Scioto County Emergency Planning Committee and Chemical Emergency Readiness and Inventory Reporting The Scioto County Emergency Planning Committee was established under Chapter 3750 of the Ohio Revised Code, and is responsible for planning for chemical emergencies as well as providing guidance to the Emergency Management Agency for planning for all hazards. By law, each business or industry from the private sector in Scioto County, as well as government entities must report chemical inventories housed at their location that exceed threshold planning quantities. Threshold Planning Quantities (TPQ) are different for each chemical. The Ohio General Assembly adopted legislation in 1986 establishing a State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) to administer and enforce provisions of the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA) which provides for informing residents in and near business or industry facilities of the chemicals stored or manufactured in their neighborhoods. The SERC established the Scioto County Emergency Planning Committee, comprised of organizational representatives set by law but appointed by the Board of Scioto County Commissioners. The SERC program requires anyone who stores, uses, generates or releases hazardous chemicals to identify the chemicals and report their location and volume to local, state and federal authorities when they exceed certain fixed quantities. In turn, the Scioto County Emergency Planning Committee involves government, industry, health and safety representatives who use this information to prepare plans for procedures for dealing with emergencies involving hazardous chemicals. If there is an accident in which a hazardous substance is released in a Reportable Quantity (RQ), the spiller must immediately report the details of the accident to the Scioto County Emergency Planning Committee and local fire department of jurisdiction and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). If this notification to the Scioto County Emergency Planning Committee Emergency Coordinator is not made within 30 minutes from the event, fines may be imposed for failure to do so. A thirty (30) day written follow up report must also be provided to the Emergency Coordinator and fire department of jurisdiction as well as Ohio EPA. Failure to do so may result in fines being imposed. In Scioto County, The Emergency Management Agency is the lead agency for planning and response to all chemical emergencies. Office hours are from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Fridays, and after hours calls should be made to the Scioto County Sheriff Department at 354-7556. The sheriff's department has 24-hour contact with EMA. Information on local business and industry chemical inventories and contingency plans are available to the public at the Emergency Management Agency. Economic Development | Info & Statistics | Events & Attractions Our County & Communities | News | Contacts | Home Free JavaScripts provided by The JavaScript Source © 1998-02 Scioto County Government. All rights reserved.