Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)

Meetings

• 3 p.m.
• Third Wednesday of each month
• Harford County Department of Emergency Services
  2220 Ady Road
  Forest Hill, MD 21050

Facility coordinators are encouraged to attend all Harford County Local Emergency Planning Committee meetings. Please call 410-638-4900 for additional information on LEPC meetings.

Commitment

The Harford County LEPC is strongly committed to the safety of Harford County's citizens by assuring proper resources and planning for environmental emergencies. The LEPC is an active group of emergency responders, planners, business representatives, health care providers, elected officials, citizens and media that work together for the preservation of our environment.

What is LEPC

On October 16, 1986, the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) was signed into law. Title III of this act is also known as the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA). This act was to empower citizens and emergency responders with the Right to Know what chemicals existed in the communities where they lived and worked. It mandated planning for chemical emergencies and established a chain of command to assure that the requirements were met.

State Level

The governor of each state was required to appoint a State Emergency Response Commission (SERC). The SERC then divided up the state into Local Emergency Planning Districts (LEPD) and for each LEPD there was to be a LEPC appointed.

The LEPC had to have representatives from specific areas who would have knowledge and interests in environmental emergency planning.