Site Assessment & Mitigation Program

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(Toxic Site Clean-Up)

The Site Assessment & Mitigation Program, also referred to as Toxic Site Cleanup Program, provides mandated regulatory oversight of the assessment and remediation of properties on which there has been a release of hazardous materials to soil and/or groundwater.

Regulators in this program determine when and to what degree site cleanup is required to mitigate threats to public health and the environment. Most of the contaminated sites in this program have been impacted by petroleum releases from leaking underground storage tanks. Other regulated contaminants of concern include lead, chromium, dry cleaning solvents, industrial degreasing agents, and pesticides.

Local Oversight Program (LOP)

As a Local Oversight Program (LOP) agency, EMD is responsible for overseeing corrective action and enforcement activities associated with unauthorized releases of petroleum products from underground storage tanks. Corrective action requirements for releases from underground fuel tanks that have contaminated soil and/or groundwater are outlined in the California Code of Regulations, Title 23, Chapter 16, Article 11.

Currently EMD oversees the corrective action process at approximately 250 active release sites. Our goal is to ensure cost-effective, timely cleanup at petroleum release sites that protects public health, safety, and the environment, and returns the affected properties to productive use.

LOP agencies were created pursuant to the California Health & Safety Code which states in part that "the [State Water Resources Control] board may enter into an agreement with any local agency to perform, or cause to be performed, any cleanup, abatement, or other action necessary to remedy the effects of a release of hazardous substances from an underground storage tank with respect to which the local agency has enforcement authority pursuant to this section."

Local Remediation Program (LRP)

The Local Remediation Program (LRP) provides technical regulatory oversight for corrective actions at hazardous materials release sites involving non-petroleum products (for example, dry cleaners, metal plating shops.)

Because EMD's statutory authority to regulate non-petroleum release sites is limited, this is a voluntary site cleanup program where the responsible party (RP) has requested EMD oversight. During the LRP site cleanup process, EMD regulators work closely with other State Agencies ​to agree on the scope of work necessary to assess site contamination and the degree of cleanup required to reach a finding of no further action.

Site Assessment: Site Closure Agendas​

For more program information, please contact:

Sacramento County Environmental Management Department
Environmental Compliance Division
11080 White Rock Rd., Suite 200
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670

916-875-8400
916-875-8513 (fax)
emdinfo@saccounty.net