Compromise Toxic Waste Bill Voted

A Democrat-dominated two-house conference committee on Monday approved legislation aimed at breaking the impasse over Gov. George Deukmejian’s plans for creating a new department to clean up toxic wastes.

But the Republican governor, who has warned that the proposal faces a veto, appeared unwavering to any proposed compromises crafted by the Democrat-controlled Legislature that would result in a toxics agency substantially different from the one he has been demanding.

“We have already made our compromises,” said James Morgan, deputy secretary of the state Health and Welfare Agency.

Approval of the measure came strictly along party lines after its author, Sen. Art Torres (D-South Pasadena), agreed to several changes that he contends gives the governor “98% of what he requested.”

But Torres, who said there was little doubt that both houses of the Legislature would approve his plan, also held out little hope that the governor would sign his measure.

“There is obviously no seriousness on the part of the Administration to deal with this,” Torres said.

The governor’s proposal--drafted in hopes of giving the Administration more control over the disparate state agencies that now handle toxics--was shelved last month by Assembly Democrats after they initially indicated they would support it. The turnabout angered Deukmejian and, according to aides, was responsible for his refusal to negotiate further over the issue.

Both the Torres bill and Deukmejian’s proposal would create a Department of Waste Management along with a state waste commission. Principal differences revolve around the role of the commission, which under the governor’s proposal would be larger and contain representatives of industries that it would regulate. Torres’ plan calls for a full-time commission made up of technical experts and would specifically ban any appointees who earned more than 10% of their salary during the two previous years from industries that the commission would regulate.