AB 1642: Wildfires: contamination standards.

Existing law establishes the Office of the State Fire Marshal in the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and establishes the Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation within the office. Existing law makes the deputy director responsible for fire preparedness and mitigation missions of the department, as provided. The Department of Toxic Substances Control regulates the handling and management of hazardous waste and hazardous materials.

This bill would require the Department of Toxic Substances Control to adopt, no later than July 1, 2027, emergency regulations specifying the standards for investigation, environmental testing, and removal of contaminants inside and outside of homes, schools, and workplaces in residential areas after a wildfire. The bill would require the adopted standards to include health-based clearance standards, as specified.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.