Source: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=HSC&amp;division=20.&amp;title=&amp;part=&amp;chapter=6.95.&amp;article=1
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 21:09:59
Document Index: 428538414

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 7', 'art 30', 'art 40', 'art 70', 'art 112', 'art 7']

CHAPTER 6.95. Hazardous Materials Release Response Plans and Inventory [25500 - 25547.8]
( Chapter 6.95 added by Stats. 1985, Ch. 1167, Sec. 1. )
ARTICLE 1. Business and Area Plans [25500 - 25519]
( Article 1 repealed and added by Stats. 2013, Ch. 419, Sec. 3. )
(a) The Legislature declares that, in order to protect the public health and safety and the environment, it is necessary to establish business and area plans relating to the handling and release or threatened release of hazardous materials. The establishment of a statewide environmental reporting system for these plans is a statewide requirement. Basic information on the location, type, quantity, and health risks of hazardous materials handled, used, stored, or disposed of in the state, which could be accidentally released into the environment, is required to be submitted to firefighters, health officials, planners, public safety officers, health care providers, regulatory agencies, and other interested persons. The information provided by business and area plans is necessary in order to prevent or mitigate the damage to the health and safety of persons and the environment from the release or threatened release of hazardous materials into the workplace and environment.
(b) The Legislature further finds and declares that this article and Article 2 (commencing with Section 25531) do not occupy the whole area of regulating the inventorying of hazardous materials and the preparation of hazardous materials response plans by businesses, and the Legislature does not intend to preempt any local actions, ordinances, or regulations that impose additional or more stringent requirements on businesses that handle hazardous materials. Thus, in enacting this article and Article 2 (commencing with Section 25531), it is not the intent of the Legislature to preempt or otherwise nullify any other statute or local ordinance containing the same or greater standards and protections.
(Repealed and added by Stats. 2013, Ch. 419, Sec. 3. (SB 483) Effective January 1, 2014.)
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 715, Sec. 1. (SB 1261) Effective January 1, 2015.)
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 715, Sec. 2. (SB 1261) Effective January 1, 2015.)
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 715, Sec. 3. (SB 1261) Effective January 1, 2015.)
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 715, Sec. 4. (SB 1261) Effective January 1, 2015.)
(2) A site map that contains north orientation, loading areas, internal roads, adjacent streets, storm and sewer drains, access and exit points, emergency shutoffs, evacuation staging areas, hazardous material handling and storage areas, emergency response equipment, and additional map requirements the governing body of the unified program agency finds necessary. Any locally required additional map requirements shall be adopted by local ordinance. This ordinance and related public processes are subject to the limitations on the disclosure of hazardous material location information specified in subdivision (b) of Section 25509. The unified program agency shall notify the secretary both before publishing a proposed ordinance to require additional map requirements and within 30 days after those requirements are adopted. A site map shall be updated to include the additional information required pursuant to the local ordinance no later than one year after adoption of the local ordinance.
(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 452, Sec. 11. (SB 612) Effective January 1, 2016.)
25505.1.
A business that is required to establish and implement a business plan pursuant to Section 25507 and is located on leased or rented real property shall notify, in writing, the owner of the property that the business is subject to Section 25507 and has complied with its provisions, and shall provide a copy of the business plan to the owner or the owner’s agent within five working days after receiving a request for a copy from the owner or the owner’s agent.
(Repealed and added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 715, Sec. 7. (SB 1261) Effective January 1, 2015.)
(a) Except as provided in this article, a business shall establish and implement a business plan for emergency response to a release or threatened release of a hazardous material in accordance with the standards prescribed in the regulations adopted pursuant to Section 25503 if the business meets any of the following conditions at any unified program facility:
(1) (A) It handles a hazardous material or a mixture containing a hazardous material that has a quantity at any one time during the reporting year that is equal to, or greater than, 55 gallons for materials that are liquids, 500 pounds for solids, or 200 cubic feet for compressed gas, as defined in subdivision (i) of Section 25501. The physical state and quantity present of mixtures shall be determined by the physical state of the mixture as a whole, not individual components, at standard temperature and pressure.
