Transcript Highlights:

• What contaminants may be in that water.
• What contaminants may be in that water.
• Many times feed can be contaminated through storage.
• So the question is where the contamination happened.
• I was just wondering, did it end up contaminating the ground there?

Bills: SB47, SB110, SB122, SB143, SB168

Keywords: food recovery, composting, waste management, solid waste surcharge, organic waste reduction, environment, grants, advisory group, bosque management, Rio Grande, environmental protection, water resources, fiscal appropriation, drinking water, well owners, water testing, water treatment, public health, agriculture, New Mexico Department of Agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• from the landfill and prevent contamination of underlying groundwater.
• Of contaminants from the landfill and prevent contamination of underlying groundwater.
• is pretty contaminated.
• create something called leachate, which is contaminated rainwater.
• <00:55:37.480> and to pick up these contaminants and to pick up these contaminants and that'll

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The informational briefing focused on the City and County of Honolulu’s effort to site a replacement landfill for Oahu before Waimanalo Gulch landfill closes in 2028. Department of Environmental Services officials outlined the solid waste system, including curbside collection, convenience centers, transfer stations, H-POWER, and the existing landfill, and explained that H-POWER reduces the volume of waste going to the landfill by about 90%. They reviewed the siting history, including the 2019 Land Use Commission deadline, the 2020 enactment of Act 73 with landfill setback and conservation-district restrictions, and the 2021-2022 landfill advisory committee that evaluated six sites but recommended none because they were within the Board of Water Supply’s no-pass zone. The city said it ultimately selected a site in central Oahu, on agricultural land near Wahiawa and the Dole Plantation, as the best legally permissible option and described it as requiring about 150 acres, with 90 acres for the landfill itself. City officials also described the proposed landfill design and safeguards, emphasizing a modern sanitary landfill with double liners, leachate collection, groundwater monitoring wells, and post-closure monitoring. They said the ash from H-POWER is dry and that leachate would be pumped to a wastewater treatment plant. They stated the site is away from residences and groundwater wells, accessible by highway, and can be permitted under state and federal rules, though they acknowledged that a full environmental review, public hearings, and multiple permits would still be required. When asked whether the new landfill could be operating before the 2028 closure date, the city said it did not yet know and that an extension of Waimanalo Gulch might be needed if the new site is not ready in time. The Board of Water Supply strongly opposed the city’s decision to site a landfill above Oahu’s freshwater resources. Its representative said the agency’s mission is to protect safe, dependable water for the future and that it had disapproved all six previously proposed sites because they were located over freshwater aquifers. In response to questions from legislators, the Board said it could not guarantee the liner system would remain impermeable forever and warned that leachate can contain hazardous chemicals, including so-called forever chemicals. The Board characterized the proposal as a long-term risk to the island’s drinking water supply and compared the decision to past infrastructure choices that later proved problematic. No votes or formal actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Soil and water contamination: do PFOS and other pollutants persist?
• Because I've already mentioned a lot of contaminants are upstream.
• We can cross-contaminate if you're collecting samples.
• It's that you're putting all of the contaminants in your reject.
• It's that, uh, you putting all of the contaminants in your reject.

