The Local Emergency Planning Committee (L.E.P.C.) of Chatham County was created in 1994 to address
many of the public safety concerns of industry and the community regarding hazardous materials.
The
passage of the SARA Title III: Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 mandates
that facilities which produce, utilize and/or store certain hazardous materials must report these
chemicals to State environmental authorities. This Act has also intensified local governmental
authorities' and the community's concern and interest about these facilities.
It encourages these
facilities to initiate community awareness about the chemicals they use and to work with local
governments, emergency response organizations, and neighborhood groups in developing emergency
plans in the event of a hazardous materials incidents at these facilities.
LEPC Introduction