(2) It is required to submit chemical inventory information pursuant to Section 11022 of Title 42 of the United States Code.
(3) It handles at any one time during the reporting year an amount of a hazardous material that is equal to, or greater than the threshold planning quantity, under both of the following conditions:
(4) (A) It handles at any one time during the reporting year a total weight of 5,000 pounds for solids or a total volume of 550 gallons for liquids, if the hazardous material is a solid or liquid substance that is classified as a hazard for purposes of Section 5194 of Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations solely as an irritant or sensitizer, except as provided in subparagraph (B).
(B) If the hazardous material handled by the facility is a paint that will be recycled or otherwise managed under an architectural paint recovery program approved by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 48700) of Part 7 of Division 30 of the Public Resources Code, the business is required to establish and implement a business plan only if the business handles at any one time during the reporting year a total weight of 10,000 pounds of solid hazardous materials or a total volume of 1,000 gallons of liquid hazardous materials.
(5) It handles at any one time during the reporting year cryogenic, refrigerated, or compressed gas in a quantity of 1,000 cubic feet or more at standard temperature and pressure, if the gas is any of the following:
(6) It handles a radioactive material at any one time during the reporting year in quantities for which an emergency plan is required to be considered pursuant to Schedule C (Section 30.72) of Part 30 (commencing with Section 30.1), Part 40 (commencing with Section 40.1), or Part 70 (commencing with Section 70.1) of Chapter 1 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, or pursuant to any regulations adopted by the state in accordance with those regulations.
(7) It handles perchlorate material, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 25210.5, in a quantity at any one time during the reporting year that is equal to, or greater than, the thresholds listed in paragraph (1).
(8) (A) It handles a combustible metal or metal alloy that is defined as a pyrophoric or water-reactive material in the California Fire Code, in any quantity in raw stock, scrap, or powder form at any time during the reporting year.
(B) It handles a combustible metal, or metal alloy, that is defined as a combustible dust, flammable solid, or magnesium in the California Fire Code, in a quantity in raw stock, scrap, or powder form at any one time during the reporting year that is equal to, or greater than, 100 pounds.
(C) It handles a combustible metal, or metal alloy, that poses an explosive potential, when in molten form, in a quantity at any one time during the reporting year that is equal to, or greater than, 500 pounds.
(4) Both of the following, if the aggregate storage capacity of oil at the facility is less than 1,320 gallons and a spill prevention control and countermeasure plan is not required pursuant to Part 112 (commencing with Section 112.1) of Subchapter D of Chapter I of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(6) Propane that is for on-premises use, storage, or both, in an amount not to exceed 500 gallons, that is for the sole purpose of cooking, heating employee work areas, and heating water within that facility, unless the unified program agency finds, and provides notice to the business handling the propane, that the handling of the on-premises propane requires the submission of a business plan, or any portion of a business plan, in response to public health, safety, or environmental concerns.
(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 92, Sec. 142. (SB 1289) Effective January 1, 2019.)
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 715, Sec. 9. (SB 1261) Effective January 1, 2015.)
Except as specified in this section, unless required by a local ordinance, the unified program agency shall exempt a business from application of Sections 25506, 25507, 25508.2, and 25511 to an unstaffed facility located at least one-half mile from the nearest occupied structure if the facility is not otherwise subject to the requirements of applicable federal law, and all of the following requirements are met:
(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 452, Sec. 13. (SB 612) Effective January 1, 2016.)
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 715, Sec. 11. (SB 1261) Effective January 1, 2015.)
(c) Change of business or facility address.
(2) For the purpose of this subdivision, “substantial change” means any change in a facility that would inhibit immediate response during an emergency by either site personnel or emergency response personnel, or that could inhibit the handler’s ability to comply with Section 25507, change the operational knowledge of the facility, or impede implementation of the business plan.
(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 452, Sec. 14. (SB 612) Effective January 1, 2016.)
(Repealed and added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 715, Sec. 14. (SB 1261) Effective January 1, 2015.)
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 715, Sec. 15. (SB 1261) Effective January 1, 2015.)
