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Mid-America Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)

LEPC Logo The Mid-America Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) brings private industry together with public emergency response agencies in the five Missouri counties of the Kansas City metropolitan region. The purpose of the LEPC is to help reduce the community’s risks from accidents involving hazardous chemicals.

The Mid-America LEPC includes representatives from fire departments and districts, law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services agencies, private industry, city and county emergency management officials, the media and state and federal agencies. <Membership Roster> <Bylaws>

Businesses that work with or house hazardous materials are encouraged to participate in the LEPC. For more information, contact Erin Lynch, 816/701-8390.

The LEPC focuses on four primary work areas: planning, training, education and outreach, and "getting acquainted" -- building familiarity among people and resources across jurisdictions and disciplines.

Emergency Response Planning

Chemicals are used by public and private facilities throughout our metropolitan area. These chemicals are used to provide essential services, like clean water, and to manufacture goods at area industries. Chemicals such as gasoline are transported daily along the area's highway and rail systems. Although companies that handle or transport these chemicals in the Kansas City area have excellent safety records, we need to plan for, and be capable of responding to, accidental releases of these chemicals.

The LEPC prepares and regularly updates a hazardous materials emergency response plan for the five-county area. The plan provides guidance to local communities to prepare for and respond to hazardous materials incidents.

Upcoming courses

LEPC's Identifying Unknown Hazardous Materials -- Jan. 23-25

Mid-America LEPC Service Area

The state of Missouri requires each county to form a local emergency planning committee to carry out the requirements of the federal law. Cass, Clay, Jackson, and Ray counties and the city of Kansas City, Missouri, formed a multi-county LEPC in 1987 with administrative support provided by MARC. Platte County joined the Mid-America LEPC in 1996.

Kansas counties were directed by the state of Kansas to form local LEPCs. Johnson and Wyandotte counties have active LEPCs serving their respective counties. Leavenworth County relies on its Emergency Management office for this function. The Mid-America LEPC regularly communicates with all three counties in Kansas.

Funding

The Mid-America LEPC is funded through fees paid by companies that are required to report the presence of hazardous materials at their facilities. A portion of the fees paid by companies to the Missouri Emergency Response Commission are provided annually to the Mid-America LEPC. In addition, the Mid-America LEPC receives other state grants and local contributions from Jackson County, Missouri.