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Frequently Asked Questions
What is LEPC?Note: Taken from EPA's "Chemicals in Your Community: A Guide to the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act."Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) are appointed by the State Emergency Response Commissions (SERCs).Note: Taken from 49 CFR 110.20LEPC means a committee appointed by the State Emergency Response Commission under section 301(c) of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 that includes at a minimum, representatives from each of the following groups or organizations: elected State and local officials; law enforcement, firefighting, civil defense, first aid, health, local environmental, hospital, and transportation personnel; broadcast and print media; community groups; and owners and operators of facilities subject to the emergency planning requirements.Back to TopWhat does LEPC do?Note: Taken from EPA's "Chemicals in Your Community: A Guide to the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act." The LEPCs initial
task is to develop an emergency plan to prepare for and respond to chemical
emergencies. EPA's list of extremely hazardous substances may provide a
focus for setting priorities in your [the] planning effort. The plan is
required to be completed by October 17, 1988. This only the
beginning. The plan must be reviewed annually, tested, and
updated. Because the LEPC's members represent the community, they
should be familiar with factors that affect public safety, the environment, and
the economy of the community. That expertise will be essential as
the LEPC develops a plan tailored to the needs of its planning district. Back to TopWho participates in LEPC?Note: Taken from EPA's "Chemicals in Your Community: A Guide to the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act."LEPCs must consist of representatives of all of the following groups and organizations:
Back to TopHow can I help?Since LEPC's are volunteer organizations, they rely primarily on community support to meet the requirements of EPCRA.
What is SERC?Note: Taken from EPA's "Chemicals in Your Community: A Guide to the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act."The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act requires each state to set up a State Emergency Response Commission, or SERC. The 50 states and the U.S. territories and possessions have established these commissions, which are listed on page 33. Indian tribes have the option to function as an independent SERC or as part of the state in which the tribe is located (see Indian Tribes). In some states, the SERCs have been formed from existing organizations, such as state environmental, emergency management, transportation, or public health agencies. In others, they are new organizations with representatives from public agencies and departments, along with various private groups and associations. A broad perspective is crucial to the oversight role of the SERCs. Information available under crucial to the oversight role of the SERCs. Information available under the Act will involve air, water, solid waste, toxics, and other state and federal environmental programs and regulations. Among the SERC's duties are to:
The SERCs also receive reports and notifications required by the legislation: material safety data sheets (MSDSs) or lists of MSDS chemicals, emergency and hazardous chemical inventory forms, and notices of emergency releases (this data also goes to LEPCs). The law requires that toxic release inventory information be provided to EPA and to the state, but does not designate any specific state agency. The SERC may be designated to receive these reports, or they may be submitted to the state environmental, health or emergency management agency (in almost every state this agency IS a member of the SERC). The designated agency must make the reports available to the public, and it can use them itself in developing and enforcing state environmental and public health programs. (See State Designated TRI Contacts for a list of the state contacts designated to receive the toxic release information.) The SERC should provide the forum for coordinating all Title III information, and assisting in understanding and communicating the associated chemical risks. The SERC is also responsible for:
The SERC should ensure that its state programs are integrated with the federal law in order to strengthen enforcement. The SERC can provide strong leadership, coordination, technical assistance, and training, work closely with LEPCs to help identify their specific needs and carry out their programs, and use its knowledge and expertise to help all affected groups, organizations and individuals meet their responsibilities under the Act. Back to TopWho submits Tier II inventory reports?Every March First, facilities are required to submit their Tier II inventory reports of hazardous materials to the local Fire Department, Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) and the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) as required by Section 312 of the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986. These forms tell what hazardous chemicals are present and in what amounts (both at a maximum and on average).The Fire Department should look at these reports to know about hazards at these locations in the event of a fire or spill (since some fire departments have hazardous materials response teams). Hopefully this information is reviewed by fire officials and stored in a rapidly retrievable form if needed quickly. It will also help to identify what hazardous materials the Fire Department should plan and train for. LEPCs will be mostly interested in the facilities that have Extremely Hazardous Substances in quantities greater than the threshold planning quantities, because these are the facilities that must be included in local emergency response plans. Some LEPCs believe that their response plan written years ago is still current, as long as names and phone numbers are updated. This is almost certainly never true, because the inventory of chemicals at the facilities have changed from year to year. Some facilities may no longer need community plans because they have eliminated these chemicals or reduced their quantities to below the threshold planning quantity. Other facilities may have newly opened, or increased inventories of these chemicals to above the threshold planning quantity. They would now need to be included in the emergency response plan. Back to TopCreated and Maintained by Dorothy Vannoy
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