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), the handler or an employee, authorized representative, agent, or designee of a handler, shall, upon discovery, immediately report any release or threatened release of a hazardous material, or an actual release of a hazardous substance, as defined in Section 374.8 of the Penal Code, to the UPA, and to the office, in accordance with the regulations adopted pursuant to this section. The handler or an employee, authorized representative, agent, or designee of the handler shall provide all state, city, or county fire or public health or safety personnel and emergency response personnel with access to the handler’s facilities.
(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 721, Sec. 9. (AB 2902) Effective January 1, 2019.)
25510.1.
(a) A business required to submit a followup emergency notice pursuant to Section 11004(c) of Title 42 of the United States Code shall submit the notice on a form approved by the office.
(b) The office may adopt guidelines for the use of the forms required by subdivision (a).
(Added by Stats. 2013, Ch. 419, Sec. 3. (SB 483) Effective January 1, 2014.)
25510.2.
In order to carry out the purposes of this chapter, a unified program agency may train for, and respond to, the release, or threatened release, of a hazardous material.
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 715, Sec. 17. (SB 1261) Effective January 1, 2015.)
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 715, Sec. 18. (SB 1261) Effective January 1, 2015.)
(a) As used in this section, “trade secret” means a trade secret as defined in either subdivision (d) of Section 6254.7 of the Government Code or Section 1061 of the Evidence Code.
(b) (1) If a business believes that the inventory required by this article involves the release of a trade secret, the business shall nevertheless provide this information to the unified program agency, and shall notify the unified program agency in writing of that belief on the inventory form.
(2) Subject to subdivisions (d) and (e), the unified program agency shall protect from disclosure any information designated as a trade secret by the business pursuant to paragraph (1).
(c) (1) Upon the receipt of a request for the release of information to the public that includes information that the business has notified the unified program agency is a trade secret pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b), the unified program agency shall notify the business in writing of the request by certified mail, return receipt requested.
(2) The unified program agency shall release the requested information to the public 30 days or more after the date of mailing to the business the notice of the request for information, unless, prior to the expiration of the 30-day period, the business files an action in an appropriate court for a declaratory judgment that the information is subject to protection under subdivision (b) or for an injunction prohibiting disclosure of the information to the public, and promptly notifies the unified program agency of that action.
(3) This subdivision does not permit a business to refuse to disclose the information required pursuant to this section to the unified program agency.
(d) Except as provided in subdivision (c), any information that has been designated as a trade secret by a business is confidential information for purposes of this section and shall not be disclosed to anyone except the following:
(1) An officer or employee of the county, city, state, or the United States, in connection with the official duties of that officer or employee under any law for the protection of health, or contractors with the county, city, or state and their employees if, in the opinion of the unified program agency, disclosure is necessary and required for the satisfactory performance of a contract, for performance of work, or to protect the health and safety of the employees of the contractor.
(2) A physician if the physician certifies in writing to the unified program agency that the information is necessary to the medical treatment of the physician’s patient.
(e) A physician who, by virtue of having obtained possession of, or access to, confidential information, and who, knowing that disclosure of the information to the general public is prohibited by this section, knowingly and willfully discloses the information in any manner to a person not entitled to receive it, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(f) An officer or employee of the county or city, or former officer or employee who, by virtue of that employment or official position, has possession of, or has access to, confidential information, and who, knowing that disclosure of the information to the general public is prohibited by this section, knowingly and willfully discloses the information in any manner to a person not entitled to receive it, is guilty of a misdemeanor. A contractor with the county or city and an employee of the contractor, who has been furnished information as authorized by this section, shall be considered an employee of the county or city for purposes of this section.
25512.1.
Notwithstanding Section 25512, information certified by appropriate officials of the United States as necessary to be kept secret for national defense purposes shall be accorded the full protections against disclosure as specified by those officials or in accordance with the laws of the United States.
(a) Each administering county or city may, upon a majority vote of the governing body, adopt a schedule of fees to be collected from each business required to submit a business plan pursuant to this article that is within its jurisdiction. The governing body may provide for the waiver of fees when a business, as defined in paragraph (3), (4), or (5) of subdivision (c) of Section 25501, submits a business plan. The fee shall be set in an amount sufficient to pay only those costs incurred by the unified program agency in carrying out this article. In determining the fee schedule, the unified program agency shall consider the volume and degree of hazard potential of the hazardous materials handled by the businesses subject to this article.
