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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 01211997 - P2 T f P.2 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA DATE: January 21, 1997 MATTER OF RECORD -------------------------------------------------------=------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------- SUBJECT: Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) Presentation On this date the Board of Supervisors heard a presentation by the Health Services Director on Contra Costa County's Health Services Department designation as the Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) for the Hazardous Materials Program. THIS IS A MATTER FOR RECORD PURPOSES ONLY NO BOARD ACTION TAKEN Contra Costa County The Board of Supervisors HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR Jim Rogers, 1st District William B.Walker, M.D. Jeff Smith,2nd DistrictsDirector&Health Officer Gayle Bishop,3rd District Mark DeSaulnier,4th District 20 Allen Street Tom Torlakson,5th District — Martinez,California 94553-3191 County Administrator ` - --- ` (510)370-5003 '"°" "n FAX(510)370-5099 Phil Batchelor 9 N ~ County Administrator rA cotizi`� January 9,1997 MEMO TO: Board of Supervisors FROM: William B. Walker, M.D. 0 1-7 Director RE: Award of"Certified Unified Program Agency" (CUPA) Status to the Health Services Department On January 2, 1997, I received notice from Cal/EPA Secretary Jim Strock that he had certified the health department as the Certified Unified Program Agency, or"CUPA," for the entire county. CUPAs were created by SB 1082 (Calderon)to consolidate management of six hazardous materials programs under one agency at the local level, beginning January 1, 1997. Though we already administered the programs here, two other jurisdictions in the county also applied for CUPA status in their areas (the City of Richmond and the San Ramon Valley Fire District). We were gratified by the support our application received from many local businesses and organizations. Countywide certification of our department as the sole CUPA here was one of my highest priorities for 1996. In awarding us sole CUPA status, Secretary Strock recognized the vital role our department has always played in overseeing hazardous materials use for the whole county. Creating additional CUPAs would have fragmented our program, thwarted the economies of scale we have achieved, and reduced our ability to provide a high level of service and emergency response capability. Moreover, such fragmentation would have run counter to the unifying role we have played in helping to develop the countywide Community Warning System, which we will soon be taking over from the Community Awareness and Emergency Response (CAER) organization. As the countywide CUPA, we will continue to regulate over 2,000 businesses that use hazardous materials. We have a"community right-to-know" data base of hazardous materials stored in the county; emergency response plans for each business that stores those materials; records of hazardous materials releases; and other information pertinent to the health and safety of county residents and others who work in the county. This information is available to other agencies and the public. Merrithew Memorial Hospital&Health Centers • Public Health • Mental Health • Substance Abuse • Environmental Health Contra Costa Health Plan • Emergency Medical Services • Home Health Agency • Geriatrics A-345 (1/96) page 2 Board of Supervisors, January 9, 1997 As Health Officer for the county, I and my deputy health officers are on call 24 hours a day, every day, to respond with the Incident Response Team as needed to deal with the health impact of a hazardous material release. The unity of that response will now be preserved. Lastly, CUPA certification preserves the integrity of our nationally-recognized Risk Management and Prevention Program. We have provided detailed comments to USEPA in their development of national regulations for a new federal Risk Managment Program, and took a leadership role in the drafting of state legislation to implement the federal program here while preserving the more health-protective aspects of California's existing laws. The six programs encompassed by the new Unified Program include regulation of: o businesses that generate and treat hazardous waste; o underground storage tanks (such as those that store gasoline); o aboveground tanks; o hazardous materials release response plans and inventories of stored materials; o hazardous materials management plans covered by the Uniform Fire Code; o the Risk Management Plan Program, which addresses safety at facilities using large amounts of acutely hazardous materials. 11:54 *EHLTH SERVICES-ADtIIN S10 :370 5099 P.oi'f03 Health Services Department ,' � -E ' OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR Administrative Offices 20 Allen Streat Martinez,California 94653-3191 R Phone: (SIO) Fax: (510)370-5098 K Priority: Pnhone:(510) 370-5022 ,ROULirle' Fax:(510) 370-5098 Confirmation: T-L-LEX-0-PAL N.5-M I I COVER SHEET Date: January 3, 1997 Number of pages (including cover sheet.) -3- To: PUBLIC NOTICE DISTRIBUTION (Amended Agenda) CCTV 83-1185 Contra Costa Times 933-0239 Brentwood Bee 634-0193 Daily Ledger-Post Dispatch 706-2305 West county Times 1 262-2776 Concord TV Cable 01.1.19 686-1257 TCT Contra Costa CH.19 228-9691 Viacom CH.30 462-1540 City of Richmond CH„1.0 620-6713 TC.1 East County CH.19 634-9609 TCI Walnut Creek 04.6 933-3195 Clerk of the Roard 86-1059 Bay Vision/East 524-3035 Bay City News Service 415-552-8912 S.F. Chronicle 372-8103 Oakland Triburte 208-6477 Martiners News Gazette 707--557-6380 Valley Times 847-2117 San Ramon Vailey Times 837-4334 cc: Lew Pascalli Claude Van Marter Contra Costa County JAN-03-1997 11:55 01EALTH SERO I CES-ADM I N 0 510 370 5099 P.02/03 Health Services Department OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR Administrative Offices 20 Allen Street Martinez, to 94SS3.3191 Phone: (510) Fax: (510)370-5098 7C T_1 FOR D-UVIEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: LEW PASCALLI JANUARY 2, 1997 Deputy Director for Hazardous Materials (510) 646-2286 State Awards Health Services Department "Unified Agency" Status for Hazardous Materials Programs Throughout the County Cal/EPA Secretary James M, Strock today announced certification of the Health Services Department as the only agency in Contra Costa County authorized to administer the state's new Unified Hazardous Waste and Hazardous.Materials Management Regulatory Program here. The program, created by state law to consolidate and coordinate six existing programs, went into effect on January 1, 1997. Certification was hotly contested- Other local jurisdictions in the county had applied to run the programs in their areas. The six programs encompassed by the new Unified Program include regulation of 0 businesses that generate and treat hazardous waste; 0 underground storage tanks(such as those that store gasoline); 0 aboveground tanks; A-345A 14/92) Contra Costa County .TAN—O3-199" 11:55 WEALTH SERV I CIES—ADMIN • 51E :3717J 5099 F.03/03 page 2 Press release,Contra Costa Health SenTices Department o hazardous materials release response plans and inventories of stored materials; o hazardous materials management plans covered by the Uniform Fire Code; o the Risk Management Plan Program, which addresses safety at facilities using large amounts of acutely hazardous materials. "We're gratified that Secretary Strock has recognized the vital role our health department has always played in overseeing hazardous materials use for the whole county," said Dr. William Walker, Health Services Department Director. "Unlike some other counties, we have always been responsible for the Unifted Program elements. That's enabled us to build special services like the county-wide Community Alert Network and help develop the Community Warning System." The health department regulates over 2,000 businesses under the Unified Program. As a result, the department also has a complete data base of hazardous materials stored in the county, emergency response plans for each business that uses hazardous materials, records of hazardous materials releases, and other"community right to know" information available on request. Lew Pascalli, Deputy Director for Hazardous Materials, said, "Our extensive experience, the high-level credentials of our staff, and the support our application received from local businesses and organizations made this a logical choice for the Secretary." TOTAL F.X13