General Instructions:
The left side of the flowchart contains basic facility information required by all businesses, while the
right side contains all possible CERS submittal elements. Follow the flowchart, starting in the upper
left corner, to determine which submittal elements are required for your facility and how to go about
the CERS reporting process and complete all relevant documentation. If you are unsure if you are
regulated or if you have other questions related to the Unified Program, contact your local CUPA
(http://cers.calepa.ca.gov/contacts/).
*Note: any page number references relate to the CERS Business User Manual
Flowchart Shapes:
Process
Step
Question/
Decision
CERS Section
to complete
Upload
Document
Complete
Online
Form
*Oftentimes you can click on a flowchart shape to be redirected to the corresponding page/form. In
addition, clicking any text in blue will transfer you to an online link.
Online References:
If you are unable to open the hyperlinks tagged in this flowchart packet, below is a list of links that were
referenced; simply copy and paste the link into your web browser to view.
Emergency Response/Contingency Plan
- ER Plan Template: http://www.calepa.ca.gov/CUPA/Documents/eTemplates/Contingency.pdf
- ER Plan Instructions: http://www.calepa.ca.gov/CUPA/Documents/eTemplates/Instructions.pdf
Underground Storage Tanks
- SWRCB Financial Responsibility: http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/ustcf/
financialresponsibility.shtml
- UST Monitoring Site Plan Template: http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/ust/forms/docs/mcf_siteplan.pdf
- Certification of Financial Responsibility: http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/ustcf/
docs/financial_responsibility_exhibits/financialresponsexhibit_a.pdf
- UST Response Plan: http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/ust/forms/docs/
hwfwrc_e.pdf
- Letter from Chief Financial Officer: http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/ustcf/docs/
financial_responsibility_exhibits/financialresponsexhibit_b.pdf
- Owner Statement of Designated Operator Compliance: http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/ust/training/docs/
do_submittal_form.pdf
Tiered Permitting
- Onsite Hazardous Waste Treatment Notification: http://www.calepa.ca.gov/Publications/Title27/
Hwf1772f.pdf
- Onsite Tiered Permitting Flowchart: http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/HazardousWaste/upload/onsite-tieredpermitting-flowchart3.pdf
Aboveground Storage Tanks
- Tier I SPCC Plan Template: http://www.epa.gov/osweroe1/docs/oil/spcc/tier1template.pdf
- Tier II SPCC Plan Template: http://www.calcupa.net/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?blobid=3298
- EPA SPCC Requirements: http://www.epa.gov/oem/docs/oil/spcc/qualfac_fs.pdf
Other
- Recyclable Materials Report: http://www.calepa.ca.gov/Publications/Title27/Hwfrecyc.pdf
- Hazardous Waste Tank Closure Certification: http://www.calepa.ca.gov/Publications/Title27/
Hwf1249.pdf
: Business User Flowchart
Facility Info
Start Here
No
Is your facility
already in CERS?
Complete Hazardous
Materials Inventory
section
Hazardous
Materials?
Enter all inventory items
and upload a Site Map
(pp. 5-10)*
Yes
Complete Emergency
Response and Training
Plans section
Underground
Petroleum
Storage?
Yes
Yes
Add new facility
(pp. 4-5)*
Create a CERS
Business User
Account
(pp. 2-3)*
Submittal Elements
Hazardous
Waste?
Yes
Complete
Business
Activities
form
Excluded/
Exempt
Materials?
Yes
Complete forms
& upload
corresponding
documents (p. 12)*
Complete Underground
Storage Tanks section
Treat waste
on-site?
Request access
from lead user
(pp. 4-5)*
Upload Contingency
& Training Plans
(pp. 10-12)*
Yes
Consolidate
waste at
remote site?
Yes
Closure/
removal of a
tank?
Yes
Complete Recyclable
Materials Report
section
Complete Tiered
Permitting section
Complete
form
Complete Remote
Waste Consolidation
Site Annual
Notification section
Complete
form
Complete Hazardous
Waste Tank Closure
Certification section
Upload Hazardous
Waste Tank
Closure Certificate
Upload Recyclable
Materials Report
Documentation
Complete Business
Owner/Operator
Identification form
Aboveground
Petroleum
Storage?