Summary: The meeting focused on the use of biosolids on farm and ranch land, with testimony from Oklahoma State University experts, a conservation official, and an engineering representative about the benefits, risks, and regulatory implications. Dr. Lusk described OSU’s long history of soil fertility research and said biosolids can provide nutrients and organic matter, but also may carry contaminants such as PFAS, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, microplastics, and pathogens. He emphasized that many questions remain unanswered, especially about contaminant uptake into soil, crops, livestock, and humans, and said existing EPA and Oklahoma DEQ regulations address some treatment and application standards but may not fully cover PFAS. Dr. Arnell expanded on nutrient management, explaining that biosolids can function similarly to manure as a fertilizer source, especially for nitrogen and phosphorus, but should be tested, incorporated into soil, and applied under permit conditions to reduce runoff and other losses. He said PFAS testing methods are not yet standardized and that more research is needed to determine sampling protocols, movement in soil, and long-term effects. Committee members asked whether farmers and ranchers should be notified of risks, whether PFAS is currently tested, how many counties use biosolids, and what research would be needed for a dissertation-level study. The witnesses generally agreed that landowners should be informed of known risks and uncertainties, but said the science is still developing. Dr. Arnell said a unified testing method is needed before reliable PFAS monitoring can be done, and suggested that a multi-year study would be required to understand soil movement, crop uptake, and livestock impacts. Greg Scott of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission framed the issue as a waste-management problem, noting that human waste streams contain contaminants and that soil type affects how pollutants move; he said sandy soils pose greater movement risks than clay soils and that current best practice is incorporation, careful timing, and avoiding steep or sensitive sites. He also said PFAS are widespread and not naturally occurring in the way some other compounds are, and that liability and cleanup costs are major concerns. Mary Elizabeth Mock of Garver Engineering focused on the practical and financial consequences of a possible moratorium on land application, saying most of Oklahoma’s biosolids are currently land applied and would otherwise have to go to landfills. She warned that many landfills are nearing capacity, tipping fees could rise sharply, and cities such as Tulsa and Norman could face large increases in disposal costs, which would ultimately be borne by ratepayers and taxpayers. She also said septic system maintenance costs could rise if land application options shrink, potentially leading to deferred maintenance and system failures. Mock urged a tiered, data-driven approach to PFAS regulation and said advanced treatment technologies may help in the future, but they are still emerging and expensive. No votes were taken; the session consisted of presentations and member questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• or not contaminated contaminated within a few years when you approve that well, because just like if
• or not contaminated contaminated within a few years when you approve that well, because just like if
• or not contaminated contaminated within a few years when you approve that well, because just like if
• or not contaminated contaminated within a few years when you approve that well, because just like if
• or not contaminated contaminated within a few years when you approve that well, because just like if

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Significant cost increases for housing developers who have remediated contaminated soil and returned
• This fee significantly increased the cost of remediating contaminated soil in urban infill sites or in
• We believe that SB 328 can provide a win-win for the state by ensuring contaminated soil is cleaned up
• It's an actual double win You get contaminated soil cleaned up and then you get housing on top of that
• Right now, I know Of course, in 2024, the State Water Board sets the maximum contamination level to be

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Today, there are no minimum requirements for how homes are inspected, how smoke contamination is tested
• When thousands of Californians are still displaced by smoke-contaminated homes, they should not be left
• We never had a fire like this one, and so we never had contaminants like this one.
• And if you are outside that ZIP code and receive contamination, unfortunately, you wouldn't get relief
• So effectively, if contamination levels, hypothetically, are above... ...to take place. Got it.

Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee met as a subcommittee at first because a quorum was not initially present, then later established a quorum and heard several bills. The main special-order item was AB 1795 (Gibson), which would create statewide standards for testing, inspection, and remediation of wildfire smoke damage in homes, with CalEPA and public health agencies developing science-based standards and insurers required to follow new claims-handling timelines. Supporters, including Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and wildfire survivors, said the bill would bring consistency and safety; insurers and consumer groups generally supported the concept but sought further amendments on scope, standards, and claim handling. The committee voted do pass as amended and refer AB 1795 to Appropriations, with the roll held open for later additions. The committee also considered AB 1576 (Ortega) on the Subsequent Injury Benefit Trust Fund, which would make changes intended to reduce litigation and employer assessments while preserving the program’s purpose of encouraging hiring of workers with prior disabilities. Labor-side witnesses supported the bill as a reform step, while business, public entity, and insurance groups opposed it, arguing it did not address the core structural problems and that a trailer bill was a better vehicle for broader reform. AB 1576 was voted do pass to Appropriations, with the roll held open. AB 1931 (Papan) would create an optional limited-lines license for utilities to offer home protection products for repairs to appliances and utility service lines. Support came from HomeServe, utilities, and industry groups, who said the bill would clarify current law and add consumer protections such as training, disclosures, and a free-look period; there was no opposition in the room. The committee passed AB 1931 to Appropriations. AB 2361 (Pacheco) would limit vicarious liability for peer-to-peer vehicle-sharing platforms like Turo while preserving insurance coverage requirements; supporters said it would align California with other states, while consumer attorneys opposed it as reducing accountability and consumer recovery. The committee passed AB 2361 as amended to Appropriations. AB 2098 (Kalra), heard later, would require employers to allow leave for workers to attend treatment for occupational injuries during work hours, subject to notice and business-necessity limits; labor groups supported it and business and insurance groups sought narrower standards. It was also voted do pass to Appropriations. The committee then completed roll-call add-ons and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a clean up this contamination. It's a statewide<00:09:26.880> problem.
• <00:10:03.839> into ones bringing these contaminants into ones bringing these contaminants
• or natural contamination issues or natural resources<00:20:22.799> damages.
• And there are still people that don’t know the severity of this contamination.
• And there are still people that don’t know the severity of this contamination.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , the grantees to emerging contaminants, the grantees to emerging contaminants, which<00:45:36.520
• coming to us with these contaminants. coming to us with these contaminants.
• you know, open up emerging contaminants you know, open up emerging contaminants in<00:48:25.480>
• <00:50:12.680> regulations Trump emerging contaminant regulations Trump emerging contaminant
• funding for emerging contaminants funding for emerging contaminants and<01:13:54.600> for

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Sure, we're not creating another contamination site and putting this in the trash.
• Chair. ...contaminated sites. Okay, thank you for that, Mr. Chair.
• Can even a solid state of this material be a contaminant?
• Can CO2 act as a contaminant? CO2 interact... So, and again, Mr.
• We also focus on contaminated soil and legacy landfills in order to clean up the land.

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from the Environment Department on PFAS contamination in private wells in La Cienega, Santa Fe County. Staff said the plume likely came from historic use of firefighting foam associated with airport and National Guard fire-training activities, with possible additional contribution from septic systems and consumer products. They described the contamination as affecting about 200 private wells, the short-term response of providing residential filters through a $2 million legislative appropriation, and ongoing work to define the plume’s full extent, identify responsible parties, and consider longer-term regional water solutions. Members asked about filter costs, replacement schedules, disposal of used cartridges, follow-up testing, health studies, and whether cleanup or containment had begun; the department said cleanup would follow once the plume is fully mapped and that DOH is soliciting interest in a blood study. The committee also discussed the need to track disposal of PFAS filters and the possibility of broader statewide capacity for similar work. The committee then took up abandoned uranium mine cleanup. NMED and EMNRD staff reviewed the new uranium mine reclamation program created by HB 164, the state dashboard tracking sites, and the FY26 appropriation of $20 million for neglected contaminated sites, of which $12 million is being used for neglected uranium mines and the remainder for other contaminated sites. They said six contractors were hired, three priority sites in Grant County are moving forward quickly, and additional sites are being prepared for possible FY27 work. Members pressed for details on how funds are spent, why the revolving fund remains unfunded, how federal, state, tribal, and landowner requirements are coordinated, where contaminated material will be moved, and whether cleanup could also address homes built with contaminated materials. Staff said the work is governed by multiple regulatory layers, that the state is seeking an additional $25 million for FY27-FY28 plus a time extension, and that partnerships with tribes would require longer-term agreements. The committee also discussed federal cleanup efforts and the new Good Samaritan law, with members urging stronger advocacy for New Mexico sites, including tribal lands, and asking whether the Attorney General should pursue legal action against federal parties responsible for legacy contamination. Staff explained that some sites are already covered by settlement funds tied to responsible parties, while neglected sites are those with no responsible party and no other cleanup program. The committee then heard from EMNRD on Class VI carbon sequestration primacy. Staff said New Mexico currently has no operating Class VI wells, about 27 Class II acid-gas injection wells are operating, and only a small number might be candidates for conversion. They explained that the state’s primacy application would require more public outreach than federal rules alone, and that cost estimates for post-injection site care are based on long planning horizons, with some costs borne by operators and some by the state after closure. No votes were taken on the substantive items discussed; the committee approved the prior meeting minutes and took a brief recess between presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:31:58.320> above groundwater contamination above groundwater contamination above standards
• Um finally um it talks contaminants.
• <02:08:14.000> in<02:08:14.239> the contamination in the contamination in the ground.<02
• <02:08:25.119> to didn't have releases of contaminants to didn't have releases of contaminants
• help you contain the contamination help you contain the contamination that's<02:13:17.040> going

