Right to Know Act

Hazardous Chemicals in the Community

Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Re-authorization Act (SARA) of 1986 requires the federal government, state governments and companies to help communities safeguard against risks associated with potentially harmful chemicals. This is done through emergency planning, emergency notification, and community right-to-know reporting.

Emergency Planning

In Allegheny County, the Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPC) designs and updates emergency plans for responding to chemical emergencies within our jurisdictions. The plans include dealing with fires; explosions and spills; public emergency warning systems; and evacuation procedures.

Company representatives in Allegheny County are required to participate in the emergency planning process. The information they provide allows LEPC teams to assess the danger.

Emergency Notification

Companies that handle any of the chemicals specified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must provide a list of those substances to the state commissions and our LEPC.

If a specified amount of those chemicals are released into the environment, companies must notify the state commissions and our LEPC.

Plant site exposure of employees to these chemicals is covered under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, not Title III.

Emergency Notification is simple. Dial 9-1-1 and 412-473-3000.

Community Right-to-Know Reporting

Companies must share information about the chemicals they handle to the public so that people can make informed decisions about their own health and safety issues.

Companies must report the annual amounts of the regulated chemicals that enter the air, water and soil.

Annual Toxic Release Reports are available on the EPA website.