*Page numbers refer to the CERS Business User Manual
Yes
Complete
Aboveground
Petroleum Storage
Act section
Upload Aboveground
Petroleum Storage Act
Documentation
Instructions:
Use this form to provide contact information about your facility. Your local regulator may require
you to complete the property owner information, Assessor Parcel Number, Number of Employees,
or Facility ID fields in the “Locally-Collected Fields” section at the bottom of the page.
Instructions:
Use this form to identify the activities occurring at your facility that are regulated under California’s
Unified Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Materials Management Regulatory Program. CERS will
provide guidance on completing the reporting requirements for these business activities.
*If you can correctly answer “No” to all questions (no exceptions), you are not regulated under the
CUPA Program.
Forms
Forms
Forms
Forms
Forms
Forms
Forms
Instructions:
You must enter a separate inventory record for each individual hazardous material and hazardous waste
that you handle at your facility in an aggregate quantity subject to Hazardous Material Business Plan
(HMBP) reporting requirements (or as required by your local regulator). The completed inventory must
reflect all hazardous materials at your facility, reported separately for each building or outside storage
area, with separate entries for unique occurrences of physical state, storage temperature, storage
pressure. After you have successfully submitted your inventory, it is recommended that you download a
copy from CERS and retain it on your computer or flash drive as it contains data included from the CERS
Chemical Library and may help you upload new or revised inventories in the future.
New Inventory Select “Add Material” to manually enter new materials for your facility, or select “Upload
Inventory” to upload a spreadsheet of your entire inventory.
Update Inventory Review your facility’s entire inventory to make sure it reflects your current hazardous
materials management practices. Select “Search Inventory” to find previously entered materials needing
updating. Replace (or append to) your current inventory by selecting “Upload Inventory.”
Inventory Complete? Review any status and guidance messages for your forms or submittals by selecting
the guidance icons
. Then select “Done” when you have completed reviewing/updating your
facility’s inventory.
Upload inventory
spreadsheet
(p. 6)
Or...
Manually enter
inventory
(p. 7)
Instructions:
Emergency Response/Contingency Plan(s) Supplemental Documentation
You must submit an emergency response/contingency plan for your facility. Contact your local
regulator for more information about providing a suitable plan.
To upload a document, select the “Browse” button and then the file on your computer to upload,
provide a document title, and then select “Save & Finish” to complete the upload. Use of other
document options shown on the left must be approved by your local regulator.
Consolidated Emergency Response/Contingency Plan Template: This optional template may be
used to satisfy requirements that Hazardous Materials Business Plans (HMBP) contain emergency
response plans, procedures, and employee training in the event of a reportable/threatened
hazardous material release. Download the form, read the instructions, complete it, and upload it
here.
Note: This document does not need to be signed in order to be submitted. The business user
making the submission is tracked by CERS and is an authorized representative of the business.
Instructions:
Employee Training Plan(s) Supplemental Documentation
You must submit an employee training plan(s) for your facility. Contact your local regulator for
more information about providing a suitable plan(s).
To upload a document, select the “Browse” button and then the file on your computer to upload,
provide a document title, and then select “Save & Finish” to complete the upload. Use of other
document options shown on the left must be approved by your local regulator.
If your employee training plan is included in your Emergency Response/Contingency Plan, select
the “Provided in other Submittal Element” document option and then the Emergency Response
and Training Plans submittal element.
Underground Storage Tanks: Submittal Elements
This submittal element requires that you upload or otherwise address each of the listed required
documents. Note that there are additional documents required by the SWRCB that can be uploaded
using the “Miscellaneous State-Required Documents” link.
Click on the following UST submittal elements to be redirected to the corresponding instruction page
for more information.
Instructions:
You must complete this form within 30 days of all new permits, permit changes, or facility
information changes. You will also need to update/confirm your tank, monitoring plan, and other
pertinent UST-related forms.
The former paper version of this form was called “UST Operating Permit Application-Facility
Information” (Form A).
More information about UST Financial Responsibility Mechanisms is available at the Water Board’s
Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Fund Financial Responsibility web page.
*Note: Every UST containing petroleum related product is required to have a BOE Number. State and
federal facilities each have a single number to be used for all facilities: TK MT 044-032062 for State
Government; TK MT 044-032063 for Federal Government. All other facilities, including local governments,
can obtain a BOE Number from the Board of Equalization at http://www.boe.ca.gov/index.htm.
