On Thursday, the Contra Costa County Hazardous Materials Commission (HMC) will discuss a recommendation by staff of the Board’s sunset as many roles and priorities are duplicative across other bodies within the county.
The commission was established in 1986 as a local advisory committee to assist the county in preparation and administration of the county hazardous waste management plan. However, by 2021, under SB 158, it repealed the requirement for local advisory committees. The staff report also cites in 1996, the Certified Unified Program Agency Implementation developed a program which now overseas many of the tasks held by the HMC.
According to the presentation, the commission is now limited:
- HMC’s mission has narrowed over time
- Regulatory changes and overlapping committees reduce effectiveness
- 3-year average meeting cancellation rate is at 28%.
The idea of sun setting the HMC has caused some back and forth online between Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia and Richmond City Councilmember Soheila Bana.
Councilmember Bana took to social media in response to the plan:
Richmond Needs Our Hazardous Materials Commission–the Only Commission Holding Chevron and Other Chemical Industries Accountable– to Keep Our City Safe!
Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia is currently suggesting that the Board of Supervisors move forward with a plan in which the Hazardous Materials Commission (HMC), on which I sit, will be absorbed by the Sustainability Commission due to “overlapping roles.”
Neither the Sustainability Commission nor the HMC have been consulted about this possible plan. In fact, the Chair of the Sustainability Commission herself just expressed that she was surprised to read this news on John Gioia’s Facebook post and explicitly opposes the dissolution of the HMC.
The HMC is the only commission with the power to hold Chevron and other chemical industries in our city accountable.
The Sustainability Commission recognizes that they do not have the specialized framework, capacity, expertise, or mandate to replace a dedicated hazardous materials watchdog.
We live in an industrial corridor packed with chemical companies, refineries, and hazardous pipelines. The HMC is the only specialized, permanent, multi-stakeholder entity designed exclusively to safeguard our public safety against toxic risks. Dissolving it isn’t “efficiency”—it is a dangerous rollback of industrial oversight.
I understand that Supervisor Gioia is supporting a different candidate in the upcoming City Council election, and that’s ok. But I find the timing of this announcement–one week before the election–interesting.
Let’s focus on what matters: keeping the residents of Contra Costa County safe. This is about PUBLIC SAFETY, plain and simple. Look at the recent chemical leak incident in Orange County that led to the emergency evacuation of 40,000 people—that is a stark reminder of how quickly these industrial situations escalate and how high the stakes really are.
We cannot afford to compromise our local oversight!
Superior Gioia offered the following response:
To improve the effectiveness of community input and the County’s work in dealing with hazardous materials, the Board of Supervisors is considering transferring the role of the 14 member Hazardous Materials Commission (HazMat) to the 12 member Countywide Sustainability Commission. These 2 commissions have overlapping responsibilities and are among the over 60 County boards and commissions to gather public input on a wide variety of issues.
Richmond Councilmember Soheila Bana, a member of HazMat, has spread misinformation about this issue in a recent post opposing this transfer of responsibility. Yet, since she was appointed in January 2025, she has missed 10 of the 12 full HazMat Commission meetings, and attended no full commission meetings in 2025 according to meeting minutes. Her misinformation is likely based on the fact that she has not participated in a meaningful way at full commission meetings.
Failure of members to attend meetings has contributed to nearly 30% of its meetings being cancelled in the last 3 years.
Both the HazMat Commission and the Sustainability Commission have representatives from the community, environmental groups, business and industry; the Sustainability Commission also has environmental justice representatives and educational/research organizations. Public participation at Sustainability Commission meetings is greater than at HazMat meetings and it has a much lower rate of cancellation due to quorum issues.
There is duplication in the roles of the HazMat and Sustainability Commissions. The Sustainability Commission has dealt with issues related to refineries/industry, air quality, toxic and hazardous materials, climate change, electrification and energy efficiency. Its members and staff support are well-positioned to take on the HazMat’s responsibilities without jeopardizing the County’s strong role in this area.
As a long time member of the Bay Area Air District and a member and frequent Chair of the Board of Supervisors Committee on Industrial Safety since it was formed nearly 20 years ago, I understand the importance of fighting industrial pollution and addressing hazardous waste issues.
I believe transferring the HazMat’s responsibilities to the Sustainability Commission achieves the goal of improved public participation and allows county staff to better focus on supporting the role of commissioners in matters relating to hazardous materials. And having one less commission saves staff time and money.
I always welcome your thoughts.
Meeting Info
Contra Costa County Hazardous Materials Commission
Thursday, May 28
4:00 pm:
77 Arnold Dr., Martinez, CA 94553 – Paramount Room
https://cchealth.zoom.us/j/98031936341
Meeting ID: 980 3193 6341
Full Agenda: Click Here
