California Accidental Release Prevention (CalARP)

Regulated substances are chemicals that pose a major threat to public health and safety or the environment because they are highly toxic, flammable or explosive. Some businesses in San Mateo County store or handle regulated substances during the course of their work.

Examples of regulated substances are:

• Ammonia
• Chlorine gas
• Hydrogen
• Nitric acid
• Propane

Contact Environmental Health Services at 650-372-6200 to discuss the regulated substances, their respective threshold quantities and to determine if a Risk Management Plan (RMP) must be completed.

Prior to submitting an RMP, businesses must complete a CalARP Program registration form and submit it to Environmental Health Services. After you register the regulated substance, you will need to prepare and submit an RMP within the allotted time frame.

Risk Management Plans

Subject businesses, also referred to as stationary sources, must develop an RMP to prevent or minimize an accidental release of a regulated substance. The RMP requires that businesses develop and maintain emergency response procedures to be implemented if a release of a regulated substance occurs.

RMPs describe potential off-site consequences to public and environmental receptors such as schools, residential areas, hospitals, and elderly and childcare facilities.

RMPs must include procedures for:

• Proper storage and handling of regulated substances.
• Training staff.
• Operating and maintaining process equipment.
• Inspections to determine that regulated substances are stored safely.
• Emergency response to an accidental release.

Submitting a Risk Management Plan

1. If the regulated substance you handle exceeds the threshold quantity on either federal table, your business should have submitted an RMP by June 21, 1999. If an RMP was not submitted by this date and one was required, contact Environmental Health Services to discuss your options for completing a RMP.
2. If your business handles a regulated substance that exceeds the threshold quantity on the state table, you must submit an RMP upon request by Environmental Health Services.
3. Businesses that are proposing to modify their processes with a regulated substance above the threshold quantity are required to notify Environmental Health Services to determine whether or not the RMP should be revised.

For more information on the CalARP Program, call Environmental Health Services at 650-372-6200 or the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) at 916-845-8510, or visit the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services website.

Risk Management Plan Public Review Notice

The CalARP Program stationary source listed below submitted an RMP that was reviewed by this agency and determined to be complete. The RMP for each listed stationary source is available to the public during a 45-day public review and comment period following the public notice date.

The RMP can be reviewed upon request at Environmental Health Services located at 2000 Alameda de Las Pulgas, Suite 100, San Mateo, CA  94403. If you are interested in reviewing and commenting on an RMP during the 45-day period, please submit a written request to the address referenced above or contact our agency at 650-372-6200. The CalARP Program Specialist will assist you during the review process and is the contact for submitting comments.​