In response to the requirements of the law and the needs of the community, the Local Emergency Planning Committee has worked to:

• Develop and keep current a comprehensive chemical emergency response plan for St. Mary’s County. This plan identifies chemical hazards in the community and outlines procedures for response to accidental releases.
• Set up procedures to warn and, if necessary, evacuate the public in the event of an emergency.
• Collect and maintain hazardous chemical inventory reports from facilities subject  to the Emergency Planning Community Right -to-Know Act.
• Receive information about accidental releases of hazardous chemicals and ensure that emergency response plans are followed by the responsible party when responding to such releases.
• Provide citizens and local government with information about hazardous chemicals and accidental releases of chemical in their communities.

In October 1986 the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) was signed into law.  The act was to allow citizens and emergency responders with the Right to Know which chemicals exist within their communities. It mandated planning for chemical emergencies and established a chain of command to assure that the requirements were met.

LEPC includes fire departments, transportation industries, emergency planners, police, municipal government, county government, business, citizens, media, health care providers, federal government, and public information coordinator.

The Right to Know Act

Allows people within the community to review the businesses that have chemicals within the county.  The community member may set up an appointment to review the SARA Tier III records. If a business is not required to submit the information on a yearly basis, the community member can request that a business submit a special Tier II report.

LEPC’s are responsible for making and having a plan for response to chemical emergencies. All plans must be reviewed and updated yearly by the LEPC and State Emergency Response Commission (SERC).

Who has to do Tier II Reporting?

Every facility that maintains over 10,000 pounds of a hazardous substance on site at any one time must file a Tier II Report Yearly.  Tier II reports include name, amount stored, health risks, storage location and other information about storage of chemical(s). The reports are then sent to the SERC, LEPC and local Fire Departments.  These reports are due by March 1 of every year.

Facilities are also responsible for reporting any release of a chemical within 2 hours of the incident.  They must report this to the Maryland Department of Environment. At federal levels, reportable releases are if release enters a waterway, or when the reportable quantity is reached.

Farmer’s Responsibility under SARA Title III

Farm facilities are not required to develop emergency response plans for their facilities under the current requirements of SARA Title III.   However, they may be required by their insurance company or other OSHA regulations.  Sara Title III, Section 304, covers emergency notification requirements when there is a release into the environment of any Hazardous or Extremely Hazardous Substance over the designated Reportable Quantity (RQ).   If there is any danger of off site exposure YOU MUST REPORT THE INCIDENT.

If a fire should occur in an on site farm or co-op storage containing EHS or hazardous chemicals, it can be reportable under Section 304.  It is wise to submit a site plan to notify emergency responders of storage locations.  If a storage area is involved in a fire, expect the firefighters to allow this fire to burn as hot as possible to consume the stored materials.  Notification of storage areas can eliminate any "guess work" by emergency responders and assist in fire suppression activities.

Under SARA Title III, Section 311 and 312, Chemical Inventory Reporting, any chemical used in routine agricultural activities is exempt from reporting.   If any inventory is maintained for non-agricultural uses, over the designated TPQ or 10,000 pounds, it must be reported to the Maryland Department of the Environment, the St. Mary’s County Local Emergency Planning Committee and the local fire department who responds to your facility.

For more information about the LEPC please contact the Emergency Manager, Jaclyn Shaw at 301-475-4200 Ext. 2125.