This bill amends sections 49-104 and 49-223 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, focusing on environmental management, particularly regarding drinking water quality standards. Key changes include the replacement of the term "utilization" with "use" in the context of air resource management, and the shift from "the regulation of" to "regulating" in pollution prevention measures. The bill also removes a provision that required state laws to align with federal standards unless specifically authorized by the legislature, thereby allowing for potentially more stringent state regulations.

Additionally, the bill introduces specific drinking water aquifer water quality standards for pollutants such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, perfluorooctanoic acid, and chromium-6, among others. It mandates the director to review standards from other states and adopt protective measures for public health, particularly for vulnerable populations. The bill also stipulates that aquifer water quality protection provisions can only be imposed for pollutants with established standards, and it clarifies that the new standards will remain in effect until the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sets a final maximum contaminant level for these substances.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 49-104, 49-223, 36-136, 35-146, 35-147, 49-881, 99-499, 49-203, 49-210