Local Emergency Planning Committee

Hazardous materials regional emergency planning and community right to know at the local level

Introduction

The California State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) established Six Emergency Planning Districts having the same boundaries as the six Mutual Aid Regions. The SERC appointed a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) for each planning district and supervises and coordinates their activities.

Within their region, the LEPCs carry out community right-to-know requirements of the  Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). They provide a forum for emergency management agencies, responders, industry and the public to work together to evaluate, understand, train about, coordinate and communicate chemical hazards in the community and develop hazmat emergency plans, which provide information about chemicals in the community to citizens, government agencies and emergency responders.  Plans are developed with stakeholder participation.

The LEPC membership must include (at a minimum):

  • Elected state and local officials
  • Police, fire, civil defense, and public health professionals
  • Environment, transportation, and hospital officials
  • Facility representatives
  • Representatives from community groups and the media
  • Cal OES Regional staff are assigned to assist LEPCs as liaisons

 

To facilitate EPCRA decision-making at the most practical Administering level the SERC has delegated some EPCRA requirements based on the long-standing structure of California’s hazardous material program consolidated within the Unified Program.  Thus, emergency and hazardous chemical inventory forms, and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) are submitted to the Certified Unified Program Agencies (CUPAs) instead of the SERC/LEPCs.  It is the CUPAs, therefore, that respond to public inquiries regarding business inventories. Immediate notice and follow-up reports (Section 304) regarding hazardous material releases are submitted to both the CUPAs and Cal OES, and are available upon request. For more information regarding a Public Records Act (PRA) request, visit the Cal OES Public Records Request webpage.

CUPAs prepare local Area Plans for hazmat emergencies based on the inventories and SDS information. CUPAs are represented on the SERC and on the LEPCs.

You can make a difference in attending an LEPC meeting or by joining your LEPC.

 

SDS/Tier II

The federal equivalent to the Business Plan program is the EPCRA 311/312 reporting requirements. Owners and operators are required to prepare and have available Safety Data Sheets (SDS) under the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard and must submit an inventory of their hazardous chemicals to the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC), Local Emergency Preparedness Committee (LEPC), and the local fire department annually on March 1st. This requirement is achieved through compliance with the Business Plan program. Contact your local CUPA for compliance and questions.

 

LEPC Contact Information

Fred Mehr, Senior Emergency Services Coordinator
Hazardous Materials Section
Phone: (916) 845-8754 / FAX: (916) 845-8734

fred.mehr@pfwt.caloes.ca.gov

LEPC Contacts/Cal OES Liaison

Region I

Duane Sweeton
Torrance Fire Department
1701 Crenshaw Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90501
Office Phone: (310) 781-7000
E-mail: dsweeton@torranceca.gov

Region I

Deborah Yoon
Cal OES, Southern Region
4671 Liberty Avenue, Bldg. 283
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
E-mail: deborah.yoon@pfwt.caloes.ca.gov

Region II

Trisha Johnson
Contra Costa Health Services/Hazardous Materials Programs
4585 Pacheco Boulevard, Suite 100
Martinez, CA 94553
Office Phone: (925) 335-3247
E-mail: trisha.johnson@cchealth.org

Region II

Jennifer Gordon
Cal OES, Coastal Region
2333 Courage Drive
Fairfield, CA 94533
Cell Phone: (916) 698-4909
E-mail: jennifer.gordon@pfwt.caloes.ca.gov

​Region III

Gary Cantwell
Yuba County Environmental Health/CUPA
915 8th Street #123
Marysville, CA 95901
Office Phone: (530) 749-7526
E-mail: gcantwell@co.yuba.ca.us

Region III

Robert Goyeneche
Cal OES, Inland Region
806 S. Main Street
Yreka, CA 96097
Cell Phone: (916) 694-9906
E-mail: robert.goyeneche@pfwt.caloes.ca.gov

Region IV

William Schwarz,
Hazmat Team Coordinator
South San Joaquin County Fire
835 Central Avenue
Tracy, CA. 95376
Office: (209) 831-6700
Cell: (209) 576-5271
Email: William.schwarz@sjcfire.org

Region IV

Reuben Armenta
Cal OES, Inland Region
630 Sequoia Pacific Blvd, MS 31
Sacramento, CA 95811
Office Phone: (916) 823-6503
E-mail: reuben.armenta@pfwt.caloes.ca.gov

Region V

Shane Gardner
Hazardous Materials Specialist
Bakersfield Fire Department
Office: (661) 326-3650
Fax: (661) 852-2171
E-mail: sgardner@bakersfieldfire.us

Region V

Walt Kent
Cal OES, Inland Region
2550 Mariposa Mall, B181
Fresno, CA 93721
Office Phone: (559) 445-5806
E-mail: walt.kent@pfwt.caloes.ca.gov

​Region VI

Stephen Mayville
Regional Water Quality Control Board, Santa Ana Region, Retired
Cell Phone: (714) 614-8814
E-mail: sdm0218@roadrunner.com

Region VI

Deborah Yoon
Cal OES, Southern Region
4671 Liberty Avenue, Bldg. 283
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
E-mail: deborah.yoon@pfwt.caloes.ca.gov

LEPC Documents

LEPC Mission Statement 110590
LEPC Mission Statement November 1990
LEPC Nominations Form
Form for nominations to the LEPC as required by SARA Title III (EPCRA 1986), Section 301 (c)
LEPCs Meeting Schedule

Laws and Regulations
Listed below are State and Federal Laws and Regulations that affect LEPCs:

State Statute: Health and Safety Code, Chapter 6.95, Article 1

State Regulation: Title 19, California Code of Regulations, Section 2720 et. seq.

Federal Related Statute: United States Code, Title 42, Section 11001 et. seq.