ON COMMUNITIES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
THANKS FOR YOUR POSITIVE
COMMENTS. ANYONE ELSE IN THE
ROOM? THERE BEING NONE. UM UH,
PHONE OPERATOR. IS THERE ANYONE
ON THE LINE WHO WOULD LIKE TO
PROVIDE TESTIMONY? THANK YOU.
YOU LIKE TO EXPRESS PUBLIC
COMMENT AT THIS TIME? I MEAN,
PRESS ONE AND THEN ZERO ON YOUR
TELEPHONE KEYPAD AGAIN. THAT'S
ONE FOLLOWED BY ZERO, PLEASE. WE
DO HAVE A SOMEONE IN CUBA. IT
WOULD BE JUST A MOMENT. FINE.
BUT JUST FOR THE DELAY. WE HAVE
LINE 12 12 YOUR LINES, THE ONLY
LINE IN QUÊ. PLEASE GO AHEAD.
HI. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEP. YES,
WE CAN. OKAY I'M SORRY ABOUT
THAT. I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WAS
NUMBER 12. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY
NAME ISMELISSA BUMPS DEAD AND
I'M WITH THE GROUP PARENTS
AGAINST THE SS F L I AM A
FRONTLINE COMMUNITY MEMBER. I
LIVE LESS THAN THREE MILES AWAY
FROM THE SPANISH SUSANNA FIELD
LAB. AND MY DAUGHTER IS A TWO
TIME CANCER SURVIVOR. SO I'M
WHAT WE CALL AN ACCIDENTAL
ACTIVIST. UM WHO GOT INVOLVED
ONCE I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS
A 60% HIGHER CANCER INCIDENTS,
RIGHT? FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITHIN
TWO MILES OF THE SITE, COMPARED
TO FIVE MILES AND, UM, WE HAVE
EVIDENCE THAT THERE IS A
PEDIATRIC CANCER CLUSTER HERE. I
WANT TO FIRST THANK THE GTS G
AND THE B S FORD FOR THEIR
EFFORTS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC
TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNICATION.
UM I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE
TOXIC TOUR. UM WITH MY COLLEAGUE
, JENNY KNACK, AND I JUST WANTED
TO BRING UP A FEW THINGS THAT I
FEEL LIKE, ARE THE RIGHT PATH
GOING FORWARD AND A FEW ISSUES
THAT I THINK, UM, CAN BE
ADDRESSED A FEW QUESTIONS SO
AGAIN. I FELT LIKE A TOXIC
TORREY WAS VERY INNOVATIVE. IT
WAS. IT WAS VERY HELPFUL. I
LEARNED A LOT. UM AND I REALLY
APPRECIATED BEING ABLE TO MEET
WITH OTHER FRONTLINE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS. THAT THING THAT WAS A
LITTLE SURPRISING WAS THAT I WAS
TOLD BY PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY IN LOS ANGELES
THAT THERE WERE TWO CALLS. FROM
THE DTSC TRYING TO.
ONE MOMENT, PLEASE. WE HAVE A
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY. IT'S NOT
THE COLORS FAULT.
12. I APOLOGIZE. PLEASE
CONTINUE. HI AM I HAVE HAS
ANYTHING THAT I'VE SAID SO FAR
BEEN HURT. WE, UM WE HEARD
EVERYTHING YOU SAID IN THE FIRST
MINUTE AND A HALF YOU WERE
SAYING SOMETHING YOU WOULD JUST
FINISHED TALKING ABOUT MEETING
THE OTHER ACTIVISTS. AND THEN,
UH, AND THAT WAS HELPFUL. MHM.
