This presentation was delivered as part of the Tribal Lands and Environment Forum: Virtual Gathering in August 2020 by Sicy Jacob, USEPA Office of Emergency Management.
This live presentation was offered as an brief overview and an opportunity to ask questions after viewing the
On-Demand video “An Overview of Emergency Planning, Release Reporting, and Community Right-to-Know Reporting of Hazardous Chemicals Under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)”, which provided an overview of the responsibilities delegated to the State, Tribal and local governments to prepare and protect the community, including first responders from chemical accidents. This training also includes an overview of the reporting requirements for facilities located on Indian Country that store, use, and release hazardous chemicals.
Background
In response to concerns raised by two major industrial accidents occurred in mid-1980s , EPCRA was enacted on October 17, 1986 to encourage emergency planning efforts at the State, Tribal and local levels and provide the public with information on potential chemical hazards in the community. Additional coordination and provision of information responsibilities were established for State, Tribal and local entities under the America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) on October 23, 2018.