The Cities of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson and the Counties of James City and York established a regional Local Emergency Planning Committee consistent with Federal Public Law 99-499,the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, under Title III, section 301 (also known as the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)) known as the Peninsula Local Emergency Planning Committee (PLEPC). The purpose of the PLEPC is to
- Develop, maintain and update a regional Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Plan for the peninsula;
- Establish procedures for receiving and processing requests from the public for information about and/or copies of emergency response plans, material safety data sheets and chemical inventory forms;
- Devise, observe and critque regional emergency operations excises annually;
- Educate the public about risks from accidental and routine releases of chemicals, and work with facilities to minimize such risks within the region;
- Involve necessary local businesses in the effort to minimize risks of accidental and routine release of chemicals in the region;
- Encourage hazardous materials training of public and quasi-public personnel within the region.
See Membership for more information on PLEPC jurisdictional participants.