SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Ira Ruskin (D-Redwood City) announced today that his Assembly Bill 833 has been signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger.  With his signature on AB 833, Governor Schwarzenegger continues to join legislators in opposing President Bush on key environmental issues, when the federal government has failed to protect the public and the environment. 

“With the Governor’s signature on my legislation, California becomes the only state in the nation to require toxic facilities to report about many dangerous chemicals at the same level they had to before the irresponsible federal rollback,” Ruskin said. 

The bill requires the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to develop and implement a California-specific program to provide Californians with the same level of information about dangerous toxic chemicals near neighborhoods, schools and workplaces prior to the Bush Administration’s action that  reduced reporting requirements.

“Bush’s action is irresponsible and astonishing.  Toxics are a growing concern and people have a right to know about the emission of dangerous chemicals.  Hiding information from the people is reprehensible.   I am very pleased that the governor agrees.  This continues California’s record of going above and beyond what the federal government does to protect our citizens,” Ruskin added.

For more than 20 years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program has required industrial facilities to report the release, disposal, incineration, treatment or recycling of 650 chemicals including benzene, toluene, and chromium compounds.  In late 2006, the Bush Administration rolled back reporting requirements for its TRI program by raising the annual reporting threshold from 500 pounds to 2,000 pounds. 

A report issued by the U.S. Government Accountability Office in February 2007 stated, “TRI reporting changes will likely have a significant impact on information available to the public about dozens of toxic chemicals from thousands of facilities in states and communities across the country.”  The Environmental Working Group also issued a report this year entitled “Stolen Inventory” that estimated Californians would no longer have had public domain access to information about 600,000 pounds of many dangerous chemicals.