BILL NUMBER: SCR 60INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Negrete McLeod SEPTEMBER 10, 2009 Relative to public safety. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SCR 60, as introduced, Negrete McLeod. Water utility and chemical facilities: Inherently Safer Technology (IST). This measure urges the state, county, and local governments, the owners and operators of water utility facilities, and the chemical companies that supply these utilities, to mitigate the potential harm involved in the release of hazardous substances by substituting Inherently Safer Technology (IST). Fiscal committee: yes. WHEREAS, There has been growing concern over the security of our nation's chemical and water utility facilities which traditionally use and produce Toxic Inhalation Hazard (TIH) chemicals, or TIH chemical derivatives; and WHEREAS, The vulnerabilities of chemical-related industries are dramatically increased given that the majority of TIH chemicals, such as chlorine, are generally shipped to and from certain water utility facilities, and chemical facilities that supply these water utility facilities, in unprotected, conspicuously marked railcars; and WHEREAS, Finding alternative measures to produce and use needed goods should be a priority of water utilities and the chemical facilities that use TIH chemicals, or products derived from TIH chemicals, and protecting our communities by removing the threat of TIH chemicals being released is of ultimate importance; and WHEREAS, Inherently Safer Technology (IST) differs from the traditional chemical processing approach because the hazard is eliminated or reduced by changing the process rather than by adding layers of safety protection; and WHEREAS, IST is accomplished through four basic strategies: substituting highly hazardous substances with less hazardous ones; minimizing levels of hazardous substances; moderating hazards with the use of alternative forms of materials; and reducing unnecessary systems' complexity to increase process controllability; and WHEREAS, To protect our communities from TIH chemicals and the danger of a TIH accident, water utility facilities and the chemical facilities that supply water utilities should implement best procurement practices where major disinfection and treatment materials that are derived from an IST production process are considered first in the purchase selection process, insofar as they are available and economically feasible; and WHEREAS, State, county, and local governments in partnership with the environmental health community have a unique opportunity to play a key role in advocating for, and supporting improvements in prevention of, and preparation for, unintended release of hazardous substances; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the State of California, county and local governments, the owners and operators of water utility facilities, and the chemical companies that supply these utilities are hereby urged to utilize Inherently Safer Technology (IST) measures where necessary and appropriate in order to mitigate the potentially catastrophic effects of unintended releases of hazardous substances; and be it further Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.