Landfill Gas - - CA Health And Safety

Section § 25420

This section defines key terms related to biogas and biomethane within California. It explains that 'biogas' is gas from decomposed organic material, while 'biomethane' is biogas that meets certain standards for pipeline use. Entities and facilities involved include the State Air Resources Board, CalRecycle, and the Public Utilities Commission. The definitions cover different pipeline types, like common carrier and dedicated pipelines, the roles of gas corporations, and what constitutes a hazardous waste landfill. It also clarifies what 'person' includes under the law, such as individuals, companies, government bodies, and more.

For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:

(a) “Biogas” means gas that is produced from the anaerobic decomposition of organic material.

(b) “Biomethane” means biogas that meets the standards adopted pursuant to subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 25421 for injection into a common carrier pipeline.

(d) “CalRecycle” means the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery.

(e) “Commission” means the Public Utilities Commission.

(f) “Common carrier pipeline” means a gas conveyance pipeline, located in California, that is owned or operated by a utility or gas corporation, excluding a dedicated pipeline.

(g) “Dedicated pipeline” means a conveyance of biogas or biomethane that is not part of a common carrier pipeline system, and which conveys biogas from a biogas producer to a conditioning facility or an electrical generation facility.

(h) “Department” means the Department of Toxic Substances Control.

(i) “Gas corporation” has the same meaning as defined in Section 222 of the Public Utilities Code and is subject to rate regulation by the commission.

(j) “Hazardous waste landfill” means a landfill that is a hazardous waste facility, as defined in Section 25117.1.

(k) “Office” means the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

(l) “Person” means an individual, trust, firm, joint stock company, partnership, association, business concern, limited liability company, or corporation. “Person” also includes any city, county, district, and the state or any department or agency thereof, or the federal government or any department or agency thereof to the extent permitted by law.

biogas biomethane anaerobic decomposition organic material State Air Resources Board CalRecycle Public Utilities Commission common carrier pipeline dedicated pipeline conditioning facility hazardous waste landfill environmental health gas corporation rate regulation biogas standards

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 602, Sec. 1. (AB 1900) Effective January 1, 2013.)

Section § 25421

This law requires key agencies to develop health and safety standards for biogas used in pipelines by May 15, 2013. It involves creating a list of harmful chemicals found in biogas, assessing their risk, and determining safe levels for human health. Updated every five years, these standards aim to protect utility workers, gas users, and infrastructure safety.

By December 31, 2013, additional rules must ensure biomethane in pipelines is safe for health and infrastructure. Monitoring requirements are also outlined, updated every five years, to maintain compliance. Biogas from hazardous waste landfills is explicitly prohibited from pipeline distribution. Any biogas injected into pipelines must meet safety standards to ensure public and pipeline safety.

(a) On or before May 15, 2013, all of the following shall be completed:

(1) The office, in consultation with the board, the department, CalRecycle, and the California Environmental Protection Agency, shall compile a list of constituents of concern that could pose risks to human health and that are found in biogas at concentrations that significantly exceed the concentrations of those constituents in natural gas. The office, in consultation with the board, the department, CalRecycle, and the California Environmental Protection Agency, shall update this list at least every five years.

(2) The office shall determine health protective levels for the list of constituents of concern identified pursuant to paragraph (1). In determining those health protective levels, the office shall consider potential health impacts and risks, including, but not limited to, health impacts and risks to utility workers and gas end users. The office shall update these levels at least every five years.

(3) The board shall identify realistic exposure scenarios and, in consultation with the office, shall identify the health risks associated with the exposure scenarios for the constituents of concern identified by the office pursuant to paragraph (1). The board shall update the exposure scenarios, and, in consultation with the office, the health risks associated with the exposure scenarios, at least every five years.