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the Department of Health to conduct a survey to assess gross alpha and some other radioactive contaminants
• to have some science that substantiates a correlation between the illness or the effects of the contaminant
• And not just radioactive contaminants will be considered, but a whole host of contaminants would be considered
• They even closed down our neighborhood school, Mary McLeod Bethune, because it was on contaminated land
• We have a rich history in this state as we started to understand contamination across all fronts, where

Summary: The State Affairs Committee opened with a tribute to the late Representative Joe Casello, with remarks from the chair and Ranking Member Eskamani honoring his service, especially his advocacy for first responders, veterans, and working people. The committee then turned to its only bill, HB 167, which would remove strict liability for certain previously mined phosphate lands if the landowner notifies the county and requests a Department of Health radiation survey. The sponsor said the bill is intended to create a voluntary process, add data about the land, and provide notice through the public record and title process. Members asked extensive questions about who pays for the surveys, how notice would reach future buyers, whether the bill affects renters or construction workers, and whether it would impact pending lawsuits. The sponsor said the landowner would pay for the survey needed to remove strict liability, plaintiffs would pay for surveys in litigation, the bill does not address OSHA or rental disclosures, and it would not apply retroactively to current cases because the complaint must include a survey. Supporters argued the bill simply replaces automatic liability with recorded notice and due diligence, while opponents said it could leave families and renters without adequate warning and should include stronger disclosure protections. Public testimony was in support from the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Associated Industries of Florida, and one individual. After debate, the committee voted 18-8 to report HB 167 favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• So you get shocked with things and the contaminants being frozen.
• Is how contaminated that is because it's just been bypassed.
• Because so little of it's actually tested, a lot of it could be contaminated.
• If a shipment comes in and it's contaminated, they just say bye.
• Like I said, some countries are not as bad for contaminations as others.

Transcript Highlights:

• Both are still contaminated.
• or Potential Contamination at the San Juan Generating Station.
• That would prevent the contamination of groundwater.
• We know from groundwater monitoring we've done under the contamination at the facility.
• Yet is how will contaminated groundwater be cleaned? How will it be remedied?

Transcript Highlights:

