California Accidental Release Prevention Program (CalARP)

The California Accidental Release Prevention Program (CalARP was adapted from the Federal Accidental Release Program established by the Clean Air Act Section 112 (r) and modified to meet California's needs. This program requires any business that handles more than threshold quantities of a Regulated Substance (RS) to develop a Risk Management Plan (RMP). The RMP is implemented by the business to prevent or mitigate releases of regulated substances that could have off-site consequences.

Regulated Substances and their threshold quantities can be found in California Code of Regulations, Title 19 in the following tables:

• Table 1: Federal Regulated Substances List
• Table 2: Federal Flammable Regulated Substances List
• Table 3: State Regulated Substances List

Public Notice – Risk Management Plan

A Risk Management Plan (RMP) is required when a facility uses a CalARP listed regulated substance in excess of a threshold quantity. Upon submission of an RMP (new RMP or 5-Year RMP Update), the Burbank Fire Department (BFD) will review the plan and determine if any deficiencies are present. The facility has 60 days to respond and correct the deficiencies. Once the deficiencies (if any) are corrected, BFD posts a public notice indicating that the RMP is complete. Once posted, BFD will make the RMP available at our office for public review and comment for 45 days. After the 45-day review period, BFD will conduct a final evaluation of the RMP in which any public comments made are considered.

This notice is issued as part of the public review process for RMPs, in accordance with the California Code of Regulations, Title 19 Division 2 Chapter 4.5 Article 3 Section 2745.2.

CalARP Requirements

• The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) is responsible for implementing State Regulations. Visit their website for State Laws and Regulations and useful links.
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the federal agency responsible for implementing federal regulations. This website provides general and technical guidance documents.

Differences between the Federal EPA RMP Program and California’s CalARP Program

The EPA's Risk Management Program regulates facilities that have a greater than a threshold quantity of a regulated substance in a process (see the link to the tables above). The regulated substances that are listed in the Risk Management Program include 77 toxic chemicals and 63 flammable substances. A Federally regulated RMP site must have a plan that includes a Hazard Assessment, Prevention Elements, a Management System, and an Emergency Response Program. The Hazard Assessment includes "worst case scenarios," "alternate release scenarios," and an accident history. The Prevention Elements are elements that are in place to prevent an accidental release, such as operating procedures, mechanical integrity, training, incident investigation, and managing change that may occur in the processes are similar to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Process Safety Management elements. These facilities are also required to have an emergency response program, including an emergency response plan. These sites are required to develop and submit (electronically) to the EPA.

California replaced the Risk Management and Prevention Program with the California Accidental Release Prevention (CalARP) Program on January 1, 1997. The CalARP Program is very similar to the EPA's Risk Management Program with the following differences:

• The list of toxic chemicals is larger 276 vs. 77
• The threshold quantities of the chemicals is smaller (e.g., chlorine federal threshold quantity is 2500 pounds vs. California's threshold quantity is 100 pounds)
• Requires an external events analysis be performed, including a seismic analysis
• More interaction with the public and agencies, including a Risk Management Plan