AND GO AHEAD AND YOU CAN FINISH
UP. THANK YOU. SO WE WERE
ACTUALLY DISSUADED OUR COMMUNITY
GROUP FROM ATTENDING THE TOXIC
TOUR, SO I'M GLAD THAT WE WERE
ABLE TO ATTEND. UM EVEN THOUGH
WE WERE TOLD THAT THE DTS SHE
HAD HAD ADVISED AGAINST US BEING
INVITED, UM, WE WERE ALSO TOLD
THAT, UH WE WOULD BE ABLE TO
HAVE AN INDEPENDENT, UM, SITE
SPECIFIC HEARING BEFORE A MAJOR
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DTSC AND
BOEING. BEFORE ITS FINAL STEP
BEFORE THAT CAN BE APPROVED,
WHICH IS AN MOU WATERBOARD. UM
HEARING BUT WE CAN'T GET ANY
TRACTION WITH THE DTSC. AND THE
THING THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO
ME IS THAT YOU KNOW, I'M JUST A
REGULAR CITIZEN. I'M A MOM. MY
KIDS ARE HOME FROM SCHOOL, AND I
JUMPED THROUGH EVERY HOOP THAT
HAS BEEN PUT AHEAD OF US TO TRY
TO GET HONEST COMMUNICATION.
HONEST REVIEW INDEPENDENT REVIEW
, UM, AND TRANSPARENCY AND IT
JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME
THAT THIS COULD JUST BE A LACK
OF STAFFING OR LACK OF BUDGET
ISSUE. WHEN THE STEPS ARE BEING
TAKEN, AND WE'RE JUMPING THROUGH
THOSE HOOPS LIKE I SAID, AND
WE'RE TRYING REALLY HARD TO DO
OUR PART AS AS CITIZENS AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND JUST NOT
SEEING ANY TRACTION AT ALL. UM
IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING. AND I WAS
JUST CONFUSED. I ACTUALLY HAVE A
QUESTION. UM IF THE B E S IS NOT
GOING TO PROVIDE, AND MAYBE THEY
JUST NEED TO CLARIFY THAT I GOT
THE IMPRESSION FROM JEEZ
COMMENTS TODAY THAT THE BES WAS
NOT GOING TO PROVIDE
ACCOUNTABILITY OR OVERSIGHT TO
THE DTSC AGREEMENTS. UM AND THAT
WAS SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT WAS
PART OF THE REASON WHY THE BES
EXISTED. AND THAT'S SOMETHING I
THINK WOULD REALLY HELP THE
PROBLEM THAT I'M HAVING RIGHT
NOW. OKAY UM WHERE? WHAT SIDE IS
IT? THAT YOU'RE NEAR AGAIN? I
DIDN'T QUITE HEAR IT. AND I'M
SORRY IF I'M KIND OF RAMBLING.
I'M JUST GENERALLY ACCEPTED
STANDARDS. SUSANNA FIELD THEM.
SANTA SUSANNA. OKAY, UM OKAY. I?
WELL I THINK THERE ARE TWO
THINGS HERE. ONE IS, I THINK I
KIND OF KIND OF DOUBT THAT THE
THAT ALL THE THINGS YOU'RE
HEARING ARE TRUE. AH I'M NOT I'M
THAT THE CONCERN I HAVE IS NOT
ALL THE THINGS YOU'RE HEARING
ARE TRUE. UM PERHAPS WE COULD
HEAR SOMETHING FROM DR YOU
FINISHED YOUR COMMENT NOW, BUT
STAY ON THE LINE. YOU CAN HEAR
DR WILLIAMS AND THEN, UM I
IMAGINE SHE COULD ARRANGE
SOMEONE TO TALK TO YOU, UH,
ABOUT WHAT YOUR CONCERNS ARE.
BUT LET ME JUST HAVE A COMMENT
FROM DR WILLIAMS FIRST AND THEN
SEE IF WE CAN ARRANGE SOMETHING
FOR YOU TO DISCUSS YOUR
CONCERNS. THANK YOU. AND HELLO,
MELISSA MELISSA IS HAS BEEN
THROUGH A LOT WITH HER
DAUGHTER'S CANCER. UM GRACE AND
REALLY FIGHTS HARD FOR HER
COMMUNITY. WE DID ENTER INTO A
MEDIATED IT WAS A SETTLEMENT
AGREEMENT WITH THE BOEING
CORPORATION TO CLEAR A PATH.
