What is a CUPA?
Before 1993, California businesses handling hazardous materials were subject to regulation by several different state and local agencies, each with their own permitting, inspection, and fee procedures. Senate Bill 1082, passed in 1993, created the Unified Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Materials Management Regulatory Program (Unified Program), which consolidated six hazardous materials and waste programs (program elements) under one local agency, a Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA). The program elements consolidated under the Unified Program are as follows:
- Hazardous Materials Inventory and Business Plan Program
- Hazardous Waste Generator
- Onsite Hazardous Waste Treatment (Tiered Permitting) Programs
- Underground Storage Tank (UST) Program
- Above Ground Petroleum Storage Act (APSA)
- California Accidental Release Prevention (CalARP) Program
Under the Unified Program, annual fees for each program element are combined into a single fee system, a single combined operating permit is issued, inspections are combined where possible, and enforcement procedures are made more consistent. The goal of the Unified Program is to ensure hazardous material safety in a cohesive, effective and efficient program. As part of this program, the State has assessed service fees (surcharges) to fund their oversight activities; the local agency collects the surcharge for the state, but retains no portion of it.
Hazardous Material Business Plan [Health and Safety Code (H&SC), Chapter 6.95] A Business Plan means a separate plan for each facility, site, or branch of a business.
A business is required to establish and submit a Business Plan if the facility handles hazardous material in quantity equal to or greater than 55 gallons, 500 pounds or 200 cubic feet at any time during the year. Examples of common materials considered to be hazardous are all types of fuels (including propane), oil (including both new and used oil), paints, inks, solvents, compressed gases and those materials for which the manufacturer has established a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) or have a NFPA/HMIS rating of 1 or higher for health, flammability, reactivity or have a specific hazard.
Businesses are required to notify Oxnard Fire CUPA within (30) days of any substantial change to their Business Plan. This would include a 100 percent change in the quantity of any hazardous material handled, any new hazardous material handled over the threshold quantities, a substantial change in operations, or a change of business address, ownership or name. Notification can be satisfied by submitting changes through the California Environmental Reporting System (CERS) at https://cers.calepa.ca.gov.
A business that handles hazardous materials equal to or greater than the threshold quantities must meet annual state-specified electronic reporting requirements. Annual submissions are satisfied by submitting changes through the California Environmental Reporting System (CERS) https://cers.calepa.ca.gov. HMBP submissions and re-certifications will be accepted throughout the year provided they are submitted within 12 months of the last submission or re-certification date.
If There Are No Changes To A Business Plan:
A business can comply with the annual state reporting requirements by submitting the Facility Information, Hazardous Materials Inventory, and Emergency Response and Training Plan elements via CERS per the initial or prior submittal.
If There Are Changes To A Business Plan:
A business must submit all changes through CERS to include any updates to the Facility Information, Hazardous Materials Inventory, facility site maps, and the Emergency Response/Contingency Plan.
CUPA Forms and Handouts
CUPA is a consolidated program; therefore there are several forms that are required. The type of hazardous materials or waste operations present at the facility determines which forms are required. Few facilities will need to complete all of the forms. For example, a facility will not need to complete the Underground Storage Tank forms if there are no underground tanks. Each form is provided with additional instructions.
Every facility must complete the Business Activities Page and the Business Owner/Operator Identification form. The Business Activities Page will assist you in determining which additional forms are required for your business.
Download the Hazardous Material Business Plan FAQ document to assist with understanding the Hazardous Material Business Plan program.
Hazardous Material Business Plan FAQ
342.28 KB PDF | Updated 10/17/23
You must complete the Hazardous Waste Tank Closure Certification Form.
Hazardous Waste Tank Closure Certification Form
99.05 KB PDF | Updated 10/17/23
Must be completed and returned to the Oxnard Fire Department.
CUPA Credit Card Authorization Form
99.05 KB PDF | Updated 10/17/23
Programa de Materiales
169.77 KB PDF | Updated 10/17/23
A separate inventory page must be submitted for each individual hazardous material where the aggregate total is equal to or greater than 55 gallons, 500 pounds or 200 cubic feet. A separate inventory page must also be submitted for applicable radioactive materials.
Site Map
223.52 KB PDF | Updated 10/17/23
Hazardous Material Business Plan FAQ
342.28 KB PDF | Updated 10/17/23
Facilities must provide their EPA ID# on the Business Activities Page. Facilities should report each hazardous waste on a Hazardous Material Inventory-Chemical Description form, regardless of quantity.
Emergency Response Plan
70.54 KB PDF | Updated 10/17/23
Contingency Plan
188.62 KB PDF | Updated 10/17/23
Site map
223.52 KB PDF | Updated 10/17/23
HW Generator Application Form (SQG & non-HMBP only)
229.57 KB PDF | Updated 10/17/23
Phase 1 Environmental Assessment Checklist
23.27 KB PDF | Updated 10/17/23
Phase 1 Environmental Assessment Instructions
30.57 KB PDF | Updated 10/17/23
Facilities must also submit via CERS (and maintain onsite) UST Monitoring Procedures, a Response Plan, and a UST Plot Plan (the Site Map required for the Business Plan may satisfy the UST Plot plan requirements if it shows the location of the USTs and identifies all UST monitoring sensors).
Please contact Oxnard Fire/CUPA to request UST closure requirements, including sampling and analytical requirements, UST installation requirements, and secondary containment testing requirements.
Hazardous Waste Tank Closure Certification Form
125.5 KB DOC | Updated 10/18/23
UST Closure Analytical Requirements
318.02 KB PDF | Updated 10/18/23
Registration Form
97 KB DOC | Updated 10/18/23
LEPC Region I Guidance for CalARP Seismic Assessments
169.48 KB PDF | Updated 10/18/23