1. Emergency Planning

Title III requires that the governor of each State designate a State Emergency Response Commission (SERC). This commission generally includes representatives of public agencies and departments with expertise in environmental issues, natural resources, emergency services, public health, occupational safety, and transportation. Various public and private sector groups and associations with an interest in Title III issues may also be included in the State commission.

The SERC designates local emergency planning districts and appoints Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) within each of these districts. The SERC is responsible for supervising and coordinating the activities of the LEPCs, for establishing procedures for receiving and processing public requests for information collected under other sections of Title III, and for reviewing plans generated by the LEPCs.

The LEPC’s primary responsibility is to develop a local emergency response plan.

Each LEPC is expected to include elected State and local officials; police, fire, civil defense, public health, environmental, hospital, and transportation officials; representatives of facilities subject to the emergency planning requirements; community groups; and the media. Public notice is given of meetings and activities, and procedures are established for handling public requests for information. Citizens who want to help their community prevent and plan for hazardous materials emergencies should contact the LEPC.

Local emergency response plan

The LEPC is responsible for developing and maintaining a local emergency response plan that will ensure a quick and effective response to a chemical emergency. These plans provide a range of information to facilitate an effective and efficient course of action if a chemical release were to occur. Issues such as which facilities use chemicals, where the chemicals are stored, and what routes are the quickest for first-responders and evacuation are addressed by the emergency plan.

SERC is responsible for coordinating emergency plans among districts

Delegating this responsibility to the LEPC ensures that communities will develop personalized, need-specific, and effective emergency plans. Many LEPCs contact neighboring LEPCs to coordinate procedures and resources to ensure the most effective emergency response. Ultimately, the SERC is responsible for coordinating emergency plans among districts.

EPA suggests that LEPCs test their plans to ensure effectiveness

Developing the emergency plan is a continuing process. The reporting requirements of Title III are ongoing and provide LEPCs with up-to-date information about chemical hazards. The LEPC must review the plan at least annually, or more frequently as changed circumstances in the community or at any facility may require. Furthermore, EPA suggests that LEPCs test their plans to ensure effectiveness.

Community actively involved in the emergency planning process

The LEPC must make information and submitted reports publicly available during normal business hours. The LEPC must also notify the public of the availability of Title III information, such as the emergency plan, activities, and meetings, and provide opportunities for public comment. Getting the community actively involved in the emergency planning process offers several benefits: greater community awareness of the local emergency plan, development of an emergency plan that accurately addresses the community’s needs and concerns, and active involvement by the community, which may serve as a catalyst for increased funding by local government entities.

Strategies for preventing or mitigating chemical emergencies

In developing their plans, local committees analyze local risks and evaluate resources available to their area that could help them to prepare for and respond to a hazardous materials accident. A progressive LEPC may also consider strategies for preventing or mitigating chemical emergencies—that is, identifying ways to keep emergencies from happening, or of making their consequences less severe.

Examples of this include the installation of sprinklers in a chemical plant or the routing of certain hazardous materials to be carried away from residential areas.

The contingency plan generated by the LEPC must include a list of hazardous materials facilities and the routes they use to transport listed materials, emergency response procedures, and evacuation plans. It is reviewed by the SERC and updated annually by the LEPC. Emergency plans must focus on the list of extremely hazardous substances published by the EPA, but they are not limited to this list. Any facility that uses these substances in excess of specified “threshold” quantities is subject to emergency planning requirements.