&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Solid Waste
and Emergency Response
(OS-120)
December 1989
OSWER-89-006.3
Series 6, No. 3
Successful Practices In
Title III Implementation
Chemical Emergency
Preparedness and Prevention
Technical Assistance Bulletin
Woodbury County, Iowa
State of Virginia
Fairfax County, Virginia
Pierce County, Washington
Printed on Hecycfeef Papef
-------
-------
ABOUT THIS BULLETIN
This is another in a series of bulletins EPA is issuing to provide ex-
amples of implementation programs and strategies of the Emergency
Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, known as Title IE,
that are innovative or have proven effective. The purpose of these bulle-
tins is to share information on successful practices with Local Emergency
Planning Committees (LEPCs), State Emergency Response Commissions
(SERCs), fire departments, and other Title m implementing agencies
throughout the country in the hope that such information will prove useful
to other SERCs and LEPCs as their programs develop and evolve.
Elements from the programs featured here may be transferable to
other programs in similar communities or with similar situations. The
bulletins provide information on a variety of practices — for example,
planning, compliance, information management, hazard analysis, and out-
reach. The particular topics covered in each LEPC or SERC profile are
listed at the upper right hand corner of the first page of the profile for easy
reference.
The descriptions of the innovative and effective implementation
programs and strategies are not exhaustive. They are meant to provide
readers with enough information to determine if a particular approach is
applicable to their own situation. Each profile includes a contact person
who can provide more detailed information.
If you know of Title HI implementation efforts that you feel would
be of interest to others, please contact your EPA Regional Chemical
Emergency Preparedness and Prevention coordinator (see list on the last
page) or die Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Inf or-
mation Hotline at 1-800-535-0202, or, in Washington, DC, 479-2449.
-------
-------
Compliance
Funding
LEPC Organization
WOODBURY COUNTY, IOWA
LEPC: 60 members representing 48 entities, including civil
defense, police, fire, hospitals, ambulances, funeral
directors, American Red Cross, Salvation Army,
ham radio operators, media (print, radio and television),
and industry
Population: 100,000
Facilities: 140, including 40 which reported for section 302 farm
chemical manufacturers and distributors as well as some,'
warehouses that handled over one million pounds of
hazardous chemicals a week were among the section
302 reporters
J
Woodbury County, Iowa, is a mostly agricultural community bor-
dering Nebraska and South Dakota. Sioux City is its only urban area. On
July 19, 1989, United Air Lines Flight 232 was forced to attempt an
emergency landing at the Sioux City airport while en route from Denver to
Chicago. The plane's entire hydraulic system had been destroyed and the
plane was virtually uncontrollable. If it was not for the heroic efforts of
the pilots and the quick response of the emergency response personnel on
the ground at Sioux City, there would not have been over 180 survivors
from a plane that had cartwheeled across a runway and exploded into a
great ball of flames.
The response at Sioux City would not have been as quick and
coordinated had it not been for the teamwork developed through the estab-
lishment of a disaster committee long before this tragedy. This disaster
committee includes all elements of the community that have a role to play
in any emergency. After the passage of Title HI, this disaster committee
incorporated into its charter all the functions and the mission of a local
emergency planning committee.
LEPC ACTIVITIES
Formation of the LEPC. The disaster committee was formed as a
result of a continuing series of emergency simulation exercises held within
the county. These exercises were originally conducted to fulfill State obli-
gations for the local hospitals to maintain certification and for the local
civil defense agency to conduct an emergency exercise every five years.
Faced with these obligations and understanding the need to be prepared
-------
for any emergency, the county chose to conduct a full-scale emergency
exercise every year. Initially, representatives from civil defense, fire,
police, hospitals, and ambulatory services would meet only to design and
conduct the yearly exercise. Based on evaluations of these exercises, the
representatives determined it was important to meet to discuss emergency
preparedness and response issues beyond conducting exercises. These
groups agreed to meet on a monthly basis.
After the passage of Title m, the State assigned the county the task
of developing an LEPC. The county recognized the disaster committee as
the most appropriate vehicle for establishing the LEPC. However, be-
cause the disaster committee was composed of a limited group of commu-
nity organizations, representatives of other elements of the community
were added to achieve the broad-based participation required by Tide III.
