RAFAT ABASSI
Department of Toxic Substances Control
Chief, Discovery and Enforcement Program
Rafat Abbasi has been with the Department of Toxic Substances Control for over 25 years. He is Chief of state-wide Discovery and Enforcement Program created as part of the Governor's initiative to revitalize communities with higher pollution burden and adverse socio-economic conditions. In 2018, Rafat was a team leader in developing DTSC's Dry Cleaning sites policy that became a foundation of Governor's initiative and Senate Bill 158 to revitalize distressed communities state-wide. Rafat has been instrumental in building DTSC's School Property Evaluation and Restoration program from ground-up in 2005. In 2016, Rafat led Field Operations Team (technicians, foreman, geologists. Engineers, Industrial hygienists) responsible for developing and implementing mitigation associated with $176.6 million environmental restoration project in the cities of Maywood, Huntington Park, East Los Angeles, Boyle Heights, Vernon, and Commerce. Again, Rafat part of the team responsible for building Exide program from ground-up.
Rafat was nominated Member Board of Appeals, City of Tustin in 2021. His responsibilities include hearing appeals of determinations made by the City’s Building Official which may arise during plan check or construction inspection.
Rafat is currently leading an effort to complete scientific study to empirically develop attention factors for California and presented the findings at national Brownfield and Certified Unified Program Agency conferences. Drafted DTSC’s Dry Cleaning Sites policy.
Currently, he is a member of ASTM E50.02 E2993 Methane in the Vadose Zone Task Group. Responsibilities include revisions to the existing standard for methane and associated remedies.
Contact: (714) 484-5305
