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Spill Release Reporting

HAZMAT SPILL NOTIFICATIONS CALL THE STATE WARNING CENTER 1-800-852-7550

In California, any significant release or threatened release of a hazardous material requires immediate reporting by the responsible person to the Cal OES State Warning Center (800) 852-7550 and the Unified Program Agency (UPA) or 911. The UPA may designate a call to 911 as meeting the requirement to call them.

View contact information for your jurisdiction’s UPA by searching the entire Directory or UPA Listing sorted by County.

Notifying the State Warning Center (800) 852-7550 and the UPA or 911 constitutes compliance with the requirements of section 11004 of title 42 of the United States Code regarding verbal notification of the SERC and LEPC (California Code of Regulations, Title 19 Section 2631 (e).

Introduction

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensations, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and California law require responsible parties to report hazardous material releases if certain criteria is met.

CERCLA requires that all releases of hazardous substances (including radionuclides) exceeding reportable quantities be reported by the responsible party to the National Response Center (800) 424-8802. Additionally, CERCLA provides a reduced reporting requirement for continuous releases of hazardous substances that exceed the Reportable Quantity (RQ). Notification of continuous releases that equal or exceed the RQ need only be given once, with one follow-up report on the first anniversary of the initial report, following the continuous release reporting process. Thereafter only “statistically significant increases” need be reported. The purpose of the continuous release mechanism is to reduce unnecessary release notifications for releases of hazardous substances.

If an accidental chemical release exceeds the EPCRA applicable minimal reportable quantity, the facility must notify State Emergency Response Commissions (SERCs) and Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) for any area likely to be affected by the release and the National Response Center (800) 424-8802, and provide a detailed written follow-up as soon as practicable.  Information about accidental chemical releases must be made available to the public.

​Spill Release / Reporting Essential Documents

Listed below are various guidance documents available for download that will enhance your knowledge regarding spill notification and the types of releases that are reportable. View the Spill Reporting Database.

HazMat – Spill Release Reporting

Written Reporting of Emergency Releases (304 Form)
Written Reporting of Emergency Release Follow-Up Form (Section 304). Also includes basic instructions and where to send it once completed – April 2017
Cal OES Spill Release Reporting Notification Guidance
Publication created by Cal OES summarizing pertinent emergency notification requirements for significant or threatened releases of hazardous materials – February 2014
Petroleum Fact Sheet
Information about reporting Petroleum Spills/Releases. Updated December 2018.
Release Reporting Matrix
This matrix summarizes pertinent emergency notification requirements. Updated December 2018
Release_Reporting_Proposed_Regulations_04142021
*** 3RD DRAFT (May 05, 2021) AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW ***. Contact Jack Harrah (916) 845-8759 or jack.harrah@pfwt.caloes.ca.gov if you have any comments about this proposed regulation amendment.
Release Reporting Proposed Regulations Powerpoint 06162021
Release Reporting Proposed Regulations Powerpoint 06162021
Sewage Fact Sheet
Information about reporting Sewage Spills/Releases. Updated December 2018.
Summary of Spill Release Laws and Regulations
Consolidation of legal requirements for the immediate verbal notification and written follow-up reporting of hazardous material spills/releases within California (as related to Health and Safety Code 25510. Updated February 2014

Spill Release Archive Files

This section contains spreadsheet files that list all spills called in to the Cal OES Warning Center for a specific year. For greatest compatibility, these files have been saved in Microsoft Excel “97-2003 (xls)” format.

*** These files are updated/uploaded on a monthly basis. ***

 

HazMat – Spill Release Reporting Archive

2022 – HazMat Spill Reports Data through 8/2/2022
2021 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2021 – HazMat Spill Reports
2020 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2020 – HazMat Spill Reports
2019 – Hazmat Spill Reports Data
2019 – Hazmat Spill Reports
2018 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2018 – HazMat Spill Reports
2017 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2017 – HazMat Spill Reports
2016 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2016 – HazMat Spill Reports
2015 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2015 – HazMat Spill Reports
2014 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2014 – HazMat Spill Reports
2013 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2013 – HazMat Spill Reports
2012 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2012 – HazMat Spill Reports
2011 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2011 – HazMat Spill Reports
2010 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2010 – HazMat Spill Reports
2009 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2009 – HazMat Spill Reports
2008 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2008 – HazMat Spill Reports
2007 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2007 – HazMat Spill Reports
2006 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2006 – HazMat Spill Reports
2005 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2005 – HazMat Spill Reports
2004 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2004 – HazMat Spill Reports
2003 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2003 – HazMat Spill Reports
2002 – Hazmat Spill Reports Data
2002 – Hazmat Spill Reports
2001 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2001 – HazMat Spill Reports
2000 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
2000 – HazMat Spill Reports
1999 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
1999 – HazMat Spill Reports
1998 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
1998 – HazMat Spill Reports
1997 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
1997 – HazMat Spill Reports
1996 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
1996 – HazMat Spill Reports
1995 – HazMat Spill Reports Data
1995 – HazMat Spill Reports
1994 – HazMat Spill Reports Data

​Laws and Regulations

Listed below are the State and Federal Laws and Regulations that affect Spill Release / Reporting:

State Statute: Health and Safety Code Section 25510

State Regulation: Title 19, California Code of Regulations, Division 2, Chapter 4, Article 2

Federal Statute: United States Code, Title 42, Section 9602, 9603, and 11004

Federal Regulation: Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 302 and 355