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California Law (Last Updated: March 4, 2014) |
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Government Code - GOV |
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Title 1. GENERAL |
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Division 7. MISCELLANEOUS |
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Chapter 12.97. Local Agency Military Base Recovery Area Act |
Section 7106.
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The Legislature finds and declares that the health, safety, and welfare of the people of California depend upon the development, stability, and expansion of private business, industry, and commerce, and that there are certain areas within the state that have been and will be severely economically impacted because of the closure of military bases by the Department of Defense.
The Legislature further finds and declares that while it is necessary for the Department of Defense to close military bases in California because of the cuts in Department of Defense funding, military bases have historically been crucial to the State of California and its local economies and that their closure creates an economic emergency for many communities.
The Legislature further finds and declares that more than 147,700 California military and civilian personnel have lost their jobs as a result of the military base closures and another 180,000 are at stake in the next round of base closures, and that because of military base closures statewide more than thirteen billion dollars ($13,000,000,000) of revenues have been lost by the state and localities since 1988.
The Legislature further finds and declares that many communities want and need to attract new business and private investment to compensate for the loss of revenue that occurs when a military base closes or downsizes, but that many communities have insufficient means to do so.
The Legislature further finds and declares that many military bases have significant soil contamination and hazardous waste cleanup problems that must be addressed in any reuse plan. In order to encourage the safe and beneficial use of this land, it is important that these problems be addressed in a safe and cost-effective manner. Therefore, it is intended that this law shall encourage the development of adequate treatment capacity for hazardous waste generated at military bases. In addition, special consideration shall be given to reuse plans incorporating the development of commercial offsite facilities, as part of the reuse plan to address California's treatment capacity shortfall.
Therefore, it is the purpose of this act to stimulate business and industrial growth in those areas that are experiencing military base closures by relaxing regulatory controls and thereby encouraging private investment, cooperation, and innovation between local government and private business and industry.
The Legislature further finds and declares that nothing in this chapter shall be construed to infringe upon regulations relating to civil rights, equal employment rights, equal opportunity rights, or fair housing rights of any person.
The Legislature further finds and declares that no local agency military base recovery area shall be designated in which any boundary thereof is drawn in a manner as to include any area outside former base property or outside base property of a base that is scheduled to be closed.