Title 42The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73not60

§11003 Comprehensive Emergency Response Plans

Title 42 › Chapter 116— EMERGENCY PLANNING AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW › Subchapter I— EMERGENCY PLANNING AND NOTIFICATION › § 11003

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Local emergency planning committees must finish a written emergency plan within two years after October 17, 1986. They must review the plan at least once a year, or sooner if local conditions change. They must check what resources are needed to create, run, and practice the plan and say if more help or equipment is needed. The plan must cover several key things, including which facilities and transport routes are covered, how responders will act, who the community and facility coordinators are, how people will be warned, how a release is detected and who might be affected, what emergency equipment exists and who is in charge of it, evacuation plans, training for responders, and practice schedules. For each covered facility, the owner must tell the committee (or the Governor if no committee exists) who will act as the facility’s emergency coordinator within 30 days after the local committee is set up or within 11 months after October 17, 1986, whichever comes first. Facility owners must quickly report important changes and give information when the committee asks. After a plan is finished, the committee must send it to the State emergency response commission for review and suggestions, but that review should not, as much as possible, block putting the plan into use. The national response team must publish guidance within five months after October 17, 1986, and regional teams may review plans on request without delaying their use.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §11003

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Each local emergency planning committee shall complete preparation of an emergency plan in accordance with this section not later than two years after October 17, 1986. The committee shall review such plan once a year, or more frequently as changed circumstances in the community or at any facility may require.
(b)Each local emergency planning committee shall evaluate the need for resources necessary to develop, implement, and exercise the emergency plan, and shall make recommendations with respect to additional resources that may be required and the means for providing such additional resources.
(c)Each emergency plan shall include (but is not limited to) each of the following:
(1)Identification of facilities subject to the requirements of this subchapter that are within the emergency planning district, identification of routes likely to be used for the transportation of substances on the list of extremely hazardous substances referred to in section 11002(a) of this title, and identification of additional facilities contributing or subjected to additional risk due to their proximity to facilities subject to the requirements of this subchapter, such as hospitals or natural gas facilities.
(2)Methods and procedures to be followed by facility owners and operators and local emergency and medical personnel to respond to any release of such substances.
(3)Designation of a community emergency coordinator and facility emergency coordinators, who shall make determinations necessary to implement the plan.
(4)Procedures providing reliable, effective, and timely notification by the facility emergency coordinators and the community emergency coordinator to persons designated in the emergency plan, and to the public, that a release has occurred (consistent with the emergency notification requirements of section 11004 of this title).
(5)Methods for determining the occurrence of a release, and the area or population likely to be affected by such release.
(6)A description of emergency equipment and facilities in the community and at each facility in the community subject to the requirements of this subchapter, and an identification of the persons responsible for such equipment and facilities.
(7)Evacuation plans, including provisions for a precautionary evacuation and alternative traffic routes.
(8)Training programs, including schedules for training of local emergency response and medical personnel.
(9)Methods and schedules for exercising the emergency plan.
(d)For each facility subject to the requirements of this subchapter:
(1)Within 30 days after establishment of a local emergency planning committee for the emergency planning district in which such facility is located, or within 11 months after October 17, 1986, whichever is earlier, the owner or operator of the facility shall notify the emergency planning committee (or the Governor if there is no committee) of a facility representative who will participate in the emergency planning process as a facility emergency coordinator.
(2)The owner or operator of the facility shall promptly inform the emergency planning committee of any relevant changes occurring at such facility as such changes occur or are expected to occur.
(3)Upon request from the emergency planning committee, the owner or operator of the facility shall promptly provide information to such committee necessary for developing and implementing the emergency plan.
(e)After completion of an emergency plan under subsection (a) for an emergency planning district, the local emergency planning committee shall submit a copy of the plan to the State emergency response commission of each State in which such district is located. The commission shall review the plan and make recommendations to the committee on revisions of the plan that may be necessary to ensure coordination of such plan with emergency response plans of other emergency planning districts. To the maximum extent practicable, such review shall not delay implementation of such plan.
(f)The national response team, as established pursuant to the National Contingency Plan as established under section 9605 of this title, shall publish guidance documents for preparation and implementation of emergency plans. Such documents shall be published not later than five months after October 17, 1986.
(g)The regional response teams, as established pursuant to the National Contingency Plan as established under section 9605 of this title, may review and comment upon an emergency plan or other issues related to preparation, implementation, or exercise of such a plan upon request of a local emergency planning committee. Such review shall not delay implementation of the plan.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 11003

Title 42The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60