DTSC

Democracy at Work

Submitted by Liza Tucker on Tue, 07/21/2015 - 09:35
When the confirmation of California’s top toxics regulator was over, Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de Leon addressed the audience, “You saw democracy working..." But was this really democracy at work? 
 
The overwhelming majority of those in the room did not support the confirmation of Ms. Barbara Lee, a former air regulator with no knowledge of hazardous substances from Northern Sonoma County, which has no air pollution problem, as Director of the Department of Toxic Substances Control on July 15, 2015. 
 

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California Senate’s Rubberstamp Oversight

Submitted by Eddie Barrera on Thu, 07/16/2015 - 11:22

A demolishing developer. An inattentive fracking regulator. A lenient toxic director. 

The California Senate has the power to confirm certain governor appointees, and it also has the power to reject them. It rarely does the latter, and never if both branches are ruled by the same party, and recent events show how this collegial culture has led to unfortunate choices. 

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Accused of Ignoring Widespread Contamination, Top Toxics Regulator's Future Questioned

Submitted by Liza Tucker on Sun, 07/12/2015 - 11:22
The state’s top toxics regulator, Barbara Lee, comes up for Senate confirmation this week in the wake of a CBS News story on how much more widespread lead contamination is around the now-closed Exide facility in East Los Angeles and that it exposes vulnerable children to dangerously high levels of lead.
 

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State Toxic Regulator Improperly Approved Irwindale Hazardous Waste Permit

Submitted by Liza Tucker on Tue, 04/07/2015 - 15:02

The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) approved a permit for a hazardous waste facility in violation of Irwindale’s zoning rules, wrote residents and environmental advocates in a letter urging city officials to overturn the decision when the city council meets tomorrow.

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Top Toxics Regulator Levies No Fines On Exide For Fresh Violations In Signal It Plans To Grant Serial Polluter A Permit

Submitted by Liza Tucker on Wed, 01/28/2015 - 14:02

Far from turning over a new leaf, the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) listed eight violations inspectors discovered at Exide Technologies’ lead battery recycling facility in Vernon without levying a single fine, according to Consumer Watchdog. 

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Advocates Call on Governor Brown to Side with Communities on Key Legislation Reforming Hazardous Waste Permitting

Submitted by Liza Tucker on Mon, 08/25/2014 - 15:02

Consumer Watchdog and the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice today asked Governor Jerry Brown and California EPA Secretary Matt Rodriquez to reject an attack by the state’s top toxics regulator—the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC)—on key reform legislation authored by Sen. Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles).

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