NIELSEN CO-AUTHORS BILL TO REPEAL SEPTIC TANK REGULATIONS

CONTACT: Chris Norden
Phone: 916-319-3217 (Sacramento) - Assemblyman Jim Nielsen (R-Gerber) announced today that he is co-authoring a bill with Assemblyman Ted Gaines (R-Roseville) that would immediately repeal Assembly Bill 885. The proposed regulations, released in November 2008 by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), would require residents to pay for septic tank inspection fees and groundwater testing every 5 years, at a minimum cost to homeowners of $650.

The bill authored by Assemblyman Gaines and Assemblyman Nielsen is AB 268. If passed by the Legislature and signed into law by the Governor, it would negate AB 885 and halt any proposed regulations from taking effect.

"I am pleased to co-author this measure to repeal this ill-conceived and onerous regulation," stated Nielsen. "The State Government must not mandate 'one-size-fits-all' regulations that disproportinally affect rural counties. The regulations created by AB 885 will needlessly hurt homeowners and should be stopped in their tracks."

"Although the SWRCB has temporarily postponed implementation of these regulations, this fight is far from over. The Board is still planning to approve these new septic tank regulations. I encourage everyone to continue writing letters of opposition to the State Water Board until this regulation is successfully repealed, once and for all," concluded Nielsen.

Letters of opposition to AB 885 and the proposed septic tank regulations should be sent to:

State Water Resources Control Board
Division of Water Quality
Attn: Todd Thompson, P.E.,
1001 I Street, 15th Floor
PO Box 2231, Sacramento, CA 95812

Assemblyman Nielsen represents the Second Assembly District, which includes: Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yolo counties.

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  Legislative Chair - Jean Hall