CalARP Public Notice

Within 15 calendar days after the CUPA determines that a Risk Management Plan (RMP) is complete, the CUPA shall make the RMP available to the public for review and comment by publishing a notice on the CUPA's website for at least 45 calendar days.  The notice shall briefly describe the RMP and state the location where the RMP may be reviewed in person. 

Click Public Notices to see which RMPs are currently available for review.

Please note that that Public RMP reviews must be conducted in-person at the Monterey County Environmental Health Bureau's main office by appointment only. To schedule an appointment to review one or more of the listed RMPs, please contact the assigned CalARP inspector.  RMP review appointments are available Monday through Friday between 9:00 AM and 3:30 PM.  Be advised that all visitors must show valid photo identification upon arrival and/or upon request (i.e., driver's license or other state photo identify cards issued by the DMV or equivalent or U.S. passport/passport card).

As noted above, please direct any questions and/or requests to:

Donn Poticar, REHS III/CalARP Program Inspector
Monterey County Environmental Health Bureau
Hazardous Material Management Services 
1270 Natividad Rd, Salinas, Ca 93906
poticarp@co.monterey.ca.us
Phone: 831-755-4723

California Accidental Release Prevention Program (CalARP)

Accidental Release Prevention laws were passed by both the Federal and State governments to help prevent accidental releases of extremely hazardous chemicals from impacting surrounding communities. Extremely hazardous chemicals (termed “regulated substances”) include anhydrous ammonia, chlorine gas, sulfur dioxide, methyl bromide and a number of pesticides.

Under the new Cal-ARP regulations, businesses that handle certain extremely hazardous chemicals (regulated substances) may need to complete and submit a Risk Management Plan (RMP) to the Monterey County Environmental Health Bureau.

Facilities must submit an RMP if they handle a Federal Regulated Substance in amounts greater than federal threshold quantities OR if they handle a State Regulated Substance in amounts greater than the state threshold quantities AND have been determined to present a significant likelihood of a regulated substance accident risk. This determination of significant risk will be performed by the Monterey County Environmental Health Bureau and will evaluate the following risk factors:

• Physical State of Chemical (solid, liquid or gas)
• Toxicity of Chemical
• Amount of Chemical in Process
• Process temperatures and pressures
• Distance of facility to public receptors, especially sensitive receptors such as schools and hospitals.

Facilities determined to pose a significant regulated substance accident risk will be notified by the Monterey County Environmental Health Bureau and will be given one year to complete and submit a RMP. The Risk Management Plan is a detailed engineering analysis of:

• The potential accident factors present at a business and
• The mitigation measures that can be implemented to reduce this accident potential

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