These other elements included elected officials and representatives of
industry, funeral directors, ham radio operators, and the media. These
new members have valuable and varied experiences and expertise to offer,
especially the industry representatives. Funeral directors were able to help
the county address the issue of handling mass fatalities in an emergency
situation (for example, in the crash-of Flight 232). The addition of elected
officials helped elevate the profile of the disaster committee within the
community.
Emergency Exercises. The county utilizes a well-developed and
organized emergency exercise program to continually improve its coordi-
nation and communication skills. In 1987, the county conducted an
exercise based on the scenario of a major plane crash at the Sioux City
airport. The next year, 1988, the exercise scenario was a train with haz-
ardous materials colliding with a school bus. These exercises provide the
county with an excellent opportunity to test their response system and
improve the coordination and cooperation of all elements of the commu-
nity that would be involved in such a response. The emphasis of these
exercises is on improving communications during crises.
One result of this emphasis on communications has been the for-
mation of a communications' subcommittee, which is exploring ways to
improve the county's emergency communication and broadcast systems.
This subcommittee is also developing a mobile command post for the
county. The base for this command post is a 40-foot trailer donated by a
facility. A union local has donated labor, while the remaining funding for
this project will also come from donations.
Outreach. The county has employed all of the local media —
print, radio, and television — in providing facilities and the general public
with information on Title ffl, through articles and public service an-
nouncements. The local hospital sponsored a free luncheon for 30-40
businesses in which a panel of civil defense, police, fire, Red Cross, and
other officials discussed the Title ffl requirements. The panel members
provided assistance to these businesses in complying with the regulations
and developing emergency plans. The hospital, in association with the
disaster committee, is planning another luncheon this fall for school
officials and, then, next spring, for businesses in neighboring communi-
ties, including out-of-State communities that border the county.
-------
Inter-County Coordination. The county is coordinating its plan-
ning and response activities closely with the neighboring communities.
Woodbury County shares borders with four counties in Iowa and two
States, Nebraska and South Dakota. With all counties having limited
resources, better coordination and sharing of resources are needed for
comprehensive responses to crisis situations. Woodbury County plans to
move aggressively in expanding the tri-State preparedness activities. The
county recently contracted with Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Plan-
ning Council (SIMPCO), a regional planning authority, to review all
county plans to ensure that the county's plan parallels the plans of neigh-
boring communities that have contracted with SIMPCO.
Following improved coordination among neighboring communi-
ties, the county would like to see the creation of a regional hazardous
materials response team. This team would not only be designed to better
utilize limited resources for the entire tri-State area, but it could also assist
in planning and conduct training for first-responders throughout the area.
However, because of limited funds, the counties of the tri-State area
cannot establish such a team at this time.
LESSONS LEARNED
Teamwork is Essential. The county believes they were prepared
for the crash of Flight 232 because of the dedication and determination of
a group of individuals to work together as a team to prepare for the worst.
The county had the commitment and active support of many members of
the community, including elected officials, industry, and even funeral
directors. This positive spirit of teamwork was especially apparent on the
part of industry facilities. In response to the plane crash, industry repre-
sentatives on the disaster committee offered and provided clerical and
support staff, technical information, and an airplane hanger for the storing
of the passengers' personal effects gathered from the plane wreckage.
Through the working relationships developed within the disaster commit-
tee, this assistance was efficiently and quickly coordinated and provided.
Know All the Title HI Players. While most LEPCs have limited
resources and financial support from Federal and State sources, the county
believes it is still'vitally important for the LEPC to get to know all the
Title IE players, especially at the Federal and State level. LEPCs should
learn to work with their State and Federal counterparts for two reasons: 1)
to identify any available resources the State and Federal officials may
have to offer including guidance, training, and technical assistance; and 2)
to create a working relationship with these officials, which will be ex-
tremely helpful in an emergency situation. Now is the time to learn to
work together, not after a DC-10 crashes in your community.
