AB 794

Under current law, the Department of Natural Resources compiles a list of

substances that are detected in or have a reasonable probability of entering the

groundwater resources of this state; identifies which of these substances is of public

health or welfare concern; and ranks the substances based on their risks to public

health or welfare. DNR submits the list of substances identified as a public health

concern to the Department of Health Services. DHS develops recommendations for

enforcement standards for those substances, which DNR then incorporates into its

rules.

Under this bill, DNR must provide public notice of the list of groundwater

substances that it compiles, including by publishing such a list on its Internet site,

and must include notice of the information and reasoning it used in compiling the

list. DNR must also provide a 21-day public comment period to allow for comments

on the substances included on the list. The bill also requires DHS, upon developing

a recommended enforcement standard for a substance identified as a public health

risk, to provide public notice and a 21-day public comment period on the proposed

recommendation, and must provide notice of the information and reasoning it used

in developing the recommendation, before submitting the recommendation to DNR.