IT'S A PROCESS AGREEMENT TO HOW
GOING WILL BE OBLIGATED TO DO
THE CLEANUP AT SANTA SUSANNA. UM
AS PART OF THAT WE HELD A PUBLIC
MEETING. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF
QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP. WE'VE
POSTED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON
OUR WEBSITE. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
GROUPS HAVE APPROACHED US AND
ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL DETAIL. WE
HAVE MET WITH THOSE GROUPS. WE
GOT THREE DIFFERENT THREE THIRD
PARTY REVIEWS FOR THIS. FOR
FURTHER CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE
. SO IT'S YOU KNOW, WE HAVE
TRYING TO PROVIDE THAT
TRANSPARENCY. WE HAVE ENDEAVORED
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
INFORMATION IS ACCESSIBLE AND
UNDERSTANDABLE. IT'S A HIGHLY
TECHNICAL AGREEMENT. AND SO IT'S
BEEN A CHALLENGE TO TRANSLATE
THINGS INTO PLAIN ENGLISH, BUT
WE WILL WE CONTINUE TO DO SO.
AND WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE
MATERIALS. AND BE AVAILABLE WHEN
PEOPLE OKAY, SO, UM AGAIN FOR
THE PERSON ON THE LINE. DO YOU
WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? NO
SUPPORTING THE POSITIONS THAT DR
WILLIAMS TOOK, AND MY COMMENT
ABOUT. IT'S NOT SPEAK INTO THE
MICROPHONE PURVIEW TO REVISIT
THAT SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT RIGHT
WITHIN THE BOARD'S PURVIEW. THAT
WAS THE ONLY COMMENT I WAS
MAKING EARLIER, OKAY. UM
ALRIGHT, SO IF YOU DO AH! DO YOU
HAVE A WAY TO CONTACT DTSC TO
GET MORE INFORMATION? IF AH! UH,
ON THE LINE. NUMBER 12. WE HAVE
HER CONTACT. YOU STILL THERE?
YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT
IT'S I'M SORRY. CAN YOU HEAR ME
? YEAH I CAN HEAR YOU. AND DO
YOU HAVE A /
APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR YOU TO
REALLY ENTER IN AND YOU HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND. I'M VERY
INTELLIGENT. EVEN IF YOU KNOW
WHAT WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS
WE'VE HEARD YOUR COMMENTS. IT
WAS RAISED SOME CONCERNS. AND
WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS DO YOU
HAVE A WAY TO GET A HOLD OF
PEOPLE THAT DTSC? IF NOT, WE CAN
GET YOU SOMETHING. NOW WE CAN
WORK THAT OUT. BUT NOW IT'S NOT
THE PLACE TO WORK THESE THINGS
OUT. NO. SURE I'M I'M ADDRESSING
YOU DIRECTLY. I WAS OFFENDED BY
YOUR COMMENT THAT YOU SAID I WAS
MISUNDERSTANDING AND NO, I
DIDN'T SEE YOUR
MISUNDERSTANDING. I JUST SAID
DETAILS. NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT I
SAID. LOOK. WOULD YOU
FRUSTRATING? YES YOU'RE
FRUSTRATED. DO YOU HAVE A WAY OF
GETTING AHOLD OF DTSC? AND IF
NOT, WE'LL GIVE YOU ONE? OFFLINE
DO YOU HAVE HER CONTACT
INFORMATION? WOULD THEY HAVE
YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION?
