BILL NUMBER: SB 673

INTRODUCED BY Senator Karnette

SECTION 1. Section 13396.9 is added to the Water Code, to read: 13396.9. (a) The California Coastal Commission and the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board shall establish and participate in the multiagency Los Angeles Basin Contaminated Sediments Task Force, in cooperation with all interested parties, including, but not limited to, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Port of Long Beach, and the Port of Los Angeles.

(b) (1) On or before January 1, 2003, the California Coastal Commission shall, based upon the recommendations of the task force, develop a long-term management plan for the dredging and disposal of contaminated sediments in the coastal waters adjacent to the County of Los Angeles . The plan shall include identifiable goals for the purpose of minimizing impacts to water quality, fish, and wildlife through the management of sediments. The plan shall include measures to identify environmentally preferable, practicable disposal alternatives, promote multiuse disposal facilities and beneficial reuse, and support efforts for watershed management to control contaminants at their source.

(2) The California Coastal Commission and the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board shall seek to enter into an agreement with the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Army Corps of Engineers for those federal agencies to participate in the preparation of the long-term management plan, and, on or before January 1, 1999, shall prepare and submit to the Legislature a report indicating the status of that agreement.

(c) The California Coastal Commission and the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, in cooperation with the task force, shall conduct not less than one annual public workshop to review the status of the plan and to promote public participation.

SEC. 2. (a) The sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the California Coastal Commission, for the 1997-98 fiscal year, and one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) each year for the 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01, and 2001-02 fiscal years, inclusive, for participation in the development of a long-term management plan for the dredging and disposal of contaminated sediments in the coastal waters adjacent to the County of Los Angeles in accordance with Section 13396.9 of the Water Code.

(b) The sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the State Water Resources Control Board, for allocation to the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, for the 1997-98 fiscal year, and one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) each year for each of the other fiscal years identified in subdivision (a) for participation in the development of the plan described in that subdivision.