Instructions:
Use this form to enter data for new UST systems or revise data for an existing UST system. You must
complete a separate form for each affected tank. For tanks that are part of a compartmentalized unit, each
compartment is considered a separate tank. This information is required within 30 days of permit or facility
information changes, unless your local agency requires approval prior to making the changes.
Select “Edit” to modify/add your UST tank/system information.
The former paper version of this form was called "UST Operating Permit Application-Tank Information"
(Form B).
Instructions:
A UST monitoring plan must be completed for each tank/UST System entered into CERS. This form must be
updated within 30 days of changes in the information it contains. Please note that your local agency may require
you to obtain approval prior to installing or modifying monitoring equipment.
UST monitoring plans must include a Site Plan showing the general tank and piping layouts and the locations
where monitoring is performed (i.e., location of each sensor, line leak detector, monitoring system control panel,
etc.). A UST monitoring site plan template is available from the State Water Resources Control Board here. If your
facility's Hazardous Materials Inventory site map shows all the required information, select the "Provided in Other
Submittal Element" option on the left side of this web form and then select from "Hazardous Materials Inventory."
UST Certifications of Installation/Modification
Instructions:
Submit this form upon the completion of installation or upgrading of tanks and/or piping associated with a
UST system. Installation or upgrading of more than one tank or tank system may be addressed on this
form if all tanks/systems are located at the same facility.
The former paper version of this form was called “UST Certification of Installation/Modification (Form C).”
Instructions:
Provide a copy of your UST Certification of Financial Responsibility Documentation as required by your local
regulator. Learn more about UST financial responsibility on the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)
Financial Responsibility site, and check with your local regulator for information on the format and information
requirements needed. A single form may be provided for multiple tanks at a single facility. A sample form from the
SWRCB is available here.
To upload a document, select the “Browse” button and find the file on your computer to upload, provide a
document title, then select “Save & Finish” to complete the upload. Use of other document options shown on the
left (e.g., Exempt) must be approved by your local regulator.
*Note: This document must be signed before it can be uploaded and accepted by the CUPA.
Upload
Documents
Sample
Instructions:
Provide a UST Response Plan within 30 days of changes in the information it contains. This documentation
supplements information provided in your facility's Emergency Response/Contingency Plan submittal element.
The State Water Resources Control Board's model Response Plan form is located here.
To upload a document, select the “Browse” button and find the file on your computer to upload, provide a
document title, then select “Save & Finish” to complete the upload. Use of other document options shown on the
left (e.g., Exempt) must be approved by your local regulator.
Upload
Documents
Sample
UST Owner/Operator: Written Agreement
Instructions:
Written Agreement(s) between UST Owner and UST Operator
Provide a copy of your UST Owner/Operator agreement (see Health and Safety Code 25284(a)(3)*) if required by
your local regulator. Check with your local regulator for information on the format and information requirements
needed.
To upload a document, select the “Browse” button and find the file on your computer to upload, provide a
document title, then select “Save & Finish” to complete the upload. Use of other document options shown on the
left (e.g., Exempt) must be approved by your local regulator.
* Health and Safety Code 25284(a)(3) If the permit is issued to a person other than the operator of the tank, that
person shall do all of the following: (A) Enter into a written agreement with the operator of the tank to monitor the
tank system as set forth in the permit. (B) Provide the operator with a copy or summary of Section 25299 in the
form that the board specifies by regulation. (C) Notify the local agency of any change of operator.
Instructions:
Provide a copy of your UST Letter from the Chief Financial Officer Documentation as required by your local
regulator. Learn more about UST financial responsibility on the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)
Financial Responsibility site, and check with your local regulator for information on the format and information
requirements needed. A sample letter from the SWRCB is available here.
To upload a document, select the “Browse” button and find the file on your computer to upload, provide a
document title, then select “Save & Finish” to complete the upload. Use of other document options shown on the
left (e.g., Exempt) must be approved by your local regulator.
*Note: This document must be signed before it can be uploaded and accepted by the CUPA.
Upload
Documents
Sample
Instructions:
Provide a copy of your Owner Statement of Designated UST Operator Compliance documentation as required by
your local regulator. Check with your local regulator for information on the format and information requirements
needed. A sample form from the State Water Resources Control Board is available here.
