PURPOSE
The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA) was
enacted by Congress into law on October 17, 1986. Title III of the Act
establishes requirements that federal, state, and local governments
and industry must implement regarding Emergency Planning and Community
Right-to Know reporting on hazardous and toxic chemicals. The Illinois
SERC (State Emergency Response Committee) has designated Stephenson
County a local emergency planning district and has appointed a local
emergency planning committee for Stephenson County; composed of elected
officials, police, fire, first aid, ESDA, public health and environmental
professionals, hospital and transportation officials, as well as representatives
of facilities subject to the emergency planning requirements, community
groups and the media. This committee has been named the Stephenson County
Local Emergency Planning Committee (referred to as the Committee").
FUNCTION
The Illinois SERC has determined the function of the County's LEPC is
to develop plans for Tier II facilities and communities to cope with
dangerous chemical spills, releases or fires that may occur during the
manufacture, storage, use of, or transportation of hazardous substances
(HS or extremely hazardous substances (EHS).
Illinois requires the Stephenson County Local Emergency Planning Committee
to establish rules, give public notice of its activities, establish
procedures for handling public requests for information and develop
an emergency response plan following the authorized State Plan Development
and Review Guide (PDR).
This plan must:
1.Identify facilities containing and transportation routes for extremely
hazardous substances;
2.Include emergency response procedures
3.Designate a community coordinator to implement the plan and register
company appointed representative(s) to participate in the planning process;
4.Establish emergency notification procedures;
5.Develop methods for determining the occurrence of a release and the
probable affected area and population;
6.Describe community industry, emergency equipment and facilities and
identify the person(s) responsible for them;
7.Include evacuation plans;
8.Describe and schedule a training program for emergency response personnel;
and;
9.Provide methods and schedules for exercising emergency response plans.
HISTORY
The Stephenson County LEPC was reactivated May of 2002 following a period
of inactivity. The Committee continues to meet once a month and is supported
by the County's Emergency Management Agency. The Committee continues
to address the mission outlined by the State's SERC and focusing on
the manufacture, storage, use of, or transportation of hazardous substances
(HS or extremely hazardous substances (EHS).
