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The Unified Program
The Unified Program consolidates, coordinates, and makes consistent the administrative requirements, permits, inspections, and enforcement activities of six environmental and emergency response programs. The state agencies responsible for these programs set the standards for their program while local governments implement the standards. Cal/EPA oversees the implementation of the program as a whole.

The Unified Program is implemented at the local level by 84 government agencies certified by the Secretary of Cal/EPA. These Certified Unified Program Agencies (CUPAs) have typically been established as a function of a local environmental health or fire department. Some CUPAs also have contractual agreements with one or more other local agencies, “participating agencies” (PAs), which implement one or more program elements under the oversight of the CUPA.

CUPA Evaluations
California law requires that the Secretary of Cal/EPA periodically review the ability of each CUPA to carry out the requirements of the Unified Program. The goal is to assess whether the CUPA is effectively implementing all of the Unified Program elements, and is continually improving to meet the intent of the law: coordination, consolidation, and consistency of all Unified Program elements. Cal/EPA annually assesses each of the CUPAs thorough a review of specific reports to determine those that will have a more in-depth evaluation by a team of staff from each state agency with Unified Program responsibilities. The evaluation process is defined in Title 27 of the California Code of Regulations and expanded in a variety of guidance documents. View the evaluation schedule and results.

For a quick visual of the CUPAs in California evaluation status, please click on the map.