Northwest Arctic Local Emergency Planning Committee (NALEPC)

The SUPERFUND Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) of 1986 was enacted into law by Congress on October 17, 1986, and contains Title III, the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, which establishes requirements that federal, state, and local governments and industry must implement regarding emergency planning and community right-to-know reporting on hazardous and toxic chemicals. Pursuant to Title III, the Alaska State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) has designated the area within the boundaries of the Northwest Arctic Borough as a Local Emergency planning District and has appointed a Local Emergency Planning Committee. The Committee establishes procedures for handling public requests for information, and to develop an “All Hazards” Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), which among other things must:

Identify all-natural hazards in the District;
Identify facilities containing hazardous and extremely hazardous substances (H/EHS) in reportable quantities;
Identify transportation routes for EHS;
Establish emergency response procedures for natural and man-made disasters;
Designate a Community Emergency Coordinator to implement the plan and register company-appointed facility representatives (for facilities not represented in the committee membership) to participate in the planning process;
Establish emergency notification procedures;
Develop methods for determining the occurrence of a release of hazardous substances;
Complete an inventory of community emergency equipment and identify the individual(s) responsible for it;
Develop evacuation plans;
Describe and schedule a training program for emergency response personnel;
Establish methods and schedules for exercising emergency response plans.

NALEPC Membership is as follows:

Category A – Elected Officials

Seat 1: Elected Official – Elmer Armstrong Jr., Assembly
Seat 2: Elected Official – Lucy Nelson, Mayor

Category B – Responders

Seat 1: Fire Department – Brian Reiselbara
Seat 2: Law Enforcement – Sgt. Rodney Johnson, Alaska State Troopers
Seat 3: Emergency Medical Service – Brian Reiselbara
Seat 4: Environmental Health – Vacant
Seat 5: Health Provider – Vacant
Seat 6: Airport/DOT – Alvin Werneke, Kotzebue Airport Manager

Category C – Media

Seat 1: Johnson Greene, KOTZ Radio Station

Category D – Community Groups

Seat 1: Ambler – Morgan Johnson
Seat 2: Buckland – Timothy Gavin Jr.
Seat 3: Deering – Ron Moto
Seat 4: Kiana – Brad Reich
Seat 5: Kivalina – Austin Swan
Seat 6: Kobuk – Alex Sheldon Sr.
Seat 7: Kotzebue – Eric Swisher, Kotzebue Police Department
Seat 8: Noatak – Enoch Mitchell
Seat 9: Noorvik – Bobby Wells
Seat 10: Selawik: Joseph Arey
Seat 11: Shungnak – Billy Lee

Category E – Facility Owner/Operator

Seat 1: Mining – Bob Chandler, Red Dog Operations
Seat 2: Bulk Fuel – Ronald Hunnicutt
Seat 3: Hospital – Erin Conwell, Maniilaq

Category F – Emergency Planner

Seat 1: Donald Francher, EMS Program Manager, Maniilaq Health Center

Category G – Transporter

Seat 1: Commercial Transporter – VACANT

Category H – Public-at-Large

Seat 1: NAB Citizen – Walter Downey

Category I – Civil Defense

Seat 1: Dickie Moto – NAB

Category J – School District

Seat 1: Zonda Martin