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Announcement |
Hazardous Materials Awareness Week - January 20-26, 2008 |
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Florida Governor Charlie Crist has signed a proclamation recognizing January 20-26, 2008 as Hazardous Materials Awareness Week in Florida (weblink for full text).
The Federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA) was passed by Congress in October 1986 and followed by the Florida Hazardous Materials Emergency Response and Community Right-To-Know Act approved by the Florida Legislature in 1988.
The Federal Accidental Release Prevention Program became effective in July 1999 and the Florida Accidental Release Prevention and Risk Management Planning Act was passed by the Florida Legislature in 1998.
EPCRA requires businesses and government facilities with certain quantities of covered substances to prepare emergency plans and procedures to improve emergency response as well as report hazmat-related incidents to federal, state and local officials. In Florida, more than 10,000 such facilities report the use of hazardous materials and over 2,000 hazmat incidents per year.
These and other right-to-know provisions in state and federal law help communities become aware of the substances utilized by local facilities. Craig Fugate, Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management and Chair of the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) signed a Resolution designating January 20 through January 26, 2008 be observed as Hazardous Materials Awareness Week (weblink for full text).
The SERC is responsible for implementation of federal hazardous materials planning and prevention regulations in Florida. These federal programs require certain facilities to report the existence of threshold quantities of specified substances and to implement accident prevention programs. The information provided by these facilities is used to prepare emergency plans to assist first responders and mitigate potential harm from hazardous materials incidents, as well as enhance community awareness and education regarding hazardous materials.
Hazardous Materials Awareness Week serves to heighten facility recognition of the laws' requirements and acknowledge the unique public participation component of the program. State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) http://floridadisaster.org
2008 Hazardous Materials Awareness Week Announcement
Please contact LEPC District 11 Coordinator Manny Cela for more information (celam@sfrpc.com) or visit our webpage located at www.sfrpc.com/lepc.htm.
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