Security

The Online Hazardous Materials Inventory Database (Online Database) can be used to provide data to your local regulatory agency:

1. By posting the information on a secure website.
2. By printing the information and mailing hard copies to the local agency.

Check with your local agency to determine which method is preferred.

Public access to information is controlled by state law. All Hazardous Materials Business Plan information except trade secret and confidential chemical location information (e.g. facility maps) is and has been available to the public upon request for years. Legislation effective January 1, 2001 requires that local agencies additionally make this information available to the public in the electronic format used and stored by the local agency upon request. This would include information that is online (on a website).

Information that is posted to a website or that is entered into a local agency's data management system is subject to the public access provisions stated above.

What is not clear is whether the public would have direct access to online information or whether the local agency could 'download' publically requested information on a per request basis. Until legally required to do otherwise, local procedures will be to take the latter approach; public requests must come to the local agency having jurisdiction over the facility and the local agency will respond. Regardless, public access would be limited to non trade secret and non confidential information. Please check with your local agency for their specific public information request procedures.