The Role of the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) David Powell EPCRA Program Manager N.C. Division of Emergency Management (919) 825-2277 [email protected]

The Role of the Local Emergency Planning Committee

(LEPC)

David PowellEPCRA Program Manager

N.C. Division of Emergency Management

(919) [email protected]

North Carolina Emergency Management

Why do we need LEPCs?


December 3, 1984

Union Carbide

pesticide plant in Bhopal India

15,000-20,000 dead

Bhopal, India



Bhopal, IndiaRelease of 40 tons of methyl isocynate

•30 mins: health effects notices •2.5 hrs: sirens utilized•6 hrs: release controlled•3,800 people immediately killed

West Virginia release caused 135 residents to seek treatment in 1985 Sources: AlJazeera America, the

National Institutes of Health, and the New York Times

Credit: Raj Patidar/Reuters Raj Patidar/REUTERS

The Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act

• Passed by congress in response to the Bhopal and West Virginia incidents

• Signed by Ronald Regan

• Also known as title three of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act


SERC & LEPCs

State Emergency Response Commission• Coordinates state hazmat preparedness• Establishes LEPCs• Encompasses “all-hazards” rather than just hazmat

Local Emergency Planning Committee• Coordinates local hazmat preparedness • Create and maintain hazardous materials emergency

response plan


What is Required of my LEPC?


LEPC General Checklist

1. Membership must include essential stakeholders2. Annual submission of membership to SERC 3. Chair must be appointed4. Establish rules/bylaws5. Create procedure for handling requests for information6. Appoint a Public Information Coordinator7. Meet annually to review emergency plan


9 of 12 must be completed for SERC approval

LEPC General Checklist

8. Create an emergency response plan containing nine elements 9. Designate an authorizing authority in E-Plan10. Create a process to develop, implement, and exercise the

emergency plan11. Submit the emergency plan annually for review to SERC12. Annually publish in local newspapers where the response

plan, Material Data Safety Sheets (MSDS), and inventory forms are available to the public

9 of 12 must be completed for SERC approval


Membership ResponsibilityThe membership of your LEPC should include:

• Elected State or Local officials• Emergency Services• Public Health Services• Community Groups• Owner/Operators of Extremely Hazardous Substance (EHS)

facilities• Local Media

A membership list should be annually submitted to the SERC


2014 Charleston, W.V. Water Contamination

• Contaminated the Elk River, Charleston’s water supply

• Impacted 300,000

• Lasted over a weekSource: CNN


Organizational Rules

LEPCs must establish bylaws that cover:

• Appointment of a chairperson • Public notification process • Public meetings to discuss the emergency plan • Process for public comments • Distribution of the emergency plan


Public Information ResponsibilitiesEPCRA requires LEPCs to:

•Appoint a Public Information Coordinator

•Establish procedures to handle public information requests

•Publish annual notices in local newspapers advertising where emergency response plans, MSDSs, and inventory forms can be publicly viewed.


How to handle requests:•Any Risk Management Plan (RMP) offsite consequence analysis data cannot be shared•Do not honor blanket requests for information•Do not honor requests that unduly comprise the security of a facility or the public•Reports that could be sensitive in nature (most Tier II reports) should not be mailed or distrusted electronically

Public Information Responsibilities


Approve the FOIA Request?

Case 1

A member of the public emails a request to view the chemicals contained at a facility one mile away from her son’s school. The Tier II report shows the facility has 10,000 lbs. of

anhydrous ammonia in their refrigerant system.



Case 2

You receive a call from a man who states he is a citizen within your jurisdiction. He asks to have the chemical report for a nearby concrete plant

faxed to him.



Case 3

You receive a written letter from a local media outlet requesting a list of all facilities in your jurisdiction that have reported EPCRA 304

notifications for chemical spills into a local river.



Case 4

A citizen sends you a letter requesting a list of all the facilities in your jurisdiction that have

EHS substances on site.



Case 5

A citizen sends you a letter requesting the storage location and container type of the chlorine stored at your local waste water

treatment plant.



Case 6

A citizen writes you a letter requesting to come to your office to view the RMP offsite

consequence analysis date for a facility that physically borders his backyard.


Planning Responsibility LEPCs are required to create an annually reviewed emergency response plan

Section 11003 of EPCRA requires:1. Identification of hazmat facilities and transportation routes 2. Hazmat response procedures for facilities and emergency personnel3. Designation of a community emergency coordinator and facility emergency

coordinators4. Procedures for providing reliable, effective, and timely notification by the

facility emergency coordinators and the community emergency coordinator to persons designated in the emergency plan, and to the public


5. Methods for determining the occurrence of a release and the area or population likely to be affected

6. A description of emergency equipment and facilities in the community and an identification of the persons responsible for such equipment and facilities

7. Evacuation plans, including provisions for a precautionary evacuation and alternative traffic routes

8. Training programs, including schedules for training of local emergency response and medical personnel

9. Methods and schedules for exercising the emergency plan

LEPC should establish steps to test and implement the plan.

