Designated Emergency Response Authorities

Under current law, each county and municipality must designate an emergency response authority that is responsible for responding to releases of hazardous substances within that jurisdiction. The act specifies that:

• The local government must annually report the designation to the hazardous materials section of the Colorado state patrol; the appropriate response is narrowed to include threats of adverse effects on human health or the environment; and emergency response authorities may provide their response capability through an agreement with a private entity (section 1 of the act);
• Private entities that are neither a responsible party nor otherwise compensated may claim reimbursement of specified response costs when they provide services under an agreement with the designated emergency response authority or fire department if the costs have been approved by the authority or department (section 3); and
• The obligation to report the presence of a hazardous substance on one's property does not apply if the substance is in typical consumer-sized packaging or is being stored or used by a farmer or rancher at a facility used in active agricultural production (section 4).

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)