THEY'LL GET BACK TO YOU. OKAY
OPERATOR. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE
ON THE LINE? YES OUR NEXT
COMMENT WILL COME FROM LINE 15
15 YOUR LINE IS OPEN. HI MY NAME
IS JENNY. KNACK. I ALSO LIVE IN
THE VALLEY NEAR THE SANTA
SUSANNA FIELD LAB. I ALSO WORK
WITH PARENTS AGAINST FELL. I WAS
ALSO ON THE TOXICS TOUR. UM, WE
WERE DISSUADED FROM
PARTICIPATING, BUT WE DID
PARTICIPATE. UM, I'M HOPING THAT
ALL OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
RECEIVED AN EMAIL THAT I SENT
TODAY IT WAS A COMPLAINT TO THE
EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF PTSD.
REGARDING THE ISSUES OF DTSC
TRANSPARENCY, AND I DON'T KNOW
THAT YOU'VE GOT OR THAT YOU READ
IT. YOU HAVE RECEIVED IT, SO I'M
GOING TO READ A LITTLE BIT OF
THE OF THE LETTER TO YOU. UM, SO
THE B S BOARD. DOES HAVE AMONG
ITS OVERSIGHT FROM THE
OPERATIONS OF PTSD TO ENSURE THE
TRANSPARENCY OF THIS OPERATION
ON DTC DTSC IS NOW PROCEEDING
ONE OF THE BIGGEST DECISIONS IN
ITS HISTORY. A NEWLY SIGNED 800
PAGE AGREEMENT WITH GOING
GOVERNING THE CLEANUP OF THE
SYNTHESIS IN A FIELD MAP YET
BEAT BOARD OF ENVIRONMENTAL
SAFETY ISN'T EVEN IN THE LOOP.
SO AFTER A YEAR CLOSED DOOR
NEGOTIATIONS THAT SHUT OUT
ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE PUBLIC
FROM THE CITY, COUNTY, STATE AND
FEDERAL LEVEL. NEGOTIATING IN
PRIVATE WITH THE POLLUTER. WE
WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS
COMMUNITY OUTCOMES THAT INGRID
WAS DISCUSSING. WE WANT TO
DISCUSS WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH
CONGRESS ON THE GROUND. WHAT
HAPPENED INSTEAD OF ADDRESSING
OUR CONCERNS. DUTY ISSUE,
TALKING TALKING POINTS AND
PURCHASE A SOCIAL MEDIA AD ON
FACEBOOK AND PANDORA USING STATE
FUNDS. FINANCE SELF PROMOTIONAL
GRASSROOTS WHILE BEING WHICH IS
HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE. NOT DONE,
RIGHT INAPPROPRIATE. THE
MATERIAL THE PSC IS DISTRIBUTING
IS AN ACCURATE CLEAN. THE NEW
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT DOES NOT
ALLOW MORE CONTAMINATION TO
REMAIN IN PLACE. FROM THE 2017
IN ORDER THAT'S DEMONSTRABLY
FALSE. AS LAID OUT IN THE FINE
PRINT OF THE 800 PAGE SETTLEMENT
AGREEMENT. 147 OF 182 CHEMICAL
CONSTITUENTS ARE BEING RELAXED,
SOMETIMES THOUSANDS OF TIMES. BY
FACTORS OF THOUSANDS. WHEN I
BROUGHT THIS UP IN THE BS
COORDINATING, RIZZO SUGGESTED
THAT I THAT WE HAVE DIFFERENT
INTERPRETATIONS. OK YOU'RE
EXACTLY TWO MINUTES. YOU'RE UP.
WE'VE HEARD YOUR CONCERN AND I
THINK THEY WERE RESPONDED TO
EARLIER. AS WELL. SO OPERATOR DO
WE? COULD WE GO ON TO THE NEXT?
UH PERSON ON THE LINE. THANK
YOU. NO FURTHER LINES IN. Q ALL
RIGHT. WELL THANK YOU. AND
THANKS EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
UM AND, UH, I'M I AM VERY
EXCITED THAT YOU FINALLY HAVE AN
AGREEMENT ON THE CLEANUP OF
SANTA SUSANNA. UM SO I WILL CALL
THE HEARING TO AN END. AND THANK
YOU, EVERYONE.