Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) Minutes, May 6, 2008 Meeting
208 W. Gay St. (LancasterCountyEOC)
The meal for the meeting was furnished by Duke Energy and Duke’s representative, Rick Jiran.
The meeting was called to order by Mitch Norrell. The agenda was approved by acclamation. Minutes from the last meeting, held February 5, 2008, were approved after a motion by Gordon Miller and a second by Rick Jiran.
Patrick Helms gave a brief report on TIER II submissions made by companies doing business in LancasterCounty and the included municipalities and governmental subdivisions. Patrick stressed the need for companies to report using an electronic format allowing greater ease of data entry. Patrick made the committee aware of the hours he had to spend entering data from companies who refused to submit an electronic file. The Federal form on the EPA website does not allow entry of all the data required by SC DHEC, so that form alone is not sufficient. Darren Player made the committee aware Emergency Management is working on a draft of an ordinance to address a number of issues related to Emergency Management and needed and required reporting and fees for TIER II report data entry. Patrick told the committee he had researched ordinances from across S.C. and other jurisdictions out of state seeking direction on effective ordinances and fee structures. Gordon Miller asked about enforcement and writing a comprehensive ordinance. During the discussion an NFPA 704 Triangle was mentioned. Some of the committee attendees were unfamiliar with this terminology. The 704 Triangle was explained briefly making all aware it is used by fire fighters to gage the danger of materials housed in a facility.
A brief discussion ensued concerning fee structures and the need to be sure the fee was researched so that it covers what is necessary to begin with rather than establish something and then find out it does not accomplish what it was put in place to do.
2007 TIER II Reports
22 companies reported
41 facilities were included
120 contacts
215 substances were cataloged
14 substances are classified as EHS (Extremely Hazardous Substances)
By-Laws amendments and revisions were discussed next. A copy had been submitted with the mail out package. Mitch Norrell recommended a quorum be defined as the members present during any regularly called and advertised meeting with a majority of those members able to conduct business. This recommendation along with the proposed revisions by Emergency Management were accepted and ratified by a unanimous vote following a motion by Gordon Miller and a second by Rick Jiran.
Gordon Miller mentioned a resource for deciding how many companies should be reporting TIER II would be the Form R reports submitted. Gordon was going to show Patrick Helms the website where this could be researched.
Darren Player gave a short report on the single engine plane crash in the Catawba River on Friday, May 2, 2008. No injuries and no leaks occurred.
The next meeting will be held August 5, 2008 at 12:00 in the EOC, 208 W. Gay St., Lancaster, SC29720 with the meal being hosted by Emergency Management per County Administrator Steve Willis.
Meeting adjourned.