Senate Panel Advances Heather Geldart for OSPR Leadership; Nominee Highlights Spill‑prevention, Renewable‑fuel Preparedness

SACRAMENTO — The Senate Rules Committee on April 9 advanced Heather Geldart’s nomination for a senior leadership role at the Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR), referring the appointment to the full Senate after members heard testimony on spill prevention, renewable‑fuel readiness and program funding.

Geldart, who testified she has more than two decades of experience in emergency management and crisis response, said OSPR must modernize its operations as California’s energy landscape changes. She outlined prevention activities, including reviewing contingency plans, verifying certificate of financial responsibility from plan holders, and coordinated inspections and monitoring done with other agencies such as CalGEM, State Lands and the State Fire Marshal.

Geldart told the committee OSPR maintains both marine and inland prevention specialists, oversees preparedness exercises and maintains scientific and response resources — including a petroleum chemistry lab and an oiled‑wildlife care infrastructure. She described inland response tactics that rely on drones for reconnaissance and noted many spills OSPR handles are roadway releases that can enter storm drains and local waterways.

The nominee addressed the agency’s planning for renewable fuels. Geldart said OSPR is conducting lab studies — including work with university partners — to examine how methanol and ethanol affect fur and feathers and to identify response tactics for materials that sink rather than float. She said these fuels require different response technologies and that the agency must develop metrics to communicate response success when recoverable product volumes are not available.

On funding, Geldart described fee reform that increased the per‑barrel fee since legislation was enacted. She said the per‑barrel fee moved from around 8.5¢ per barrel to roughly 9.6¢ per barrel in recent years and that OSPR also used proceeds from a civil settlement with Chevron — approximately $7,500,000 — for environmental restoration grants. Geldart said the agency’s general‑fund support is minimal and that OSPR’s budget is primarily fee‑supported.

Geldart said OSPR employs about 211 staff and that the statutory threshold that would typically require a director to personally be on scene is a 100,000‑gallon spill, though she said she would likely attend significant incidents before that level if needed. Committee members asked about the frequency and scope of spills; Geldart said OSPR responds to several incidents daily that could potentially impact water, and she described recent field activities and exercises.

Public comment included support from family and colleagues; the nominee’s husband testified about her experience and leadership. Committee members voted to forward the nomination to the full Senate.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: Move confirmation of Heather Geldart and refer to the full Senate. - Mover: Senator John Laird (motion recorded from the dais). - Vote: Maguire — aye; Grove — aye; Caballero — aye; Jones — aye; Laird — aye. Tally: yes 5, no 0. Outcome: approved (referred to full Senate).

Geldart said OSPR will continue to coordinate with federal and local partners, modernize preparedness for new fuels and maintain a focus on both prevention and rapid response.