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Commercial facilities are currently unregulated in California, leaving an unfair playing field for other stormwater permittees like industrial and municipal permittees. Commercial facilities amass pollution from every car that uses its parking lots and are major contributors of pollutants such as heavy metals (copper, zinc, lead), oil and grease. Yet it is local governments and industrial facilities who are legally responsibility to control stormwater runoff from polluting our communities’ waters.
“California waterways are under constant threat from pollution but the burden of protection has largely fallen to local cities and counties,” said Assemblymember Papan. “A statewide commercial stormwater permit will support a broader based effort to capture stormwater before it enters our waterways and enable investment in green stormwater capture infrastructure.”
Model results in Los Angeles indicate that commercial facilities represent 25% of the total land use but contribute over 80% of the toxic metal pollution in communities’ waters. Studies also suggest that commercial properties contribute 4 times the amount of pollution to waterways as compared to under natural conditions.
“Including commercial properties as part of California’s stormwater program shifts the legal responsibility and cost of cleanup away from local governments and industrial facilities, balancing liability between all parties” says Sean Bothwell, Executive Director for California Coastkeeper Alliance. “Local governments are already under a heavy financial burden to comply with their own stormwater pollution. It is unfair for them to be expected to clean up commercial properties’ runoff as well without just compensation.”
Research has found that local governments spend between $18–$46 per household for stormwater permit compliance. It is also estimated that the state has $1 - $1.5 billion in stormwater funding needs, yet the voting requirements of Proposition 218 makes it difficult for local governments to raise funds for stormwater management.
One goal of AB 1313 is to encourage commercial properties to provide a new source of funding local governments to develop community green space to bring both parties into stormwater permit compliance.
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ABOUT CALIFORNIA COASTKEEPER ALLIANCE - California Coastkeeper Alliance represents Waterkeepers programs statewide as they fight for drinkable, swimmable, fishable waters for all Californians. CCKA defends and expands California’s protective legislation and strengthens the function of our State Water Board. For more information, visit www.cacoastkeeper.org or @CA_Waterkeepers on social media.
Sean Bothwell
California Coastkeeper Alliance
+1 949-291-3401
[email protected]
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