(b) A unified program agency shall not impose a fee upon a business that is implementing an architectural paint recovery program approved by the Department of Resources Recovery and Recycling pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 48700) of Part 7 of Division 30 of the Public Resources Code and that is exempt from the business plan requirements pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 25507, for the cost of processing that exemption.
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 744, Sec. 3. (AB 2748) Effective January 1, 2015.)
Notwithstanding any other law, a public entity shall not be held liable for any injury or damages resulting from an inadequate or negligent review of a business plan conducted pursuant to Section 25508.
25514.1.
(a) The submission of any information required under this article does not affect any other liability or responsibility of a business with regard to safeguarding the health and safety of an employee or any other person.
(b) Compliance with this article shall not be deemed to be compliance with the duty of care required of any business for purposes of any judicial or administrative proceeding conducted pursuant to any other provision of law.
25515.
(a) A business that violates Sections 25504 to 25508.2, inclusive, or Section 25511, shall be civilly liable to the unified program agency in an amount of not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000) for each day in which the violation occurs. If the violation results in, or significantly contributes to, an emergency, including a fire, the business shall also be assessed the full cost of the county or city emergency response, as well as the cost of cleaning up and disposing of the hazardous materials.
(b) A business that knowingly violates Sections 25504 to 25508.2, inclusive, or Section 25510.1, after reasonable notice of the violation shall be civilly liable to the unified program agency in an amount not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) for each day in which the violation occurs.
25515.1.
A person that knowingly violates Sections 25504 to 25508.2, inclusive, or Section 25510.1, after reasonable notice of the violation, is, upon conviction, guilty of a misdemeanor. This section does not preempt any other applicable criminal or civil penalties.
25515.2.
(a) Notwithstanding Section 25515, a business that violates this article is liable to a unified program agency for an administrative penalty not greater than two thousand dollars ($2,000) for each day in which the violation occurs. If the violation results in, or significantly contributes to, an emergency, including a fire or health or medical problem requiring toxicological, health, or medical consultation, the business shall also be assessed the full cost of the county, city, fire district, local EMS agency designated pursuant to Section 1797.200, or poison control center as defined by Section 1797.97, emergency response, as well as the cost of cleaning up and disposing of the hazardous materials.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 25515, a business that knowingly violates this article after reasonable notice of the violation is liable for an administrative penalty, not greater than five thousand dollars ($5,000) for each day in which the violation occurs.
(c) When a unified program agency issues an enforcement order or assesses an administrative penalty, or both, for a violation of this article, the unified program agency shall utilize the administrative enforcement procedures, including the hearing procedures, specified in Sections 25404.1.1 and 25404.1.2.
25515.3.
(a) A person or business that violates Section 25510 shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) for each day of violation, by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, or by both the fine and imprisonment. If the conviction is for a violation committed after a first conviction under this section, the person shall be punished by a fine of not less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) or more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) per day of violation, by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for 16, 20, or 24 months or in a county jail for not more than one year, or by both the fine and imprisonment. Furthermore, if the violation results in, or significantly contributes to, an emergency, including a fire, to which the county or city is required to respond, the person shall also be assessed the full cost of the county or city emergency response, as well as the cost of cleaning up and disposing of the hazardous materials.
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a person who knowingly fails to report, pursuant to Section 25510, an oil spill occurring in waters of the state, other than marine waters, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a person who knowingly makes a false or misleading report on an oil spill occurring in waters of the state, other than marine waters, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
(d) This section does not preclude prosecution or sentencing under other provisions of law.
25515.4.
A person who willfully prevents, interferes with, or attempts to impede the enforcement of this article by any authorized representative of a unified program agency is, upon conviction, guilty of a misdemeanor.
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 715, Sec. 19. (SB 1261) Effective January 1, 2015.)
25515.6.
