Simply copying MSDS means the LEPC is not doing their job. It is not up to the local FD to do the planning. They participate. States like NJ, MA, CA have very robust programs
Local Emergency Planning Committees
Under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) must develop an emergency response plan, review the plan at least annually, and provide information about chemicals in the community to citizens. Plans are developed by LEPCs with stakeholder participation. There is one LEPC for each of the more than 3,000 designated local emergency planning districts. The LEPC membership must include (at a minimum):
Elected state and local officials
Police, fire, civil defense, and public health professionals
Environment, transportation, and hospital officials
Facility representatives
Representatives from community groups and the media
The required elements of a community emergency response plan:
Identification of facilities and transportation routes of extremely hazardous substances
Description of emergency response procedures, on and off site
Designation of a community coordinator and facility emergency coordinator(s) to implement the plan
Outline of emergency notification procedures
Description of how to determine the probable affected area and population by releases
Description of local emergency equipment and facilities and the persons responsible for them
Outline of evacuation plans
A training program for emergency responders (including schedules)
Methods and schedules for exercising emergency response plans
In PA I even coordinated a compressed gas mutual aid group that regularly conducted drills with the local FDs and County HazMat. This group responded to a number of incidents within the county involving compressed gas cylinders. Since we were known we were able to participate seamlessly in the mitigation. Even after 30 years I still get calls every year on incidents
Eugene Ngai
Chemically Speaking LLC
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU> On Behalf Of Alan Hall
Sent: Saturday, February 5, 2022 11:37 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] [External] [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (10 articles)
My Friends,
A 2 cents worth of historical perspective.
When this well-meaning but misguided legislation hit the proverbial fan, what a lot of businesses/industrial site did was to copy all their MSDSs and sent large number of boxes of them to the local fire department. The Chief didn't know what to do with them, so they ended up in a basement somewhere.
tAlan H. Hall, M.D.
Medical Toxicologist
and
one time
Volunteer Firefighter
Elk Mountain Wyoming Volunteer Fire Department
On Fri, Feb 4, 2022 at 12:39 PM <neal**At_Symbol_Here**chemical-safety.com> wrote:
The discouraging aspect of this is more than 35 years after SARA regulations went into force, municipalities across this country (think West, TX, for example) still are not aware of/using the power of the Community Right to Know rules. I live in a state where the state really has pushed these rules down to the smallest community. While some may complain about the "nanny state" the leadership out of Sacramento has helped every community know what chemicals and to a large degree, what chemical processes, are present in the community.
For me, this is a real plus.
NL
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stay healthy and prosper
NEAL LANGERMAN, Ph.D.
ADVANCED CHEMICAL SAFETY, Inc. (Retired)
5340 Caminito Cachorro
SAN DIEGO CA 92105
+1 (619) 990-4908
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU> On Behalf Of Eugene Ngai
Sent: Friday, February 4, 2022 7:50 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] [External] [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (10 articles)
Under SARA Title III if you handle or store above the threshold quantities of certain hazardous substances it would have to be reported to the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). This is then to be used to coordinate a response between the company and the local ER agencies. This is a public forum. Ammonia for example has a threshold of 500 lbs. This information is searchable by state
https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-emergency-planning-community-right-know-act
I have had to prepare these for a number of sites around the US as well as plan a response to an emergency at the site
Eugene Ngai
Chemically Speaking LLC
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU> On Behalf Of Samuella Sigmann
Sent: Friday, February 4, 2022 9:50 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] [External] [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (10 articles)
On 2/4/2022 6:57 AM, Ralph Stuart wrote:
As for how and if people are supposed to know hazardous materials are stored near where they live, local elected leaders say their hands are tied.The city can't force a business to disclose what materials are on hand, and businesses aren't required to disclose that information.???? What am I not understanding????
Local Emergency Planning Committees
Under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) must develop an emergency response plan, review the plan at least annually, and provide information about chemicals in the community to citizens. Plans are developed by LEPCs with stakeholder participation. There is one LEPC for each of the more than 3,000 designated local emergency planning districts. The LEPC membership must include (at a minimum):
- Elected state and local officials
- Police, fire, civil defense, and public health professionals
- Environment, transportation, and hospital officials
- Facility representatives
- Representatives from community groups and the media
--
******************************************************************************
Samuella B. Sigmann, MS, NRCC-CHO
Chair, ACS Committee on Chemical Safety
Fellow & 2019 Chair, ACS Division of Chemical Health & Safety
Appalachian State University, Retired
Phone: 336 877 5147
Email: sigmannsb**At_Symbol_Here**retired.appstate.edu
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