• Goodbye, baby. contamination with methamphetamine. contamination with methamphetamine.
• <00:46:48.520> than is 15 times more contaminated than is 15 times more contaminated than
• Can you imagine what contamination.
• babies on tables that are contaminated babies on tables that are contaminated with<00:51:25.600>
• Second thing: contamination.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, approved the journal, and then moved through a series of announcements and committee notices. Members highlighted upcoming events including Sportsman’s Day at the Capitol, Auctioneer Day, and an Earth Day press conference, and several committees announced meetings and bills to be heard later in the day. The Majority Leader also moved to make House Bill 1132, House Bill 1130, Senate Bill 136, and House Bill 1287 special orders for the next day, and the House agreed without objection. The chamber then took up House Bill 1132, concerning increasing pollinator habitats on state lands. Supporters said the bill builds on years of work to support pollinators and encourages planting native species on public lands; they also explained that the fiscal note reflects use of existing continuously appropriated funds, including GOCO lottery money and oil and gas fee revenue. After committee reports were adopted and questions about funding were answered, the bill passed as amended. The House next considered House Bill 1130, concerning baby diaper changing stations in public restrooms. An amendment was adopted that exempted local governments and expanded the small-business carveout to employers with 25 or fewer employees and no more than $3.5 million in annual revenue, while also clarifying restroom designation. Supporters argued the bill was the product of extensive stakeholder work and would improve access for families. Opponents said it imposed an unfunded mandate on businesses and raised concerns about contamination in public restrooms, including claims that some changing tables have been found contaminated with methamphetamine and fentanyl; after debate, the amendment was adopted, and discussion on the bill continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:06:59.759> grant and for emerging contaminants grant and for emerging contaminants grant
• Section two establishes the statewide drinking water contamination mitigation program.
• This establishes a new grant program for emerging contaminants.
• Um it allows a emerging contaminants.
• . contaminant. contaminant.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• is pretty contaminated.
• It'll start to pick up these contaminants, and that'll create something called leachate, which is contaminated
• It'll start to pick up these contaminants, and that'll create something called leachate, which is contaminated
• <01:05:08.799> groundwater would not contaminate groundwater would not contaminate groundwater
• beyond the reach of any contaminants beyond the reach of any contaminants that<01:10:31.840>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The informational briefing focused on the City and County of Honolulu’s effort to site a replacement landfill for Oahu before the Waimanalo Gulch landfill closes in 2028. Chair Nicole Lowen and other legislators opened the meeting by framing the issue as important statewide and encouraging recycling, composting, and proper use of the curbside bins. The city’s Department of Environmental Services, led by Director Roger Babcock and Deputy Director Mike O’Keefe, then presented the background and siting process. ENV explained the legal and technical constraints that shaped the search, including the 2019 Land Use Commission decision requiring closure of Waimanalo Gulch by March 2, 2028, and the 2020 Act 73 restrictions on landfill siting near residences, schools, hospitals, conservation districts, airports, and tsunami inundation areas. They said a landfill advisory committee reviewed six candidate sites in 2021-2022 and rejected them because they fell within the Board of Water Supply’s no-pass zone. After further evaluation and an extension of the naming deadline, the city selected a site in central Oahu near Wahiawa, on agricultural land currently used as a Dole pineapple field. City officials said the selected site was chosen as the best of the evaluated options and, in their view, could be permitted under state and federal law. They described planned environmental protections, including a modern sanitary landfill design with double liners, leachate collection systems, monitoring wells, and post-closure monitoring, and said the existing Waimanalo Gulch landfill has operated for 35 years without leachate leaks. They also emphasized that the site would still require a special use permit, Department of Health approvals, an environmental impact statement, and other public permitting processes, and that public engagement would continue over the next several years.

Transcript Highlights:

• With some of the contamination here in New Mexico.
• I mean, I'll just, you know, we see time and again how these contamination issues become legacy contamination
• Contaminated sites, okay, thank you for that, Mr. Chair.
• Can even a solid state of this material be a contaminant?
• Or can CO2 act as a contaminant? CO2 interacts, so, and again, Mr.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But we can work on cleaning up contaminated water for reuse.
• And one of those ways is to make sure that wastewater contaminant cleanup, which is not always easy and
• Our second panel will discuss some of the research on various wastewater contaminant issues and their
• So these are toxic contaminants that come into our facilities.
• Some other toxins and contaminants can auto-break down, not PFAS.