Contact: Gary Brown, Director
Disaster Services
1432 Leech Avenue
Sioux City, IA 51101
(712)279-6550
-------
-------
Training
Outreach
Liability
Information Management
Use of Section 313 Data
STATE OF VIRGINIA
State Characteristics:
SERC Membership:
114 Local Emergency Planning Districts,
including 73 counties, 18 cities, 2 towns with
populations of 5,000 or more and 21
joint districts
Eight State agencies, including the Department
of Waste Management (Chair); Water Control
Board; and the Departments of Emergency
Services, Air Pollution Control, Fire Programs,
Health, Labor and Industry, and State Police
Virginia has been one of the most active States in implementing
Title in. It has provided training for its LEPCs and affected facilities to
help both in understanding their roles in the Tide HI process. Its SERC,
the Virginia Emergency Response Council (VERC), has been assigned the
responsibility of providing guidance and training to each community to
assist in developing a chemical emergency planning and preparedness pro-
gram that meets each community's specific needs.
SERC ACTIVITIES
Training. The VERC has been very active in providing training
and technical assistance to its LEPCs and the regulated community. The
VERC has sponsored and presented numerous training seminars for
LEPCs, other local government officials, and industry at locations
throughout the State. The five-day "Hazardous Materials Contingency
Planning Course," developed by FEMA, EPA, and DOT, has been offered
eight times in Virginia. Virginia, like many other States, has sent person-
nel to be trained as trainers for this course. For industry in Virginia, the
VERC presented 10 seminars that provided a general, but thorough,
overview of all Title III requirements. The VERC also sponsored eight
seminars that specifically addressed the section 313 toxic chemical release
reporting requirements.
Outreach. In supporting its LEPCs, the VERC has developed
many outreach materials that have helped the LEPCs recognize their re-
sponsibilities as well as provided concrete assistance in fulfilling those
responsibilities. For example, the VERC published a guidance document
for its LEPCs to use in establishing procedures for handling requests for
-------
Title m information from the public. The VERC also produced a training
video entitled, "Preparing for Chemical Emergencies." This video gives
LEPCs a general overview of their roles and responsibilities under Title IIE
and suggests how to prepare for chemical emergencies without Federal or
State funding.
The VERC maintains regular communications with all its LEPCs
and acts as a conduit for any relevant guidance, training, and technical
assistance offered by the Federal government. As part of the VERC's
commitment to keeping its LEPCs informed, the VERC provides each
LEPC with copies of any EPA guidance or outreach document within one
week after it becomes available to VERC.
The VERC believes that the success of Title DT depends on an
effective outreach campaign to inform industry of its responsibilities and
citizens of the information available to them on chemical hazards in their
community. One of its first products was a series of advisories for facili-
ties on each of the Title El requirements and deadlines. These advisories
were sent to over 5,000 facilities identified as potentially subject to the re-
quirements. These advisories served a dual purpose: they provided
industry with information on complying with Title III requirements and
informed the LEPCs, who received copies of these advisories, that they
would be the recipients of this information.
Liability. One of the first concerns LEPCs raised in the early days
of Title HI was LEPC members' liability in planning for and responding to
a chemical emergency. The VERC sought the advice of the Virginia
Attorney General's office, which concluded that the LEPC members are
agents of the SERC. Based on this opinion, the VERC obtained a commit-
ment from the Virginia Division of Risk Management to provide insurance
coverage for all LEPC members for any claim made against them for any
acts, errors, or omissions that occur in the course of their authorized
governmental duties.
Information Management. In order to manage the significant
amount of Title El information more effectively and make it more acces-
sible to the LEPCs, the VERC developed an information management
system that allows for systematic retrieval of the thousands of facility
reports submitted. Title HI information is currently available to the
LEPCs upon request to the VERC. However, the VERC plans to makes
this information management system accessible to any LEPC with modem
capabilities.
The computerized information management system used by the
VERC for storing the Title in information and developing its planning
initiatives is the Emergency Information System/Chemical (EIS/C) soft-
ware. EIS/C is run on an IBM-compatible computer and records chemi-
cal, facility, transportation, and other planning and response information.
