Accidental release prevention program

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 25-7-109.6, under Public Health and Environment.

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 25-7-109.6

(1) The commission may promulgate such rules, regulations, and procedures as are necessary to establish and implement an accidental release prevention program consistent with and no sooner than the requirements of section 112 (r) of the federal act, including release prevention, detection, and correction requirements which may include monitoring, record-keeping, reporting, training, vapor recovery, secondary containment, and other design, equipment, work practice, and operational requirements.

(2) For purposes of this section:

(a) Accidental release means an unanticipated emission of a regulated substance or other extremely hazardous substance, defined pursuant to the federal act, into the ambient air from a stationary source;

(b) Regulated substance means those substances listed by the administrator pursuant to section 112 (r)(3) of the federal act;

(c) Stationary source means any buildings, structures, equipment, installations, or substance emitting stationary activities:

(I) Which belong to the same industrial group;

(II) Which are located on one or more contiguous properties;

(III) Which are under the control of the same person (or persons under common control); and

(IV) From which an accidental release may occur.

(d) Threshold quantity shall have the same meaning as defined in section 112 (r) of the federal act.

(3) As appropriate, rules, regulations, and procedures promulgated pursuant to this section shall:

(a) Consider the use, operation, repair, replacement, and maintenance of equipment to monitor, detect, inspect, and control such releases, including training of persons in the use and maintenance of such equipment and the conduct of periodic inspections;

(b) Include procedures and measures for emergency response after an accidental release of a regulated substance in order to protect human health and the environment;

(c) Cover storage, as well as operations;

(d) As appropriate, recognize differences in size, operations, processes, classes, and categories of sources and the voluntary actions of such sources to prevent accidental releases and respond to such releases;

(e) Require the owner or operator of stationary sources at which a threshold quantity of a regulated substance is present to prepare and implement a risk management plan to detect and prevent or minimize accidental releases of such substances from the stationary source, and to provide a prompt emergency response to any such releases in order to protect human health and the environment. Such plan shall provide for compliance with the requirements of this subsection (3) and shall also include each of the following:

(I) A hazard assessment, to be updated periodically and registered with the division, the United States environmental protection agency, and other appropriate local agencies, to assess the potential effects of an accidental release of any regulated substance;

(II) A program for preventing accidental releases of regulated substances, including safety precautions and maintenance, monitoring, and employee training measures to be used at the sources; and

(III) A response program providing for specific actions to be taken in response to an accidental release of a regulated substance so as to protect human health and the environment, including procedures for informing the public and local agencies responsible for responding to accidental releases, emergency health care, and employee training measures.

(f) Coordinate notification, reporting, and response requirements between federal, state, and local agencies to avoid duplicate notification and reporting requirements and to integrate emergency response plans.

(4) In addition to any other action taken, when the division determines that there may be an imminent and substantial endangerment to the human health or welfare or the environment because of an actual or threatened accidental release of a regulated substance, the division may take action pursuant to sections 25-7-112 and 25-7-113.

(5) The implementation and effectiveness of this section shall be contingent on the receipt of funding from the federal government in sufficient amount to totally fund the division's costs in implementing this section; except that the small business stationary source technical and environmental compliance assistance program shall be funded as provided in section 25-7-114.7.

Source: L. 92: Entire section added, p. 1195, � 13, effective July 1.

25-7-110. Commission - procedures to be followed in setting standards and regulations. (1) Prior to adopting, promulgating, amending, or modifying any ambient air quality standard authorized in section 25-7-108, or any emission control regulation authorized in section 25-7-109, or any other regulatory plans or programs authorized by sections 25-7-105 (1)(c) or 25-7-106, the commission shall conduct a public hearing thereon as provided in section 24-4-103, C.R.S. Notice of any such hearing shall conform to the requirements of section 24-4-103, C.R.S., but such notice shall be given at least sixty days prior to the hearing, and shall include each proposed regulation, and shall be mailed to all persons who have filed with the commission a written request to receive such notices.

(2) Any person desiring to propose a regulation differing from the regulation proposed by the commission or to propose a revision of limited applicability, pursuant to section 25-7-117, to the commission's proposal shall file such other proposal with the commission not less than twenty days prior to the hearing, and, when on file, such proposal shall be open for public inspection.

(3) Witnesses at the hearing shall be subject to cross-examination by or on behalf of the commission and by or on behalf of persons who have proposed regulations pursuant to subsection (2) of this section.

(4) Rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this article shall not take effect until after they have been published in accordance with section 24-4-103, C.R.S., or on such later date as is stated in such rules and regulations.

Source: L. 79: Entire article R&RE, p. 1027, � 1, effective June 20.