CALIFORNIA ACCIDENTAL RELEASE PREVENTION PROGRAM (CalARP)

1990
Federal Clean Air Act amended. Section 112(r) set forth requirement for EPA to develop regulations to address accidental release of hazardous chemicals.

January, 1994
EPA promulgates initial implementing regulations with 3 year stay for specific requirements. Set forth list of substances and threshold quantities for applicability.

June, 1996
EPA amends implementing regulations to include specific requirements for accidental release of hazardous chemicals. 

June, 1997
California Office of Emergency Services (OES) adopts emergency regulations to implement federal regulations concerning accidental release of hazardous chemicals. These regulations are known as the California Accidental Release Prevention Program (CalARP).

June 21, 1999
Risk Management Plans are due to Administering Agencies.

KEY ISSUES

Applicability
Regulations apply to a stationary source that has more than the "threshold quantity" of a listed substance. Threshold quantities include propane at 10,000 pounds (2,381 gallons) and ammonia (anhydrous) at 10,000 pounds.

Administering Agencies (AA)
The Administering Agencies responsible for administering the CalARP Program at the local level will be the individual Certified Unified Permitting Agencies (CUPAs), in most cases the individual counties.

Existing Requirements 

There are already in place many existing requirements for propane storage. There are requirements for structure and design from the local fire districts, and building requirements from the counties. There are also existing requirements for hazardous materials emergency response plans (business plans).

Eligibility

Program 1:  

-5 years with no accidental release, over pressure, or explosion resulting in death, injury, or response to exposure to an environmental receptor.
- Distance to toxic or flammable endpoint is less than the distance to public receptor.
- Emergency response coordinated between stationary source and local emergency planning and response agencies.

Program 2:

 - If you can't meet above requirements.

CalARP Requirements:

Program 1:

-Analyze worst-case release scenario and submit in RMP
- Submit 5 year accident history
- Coordinate emergency response with local agencies
- certification

Program 2:

-Develop and implement management system
- Conduct Hazard Assessment
-Implement Program 2 Prevention Steps
- Develop and Implement Emergency Response Program


1990 Clean Air Act Amendments

Section 112(r)(1) Purpose and General Duty:
It shall be the objective of the regulations and programs authorized under this subsection to prevent and to minimize the consequences of any such release of any substance listed pursuant to paragraph (3) or any other extremely hazardous substances. The owners and operators of stationary sources producing, processing, handling, or storing such substances have a general duty in the same manner and to the same extent as section 654, title 29, of the United States Code, to identify hazards which may result from such releases using appropriate hazard assessment techniques, to design and maintain a safe facility taking such steps as are necessary to prevent releases, and to minimize the consequences of accidental releases which do occur.

Definitions:

Accidental Release:
Means an unanticipated emission of a regulated substance or other extremely hazardous substance into the ambient air from a stationary source.

Stationary Source:
Means any buildings, structures, equipment, installations or substances emitting stationary activities (i) which belong to the same industrial group, (ii) which are located on one or more contiguous properties, (iii) which are under the control of the same person (or person under common control), and (iv) from which an accidental release may occur.

IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS

Federal - 40 CFR Part 68 - Chemical Accident Prevention Practices

State - Title 19, Division 2, Chapter 4.5, California Accidental Release Prevention Program (CalARP)

 

 

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