3960 Department of Toxic Substances Control
Program Descriptions

12 - SITE MITIGATION AND BROWNFIELDS REUSE

This program implements the state's site cleanup laws and the federal Superfund program. The program currently oversees approximately 1,000 hazardous substances release site investigations and cleanups, and monitors long-term operations and maintenance activities at approximately 200 sites where the cleanup process has been completed. Additionally, DTSC is responsible for ensuring compliance with the terms of the 387 land use restrictions now in place on properties throughout the state. New sites are identified through surveillance and enforcement efforts, through emergency response activities, by examination of other previously identified potential sites, and voluntarily by public and private entities that request departmental oversight in order to return the properties to productive use. These sites and projects include the cleanup of federal and state superfund properties, abandoned mines, and other abandoned and underutilized properties known as ''brownfields,'' and open and closed military installations. The program is responsible for overseeing environmental assessments and cleanups at proposed new or expanding school sites to prevent or reduce potential exposure of students and staff to hazardous materials. The program also is responsible for the Stringfellow Hazardous Waste Site, a former hazardous waste disposal site and federal Superfund Site. The program works with the Office of Emergency Services, the Office of Homeland Security, and other State agencies to assure that the State is ready to respond to acts of terrorism involving the use of toxic chemicals. This program also continues to work closely with other State agencies, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and local agencies throughout the state to establish and implement viable grant and loan programs to aid in assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites.

13 - HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT

This program regulates the generation, storage, transportation, treatment and disposal of hazardous waste to minimize risks to public health and the environment. The program oversees 126 permitted facilities which manage hazardous waste, approximately 930 registered businesses which transport hazardous waste, over 620 facilities/generators subject to corrective action, and over $1.8 billion in financial assurance. This program monitors hazardous waste transfer, storage, treatment and disposal facilities for illegal activity; including electronic manifest surveillance and monitoring of registered hazardous waste haulers; and takes appropriate enforcement action against hazardous waste handlers that violate hazardous waste requirements found through routine inspections, complaint investigations, and focused enforcement initiatives. This program also ensures compliance with hazardous waste requirements related to electronic waste fraud and certain consumer products including lead in jewelry and toxic substances in packaging.

19 - ADMINISTRATION

This program provides accounting, budgeting, revenue collection, human resource and workforce management, data processing, performance management, business services, and other administrative support to the Department's programs. The Program also supports operations in Sacramento, Clovis, Berkeley, Chatsworth, Cypress, San Diego and Calexico including two environmental chemistry laboratories located in Northern and Southern California.

20 - SCIENCE, POLLUTION PREVENTION AND TECHNOLOGY

This program provides scientific leadership in the areas of green chemistry, pollution prevention, and hazardous waste source reduction; analytical and environmental chemistry; biomonitoring; human and ecological exposure and risk assessment; industrial hygiene and workplace safety; innovative environmental technologies development; and nanotechnology issue.

These ongoing activities not only provide the scientific basis for informed regulatory, enforcement, and site clean-up decision-making, but also support governments, businesses, the universities and the public in (1) the early detection of toxic substances via biomonitoring and product monitoring, (2) the statewide reduction in the use of toxic substances and the use of safer green chemistry alternatives, (3) the encouragement of independent research on green chemistry alternatives, (4) adoption of pollution prevention strategies, (5) the evaluation and deployment of new environmental technologies, and (6) the development of California of strategies for emerging issues, such as nanomaterials.

21 - STATE AS CERTIFIED UNIFIED PROGRAM AGENCY

The California Environmental Protection Agency has designated the Department of Toxic Substances Control as the Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) in Trinity and Imperial Counties. As the CUPA, DTSC is responsible for implementing the six elements of the Unified Program: hazardous waste generator and onsite treatment activities, spill prevention control and countermeasure plans for owners of aboveground petroleum storage tanks, underground storage tank program, hazardous material release response plans and inventories, California Accidental Release Prevention program, and certain Uniform Fire Code requirements pertaining to hazardous material management plans and inventories.