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Aroostook County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)
LEPC
....safety in knowledge
Welcome to ..... Aroostook's
Local Emergency Planning Committee
(LEPC)
What is a LEPC?
LEPC - Local Emergency Planning Committee
A Local Emergency Planning Committee or LEPC, is a voluntary organization which is established in an Emergency Planning District designated by the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC). Most counties have a single LEPC, however, some counties have multiple LEPC's which serve individual cities or communities in that county.
Both the SERC and the LEPC's were established to meet the requirements of the Federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), also known as the Superfund Amendments and Re-authorization Act (SARA, Title III), for emergency response planning.
What does a LEPC do?
Under EPCRA, the LEPC is the focal point for chemical emergency response planning and implementation in a community. The LEPC's key responsibilities are:
- assisting local governments in developing hazardous materials emergency response plans.
- evaluating the community's need for resources to respond to hazardous materials emergencies.
- processing requests from the public for information on hazardous chemicals in their communities.
Who Participates in a LEPC?
Each LEPC must include, at a minimum, representatives from the following groups or organizations:
- elected state and local officials.
- law enforcement, civil defense, firefighting, first aid, health, emergency medical services, local environmental, hospital, and transportation personnel.
- broadcast and print media.
- community groups.
- industry - owners and operators of facilities subject to the reporting requirements of EPCRA.
What is the LEPC's Role with Respect to the Maine Chemical Inventory Reporting Form (MCIRF)?
LEPC's are required to receive the annual MCIRF (chemical inventory) Reports from facilities in their jurisdictions. The LEPC's use this information to perform hazard assessments for their communities. In addition, the LEPC's must make information from these reports available to the public, upon request.
Under EPCRA, and the Community Right-to-Know Act, LEPC's may also request additional hazardous chemical information from facilities for emergency planning purposes.
How Can I Help My LEPC?
Since LEPC's are volunteer organizations, they rely primarily on community support to meet the requirements of EPCRA.
Here's how you can help:
- Give a cash contribution from your facility or as an individual donor. Sixty five percent (65%) of the LEPC's budget relies upon contributions from the Corporate and Private sectors.
- Donate or loan equipment (such as office & emergency response equipment).
- Donate supplies (such as office supplies, postage, & hazmat materials).
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Donate staff time to perform special projects, assist in hazmat.
2010 LEPC Meeting Dates:
February 25, 2010 - Canceled
May 27, 2010
August 26, 2010
November 18, 2010
Meetings are held at the Caribou Courthouse in the Administrative Hearing Room at 1:00 p.m.
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