Hydrogen Sulfide Bill (SB 58)

For far too long, families living near the Tijuana River Valley and the Salton Sea have been forced to endure the impacts of toxic pollution that threaten their health and quality of life. One of the pollutants affecting these communities is hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), a colorless, highly toxic gas with a strong rotten egg odor. When people are exposed to hydrogen sulfide frequently and for prolonged periods, especially at elevated levels, it can lead to headaches, nausea, respiratory and gastrointestinal issues, fatigue, and skin irritation. But, this isn’t news to our community – we have lived this reality for far too long.

Monitoring data from the Tijuana River Valley and the Salton Sea shows repeated exceedances of California’s hydrogen sulfide standard, with residents reporting real, persistent, and troubling health symptoms.

I have heard directly from residents like you about what it’s like to live with these conditions day after day. No community should have to worry about the air they breathe, especially children, seniors, and those with underlying health conditions. Yet too many environmentally overburdened communities have been ignored for decades.

I am fighting to change that in Sacramento, but I need YOUR help to win the fight.

This week, my legislation, Senate Bill 58, passed out of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee, an important step forward in addressing Hydrogen Sulfide pollution and its impacts on public health. SB 58 directs the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) to develop health-based threshold levels for hydrogen sulfide using current scientific research, including the impacts of short-term and long-term exposure. The bill also directs OEHHA to hold public workshops, including in the Tijuana River Valley and the Salton Sea region, so your voices are meaningfully included in the process.

Your voices matter every step of the way. Help me show Sacramento politicians how important this issue is to our community. As SB 58 moves to the full Senate for a vote in the next few weeks, I need YOU to make your voice heard by submitting a letter in support of this legislation. Sharing your experiences and support helps demonstrate why this work is so urgently needed. You can submit a letter here.

Protecting public health and standing up for communities that have been left behind is at the heart of this bill. I will continue fighting to make sure your voices are heard, and that California finally takes action to protect our community.

Should you have any questions, feel free to reach out to any of my District Offices, and a member of my staff will be happy to help.

San Diego County District Office: 619-409-7690
Imperial County District Office: 760-335-3442
Coachella Valley District Office: 760-398-6442