State Water Resources Control Board - Proposed Chapter 16 Rewrite Regulations
Information on the Proposed Rewrite of Chapter 16, Division 3, Title 23 of the California Code of Regulations
Background
The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) proposes amending the California Code of Regulations, title 23, division 3, chapter 16, to clarify language, reorganize topics, and update underground storage tank (UST) construction, monitoring, and testing requirements to be consistent with modern technologies and practices. Pursuant to Health and Safety Code, chapter 6.7, section 25292.05, all single-walled USTs must be permanently closed by December 31, 2025. All references to single-walled UST construction, monitoring, and testing have been removed from the proposed regulations.
The proposed regulations utilize performance goals over prescriptive methods where possible to provide flexibility to the UST community, and to promote the development of new construction, monitoring, and testing technologies. Testing forms have been updated to reflect the proposed changes.
As this is a complete rewrite of current UST regulations, an unofficial crosswalk has been provided to assist in reviewing the documents.
Core Regulatory Documents
Public Comment Period
The 45-day written comment period will close on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. The State Water Board will consider comments received and will consider modifying the amendments based on the comments received.
All comments will be processed through Ms. Courtney Tyler, Clerk to the Board, by email at commentletters@waterboards.ca.gov, fax at (916) 341-5620, or mail or hand delivery to:
Courtney Tyler, Clerk to the Board
State Water Resources Control Board
P.O. Box 100, Sacramento, CA 95812-2000 (by mail)
1001 I St, 24th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814 (by hand delivery)
Public Hearing
The State Water Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed regulation rulemaking. The public hearing will occur at the following time and location:
Monday January 13, 2025, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Cal-EPA Headquarters Building,
Sierra Hearing Room
1001 I Street - 2nd Floor
Sacramento, California 95814
The Cal-EPA Headquarters Building is accessible to people with disabilities.
The hearing can also be accessed remotely through Zoom at:
https://waterboards.zoom.us/j/98471200195
Meeting ID: 984 7120 0195
At the hearing, any person may present statements or arguments orally or in writing relevant to the proposed regulatory action. The State Water Board requests but does not require that people making oral comments at the hearing also submit a written copy of their testimony at the hearing. The State Water Board will not accept oral statements subsequent to the public hearing.
Contact Information
All major regulatory milestones will be distributed through the State Water Board’s GovDelivery email list serv. To receive these notifications, please make sure you are subscribed to the list.
Requests for copies of the text of the regulations, the statement of reasons, or other information upon which the rulemaking was based, or other inquiries should be addressed to the following:
Tom Henderson, Manager
State Water Resources Control Board
Division of Water Quality
1001 "I" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 319-9128
Tom.Henderson@waterboards.ca.gov
The backup contact person is:
Austin Lemire-Baeten
State Water Resources Control Board
Division of Water Quality
1001 "I" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 327-5612
Austin.Lemire-Baeten@waterboards.ca.gov