This information is graphically displayed on color maps. The EIS/C
system also stores the MSDS and Tier I and II information for the VERC.
-------
The VERC has also purchased the Occupational Health Services' (OHS)
MSDS ON DISC software, which provides generic chemical information
on over 9,800 hazardous chemicals.
As the recipient of the section 313 toxic chemical release reporting
submissions, the VERC has input these facility reports on a database to
provide citizens ready access to information on annual releases of toxic
chemicals to all environmental media from facilities within the State. The
public can write or call to request a hardcopy of any available facility
report. Section 313 data also can be obtained on disk upon request.
Use of Section 313 Data. In November 1989, the VERC devel-
oped a report for the Governor that evaluates the section 313 data submis-
sions for calendar years 1987 and 1988. The report focuses on how much
facilities in Virginia reduced their emissions from 1987 to 1988. The
VERC believes this report shows that most facilities have strived to reduce
their releases following their reporting for calendar year 1987.
LESSONS LEARNED
LEPC Role Goes Beyond Planning. The VERC believes that the
role of the LEPC, in keeping with the spirit and intent of Title HI, goes far
beyond the preparation of an emergency plan. The LEPC is the front-line
for all planning, preparedness, and prevention activities because of its rela-
tionship with the community. More and more, citizens are looking to the
LEPC to provide answers concerning health effects of hazardous and toxic
chemicals, waste reduction, chemical process safety, and emission reduc-
tion. As a recipient of most of the Title HI information, the LEPC has a
vital role to play in addressing these concerns. As preparedness and
response groups, the LEPCs have an inherent responsibility to protect the
health and environment of their community. The LEPC provides an
excellent vehicle for providing information to the community, particularly
industry, on how to identify chemical hazards and safely deal with them.
The VERC believes the section 313 data are a very useful tool for expand-
ing the capabilities of the LEPC; more local governments should use the
data.
Develop Generic Chemical Hazard Data. The VERC found
using generic information on chemical hazards — for example, the MSDS
ON DISC database — more useful and effective than searching through
the numerous filing cabinets that contain all the MSDS submissions
received under section 311. Besides the easier access to the information,
the VERC found that the information on this computerized and updated
database was more thorough and informative than sifting through duplica-
tive MSDSs, which sometimes contain conflicting, outdated, or inaccurate
data. However, recognizing that the MSDS ON DISC did not include all
hazardous chemicals, the VERC reviewed its copies of MSDSs and en-
tered all those MSDSs that were not in the computerized database.
-------
Computers Are Good Planning Tools. Computers can be useful
and efficient tools in the planning process. Hazard analysis and plan
revisions can be accomplished quickly and accurately. Computers can
significantly reduce the paper burdens associated with planning and allow
for greater and more effective manipulation of the data for planning as
well as response.
Contact: Wayne Halbleib, Director
Virginia Emergency Response Council
Virginia Department of Waste Management
James Monroe Building, 14th Floor
101 North 14th Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
(804) 225-2513
-------
Use of Section 313 Data
Compliance
Planning
Information Management
Outreach
Funding
FAIRFAX COUNTY, VIRGINIA
LEPC: 30 members, including elected officials and representa-
tives of county and city law enforcement; count fire
department; county environmental, planning, health,
and transportation agencies; public interest groups;
hospitals; media; public utilities; industry; and citizens
Population: 750,000
Facilities: 286 reporting facilities, including gas stations, pesticide
distributors, county waste water and drinking water treat-
ment plants, a printing ink manufacturer, and a large metal
finishing plant
Fairfax County is part of the greater Washington, DC, metropoli-
tan area. The county includes several major highways which transport
many hazardous chemicals. Its LEPC, which lias been organized since
late 1987, holds monthly meetings which are always open to the public.
The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, a member of the LEPC,
is one of the largest and best equipped fire departments for handling
hazardous chemical emergencies in the Mid-Atlantic states.
