San Rafael, CA – After compiling a stellar track record of monitoring hazardous materials at local businesses, the Marin County Department of Public Works(DPW) has been awarded the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) Secretary’s Award for Environmental Achievement.
It’s a special achievement: Marin DPW is the only agency to earn the recognition this year, and this is only the fifth time the Cal/EPA has issued the award.
Jim Bohon the Assistant Secretary of the Environment and Chief of the Cal
/EPA Unified Program, presented the award at the April 30 meeting of the Marin County Board of Supervisors. The award recognizes Marin DPW for exceptional efforts in implementing the state’s hazardous material/waste regulatory Unified Program.
“Marin is a star among the 83 Unified Programs statewide and has provided a model for all others to follow in creating an effective program that works with local businesses,” Bohon said.
Marin County DPW’s Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) was created to provide relief to businesses complying with the overlapping and sometimes conflicting requirements of formerly independently managed programs. To provide
this needed relief, the Unified Program consolidates and coordinates the administrative requirements, permits, inspections and enforcement activities for the following environmental and emergency management programs:
- Hazardous waste generators and hazardous waste onsite treatment
- Above-ground storage tanks
- Underground storage tanks
- Hazardous material release response plans and inventories
- Risk management and prevention program
The Secretary for the Cal/EPA periodically evaluates each CUPA’s ability to carry out the requirements of the state law, assesses whether a county agency is effectively implementing all of the Unified Program elements and checking whether it is continually improving to meet the intent of the law. Marin County CUPA was evaluated by Cal/EPA in November 2012 and was found to be exceeding state standards.