To upload a document, select the “Browse” button and find the file on your computer to upload, provide a
document title, then select “Save & Finish” to complete the upload. Use of other document options shown on the
left (e.g., Exempt) must be approved by your local regulator.
*Note: This document must be signed before it can be uploaded and accepted by the CUPA.
Upload
Documents
Sample
Instructions:
Some treatment activities are exempt from reporting provided certain conditions are met (see
Appendix A of the Onsite Hazardous Waste Treatment Notification Instructions). Otherwise, you
must complete this submittal element if your facility is a hazardous waste generator performing
treatment of hazardous wastes at the site where the waste is generated, and the facility is eligible
under the Conditional Exemption (CE), or Conditional Authorization (CA) tiers, or operates a Fixed
Treatment Unit (FTU) under the Permit by Rule (PBR) tier. To determine which tier or tiers apply to
your operations, refer to the DTSC Onsite Tiered Permitting Flow Chart.
Tiered Permitting: Additional Units
Instructions:
Tiered Permitting - Add Unit
Complete a separate Onsite Hazardous Waste Treatment Notification - Unit form for each treatment unit
operating at this facility. Commercial Laundries (CE-CL Units) are not required to complete unit specific
pages, provided that laundering is the only hazardous waste treatment activity conducted by the facility.
Instructions:
Recycable Materials Report Documentation
You may upload documentation for the Recyclable Materials Report (RMR) submittal element, or an optional
draft form available here may also be used. Download and complete the draft form on your computer.
To upload a document, select the "Browse" button and find the file on your computer to upload, provide a
document title, then select "Save & Finish" to complete the upload.
Upload
Documents
Sample
Instructions:
Complete this form if you are a generator and you collect non-RCRA or non-RCRA regulated
hazardous waste initially at remote sites and subsequently transport the hazardous waste to
consolidation sites which you also operate. You must compete a separate form for each
consolidation site. All generators having the intent to operate under this exemption must notify the
CUPA annually. Refer to HSC §25110.10 for eligibility and notification requirements.
Instructions:
Hazardous Waste Tank Closure Certificate
You must download, print, and complete the Hazardous Waste Tank Closure Certificate prior to initiating any
cleaning, cutting, dismantling, or excavation of a tank system. Once the paper form is completed, scan it, and
upload the document to this page. You may be able to select other documentation options (on the left side of this
page) as directed by your local regulator.
To upload a document, select the “Browse” button and find the file on your computer to upload, provide a
document title, then select “Save & Finish” to complete the upload. Use of other document options shown on the
left must be approved by your local regulator.
A Hazardous Waste Tank Closure Certificate must be prior to initiating any cleaning, cutting, dismantling, or
excavation of a tank system that 1) previously held a hazardous material or a hazardous waste, 2) is identified as
a hazardous waste, and 3) is destined to be disposed, reclaimed or closed in place. This does not apply to tank
systems regulated under a hazardous waste facility permit, other than permit by rule (PBR), or to tank systems
regulated under a grant of interim status, nor to a tank system or any portion thereof, that meets the definition of
scrap metal in 22 CCR §66260.10 and is excluded from regulation pursuant to 22 CCR §66261.6(a)(3)(B). Refer
to 22 CCR §67383.3 and 23 CCR §2672 for disposal requirements for tank systems.
Upload
Documents
Sample
Instructions:
Aboveground Petroleum Storage Act Documentation
You can meet APSA state reporting requirements by completing a Hazardous Materials Inventory
and the Emergency Response and Training Plans submittal elements for this facility. To indicate
this, select the “Provided in other Submittal Element” Document Option below, and then select the
“Hazardous Materials Inventory”, and then select the “Save” button.
Your local regulator may request you upload additional documentation if shown below under "Local
Reporting Requirements" information. To upload a document, select the “Browse” button and find
the file on your computer to upload, provide a document title, then select “Save & Finish” to
complete the upload. Contact your local regulator if you need further information.
Facilities subject to federal SPCC requirements shall keep a copy of their SPCC plan or Qualified
Facility Plan Template onsite. See additional information in EPA Requirements for SPCC Plan and
US EPA Tier I plan template.