Local Emergency Planning Committee

A Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) is a component of the Federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). Local LEPCs are tasked with maintaining information on hazardous substances from facilities in the jurisdiction, as well as maintain the local hazardous materials response plan. The LEPC must also conduct a training exercise on the local response plan annually.

Portage County LEPC is made up of various community partners that are appointed by the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) upon recommendation of the County Commissioners. Our LEPC partners include individuals from the following fields:

Meeting quarterly at the Portage County Emergency Operations Center in Ravenna, LEPC members review the use of hazardous chemicals used in Portage County, create, maintain, and update plans for chemical incident response, and plan for training with community partners that respond to chemical incidents.

The primary focus of the Portage County LEPC is to ensure that the community is aware of the hazardous materials in their area and is prepared to handle an incident with those chemicals. This includes education on harmful household materials, completely routine visits with facilities with a high concentration of these materials through the Site-Assisted Visit (SAV) program, and education regarding the location and disposal of harmful materials.

Current Chairman: Matt Mohler, Private Industry

Emergency Response Coordinator and Information Coordinator: McKenzie Villatoro, PC EMA

Tier II submit software for industry: http://epa.ohio.gov/dapc/serc.aspx#122453391-electronic-reporting

SERC Manual for reporting facilities: http://epa.ohio.gov/Portals/27/serc/SERC_Manual.pdf

LEPC Spills Reporting Line: (330) 297-3607, opt. 2

For questions please contact the Emergency Management Office at (330) 297-3607, opt. 2

Staff Contacts:

Chemical of the Month

SULFURIC ACID

Sulfuric Acid is a dense, colorless liquid that is violently corrosive to metals and skin tissue. Sulfuric Acid will char wood and most other organic material on contact but is unlikely to ignite organic materials.

As the world’s largest volume industrial chemical, Sulfuric Acid is used in the production of other acids, wood preservatives, and automobile batteries, along with many other uses.

When working with Sulfuric Acid, it’s important to always wear the required personal protective equipment (PPE), which should include a face shield, safety goggles, chemical gloves, and an acid suit and chemical boots. Appropriate respiratory protection is also required as Sulfuric Acid will irritate the respiratory tract. Inhalation exposure to Sulfuric Acid may be fatal.

A person working with Sulfuric Acid should properly decontaminate reusable protective clothing and allow the PPE to dry before storing according to manufacturers specifications. Disposable PPE should be properly sealed and labeled in an appropriate container as specified by an Environmental Health & Safety Professional, or your disposal contractor.

If you come across Sulfuric Acid at home, contact your local hazardous waste facility for information on how to safely dispose of the material. Never pour Sulfuric Acid down a drain, into a sewer, or into the trash.

Portage County residents can call the Portage County Recycling Center at (330) 678-8808 for information on hazardous chemical collection

For additional information on the Portage County LEPC, call (330) 297-3607.

Click here for the “Mixed Connection, Toxic Result” Chemical Safety Board video