(4) Upon completion of the responsibilities required pursuant to paragraphs (1) through (3), the board, in consultation with the office, the department, CalRecycle, and the California Environmental Protection Agency shall determine the appropriate concentrations of constituents of concern. In determining those concentrations, the board shall use the health protective levels identified pursuant to paragraph (2) and the exposure scenarios identified pursuant to paragraph (3). The concentrations shall be updated at least every five years by the board in consultation with the office, the department, CalRecycle, and the California Environmental Protection Agency.

(5) The board, in consultation with the office, the department, CalRecycle, and the California Environmental Protection Agency, shall identify reasonable and prudent monitoring, testing, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements, separately for each source of biogas, that are sufficient to ensure compliance with the health protective standards adopted pursuant to subdivision (d). The board, in consultation with the office, the department, CalRecycle and the California Environmental Protection Agency shall update the monitoring, testing, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements at least every five years.

(b) Actions taken pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not constitute regulations and shall be exempt from the administrative regulations and rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Government Code).

(c) On or before December 31, 2013, for biomethane that is to be injected into a common carrier pipeline, the commission shall, by rule or order, adopt standards that specify, for constituents that may be found in that biomethane, concentrations that are reasonably necessary to ensure both of the following:

(1) The protection of human health. In making this specification, the commission shall give due deference to the determinations of the board pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (a).

(2) Pipeline and pipeline facility integrity and safety.

(d) To ensure pipeline and pipeline facility integrity and safety, on or before December 31, 2013, the commission, giving due deference to the board’s determinations, shall, by rule or order, adopt the monitoring, testing, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements identified pursuant to paragraph (5) of subdivision (a).

(e) Every five years, or earlier if new information becomes available, the commission shall review and update the standards for the protection of human health and pipeline integrity and safety adopted pursuant to subdivision (c), as well as the monitoring, testing, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements adopted pursuant to subdivision (d).

(f)

(1) A person shall not inject biogas into a common carrier pipeline unless the biogas satisfies both the standards set by the commission pursuant to subdivision (c), as well as the monitoring, testing, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements of subdivision (d).

(2) The commission shall require gas corporation tariffs to condition access to common carrier pipelines on the applicable customer meeting the standards and requirements adopted by the commission pursuant to subdivisions (c) and (d).

(g)

(1) A person shall not knowingly sell, supply, or transport, or knowingly cause to be sold, supplied, or transported, biogas collected from a hazardous waste landfill to a gas corporation through a common carrier pipeline.

(2) A gas corporation shall not knowingly purchase gas collected from a hazardous waste landfill through a common carrier pipeline.

biogas safety standards pipeline integrity health protective levels biomethane standards risk assessment monitoring requirements hazardous waste landfill utilities safety exposure scenarios health risks biogas testing recordkeeping gas corporation tariffs common carrier pipeline environmental agencies collaboration

(Repealed and added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 602, Sec. 3. (AB 1900) Effective January 1, 2013.)

Section § 25422

If someone violates or threatens to violate Section 25421, the courts can issue an injunction to stop them. Additionally, anyone who does violate Section 25421 can be fined up to $2,500 per day for each violation. This fine can be pursued in civil court by the Attorney General, a district attorney, or a city attorney from a large city. Alternatively, penalties can be imposed through an administrative process.

(a) Any person violating, or threatening to violate, Section 25421 may be enjoined in any court of competent jurisdiction.

(b) Any person who has violated Section 25421 shall be liable for a penalty not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) per day for each violation. The civil penalty may be assessed and recovered in a civil action brought in any court of competent jurisdiction. The actions may be brought by the Attorney General in the name of the people of the State of California or by any district attorney or by any city attorney of a city having a population in excess of 750,000 or with the consent of the district attorney by a city prosecutor. The penalties may also be assessed administratively pursuant to Section 25187.

Section 25421 violations court injunctions civil penalties fine per day Attorney General district attorney city attorney city prosecutor large city population administrative penalties civil action California legal enforcement environmental violations compliance penalties

(Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 1344, Sec. 18. Effective January 1, 1993.)