(a) If the unified program agency determines that a business has engaged in, is engaged in, or is about to engage in acts or practices that constitute or will constitute a violation of this article or a regulation or order adopted or issued pursuant to this article, and when requested by the unified program agency, the city attorney of the city or the district attorney of the county in which those acts or practices have occurred, are occurring, or will occur shall apply to the superior court for an order enjoining the acts or practices for an order directing compliance, and, upon a showing that the person or business has engaged in, is engaged in, or is about to engage in the acts or practices, a permanent or temporary injunction, restraining order, or other appropriate order may be granted.
(b) This section does not prohibit a city attorney or district attorney from seeking the same relief upon the city attorney’s or district attorney’s own motion.
25515.7.
Every civil action brought under this article or Article 2 (commencing with Section 25531) shall be brought by the city attorney, district attorney, or Attorney General in the name of the people of the State of California, and any actions relating to the same violation may be joined or consolidated.
25515.8.
(a) In a civil action brought pursuant to this article or Article 2 (commencing with Section 25531) in which a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, or permanent injunction is sought, it is not necessary to allege or prove at any stage of the proceeding any of the following:
(1) Irreparable damage will occur should the temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, or permanent injunction not be issued.
(2) The remedy at law is inadequate.
(b) The court shall issue a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, or permanent injunction in a civil action brought pursuant to this article or Article 2 (commencing with Section 25531) without the allegations and without the proof specified in subdivision (a).
(a) A person who provides information that materially contributes to the imposition of a civil penalty, whether by settlement or court order, under Section 25515 or 25515.2, as determined by the city attorney, district attorney, or the Attorney General filing the action, shall be paid a reward by the unified program agency or the state equal to 10 percent of the amount of the civil penalty collected. The reward shall be paid from the amount of the civil penalty collected. No reward paid pursuant to this subdivision shall exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000).
(b) A person who provides information that materially contributes to the conviction of a person or business under Section 25515.1 or 25515.3, as determined by the city attorney, district attorney, or the Attorney General filing the action, shall be paid a reward by the unified program agency or the state equal to 10 percent of the amount of the fine collected. The reward shall be paid from the amount of the fine collected. No reward paid pursuant to this subdivision shall exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000).
(c) An informant shall not be eligible for a reward for a violation known to the unified program agency, unless the information materially contributes to the imposition of criminal or civil penalties for a violation specified in this section.
(d) If there is more than one informant for a single violation, the person making the first notification received by the office which brought the action shall be eligible for the reward, except that, if the notifications are postmarked on the same day or telephoned notifications are received on the same day, the reward shall be divided equally among those informants.
(e) Public officers and employees of the United States, the State of California, or counties and cities in this state are not eligible for the reward pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b), unless the providing of the information does not relate in any manner to their responsibilities as public officers or employees.
(f) An informant who is an employee of a business and who provides information that the business has violated this chapter is not eligible for a reward if the employee intentionally or negligently caused the violation or if the employee’s primary and regular responsibilities included investigating the violation, unless the business knowingly caused the violation.
(g) The unified program agency or the state shall pay rewards under this section pursuant to the following procedures:
(1) An application shall be signed by the informant and presented to the unified program agency or the state within 60 days after a final judgment has been entered or the period for an appeal of a judgment has expired.
(2) The determination by the district attorney, city attorney, or Attorney General as to whether the information provided by the applicant materially contributed to the imposition of a judgment under Section 25515.1 or 25515.3 shall be final.
(3) The unified program agency or the state shall notify the applicant in writing of its decision to grant or deny a reward within a reasonable time period following the filing of an application.
(4) Approved reward claims shall be paid by the unified program agency or the state within 30 days of the collection and deposit of the penalties specified in subdivisions (a) and (b).
(h) The names of reward applicants or informants shall not be disclosed by the unified program agency or the state unless the names are otherwise publicly disclosed as part of a judicial proceeding.
(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, rewards paid by the state shall only be paid after appropriation by the Legislature.
25517.
The office may develop materials, including guidelines and informational pamphlets, to assist businesses to fulfill their obligations under this article.
25518.
This article shall be construed liberally so as to accomplish the intent of the Legislature in protecting the public health, safety, and the environment.
If any provision of this article or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this article that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to that end the provisions of this article are severable.