Senate Bill 1082 of 1993 required the Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) to establish a “unified hazardous waste and hazardous materials management” regulatory program (Unified Program) by January 1, 1996. The Unified Program consolidates, coordinates, and makes consistent the following six existing programs:
- Hazardous Materials Release Response Plans and Inventories (Business Plans),
- California Accidental Release Prevention (CalARP) Program,
- Underground Storage Tank Program,
- Aboveground Petroleum Storage Act (APSA) Program,
- Hazardous Waste Generator and Onsite Hazardous Waste Treatment (tiered permitting) Programs,
- California Fire Code: Hazardous Material Management Plans and Hazardous Material Inventory Statements.
The Calaveras County Environmental Health Department has been certified by Cal/EPA to implement the Unified program as a Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA). As a CUPA, the Department must establish a program that consolidates, coordinates, and makes consistent the administrative requirements, permits, inspection activities, enforcement activities, and hazardous waste and hazardous materials fees. The implementation of the Unified Program must not result in more fragmentation between jurisdictions than existed before the Unified Program, and the Unified Program must be consistent throughout the entire county.