Prepare
Hazardous Materials Program
The Hazardous Materials Program is coordinated by Marathon County Emergency Management and includes direction of the Marathon County Local Emergency Planning Committee. The program involves compliance with SARA Title III planning and record keeping, available training for public safety agencies, community outreaches on hazardous materials issues and other mandated requirements. SARA Title III also covers facilities certain threshold quantities of hazardous materials.
Emergency Planning And Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA)
EPCRA (Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act or SARA Title III) was passed in 1986 and requires:
- Development of plans for response to accidental releases
- Immediate notification of public officials when releases occur
- Making chemical hazard and inventory data available to the public
- Making toxic chemical release information available to the public
- The establishment of a Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPC) to implement or oversee compliance
Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)
LEPCs work to understand the hazards in the community, develop emergency plans in case of an accidental release or natural disaster, and look for ways to prevent accidents. The role of LEPCs is to form a partnership between local governments and industries to enhance all- hazards preparedness. The local government is responsible for all-hazards planning and response within their jurisdiction. This includes:
- Ensuring the local hazard analysis adequately addresses all-hazards incidents.
- Incorporating planning for all-hazards incidents into the local emergency operations plan and annexes
- Assessing capabilities and developing all-hazards response capability using local resources, mutual aid, and contractors
- Training responders
- Exercising the plan
Industry must be a part of this planning process to ensure facility plans are compatible with local emergency plans. Every regulated facility is responsible for:
- Identifying a facility emergency coordinator
- Reporting hazmat inventories annually to the SERC, LEPC, and local fire department
- Providing SDS or a list of hazardous chemicals
- Allowing local fire departments to conduct on-site inspection of hazmat facilities.
- Providing annual report of toxic chemicals released, to EPA and the State
LEPCs are crucial to community right-to-know programs and all-hazards planning. Members of the LEPC represent various organizations, agencies, departments, facilities, and/or other groups within the district. The membership comes from the local area and should be familiar with factors that affect public safety, the environment, and the economy of the community. In addition to its formal duties, the LEPC serves as a focal point in the community for information and discussions about hazardous substances and natural disaster emergency planning and health and environmental risks. Citizens will expect the LEPC to reply to questions about hazards and risk management actions.
Hazardous Materials Facilities in the Marathon County LEPC Jurisdiction
Tier II reports are required under SARA Title III by March 1st each year for the prior calendar year. Any facility with inventories over the threshold planning quantity must complete these forms and send copies to the Local Emergency Planning Committee, and the local fire department. Off-site plans include:
- Facility name and location
- Name of facility emergency planning coordinator with 24 hr. contact phone number
- List of primary emergency responders
- List of resources available from/at facility
- List of outside resources available
- Hazard analysis of the facility with a vulnerability zone for release of EHS stored at facility, identification of special facilities (ex. schools, hospitals, nursing homes, day care centers, etc.) within the zone
- Population protection procedures (sheltering and evacuation) and attachments
