Existing federal law requires a facility that could reasonably be expected to cause substantial harm to the environment by discharging oil into or on navigable waters to prepare and submit a Facility Response Plan (FRP). Existing federal law requires a facility that could cause significant and substantial harm to have its FRP approved by an United States Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator. Existing law requires the State Lands Commission and the administrator for oil spill response appointed by the Governor to regulate and oversee oil spill prevention and response efforts.

This bill would require an operator of a onshore facility or marine facility that poses any risk of discharging oil into or on waters and that is required to prepare an FRP pursuant to the federal law to submit the plan to the commission. The bill would require the commission to post the plan on its internet website within 30 days of receiving the plan from an operator. The bill would require the commission to hold at least 2 public hearings in different parts of the state to receive public comment on the plans.