Section 25500.  


Latest version.
  • The Legislature declares that, in order to protect the public health and safety and the environment, it is necessary to establish business and area plans relating to the handling and release or threatened release of hazardous materials. The establishment of minimum statewide standards for these plans is a statewide concern. Basic information on the location, type, quantity, and the health risks of hazardous materials handled, used, stored, or disposed of in the state, which could be accidently released into the environment, is not now available to firefighters, health officials, planners, public safety officers, health care providers, regulatory agencies, and other interested persons. The information provided by business and area plans is necessary in order to prevent or mitigate the damage to the health and safety of persons and the environment from the release or threatened release of hazardous materials into the workplace and environment.

    The Legislature further finds and declares that this chapter does not occupy the whole area of regulating the inventorying of hazardous materials and the preparation of hazardous materials response plans by businesses and the Legislature does not intend to preempt any local actions, ordinances, or regulations which impose additional or more stringent requirements on businesses which handle hazardous materials. Thus, in enacting this chapter, it is not the intent of the Legislature to preempt or otherwise nullify any other statute or local ordinances containing the same or greater standards and protections.

(Added by Stats. 1985, Ch. 1167, Sec. 1.)