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
