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4 Environmental Analysis 4.9 Hazards and Hazardous Materials universal wastes in California. A person or business who generates universal waste is required to follow the Management Requirements for Universal Waste Handlers (22 CCR Sections 66273.30-66273.39), which include storage, spill protection, and disposal rules designed to minimize risk of harm to public health and the environment. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Construction General Permit The Regional Water Quality Control Board administers the stormwater permitting program in the Central Valley Region pursuant to authority delegated under the federal Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program. Construction activities disturbing 1 acre or more of land are subject to the permitting requirements of the NPDES General Permit for Discharges of Stormwater Runoff Associated with Construction Activity (Construction General Permit) and must apply for Construction General Permit coverage. Additional details of the Construction General Permit are provided in Sections 4.7, Geology, Soils, and Paleontological Resources, and 4.10, Hydrology and Water Quality. California Fire Code The California Fire Code is contained within Title 24, Chapter 9, of the CCR. Based on the International Fire Code, the California Fire Code is created by the California Buildings Standards Commission and regulates the use, handling, and storage requirements for hazardous materials at fixed facilities. Similar to the International Fire Code, the California Fire Code and the California Building Code use a hazards classification system to determine the appropriate measures to incorporate to protect life and property. Section 608 of the International Fire Code (IFC) has been adopted by the State of California to minimize risk of fire from stationary battery storage systems and to contain fire in the event of such an incident. Compliance with Article 480 of the Electrical Code, which identifies insulation and venting requirements for stationary storage batteries, further reduces potential fire risk. Chapter 12 of the 2022 California Fire Code includes requirements for battery energy storage systems (BESS) greater than 20 kilowatt-hours, which includes the proposed energy storage facilities. Chapter 12 includes requirements for vehicle impact protection, location, spacing between batteries, egress, security, seismic and structural design, and fire suppression systems. Chapter 12 also sets maximum allowable battery quantities and specific battery type requirements for battery technologies, including lead acid, nickel cadmium, lithium, sodium, etc. Design and installation requirements are also outlined in Chapter 12. California Public Resources Code The Public Resources Code includes fire safety regulations that apply to State Responsibility Areas (SRA) during the time of year designated as having hazardous fire conditions (i.e., "fire season"). During the fire hazard season, these regulations require the use of spark arrestors on equipment that has an internal combustion engine; specify requirements for the safe use of gasoline-powered tools in fire hazard areas; and specify fire-suppression equipment that must be provided onsite for various types of work in fire-prone areas. Public Resources Code Section 4291 provides that a person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains a building or structure in, upon, or adjoining brush-or grass-covered lands Griffith Energy Storage Project 4.9-7 Tetra Tech/SCH 2022120675 Draft Environmental Impact Report August 2023