Local Emergency Planning Committee
Local Emergency Planning Committee
An LEPC or Local Emergency Planning Committee is a local organization that was established by a Federal law called the Emergency Planning and Community Right to know act or EPCRA. It was passed by the United States Congress in November of 1986 to help communities deal safely and effectively with the many hazardous substances that are used throughout our country. The Superfund Amendment and Re-Authorization Act (SARA) passed in 1986 requires emergency response plans to be developed for responding to chemical emergencies which might happen in the United States. This responsibility was mandated to be handled on local levels through the establishment of LEPCs.
The law has two main purposes:
- To encourage and support emergency planning for responding to chemical accidents.
- To provide local governments and the public with information about possible chemical hazards in their communities.
