Bill > SB883

This bill establishes new safety, permitting, and oversight requirements for certain hazardous industrial sites in California, specifically focusing on reactive chemical storage facilities that handle potentially explosive materials. Under the legislation, cities and counties are prohibited from issuing building permits for new or expanded facilities of this type—which face risks like thermal runaway, an uncontrollable chain reaction that rapidly increases heat and pressure—unless the facility includes an approved backup cooling or contingency system, is not located adjacent to residential homes, and has undergone a public notice and comment period. Local governments approving these permits must notify the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), designate a lead agency for hazardous materials incidents in their emergency operations plans, and forfeit certain environmental review exemptions under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), a state law requiring the evaluation of environmental impacts. Additionally, the legislation adds the industrial chemical methyl methacrylate to the state's accidental release prevention program as a regulated substance requiring a risk management plan, prohibits facilities storing or using it from receiving regulatory exemptions, and mandates that Certified Unified Program Agencies (CUPAs)—local agencies responsible for consolidating environmental and hazardous materials regulations—inspect reactive chemical storage facilities at least once every three years and report the results to state environmental and emergency authorities.