Environment (Hazardous Materials)

SB 71 prohibits Alabama environmental agencies from creating new rules or amending existing rules that set stricter pollution limits than federal standards for areas like air quality, drinking water, and hazardous waste handling. If no federal standard exists for a specific issue, agencies may only adopt stricter rules if they are based on "best available science" and "weight of scientific evidence," requiring a direct link to proven human health harm. The bill does not affect rules that comply with federal law, are less strict than federal standards, or address emergencies. This directly impacts Alabama's environmental protection agencies and industries regulated under these environmental standards.