The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(a)
Hazardous materials, including hazardous substances and hazardous wastes, are present in the state and pose acute and chronic health risks to individuals who live and work in this state, and who are exposed to these substances as a result of fires, spills, industrial accidents, or other types of releases or emissions.
(b)
The people who live and work in this state have a right and a need to know of the use and dangers of hazardous materials in their communities in order to plan for, and respond to, potential exposure to these materials.
(c)
Basic information on the location, type, characteristics, and health risks of hazardous materials used, stored, or disposed of in the state is not currently available to firefighters, health officials, planners, elected officials, and residents. There are gaps in the information collected and the data is stored in various formats, thereby limiting its effective use to protect the public health and safety.
(d)
Existing state data base computer systems are not capable of effectively exchanging hazardous material information nor are they accessible to state and local agencies which have a need for the information.