In 1986, Congress passed The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act as Title III of Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), Public Law 99-499.

The law established requirements for federal, state, and local government and industry regarding emergency planning and “community right-to-know” reporting on hazardous toxic chemicals.

To implement Title III, Congress required each state to appoint a State Emergency Response Commission (SERC).

The states, in turn, were required to divide their states into emergency planning districts and name a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) for each district.

The Oconee County LEPC was established in October 1988.

The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know (Title III) has four (4) major sections: Emergency Planning (Sections 301-303), Emergency Release Notification (Section 304), Community Right-to-Know reporting requirements (Sections 311, 312), and toxic chemical release reporting emissions inventory (Section 313).

The emergency planning sections are designed to develop state and local governments’ emergency response and preparedness capabilities through better coordination and planning.

Each LEPC is required to have a cross-section of the entire community in its membership to include as a minimum: Elected state and local officials, law enforcement, emergency preparedness, fire service, emergency medical service, health, environmental, hospital, transportation, media, community groups, facilities and additional members as required by the county.

The Oconee County LEPC has a cross section of approximately 40 members.

The LEPC is the focal point for Title III activities in the community.  The performance of the LEPC is critical to ensuring that the public benefits from the opportunities and information provided for under the law.

The mission of the LEPC, as required by law, is to: 

According to Section 311 of Title III, reporting requirements for businesses and industry are as follows:  A listing of the TPQs is found at e-CFR.

All businesses and facilities storing or using hazardous chemicals meeting the above-mentioned quantities are required to submit a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) or list to the EMA Office annually which is stored on CAMEO database.

Civil and administrative penalties ranging from $10,000-$75,000 per violation or per day can be assessed to facilities that fail to meet the emergency planning, emergency notification, community right-to-know, toxic chemical release, and trade secret reporting requirements.

Criminal penalties of up to $50,000 or five years in prison may be given to any person who knowingly and willfully fails to provide emergency release notification.

Oconee County had approximately 85 reporting businesses and facilities in 2001.