§ 12.56.020. Emergency Response Cost Recovery.

A.

Those costs of an emergency response incurred by the Forester and Fire Warden, including costs of any deputy health officer, public officer and related personnel, necessary to protect the public from a threat to health and safety by actions to confine, prevent, or mitigate the release, escape, burning, or threatened release of a hazardous material, are a charge against any person whose release or threatened release caused the incident, if one or more of the following occurs:

1.

A response is necessary to mitigate an emergency on any business property or transportation incident site to prevent loss of life or injury.

2.

The incident results in the spread of hazardous materials or fire posing a real and imminent threat to health and safety of any person on or near the business property or any transportation incident site.

3.

Evacuation beyond the business property or transportation incident site where the incident originates is necessary to prevent loss of life or injury due to a release or threatened release.

4.

The incident results in the spread of hazardous materials or fire posing a real and imminent threat to public health and safety beyond the property lines of a business or the immediate surroundings of a transportation incident site.

5.

The incident results in any threat to the environment.

B.

Any person whose release or threatened release caused the incident, as specified in Section 12.56.020A, shall be assessed an administrative charge for the response and additional emergency response charges, based upon hourly personnel costs, as approved by the County Auditor-Controller, to recover the costs incurred by the Forester and Fire Warden to protect the public from threats to public health and safety and any actions to confine, prevent, or mitigate the release, escape, burning, or threatened release of a hazardous material. Beginning in fiscal year 2016-2017, the administrative charge shall be $604 and the personnel hourly rates shall be $164.

C.

All payments made pursuant to this chapter shall be collected and accounted for in accordance with the requirements of the County Treasurer-Tax Collector and the County Auditor-Controller.

(Ord. 2017-0035 § 3, 2017; Ord. 2016-0029 § 2, 2016; Ord. 2010-0044 § 7, 2010; Ord. 2007-0063 § 12, 2007: Ord. 96-0062 § 3 (part), 1996.)