A bill to prohibit state agencies from adopting or amending environmental protection regulations more stringent than federal rules led to the first Democrat-led slowdown in the Senate Tuesday afternoon.
Senate Bill 71 by Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, also says that if there is no federal regulation, a new state rule must “be based on the best available science and the weight of scientific evidence.”
The regulations outlined in the bill include the numeric limitations on chemical substances, mixtures, contaminants, pollutants and hazardous substances.
The bill eventually passed the Senate 27-7 with all Democrats opposed.
Chesteen described the bill as balancing environmental protection and economic development and said the bill doesn’t take away any of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management’s authority to set regulations.
Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, began Tuesday afternoon to object to the bill after learning different business groups in the state support it.
“It’s going to help economic development because it’s going to let them do what they want to do,” Singleton said.
“We can … flourish in this state without compromising our ecosystems.”
Debate on the bill was paused so that Singleton, Chesteen and others could discuss it privately.
When it was brought back up, Singleton said he wouldn’t support it, but he didn’t try to delay a vote.
“We do not want to do harm to our environment or the citizens of our state,” Chasteen said on the Senate floor.
Sen. Vivian Figures, D-Mobile, said she wouldn’t vote for the bill because increasing regulations later will be difficult.
“I’m just so afraid that if we pass this law, it’s not going to be easy to undo it,” she said.
The bill now moves to the House, where Rep. Troy Stubbs, R-Wetumpka, is sponsoring it.