Summary: The Assembly Select Committee on Biotechnology and Medical Technology held an informational hearing on the role of biotechnology industries in wastewater treatment, hosted at Bakar Labs on the UC Berkeley campus. Opening remarks emphasized California’s water scarcity, the rising cost of wastewater infrastructure, and the need to reuse and clean contaminated water. Committee members framed the hearing as a look at both current treatment challenges and emerging technologies that could improve water quality, affordability, and resilience over time. The first panel focused on statewide wastewater challenges. BACWA Executive Director Laurie Fono described wastewater plants as part of a broader circular economy, noting their roles in recycled water, environmental enhancement, biosolids management, carbon sequestration, and renewable energy generation. She highlighted major challenges including aging 1970s-era infrastructure, nutrient reduction mandates, sea level rise, evolving regulations, and PFAS source control. She said Bay Area agencies face about $11 billion in nutrient reduction costs, with rate increases, state revolving funds, WIFIA loans, and bonds as the main financing tools. Members asked about regional differences, energy revenue opportunities, smaller decentralized plants, and agricultural collaboration. The second panel featured researchers and lab experts discussing biotechnology solutions. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s Dr. Romine Chakarvati described using microbial communities and machine learning to help break down PFAS and treat produced water. CEL Analytical’s Dr. Yigi Dearborn explained pathogen testing for direct potable reuse, wastewater monitoring, and the need for larger sample volumes and more funding to validate methods for viruses and protozoa. Stanford’s Dr. Chunhung-Shin presented an anaerobic membrane system that turns domestic wastewater into clean water and energy with less biosolids and lower operating costs. Committee members asked about AI, assay development, scaling technologies, and funding priorities. Public comment from the California Association of Sanitation Agencies stressed the need to balance scalability, reliability, and affordability, and the hearing adjourned without any formal vote or action.

Transcript Highlights:

• One, you said that Holloman continued to Contaminate. Can you expound on that a little bit?
• Contamination. I'm, I'm trying to understand exactly what you meant and how we could help.
• If we don't get the Department of Defense to begin remediation off base, we are both contaminating a
• So, um, the lifespan of the Ogalala is short, the contamination is high.
• , contaminating water, land, sacred places, and also impacting our, our public health.

Transcript Highlights:

• Instead, it hands control over to the very industry responsible for the contamination.
• Because without addressing the source, widespread contamination will continue.
• These are not negligible contaminants.
• Many responsible manufacturers already test for these contaminants.
• Many responsible manufacturers already test for these contaminants.

Summary: The committee heard SB 404 on metal shredding facilities, SB 601 on water quality protections after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Sackett decision, SB 682 on phasing out PFOS in certain consumer products, and later SB 646 on prenatal vitamins and toxic metal contamination. SB 561 had been pulled from the hearing. In each of the measures, the authors and supporters emphasized environmental and public health protections, while opponents raised concerns about overregulation, implementation, and unintended economic impacts. The committee also spent time on the policy details of each bill, including how smaller operators would be treated under SB 404, how “nexus waters” would be defined under SB 601, and whether alternatives and testing standards were adequate under SB 682 and SB 646. For SB 404, Senator Caballero said the bill would create a permitting and enforcement framework for metal shredding facilities, with operational standards for fire prevention, stormwater, and releases of shredder residue, while supporters argued it would bring needed certainty to a critical recycling industry. Opponents, including small recyclers and community/environmental advocates, said the bill was either too broad or not strong enough, with some warning it would burden smaller facilities and others arguing it would fail to protect overburdened communities. The committee approved SB 404 on a due-pass-as-amended motion to Appropriations, with recorded support from the chair and some members and opposition from others. SB 601 sought to restore state-level protections for waters that lost federal Clean Water Act coverage after Sackett, using a “nexus waters” framework and revised enforcement provisions after amendments removed the private right of action. Supporters said California needed to preserve protections for seasonal streams and wetlands and avoid backsliding, while opponents from business, agriculture, water districts, and local governments argued the definition remained too broad and could create uncertainty, costs, and unintended consequences. The committee also approved SB 601 on a due-pass motion to Appropriations, again with split votes. SB 682, which the committee also advanced, would phase out intentionally added PFOS in six product categories, including cleaning products, cookware, dental floss, ski wax, food packaging, and juvenile products, with an amendment delaying cookware implementation until 2030. Supporters framed it as a source-control measure to reduce PFAS contamination and lower long-term water treatment costs, while manufacturers and cookware interests argued the bill was overbroad, lacked workable testing standards, and could push consumers and businesses toward uncertain alternatives. The committee chair recommended an aye vote, and the measure passed to Appropriations. SB 646 was then introduced on prenatal vitamins, with supporters saying it would require testing and disclosure of heavy metals like lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury, while the opposition said disclosure must be handled carefully so as not to confuse consumers or undermine confidence in prenatal supplements.