Planning Responsibility


2005 Graniteville, South Carolina Chorine Release

• Occurred after an operator neglected to change a track

• The release occurred at 2:39 AM and emitted 60 tons of chlorine

• Nine were killed, 5,400 evacuated, and 554 were treated at hospitals

Credit: EPA Region 4

Credit: Associated Press


Source: Transportation Effects and Lessons in Small-Town Capacity for No-Notice Evacuation

http://chronicle.augusta.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/superphoto/editorial/images/feed/msms/photos/4380417.jpg

2005 Graniteville, South Carolina Chorine Release

- Transportation Effects and Lessons in Small-Town Capacity for No-Notice Evacuation by A.E. Dunning

and Jennifer Oswalt

• 1 min: 911 notified

• 2 mins: the local fire department was en route

• 6 mins: fire chief on scene

• 13 mins: evacuations were in progress and Reverse 911 activated

“Within 13 min, the chief recognized the need for a mass evacuation and relocated upwind. Emergency responders marshaled personnel and equipment, established incident command, requested mutual aid, activated Reverse 911 with instructions to shelter in place, and initiated a major evacuation… However, these actions did not take place with immediacy and efficiency.”


LEPCs in Practice


North Carolina Data

2010 2011 2012 Total

Toxic substance releases 347 251 256 854

Releases resulting inone or more injuries

54 (16%) 34 (14%) 20 (8%) 108 (13%)

Releases that led to anofficial evacuation

42 (12%) 39 (16%) 28 (11%) 109 (13%)

North Carolina Facility & transportation NTSIP-eligible toxic substance releases 2010 2011 2012 Total

Fixed-facility releases 185 143 131 459

Transportation releases 162 108 125 395

North Carolina NTSIP-eligible toxic substance releases


North Carolina Data

Severity of injury 2010 2011 2012 TotalDeath on scene or on arrival at hospital

4 5 5 14

Treated at hospital (admitted) 6 10 15 31

Treated at hospital (not admitted)

16 12 30 58

Treated on scene 26 28 3 57Observed at hospital (not treated)

2 0 7 9

Unknown 11 1 2 14Total injured persons 65 56 62 183

Severity of injuries that resulted from NTSIP-eligible toxic substance releases


Rural LEPCsChallenges for jurisdictions with few hazardous material facilities:

•What are your hazmat transportation routes? (47% of toxic releases in North Carolina occur in transportation)

•How close is the nearest capable hazmat team?

•Are local hospitals appropriately equipped?

Credit: Main.gov


2013 Lac-Megantic, Canada Railcar Explosion


Town of approximately 6,000 people, 47 were killed

Credit: The Canadian Press/ Paul Chiasson

Credit: The Canadian Press/ Ryan Remiorz

• Caused by human error and mechanical failure• An unattended train moved downhill towards Lac-

Megantic• The train derailed in a track that travels through the

center of Lac-Megantic • Over 1.5 million gallons of oil was released, and

multiple explosions ensued

2013 Lac-Megantic, Canada Railcar Explosion

Source: Transportation Safety Board of Canada


• Chemical hazards• Natural hazards• Hostile actions• Cyber threats• Public health

emergencies• Routine response

All Hazard LEPCs


Credit: Jill Helmuth/AP

Credit: City of Columbus

LEPC Resources


E-Plan

• North Carolina’s tool for collecting and distributing Tier II information (erplan.net).

• Every county should have an authorizing authority in E-Plan.

• Authorizing authorities give access to first responders.


E-Plan


E-Plan


2013 West, Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion

• Explosion of ammonium nitrate

• Death toll of 17, including 10 first responders

• Responders were largely unaware of the ammonium nitrate quantity on site

Credit: Reuters/Adrees Latif


2013 West, Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion


- Neal Langerman, chemical and health safety officer at the American Chemical Society

"The West, Texas, first responders were doing the best they could under the circumstances…The failure was in the community, county, and state leadership to provide emergency planning and implementation guidance… I don't think it's appropriate to beat up on what the first responders did at the time of detonation, but everything that led up to it - preparedness and preparation - was lacking,"

• A fire was reported at 7:19 PM on April 17,2013.

• Explosion reported 20 mins. after first responders arrived

• February 2012 Tier II filing did not list ammonium nitrate

• Apartments and nursing homes within a few hundred yards of the plant

Source: Reuters

Transportation Risk Assessments


• Trucking routes for key chemicals• Pipelines for Highly Volatile Liquids• Hazmat rail lines• Hazmat shipping lines

Access granted upon request

HMEP Grant• The state annually awards subgrants to LEPCs to

conduct training and re-write plans.

• $10,000 awarded per county• $25,000 awarded for regional exercises/plans

• Applications are accepted every fall.


Contact InformationDavid Powell, EPCRA Program Manager

4236 Mail Service CenterRaleigh, NC 27699-4236

[email protected](919) 825-2277

Matt Kemnitz, Technological Hazards Lead4236 Mail Service CenterRaleigh, NC 27699-4236

[email protected](919) 825-2287


Documents

The Role of the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) David Powell EPCRA Program Manager N.C. Division of Emergency Management (919) 825-2277 [email protected]