What is the Local Emergency Planning Committee?

Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPC) are composed of first responders, public safety personnel, industrial facility managers, local elected officials, healthcare representatives, media correspondents, emergency managers, and more.

The role of the LEPC is to foster a working relationship between the public and private sectors. Allowing local governments and industry officials share resources for enhancing hazardous materials preparedness.

• Industry officials are responsible for keeping government planners "in-the-know" through annual reporting of chemical inventories. They must also share relevant emergency plans with their local fire department and county emergency management agency. Additionally, industry officials are responsible for the training and educating of their staff, to maintain the safest working environment possible.

• Local governments are responsible for the integration of hazmat planning and response within their jurisdiction. This includes ensuring the local hazard analysis addresses possible hazmat incidents; incorporating planning for hazmat incidents into the local emergency management plan; assessing capabilities and developing hazmat response capability using local resources, mutual aid and contractors; training responders; and exercising the plan.

Quick Links:

• Facility Reporting Requirements

• Meeting Minutes

• Membership Application

Links to External Resources:

• Maine SERC

  • State Emergency Response Commission

• Maine Revised Legal Statues

  • Title 37-B, §792: State Emergency Response Commission

• Maine Department of Environmental Protection

  • Maine Department of Environmental Protection

• Maine State Fire Marshal

  • Above Ground Storage Tanks | Office of State Fire Marshal

• EPA EPCRA Explanation

  • Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) | US EPA

• EPA List of Lists

  • Consolidated List of Lists | US EPA

• National Fire Protection Association

  • The List of 300+ Codes and Standards

Your Right-to-Know

In accordance with Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and SARA Title III, the Androscoggin County Local Emergency Planning Committee is hereby giving notice that any members of the public who wish to review the Chemical Inventory Reporting Forms, Emergency Response Plans, and Safety Data Sheets may do so at the Androscoggin County EMA Office.

Located at: 45 Oak St, Lewiston, Maine, 02420.

Hours of operation: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday - Friday.

Please note: This office is closed on Federally Recognized Holidays.

History

On December 3rd of 1984, a devastating toxic gas leak occurred, significantly impacting the community of Bhopal, India. This event was covered by numerous news-media correspondents and gained world-wide attention. The gas leak highlighted the dangers surrounding industrialized uses of hazardous materials and sparked international concern. Shortly after the devastation in Bhopal, on August 11th of 1985, a serious accidental chemical release occurred at an industrial facility in Institute, West Virginia. While this event was much smaller, it alerted Americans to the threat of industrial incidents occurring close-to-home.

These two devastating events prompted new federal legislation, aimed to support emergency planning in the private sector, and to outline the right for civilians to access information related to the industrial threats and hazards close to home. In 1986 Congress passed The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), this mandated that each state Governor appoint a State Emergency Response Commission (SERC). Each SERC was assigned the authority to identify and designate local emergency planning districts. The Maine SERC chose to align local planning districts with previously established County boundaries, deciding this to be the most effective and efficient method for emergency planning. Each County Emergency Management Agency oversees a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC).

• Learn more about the impacts of the tragedy in Bhopal, India here: The World's Worst Industrial Disaster Harmed People Before They Were Born

• Learn more about EPCRA here: Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act

• Learn more about the Maine SERC here: Maine Emergency Management Agency: SERC

Interested in joining the LEPC?

Please complete this membership application form and return it to the LEPC Secretary at ema@androscoggincountyema.gov

• Please note: This process can take a matter of months. Your membership application will be reviewed by the LEPC, after this review, the application is reviewed and voted on by the SERC. Following both LEPC and SERC review, a member of the LEPC will be in touch to update you on your membership status.

***during this process you are encouraged to join LEPC and SERC meetings, as they are open to members of the public***

LEPC Constitution and Bylaws

The LEPC Constitution and Bylaws act as a guiding document for the members of the LEPC. The document outlines the objectives of the committee, conditions for membership and electing officers, appropriate spending of LEPC funding, and much more.

Read the Androscoggin County LEPC Constitution and Bylaws here: LEPC Constitution and Bylaws