LEPC ACTIVITIES
Use of Section 313 Data. In order to improve facility compliance
with all Title in requirements, the LEPC has obtained the 1987 and 1988
toxic release Form R submissions for its jurisdictions from the Title in
Reporting Center, and compared those submissions with the list of facili-
ties that submitted Tier n forms (requested by the county for section 312
reporting). Based on this comparison, the LEPC determined that all facili-
ties that reported for section 313 also reported for sections 311-312. The
LEPC now has direct computer access to the section 313 data using the
county fire department's hazardous materials response vehicle link to
TOXNET (see the Information Management section).
8
-------
Compliance. In addition to using the section 313 information to
assess compliance, the LEPC checks the list of facilities that report re-
leases under section 304 to determine if these facilities had reported under
sections 311-312. The LEPC is also conducting a survey of all businesses
and apartment buildings to identify facilities that are subject to the Tide in
requirements. The survey identifies hazardous chemicals these facilities
may have present on site (for example, chlorine for swimming pools) and
determines what fire prevention equipment, if any, they have available. A
local ordinance requires any facility handling hazardous materials to
obtain a fire prevention permit before starting operation. The county has
established permitting procedures that require the fire department to
inspect each facility before issuing the permit. Access to information
supplied in response to permit requirements allows the LEPC to identify
new facilities subject to Title HI compliance.
Planning. As part of the LEPC's planning process, any facility
that submitted a Tier II form for an extremely hazardous substance is
identified as a critical hazard facility. The LEPC requests that the critical
hazard facility submit a facility response plan, facility maps with locations
of all hazardous materials, and information on the facility's release detec-
tion equipment and practices. The LEPC requests the information using
its authority under section 303(d)(3) of Tide IE, which allows the LEPC to
request any information relevant to emergency planning. Using this infor-
mation, the LEPC annually updates their emergency response plan.
Information Management. Currently, the LEPC has one fully
equipped hazardous materials response unit for responding to chemical
emergencies. The hazmat unit uses the Harwell chemical database for
chemical hazard information and protective clothing recommendations.
This database is specifically designed to provide this information for the
initial response to a hazardous material situation before detailed informa-
tion on the extent and cause of the accident is identified.
The hazmat unit also subscribes to HAZARDLINE database,
which provides on-line response and medical effects information on
hazardous substances, and TOXNET, which provides on-line toxicological
information on hazardous substances, as well as the section 313 toxic
release inventory. The hazmat unit is equipped with these multiple
sources on chemical hazard information because their response procedures
require that information used in incident decision-making be verified by
three sources.
The hazmat vehicle has a cellular telephone modem, which allows
the response personnel, while en route to the incident, to access Tier II
information, especially storage locations and chemical hazard data, from
the database maintained at the station. The vehicle is equipped with an
IBM PS/2 Model 30 personal computer. Using the modem, HAZARD-
LINE and TOXNET on-line databases can be accessed from the hazmat
vehicle. At present, the facility maps cannot be adequately accessed.
However, the hazmat unit is planning to obtain equipment necessary to
transmit the maps and allow for plume modelling with the on-board
computer.
-------
In the future, an IBM PS/2 Model 80 personal computer located at
the station will store the Title EH submission information on dBase (a
software package for database management). Data for planning and re-
sponse activities -— for example, storage, facility, and transportation
locations — will be stored on this computer using the Emergency Infor-
mation System/Chemical (EIS/C) software package. EIS/C records
chemical, facility, transportation, and other planning and response infor-
mation. The EIS/C system also stores the MSDS and Tier I and II infor-
mation. Use of EIS/C also allows the LEPC to develop facility maps and
conduct hazard analyses. At present, this information is only available
for response personnel serving on the hazmat unit. However, the LEPC
plans to make all information collected under Title HI available via com-
puter to all fire stations within the LEPC's jurisdiction.
Outreach. Through the cooperation of the area's media, the LEPC
has been able to communicate their Title EH messages to the public and
potentially covered facilities. In particular, shortly after the LEPC was
formed, a series of articles on Tide Ed, planning for chemical emergencies,
and response procedures and equipment was published in the local subur-
ban newspaper. Announcements of all LEPC meetings have also been
published. The LEPC developed a brochure to explain the Tide III re-
quirements, the roles of the LEPC, and how the public can access the Title
in information. Fairfax Hospital and Washington Gas and Light printed a
short, straightforward brochure for citizens.
