For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:
ASSESSMENT/REMEDIAL INVESTIGATION. Includes, without limitation, those actions that: are reasonably necessary, as determined by the Fire Department, to (i) determine the nature and full extent of a hazardous material release at a site, including hazardous substance contamination or potential contamination of air, soil, soil gas, surface water and ground water at the site; (ii) identify the public health and environmental threat posed by the release; (iii) collect data on possible remedies; or, (iv) otherwise evaluate the site for purposes of developing a remedial action plan.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES. The City Council of the City of Santa Fe Springs whenever this board is referred to in Los Angeles County Code provisions that are applicable to the city.
BUSINESS. An employer, self-employed individual, trust, firm, joint stock company, corporation, partnership, or association. BUSINESS includes a business organized for profit and a non-profit business. BUSINESS also includes every government agency.
CERTIFIED UNIFIED PROGRAM AGENCY or CUPA. The Fire Department.
CITY. The City of Santa Fe Springs.
COUNTY ENGINEER. The Director of Public Works of the City of Santa Fe Springs, or his or her duly authorized representative, whenever this term is referred to in County Code provisions that are applicable to the city.
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES. The City of Santa Fe Springs whenever the term is referred to in the relevant sections of the County Code provisions.
CUPA PERMIT. An annual permit issued by the Fire Department to a facility that engages in one or more of the programs and activities listed in § 97.400(A).
DULY AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE. The Deputy Director of Environmental Protection Division of their designee whenever the term is referred to in this chapter or County Code provisions.
EMPLOYEE. A person who works for an employer primarily at the permitted location for a minimum of 20 calendar weeks a year. Independent contractors, owners, and other workers not directly employed by the employer are not considered EMPLOYEES.
FACILITY. All contiguous land and structures, other appurtenances, and improvements on the land where one or more of the programs and activities listed in § 97.400(A) occur.
FINE or FINES. A monetary sum, penalty, or sanction imposed as a punishment for a violation of this chapter or applicable federal, state, or local laws, regulations, or codes.
FIRE CHIEF. The chief officer of the Fire Department, or his or her duly authorized representative.
HANDLE. To use, generate, process, produce, package, treat, store, emit, discharge, or dispose of a hazardous material in any fashion.
HANDLER. A person who handles hazardous material.
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL. Any material that, because of its quantity, concentration, or physical or chemical characteristics, poses a present or potential hazard to human health and safety or to the environment, if released into the workplace or to the environment. HAZARDOUS MATERIAL includes, but is not limited to, hazardous substances, hazardous waste as defined in H&SC § 25117, and California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 22, Div. 4.5, Ch. 10, and any material which the Fire Department determines would be injurious to the health and safety of persons or harmful to the environment if released into the workplace or environment.
IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION. Refers to the duty of a handler, or any employee, authorized representative, agent, or designee of a handler, to upon discovery, immediately report any release or threatened release of a hazardous material to the Fire Department, to the California Emergency Management Agency, and to all other local, state and federal agencies as required by law. Each handler and any employee, authorized representative, agent, or designee of a handler, shall provide all state, city, or county fire or public health or safety personnel and emergency rescue personnel with complete access to the handler’s facilities that involve or concern a release or threatened release of a hazardous material.
INVOICE. Any bill issued by the Fire Department for the fees assessed under this chapter.
LIQUID INDUSTRIAL GRADE MATERIALS AND WASTEWATER. Any non-hazardous liquid, from nonhuman origins, which, if released, may be deleterious to the environment or to public health, safety and welfare.
OWNER. Any person as defined in this chapter, who:
(1) Has legal title to, or who leases, rents, occupies or has charge, control or possession of, any real property in the city, including all persons shown as owners on the last equalized assessment roll of the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office.
(2) Has legal title to, or who otherwise possesses, controls or has responsibility for, a business in the city.
(3) Has legal title to, or who otherwise possesses, controls or has responsibility for, personal property in the city.
PERSON. An individual, trust, firm, joint stock company, business, partnership, limited liability company, association, or corporation, including, but not limited to, a government corporation. PERSON also includes any city, county, city and county, district, commission, the state or any department, agency, or political subdivision thereof, any interstate body, and the federal government or any department or agency thereof to the extent permitted by law. PERSON also includes those with powers of attorney, executors of estates, trustees, or who are court-appointed administrators, conservators, guardians or receivers.
PROGRAM ELEMENTS. Those Unified Program elements which have been consolidated under the Act along with other environmental and life safety protection programs and activities administered and enforced under this chapter.
REMEDIAL ACTION. Those actions that the Fire Department deems reasonably necessary to prevent, minimize or mitigate damage that might otherwise result from a release of hazardous material or that are consistent with a permanent remedy of that damage or potential damage.
RELEASE. Any spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping or disposing of a hazardous material into the environment, unless permitted in writing by a regulatory agency.
RESPONSIBLE PERSON OR PERSONS. All owners, handlers and other persons, as well as their agents, employees and representatives, who violate any provision of this chapter, whether by an affirmative action or due to a failure to undertake an action or to perform a duty that is required by law or regulation. Employers and principals shall be responsible for the acts or omissions of their employees, agents, contractors and representatives in connection with a violation of this chapter and such liability shall be joint and several. RESPONSIBLE PERSON OR PERSONS shall also include all owners, handlers and persons who maintain, or who allow or permit, any condition, use or activity in violation of this chapter to occur or continue in the city.
SITE. Any area where a hazardous material has been spilled, released, stored, disposed, placed or otherwise comes to be located.
SITE MITIGATION WORK. Any assessment/ remedial investigation or remedial action conducted at any site of hazardous material contamination.
THREATENED RELEASE. A condition or activity creating a substantial probability of harm, or as determined by the Fire Department, when the probability and potential extent of harm makes it reasonably necessary to take immediate action to prevent, reduce or mitigate damages to person, property or the environment.
VIOLATION. The failure to comply with any requirement or prohibition in this chapter, or in any law or regulation that is adopted herein. VIOLATION shall also include the failure to comply with any permit, or any condition thereof.
(Ord. 990, passed 4-9-08; Am. Ord. 1060, passed 7-10-14)