Emergency Response Program (ERP)

The mission of DTSC's Emergency Response Program (ERP) is to provide statewide response to actual and potential releases of hazardous substances that pose an acute threat to public health and/or the environment, including clandestine drug labs. The ERP interacts with a number of other state, federal and local agencies in carrying out these emergency response activities.

The Emergency Response Program responds statewide to calls requesting DTSC assistance for emergency removals from clandestine drug labs and other HazMat emergencies. Requests for assistance are handled by the ERP's Emergency Response Duty Officers.

The DTSC Emergency Response Duty Officers are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including weekends and holidays. They perform the following functions with regard to a wide variety of hazardous materials incidents statewide including clandestine drug labs, spilled or abandoned hazardous materials, train derailments, floods, and earthquakes:

• Authorize the expenditure of state funds.
• Dispatch, assign the scope of work, and provide direct oversight of hazardous materials contractors to perform assessment, stabilization, removal, and disposal as needed.
• Coordinate emergency response activities with various federal, state and local agencies including the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), State Fish and Game, State Department of Justice, and local fire, health, and law enforcement agencies.

• BKK Sanitary Landfill - Storm Drain Repair Project - June 2006

DTSC certifies Registered Environmental Assessors (REAs) to be qualified to conduct various environmental assessment and small site cleanup activities.  Click here to find out more about the REAs...