​Upcoming SERC Events

Click on any event shown below to view details and to download any associated files.

Introduction

The federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) contains specific directives for state governments for the implementation of EPCRA at the state level.  The EPCRA program as it applies to California was promulgated in the state Health and Safety Code, Title 19, and in Executive Orders.  The federal EPCRA program is implemented and administered in California by the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), a State Emergency Response Commission (SERC), six Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs), and 83 Unified Program Agencies (UPAs). Cal OES provides staff support to the SERC and the LEPCs.

The SERC directives and membership are specified in Executive Order W-40-93.

The California SERC (also known as the Chemical Emergency Planning and Response Commission (CEPRC)) oversees implementation of EPCRA in California through the following responsibilities:

• By establishing the emergency planning districts the same as the Cal OES Mutual Aid Regions.
• Appointing 6 LEPCs one for each planning district and supervising and coordinating their activities.
• Establishing procedures for receiving and processing requests from the public for hazardous materials information, as administered by Cal OES and UPAs.
• Receiving disclosure notification from facilities handling hazardous materials when they are subject to EPCRA requirements, as administered by Cal OES and UPAs. Click on the following link for Spill Notification information.
• Notifying the U.S. EPA Administrator of facilities subject to EPCRA requirements, as administered by Cal OES.
• Reviewing emergency response plans and make recommendations necessary to ensure coordination with emergency response plans of other emergency planning jurisdictions, as administered by Cal OES. 

 The SERC Chair is the Director of Cal OES: The SERC address is:

State Emergency Response Commission
c/o California Governor's Office of Emergency Services
Hazardous Materials Section
3650 Schriever Avenue
Mather, CA  95655

(916) 845-8798

The SERC Mission is to coordinate and supervise implementation of EPCRA within California including federal programs to prevent, mitigate, and enhance response to hazardous material emergencies and ensure public availability of appropriate chemical information as prescribed by law.

SDS/Tier II

The federal equivalent to the Business Plan program is the EPCRA 311/312 reporting requirements. Owners and operators are required to prepare and have available Safety Data Sheets (SDS) under the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard and must submit an inventory of their hazardous chemicals to the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC), Local Emergency Preparedness Committee (LEPC), and the local fire department annually on March 1st. This requirement is achieved through compliance with the Business Plan program. Contact your local CUPA for compliance and questions.

SERC Contact Information

Fred Mehr, Environmental Scientist

Hazardous Materials Section

Phone: (916) 845-8754 / FAX: (916) 845-8734

fred.mehr@caloes.ca.gov  

​SERC Documents

​Laws & Regulations

State Statute: Health and Safety Code, Chapter 6.95, Article 1

State Regulation: Title 19, California Code of Regulations, Section 2720 et. seq.

Federal: United States Code, Title 42, Section 11001 et. seq.

​Related Websites