SARA Title III

Emergency Planning & Community Right to Know

Title III of SARA (Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act) deals with emergency planning, preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery associated with hazardous chemicals. It provides funding for training and also establishes requirements for reporting on hazardous and toxic chemicals -- requirements that apply both to industries and to all levels of government.

The legislation emphasizes:

• Helping communities meet their responsibility to prepare for chemical emergencies
• Increasing public knowledge and access to information on the hazardous chemicals present in their communities ("community-right-to-know")

In order to comply with SARA Title III, states are required to designate emergency planning districts to prepare and implement emergency plans for dealing with an accidental or unplanned release of hazardous materials. Within those districts, the state must appoint a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC).

In Kansas, each county has been designated as a local planning district.