The Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is one of five state organizations involved in overseeing the Unified Program. California’s Secretary for Environmental Protection established the unified hazardous materials and hazardous waste regulatory program as required by chapter 6.11 of the California Health and Safety Code. The Unified Program consolidates the administration, permits, inspections, and enforcement activities of the following six programs:

• Hazardous Materials Release Response Plan and Inventory (HMRRP or Business Plan)
• California Accidental Release Prevention (CalARP)
• Underground Storage Tank (UST)
• Aboveground Petrolium Storage Act (APSA)
• Hazardous Waste Generator and Onsite Hazardous Waste Treatment (Tiered Permitting)
• California Fire Code: Hazardous Materials Management Plans (HMMP) and Hazardous Materials Inventory Statements (HMIS)

The local Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) is required to consolidate, coordinate, and make consistent the administrative requirements, permits, fee structures, and inspection and enforcement activities for these six program elements within its jurisdiction. Most CUPAs have been established as a function of a local environmental health or fire department. The Unified Program is implemented at the local level by 83 government agencies certified by the Secretary for Environmental Protection.

The state agency partners involved in the Unified Program have the responsibility of setting program element standards, working with the California Environmental Protection Agency on ensuring program consistency and providing technical assistance to the Unified Program Agencies. The Office of the State Fire Marshal is responsible for ensuring the implementation of the California Fire Code HMMP/HMIS program element. The HMMP/HMIS program ties in closely with the HMRRP (Business Plan) program.

• CUPA Evaluations
• Laws and Regulations: Hazardous Materials Management Plan (HMMP) and Hazardous Materials Inventory Statement (HMIS)

For more information contact Jennifer Lorenzo by email at jennifer.lorenzo@fire.ca.gov or by phone at (916) 324-0232.