Funding. Effective with calendar year 1988 reporting for Title HI,
the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department has been assessing fees
based on their fire prevention code fee schedule. A one dollar per page
fee is charged for all Title m submissions including MSDSs, facility
plans, and Tier II forms.
LESSONS LEARNED
LEPC Serves as Focal Point for Hazardous Materials Issues.
The LEPC's active role in publicizing its activities and responsibilities
under Title III has fostered an additional role as the focal point for the
community on hazardous materials issues. Citizens now look to the LEPC
for answers to their concerns about particular chemical hazards in their
community. In addition, citizens look to the LEPC, and its regular public
meetings, as a forum for expressing these same concerns.
Information Is Not A Paper Burden. The LEPC members have
learned that the Tide EH information is not a part of some burdensome
paper exercise with no usefulness for responding to a chemical emer-
gency. In fact, LEPC members now believe that the Title EQ data are very
useful, if managed thoughtfully, in helping their community to better
prepare for a chemical emergency.
10
-------
Cooperative Attitudes Breed Cooperative Relationships. The
LEPC members' experiences with facilities show that most facilities
understand the objectives of the LEPC and are more than willing to help.
Most companies realize that the LEPCs need this information even though
it may be burdensome to their facilities. Cooperation goes a long way in
developing a relationship which may be beneficial to the LEPC (access to
technical resources and equipment) and the facility (better publicity and
community relations.) The LEPC has found that it is better to seek the
cooperation of industry in meeting the intent and spirit of Title in rather
than to demand industry's participation in an adversarial manner.
Contact: David Duncan
Special Projects Section
Fairfax Fire and Rescue Department
4031 University Drive
Fairfax, VA 22030
(703) 218-3426
11
-------
Planning
Training
Outreach
Funding
Liability
PIERCE COUNTY, WASHINGTON
LEPC: 37 members, including the county executive, representa-
tives of city mayors, two State Representatives, and
representatives of the county emergency management
and health departments, the fire marshall, local fire
districts, police, hospitals, the American Red Cross/Sal-
vation Army, local military bases, the Sierra Club, Safety
Council, citizens, media, Port of Tacoma, railroads,
hazardous waste clean-up contractors, and industry.
In addition, many organizations do not regularly attend
LEPC meetings but are on the LEPC mailing list and
contribute resources or expertise in some LEPC efforts.
These organizations include labor unions, other neigh-
boring LEPCs, universities, local libraries, and the Puget
Sound Air Pollution Control Agency.
Population: 500,000, including the city of Tacoma
Facilities: 96 companies or agencies have reported on 256 facilities
throughout the county. The majority of these facilities
are associated with the Port of Tacoma, including major
chemical manufacturing and transportation companies.
Pierce County, located south of Seattle in the southern part of the
Puget Sound, includes the Port of Tacoma. This port, which accounts for
80 percent of the Title HI reporting facilities within the county-wide
LEPC, is one of the busiest ports on the West Coast. Pierce County also
has one of the most active LEPCs on the West Coast.
One advantage Pierce County had in developing an active LEPC
was the prior establishment of a planning group under the Chemical
Manufacturers Association's Chemical Awareness and Emergency Re-
sponse (CAER) program. The CAER program, created following the
tragedy in Bhopal, India, encourages industry to work cooperatively
within the community to identify chemical hazards and prepare for poten-
tial emergencies through the formation of community planning groups.
12
-------
LEPC ACTIVITIES
Planning. One of the first activities in the LEPC planning
process was reorganizing the county's emergency notification system. A
single point of contact was named for all emergency notifications within
the county, including the section 304 reporting requirement. The LEPC
developed a uniform notification worksheet and distributed it to all
facilities and response personnel within the county. Training programs
are continuously offered on the notification system.
The LEPC is incorporating its Title HI emergency planning re-
quirements into the county's overall integrated community preparedness
plan, as a specific hazardous materials component of the overall generic
plan. This approach was chosen in order:
• To maintain consistency with the emergency plans being
done for different hazards; and
• To avoid duplicating planning efforts and thereby wastin
limited resources.
