EPCRA Congree Implementation RequirementTitle III of The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), The Emergency Planning & Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA) was enacted by Congress to encourage and support emergency planning for responding to chemical accidents and to provide local governments and the public with timely and comprehensive information about possible chemical hazards.
To implement EPCRA, Congress required each state to appoint a State Emergency Response Commission (SERC). The SERCs were, in turn, required to divide their states into Emergency Planning Districts and name a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) for each district. The Wyoming SERC has divided into 23 Emergency Planning Districts by county.
ResponsibilitiesThe LEPC has responsibilities besides developing an emergency response plan. The committee receives emergency release and hazardous chemical inventory information that is submitted by local facilities. The chemical release and chemical inventory information is available to the public upon request.
Each LEPC is responsible for the following:
- Write emergency plans to protect the public from chemical accidents.
- Set up procedures to warn and, if necessary, evacuate the public in case of emergency.
- Provide citizens and local governments with information about hazardous chemicals and accidental releases of chemicals in their communities.
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