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Committee approves grace‑period measure for underground‑storage‑tank operators facing permitting delays
Summary
AB 626 would provide a narrow grace period for operators who have submitted required documents to replace single‑wall underground storage tanks but face permitting delays, shielding them from penalties if they can show good‑faith efforts to comply before the December 31, 2025 deadline.
The Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee unanimously approved AB 626 on April 8 and recommended the bill be passed as amended with urgency to the Committee on Appropriations.
Authored by Assemblymember Pappan, AB 626 responds to permitting and funding delays that risk leaving operators who have begun the process to replace single‑wall underground storage tanks (USTs) subject to fines or facility shutdowns when the December 31, 2025 compliance deadline arrives. The bill would not extend the statutory compliance deadline; instead, it would exempt operators from penalties if they can demonstrate they submitted required documentation and were delayed for reasons beyond their control (for example, permitting backlogs or prolonged replacement‑fund processing).
Representatives of rural counties and the California Fuels and Convenience Alliance testified in support, saying rural communities and small operators often face limited contractor availability, constrained construction windows, and lingering agency processing times. Several witnesses said losing even a single rural fueling station could have significant community consequences.
No opposition testimony was recorded in committee. Committee members urged the author to continue clarifying timelines and emphasized the bill’s narrow focus on good‑faith actors. The committee approved the measure with urgency and forwarded it to Appropriations.
