(a) The Regional Railroad Accident Preparedness and Immediate Response Force is hereby created in the Office of Emergency Services. The force shall be responsible for providing regional and onsite response and mitigation capabilities in the event of a release of hazardous materials from a rail car or a railroad accident involving a rail car and for implementing the state regional railroad accident preparedness and immediate response plan for releases of hazardous materials from a rail car or a railroad accident involving a rail car. The force shall act cooperatively and in concert with existing local emergency response units pursuant to Article 9.5 (commencing with Section 8607). The force shall be established and operate as outlined in, and as a component of, the state fire service and rescue mutual aid plan adopted pursuant to Section 8619.5. The force shall consist of representatives of all of the following:

(1) Department of Fish and Wildlife.

(2) California Environmental Protection Agency.

(3) State Air Resources Board.

(4) Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery.

(5) California regional water quality control boards.

(6) Department of Toxic Substances Control.

(7) Department of Pesticide Regulation.

(8) Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

(9) State Department of Public Health.

(10) Department of the California Highway Patrol.

(11) Department of Food and Agriculture.

(12) Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

(13) Department of Parks and Recreation.

(14) Public Utilities Commission.

(15) State Fire Marshal.

(16) Emergency Medical Services Authority.

(17) California National Guard.

(18) Any other potentially affected or participating state, local, or federal agency, as determined by the director.

(b) (1) The Office of Emergency Services, in cooperation with all of the entities listed in paragraphs (1) to (18), inclusive, of subdivision (a), shall develop a state regional railroad accident preparedness and immediate response plan that operates in coordination with the state fire service and rescue emergency mutual aid plan.

(2) The state regional railroad accident preparedness and immediate response plan shall be an annex to the State Emergency Plan.

(c) (1) The Legislature finds and declares that the state has a comprehensive program through the Office of Spill Prevention and Response to prevent and prepare for the risk of a significant discharge of petroleum into state waters, including a discharge caused by the transportation of petroleum by rail. The Legislature further finds and declares that the Regional Accident Preparedness and Immediate Response Force is focused on the emergency response for railroad accidents and rail car discharges involving all designated hazardous materials regardless of where the accident or discharge takes place.

(2) The Regional Accident Preparedness and Immediate Response Force and Office of Spill Prevention and Response shall coordinate in their respective authorities and responsibilities pursuant to Article 9.5 (commencing with Section 8607), to avoid any duplication of effort, ensure cooperation, and promote the sharing of information regarding the risk of discharge of petroleum by rail into state waters.

(Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 25, Sec. 6. (SB 84) Effective June 24, 2015.)