HB534 Alabama 2012 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Joseph C. Mitchell

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2012

Title

Toxic waste, ADEM required to identify high impact areas for toxic contamination by counties, State Health Officer required to document disease occurrences by county

Description

Currently, there is no specific provision requiring the Alabama Department of Environmental Management to perform a statewide risk assessment of counties to reduce the amount of toxic waste in environmental high impact areas.

This bill would require the department to identify environmental high impact areas on a county basis and compile data regarding toxic pollutants released into the environment, and publish for public comment certain assessment methods and calculations for releases of toxic chemicals.

The bill would require the State Health Officer to issue a public report on the incidences of diseases, based on counties, which assesses health risks posed by releases of toxic substances.

The director of the department would provide grants to monitor and respond to adverse health risks identified by the county assessment, and would be authorized to hold public hearings.

The department would be required to adopt regulations to require the preparation of community impact statements by independent contractors as a part of the permitting process for any new or expanded facility that handles toxic pollutants and set certain criteria for community impact statements regarding types of chemicals, projected negative effects, alternatives for mitigating negative health impact, and community demographics.

The bill would create the Community-Based Environmental Cleanup, Health Testing and Remediation Trust Fund and a special loan program for remediation projects.

The bill would authorize community environmental resource centers and local programs of independent experts to conduct monitoring of local facilities to insure compliance with state and federal laws.

The bill would prohibit the permitting of any new facility handling toxic pollutants within iles of any such existing facility, unless waived based on certain local considerations.

The bill would provide for a moratorium against new facilities in high impact areas, unless waived.

Community impact study grants and special insurance programs would be available for high impact areas. The department would be required to assist local communities to enter clawback agreements to reimburse incentives under certain conditions.

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Subjects

Environment