What are SECRs and LEPCs?
Under the provisions of EPCRA, the Governor of each state designates a State Emergency Response Commission (SERC). In Iowa the SERC is the Iowa Emergency Response Commission (IERC). The SERCs, in turn, designate local emergency planning districts and appoint Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) for each district. The SERC supervises and coordinates the activities of the LEPC, establishes procedures for receiving and processing public requests for information collected under EPCRA, and reviews local emergency response plans.
The LEPC membership must include, at a minimum, local officials including police, fire, civil defense, public health, transportation, and environmental professionals, as well as representatives of facilities subject to the emergency planning requirements, community groups, and the media. The LEPCs must develop an emergency response plan, review it at least annually, and provide information about chemicals in the community to citizens.