To assist in developing its emergency plan, the LEPC requested
each reporting facility to conduct a hazards analysis and an assessment
of their response capabilities. Based on this information and the other
Title ffl data submitted by facilities, the LEPC did a vulnerability analy-
sis of hazards in the community. Using a mapping system, a facility can
be located on a map of the county and any number of clear overlays can
be added to show locations of schools, hospitals, nursing homes, etc.
Other overlays display floodplains, transportation corridors, potential
earthquake hazards, and other hazards. Using this planning tool, the
LEPC can better identify potential hazards and affected areas in the
event of a release. The LEPC is also meeting with each facility to create
site plans for inclusion in the LEPC plan.
The LEPC is moving towards closer coordination with neighbor-
ing LEPCs. Initially, this multi-jurisdictional coordination is being ac-
complished through the sharing of LEPC meeting minutes. However,
this coordination may be expanded in the future to include planning and
exercising for emergencies affecting multi-jurisdictions.
Training. The LEPC has sponsored numerous hazardous materi-
als exercises to evaluate and improve the emergency planning efforts and
to foster training among responders. The LEPC has also developed and
conducted many training sessions for responders on identifying hazard-
ous materials and understanding the Title III requirements and their re-
sponsibilities — for example, a two-hour course for law enforcement
personnel on recognizing and identifying hazardous materials. These
courses were designed specifically for first responders such as the police
and fire personnel.
13
-------
Following the promulgation of the training requirements for haz-
ardous materials responders under SARA section 126, the LEPC assisted
in the development of training courses for first responders that meet those
requirements. SARA section 126 requires all local emergency responders,
including volunteer fire fighters, to be provided with training in under-
standing chemical hazards and proper safety procedures. All of the county
training courses have been made available to respojise personnel in other
counties on a limited basis.
Outreach. The LEPC has been very active in disseminating infor-
mation on the Title HI requirements to the regulated community and
general public. Numerous seminars were conducted to provide facility rep-
resentatives with detailed overviews of the Title in requirements. The
LEPC held workshops on each specific Title HI provision as the deadline
for that requirement approached. The LEPC compared a list of all facili-
ties located in the county prepared by the Washington Department of
Labor and Industry with their list of reporting facilities. Over 4,600 non-
reporting facilities were identified as potentially subject to Title in re-
quirements. To reach these facilities, apparently unaware of the Title in
requirements, the LEPC is developing an insert on the Title IE require-
ments for the local business newspaper (circulation: 16,000).
The LEPC has provided public access to the Title HI information
through the public libraries throughout the county. The main branch of
the Tacoma Library and the main branch of the Pierce County Library
have on file the community right-to-know information submitted by
facilities under Title III. Ten other branches have a workbook containing
information on the Title III requirements and regulations. Facilities that
inquire about Title III are referred to one of these libraries to obtain further
information on Title III reporting requirements.
A brochure is being drafted to help increase awareness of hazard-
ous materials and the public's right of access to Title in information on
those hazards. Public service announcements on Title III were produced
and distributed to all county television and radio stations to inform the
public, including local industry, of the Title III requirements.
Funding. Basic costs for LEPC activities have been defrayed by
the Pierce County Department of Emergency -Management under its
general operating budget and supplemented by the volunteered time of
many LEPC members. In addition, the LEPC requested donations from all
reporting facilities for the purchase of a computer system to help in man-
aging the planning process and Title III community right-to-know infor-
mation. The LEPC sent a letter to each reporting facility requesting a
donation of $250 towards the purchase of the Emergency Information
System/Chemical (EIS/C) software. The State has endorsed this computer
program as a standard for managing Titie HI information. Follow-up
letters were sent to all facilities that did not provide donations after the
first mailing. At present, over $7,000 has been raised through this effort,
enough to purchase the EIS/C software and to cover LEPC costs for
postage, office supplies, printing, and some training.
