Small Business Gets Help Complying With Environmental Law : Regulation: Government-sponsored pilot program at Fullerton College offers specialized counseling and referrals.

ANAHEIM —  A government-sponsored pilot program to help small businesses understand and comply with environmental regulations has opened two centers at Fullerton College.

The California Environmental Business Resource Assistance Center and the Business Environmental Assistance Center, which opened formally on Wednesday, will provide various services to help small businesses meet federal, state and local government regulations. They will operate out of the Anaheim Higher Education Center office at the college.

“The plan is to set up several regional Business Environmental Assistance Centers in the state where small-business owners can come in for specialized compliance counseling,” said Debra Sharick, director of the two centers.

The Business Environmental Assistance Center will plan workshops and conferences and provide a list of available environmental consultants.

The California Environmental Business Resource Assistance Center will serve as a resource and referral clearinghouse for small business. Sharick said it will be the only one of its kind in the state.

Sharick, an assistant dean of economic development at Fullerton College, said there are many small companies--from gas stations to graphic arts printers and dry cleaners--that use chemicals or hazardous materials and could benefit from more information about waste disposal laws.

The centers will be funded with $500,000 in seed money from the state Department of Commerce and California Community Colleges in Sacramento, North Orange County Community College District in Fullerton and the South Coast Air Quality Management District in El Monte. The centers have six full-time staff members.

Sharick said the sponsors have committed to provide the centers with additional funds for 18 months. “This is a long-term project, and it has potentials of becoming a permanent program for the state,” she said.

The centers will also operate a toll-free telephone number ( (800) 352-5225) for small-business owners to call in for information regarding regulatory issues and technical, employment and financial assistance.

Fullerton College has been a catalyst in a number of statewide economic development efforts involving community colleges and local businesses. In 1989, it developed a two-year associate degree program in environmental hazardous material technology.