Text of the Association of the Bay Area Governments measure

WHEREAS, a number of member cities have requested that ABAG support their dioxin compounds removal initiatives; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), Region IX, has added dioxin-like compounds to the 303(d) list of pollutants in San Francisco Bay compiled by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) under a provision of the Clean Water Act; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency consequently will have to develop a total maximum daily load for dioxin to San Francisco Bay; and

WHEREAS, dioxins and dibenzofurans have been identified as toxic air contaminants under California's Air Toxic's Program in 1986; and

WHEREAS, dioxins are among the most potent toxic chemicals known and

WHEREAS, acute exposure of humans to dioxins has caused chloracne, liver toxicity, skin rashes, nausea, vomiting, and muscular pain; and

WHEREAS, rodent studies have shown dioxins to cause tumors of the liver, lung, squamous cell, nasal turbinates and hard palate; and

WHEREAS, dioxin in very small concentrations is ubiquitous in the environment and it is likely that many of the primary sources are not yet known; and

WHEREAS, a 1996 Bay Area Air Quality Management District study estimated that diesel exhaust from cars, trucks, buses, equipment, and trains currently contributes 69 percent of the dioxin released to the air, followed by 16 percent from industrial sources, and 15 percent from residential wood burning; and

WHEREAS, the sources and transport of dioxin into San Francisco Bay make it difficult to control as a traditional water contaminant; and

WHEREAS, the development of data on the presence of dioxins and impacts on humans and wildlife is extremely costly and time consuming;

WHEREAS, a number of regional, State, and federal regulatory agencies have already and continue to be actively engaged in studying the appropriate controls for dioxin, including the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, Regional and State Water Quality Boards, Cal-EPA, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, and U.S. EPA;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Executive Board of the Association of Bay Area Governments that:

• ABAG urges regional, state, and federal regulatory agencies to increase their efforts to understand and prevent dioxins in the Bay Area; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Executive Director, Eugene Y. Laong, or his designee, is hereby authorized to work with the cities of Oakland, San Francisco, Berkeley and Alameda County and other local governments to convene and assemble the appropriate regulatory agencies. This assembled group will review issues related to dioxin in the environment, develop scope of research/analysis into a work plan, and work to secure funding to undertake the work plan.

PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 16th day of September, 1999.

SIGNED:
Mary V. King, President
Eugene Y. Leong, Secretary-Treasurer