General | Responsibilities | Membership | By-Laws | Meetings | Administration | Emergency Operating Plan | Exercising the Plan | Response | Training
General Information
The role of LEPC’s/TERC’s is to form a partnership with state and local government, responders, and industry as an enhancement for mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery, planning, exercising and training. Local government is responsible for planning and response within their jurisdiction.
Responsibilities
The EPCRA establishes the LEPC/TERC as a forum at the local level for discussions and a focus for action in matters pertaining to hazardous materials planning. In Montana, we encourage all-hazard planning. LEPC’s/TERC’s 3 also help to provide local governments and the public with information about possible hazards in their communities or tribal nations.
Membership
The membership comes from the local area and is familiar with factors that affect public
safety, the environment, and the economy of the community. This expertise is essential
as the LEPC/TERC is involved in writing their local emergency operations plan.
As prescribed under Section 301 of EPCRA, as a minimum the LEPC/TERC shall
include representatives from the following organizations/agencies as applicable:
- Elected Tribal/County Officials
- Elected state or local officials
- Emergency Medical Personnel
- Fire Departments
- Health Officials
- Emergency Management
- Law Enforcement
- Community Groups
- Local Environmental Groups
- Broadcast and/or print media
- Hospital personnel
- Owners and operators of covered facilities
By-Laws
LEPC/TERC should be established as required in EPCRA Section 301. The by-laws provide the following details:
- Public notification of committee activities
- Public meetings to discuss the emergency plan
- Public comment and response to these comments
- Distribution of emergency plan
- Election of officers
Meetings
The frequency of LEPC meetings is not mandated but recommended at least quarterly. Richland County LEPC meets the first Monday of each month except for July, August and December. Meetings address local issues and work toward progress on key concerns are important by conducting a round-robin format of attending participants.
Administration
Most LEPC/TERC are challenged with having to administer a program with little or no
budget, and no office to work from. Despite this, they are required by law to respond to
public inquiries about hazardous materials in their communities within 45 days.
Emergency Operating Plan
Minimum Requirements for the Plan
1. State Law
Under the federal EPCRA law, each LEPC/TERC is to develop an emergency response plan and review it at least annually thereafter. Section 312 of EPCRA states that nothing in EPCRA will preempt any state or local law. Therefore, existing State Law governs local emergency management planning as long as it meets the requirements of EPCRA. Under State guidelines, LEPC/TERC develop emergency plans to meet the response and recovery needs during emergencies involving natural hazards, national security, and technological and man-made hazards (All Hazard Planning).
2. Federal Hazmat Planning Requirements
The LEPC/TERC planning envisioned by EPA was intended to complement the existing planning that state law already required instead of creating a separate process. In most situations, the LEPC/TERC did not develop a separate plan, but carried out the emergency planning requirements related to hazardous materials by adding a hazardous materials annex. In this way, the LEPC/TERC is an important resource useful to all local responders.
EPCRA requires that each hazardous materials emergency response plan does the following:
- Identify facilities and transportation routes of extremely hazardous substances;
- Describe emergency response procedures, on-site and off-site;
- Designate a community emergency coordinator and facility coordinator(s) to implement the plan;
- Outline emergency notification procedures;
- Describe methods for determining the occurrence of a release and the probable affected area and population;
- Describe community and industry emergency equipment and facilities, and the identity of persons responsible for them;
- Outline evacuation plans;
- Describe a training program for emergency response personnel (including schedules);
- Present methods and schedules for exercising emergency medical personnel, fire services, and law enforcement agencies.
Exercising The Plan and Exercise Evaluation
EPCRA requires each plan to “present methods and schedules for exercising emergency response plans to emergency personnel, fire service, and law enforcement agencies”. Each LEPC/TERC, therefore, must develop and conduct an exercise to test and validate the various plan sections that relate to the local agencies, departments and organizations within the district to satisfy exercise requirements.
Response to Hazardous Substance Incidents
Both Federal and state statutes indicate the person responsible for the spill (spiller) is responsible for the clean up. Local government must be prepared to implement appropriate notification and response actions in order to save lives and property during a HAZMAT incident. In Montana, call Disaster and Emergency Services at (406) 841- 3911 to make your notifications and receive advice and assistance.
Training
EPCRA requires that each plan, “describe a training program for emergency response
personnel (including schedules)”. These programs should be made available for all
emergency response, management, and facility personnel. Additionally, the
LEPC/TERC should train its own members in their respective areas of responsibility. It
should also work together with the Local Emergency Management Office in training
such groups as the EOC staff, officials, and others regarding plans, exercises, and other
activities.
For more information contact DES Director by email, fax or letter using the contact information on the left.
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