14
-------
Liability. During the establishment of the LEPC, many concerns
were raised by LEPC members about their liability for participating in the
planning process. Based on this concern, the LEPC played an active role
in the passage of State legislation that provides liability protection to
members of the LEPCs. One of the State Representatives on the LEPC
has been a very active member from the beginning. Using his influence
within the State legislature and his intimate understanding of the roles of
an LEPC member, he was able to help ensure the timely passage of this
legislation. The new law states that all LEPC members in Washington
who, in good faith, assist in the development or review of LEPC plans are
not liable for civil damages as a result of any act or omission in the devel-
opment, review, or implementation of such plans. This protection does not
apply to any act or omission that constitutes gross negligence or willful
misconduct.
LESSONS LEARNED
Planning Helps to Prevent Chemical Accidents. The Pierce
County LEPC believes that the planning process fostered under Title HI
and the pre-existing CAER program has helped reduce chemical hazards in
the community. As a result of identification of chemical hazards and
planning by the LEPC, many facilities have taken measures to prevent the
possibility of serious chemical accidents, as well as to mitigate the conse-
quences of such accidents. The knowledge gained in the county's plan-
ning efforts has lead many facilities to increase or improve their employee
training programs focusing on safer handling procedures.
The LEPC also recognized that many facilities are not aware of the
Title in requirements or the need for unproved chemical process safety
practices. Through their thorough outreach program, the LEPC has
reached many of these facilities to make them aware of the requirements of
Title IE and, to some extent, the need for reducing chemical hazards in the
community.
Contact: William Lokey, Director
Pierce County Department of Emergency Management
930 Tacoma Avenue South, Room B-33
Tacoma,WA 98402-2102
(206) 591-7470
15
-------
REGIONALCHEMICALEMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS AND PREVENTION
COORDINATORS
Ray DiNardo
EPA-Region 1
New England Regional Lab
60 Westview Street
Lexington, MA 02173
(617)860-4300
Bruce Sprague
EPA-Region 2
WoodbridgeAvenue
Edison, NJ 08837
(201)321:6656
Karen Brown
EPA-Region 3
841 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215)597-1399
Henry Hudson
EPA-Region4
345 Courtland Street, NE
Atlanta, GA 30365
(404)347-3931
MarkHorwitz
EPA - Region 5
230 South Dearborn
Chicago, IL 60604
(312)886-1964
Jim Staves
EPA-Region 6
Allied Bank Tower
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, TX 75202-2733
(214)655-2270
RonRitter
EPA-Region 7
726 Minnesota Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66101
(913)236-2806
Cheryl Chrisler
EPA-Region 8
One Denver Place
99918th Street, Suite 1300
Denver, CO 80202-2413
(303)293-1723
Kathleen Shimmin
EPA-Region9
215 Fremont Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415)974-7477
GordeflGoff
EPA-Region 10
1200 6th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
(206)442-1263
STATES BY REGION
4 - Alabama
10 -Alaska.,
9 - Arizona '
6 - Arkansas
9 - California
8 - Colorado
1 - Connecticut
3 - Delaware
3 - D.C.
4 - Florida
4 - Georgia
9 - Hawaii
10 -Idaho
5 - Illinois
5 - Indiana
7 - Iowa
7 -Kansas
4 - Kentucky
6 - Louisiana
1 -Maine
3 - Maryland
1 - Massachusetts
5 - Michigan
5 - Minnesota
4 - Mississippi
7 - Missouri
8 - Montana
7 - Nebraska
9 - Nevada
1 - New Hampshire
2 - New Jersey
6 - New Mexico
2 -New York
4 - North Carolina
4 - North Dakota
5 - Ohio
6 - Oklahoma
10 - Oregon
3 - Pennsylvania
1 -Rhode Island
4 - South Carolina
8 -.South Dakota
4 - Tennessee
6 - Texas
8 -Utah
1 - Vermont
3 - Virginia
10 - Washington
3 - West Virginia
5 - Wisconsin
8 - Wyoming
9 - American Samoa
9 -Guam
2 - Puerto Rico
2 - Virgin Islands
*U.S. GPO: 1990—719-255
-------
------- |