On December 4, 1984, a cloud of methyl isocyanate gas, an extremely toxic chemical, escaped from a Union Carbide chemical plant in Bhopal, India. More than 2,500 people lost their lives. Tens of thousands more were injured, some suffering permanent disabilities.

Americans asked: "Could it happen here?"

A chemical release in West Virginia shortly after the Bhopal tragedy, though not nearly as serious as Bhopal, made the question even more urgent.

In November of 1986, Congress passed a law designed to help America's communities deal safely and effectively with the many hazardous substances that are used throughout our society. The law is called the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, or EPCRA.

In 1998, the Northwest Arctic Local Emergency Planning Committee was reestablished under the provisions of Alaska statute for the purpose of regional emergency planning, maintaining Community Right-To-Know functions, implementing regional disaster drills and performing evaluations of plan implementation. The LEPC is comprised of 28 members representing all sectors of the public and private organizations as well as each community throughout the Northwest Arctic.