Notification Tier

This page provides information and resources to assist you in  processing the paperwork required for the notification tier.

Please note that other local, State, or federal agencies may also have regulatory authority over solid waste facilities. Also, all statutory citations refer to the California Code of Regulations (CCR) unless otherwise indicated.

What is the notification tier?

Until CalRecycle’s tiered regulatory structure became effective in 1994, there was a “one-size-fits-all” permit applied to all facilities. There are now five tiers, including the notification tier:

Types of facilities that qualify for the notification tier

Use the “authorizing eligibility” qualification chart to help find the appropriate regulations citation when submitting the Notification Form.

There are currently 21 types of operations that could qualify for the notification tier:  5 compost, 1 contaminated soil, 5 transfer/processing, 1 non-hazardous ash, 5 construction and demolition/inert debris, and 4 in-vessel digestion operations.

Scroll down the second column of Permit Tier Placement Chart for a full list of operations that qualify for the EA notification tier.

EA Notification processing requirements

The notification requirements are described in Title 14, California Code of Regulations, Section 18103.

To assist in filling out the “Authorizing Eligibility” section of the Notification Form, use the Authorizing Eligibility Chart to identify which section of Title 14 should be referenced in the notification.

Please note that some notification sites and operations require submittal of an “operation plan“.

The notification tier filing requirements were amended in 2003, adding documentation that the operator has notified the local planning department. See the full text of the updated Section 18103.1.

To help ensure that the correct information is submitted, an updated form is available for use by the applicant:

Requirements unique to the notification tier:

  • The notification tier is not a permit.
  • The notification tier does not contain terms and conditions.
  • Not submitted to, or concurred by, CalRecycle prior to LEA acceptance or approval.
  • The processing time lines are shorter than other tiers.
  • Less information is required with the application.
  • While the notification tier does not include a requirement for a Report of Facility Information (RFI), some notification operations require submittal of an “operation plan” or an “odor impact minimization plan” (OIMP).
  • The notification tier does not require a 5-year permit review.

The Permit Tier/Task Chart illustrates the major differences between the full, standardized, registration, and notification tiers.

Resources