In compliance with Federal Regulations the Town of Belmont established a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) in 2003. The LEPC is the local body that handles emergency planning and community right-to-know reporting on hazardous and toxic chemicals. The LEPC is comprised of Town Departments, industry representatives and community members.
In 2006, the Commonwealth launched a new on-line tool for the Town and LEPC to update and maintain its Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan. This was used through the year to maintain and update the plan. The latest information form the reporting sites has been entered and catalogued in this database. This on-line reporting tool is being updated by the Commonwealth in 2008 to make it more user-friendly and provide more comprehensive information.
At the end of 2006 the Battle Road Regional Emergency Planning Committee (BRREPC) was formed. This regional approach originally involved the communities of Arlington, Bedford, Belmont, Burlington, and Lexington. Through this regional effort, the 6 communities combined their efforts and resources to develop a Regional plan and apply for Regional Development and Training funding, which is more readily available from the Federal Government and its agencies. The Regional Committee has been working in cooperation with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency in bringing this new venture together. The BRREPC achieved Start-Up certification and was planning for a disaster drill in early 2008. The success of the Committee's formation has attracted the communities of Watertown, Newton and Brookline to also join us. The Committee hopes to
achieve full certification in 2008.
I would like to thank the members of the Committee for their work and input during the past year. I believe that this new regional approach will help our Committee to enhance its local planning efforts.
Respectfully submitted,
Asst. Fire Chief Angus Davison, LEPC Chairman
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