Local Emergency Planning Committee

(LEPC)

What is an LEPC?

LEPC's were mandated by the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 (also known as Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act). Their purpose is to provide expertise in planning for and responding to chemical emergencies. The LEPC's are appointed by the State Emergency Response Committee, and their members are composed of representatives of the local community, particularly those involved with industry and emergency response.

Does Eddy County have one?

The Eddy County LEPC originated in 1994; its members include representatives of the oil and gas industry, public safety (police and fire), health officials, and emergency planners. They meet on the second Thursday of each month, alternating between the Eddy County Commissioner's Chambers, 101 W. Greene Street, Suite 211, in Carlsbad, and the Artesia Center, 612 North 8th, in Artesia, at 1:00 p.m.The meetings are open to the public, and often there are presentations in addition to routine business. 

The Eddy County LEPC wishes to invite anyone interested in chemical emergency issues to attend, and encourages industry groups to become involved. By pooling our efforts we hope to produce plans for emergency response to hazardous materials incidents, thereby assisting each other in meeting our Risk Management Program requirements (40 CFR Part 68).

What does the LEPC do?

The main role of the LEPC is to form a partnership with local governments and industries as a resource for enhancing hazardous materials preparedness.  The membership comes from the local area and is therefore familiar with factors that affect public safety, the environment, and the economy of the community.  The LEPC advises the writers of the local emergency management plan so that the plan is tailored to the needs of Eddy County.  LEPC members are responsible for coordinating information and activities from the LEPC to their respective organizations and for providing accurate feedback from their organizations back to the LEPC.  The LEPC also helps to provide local governments and the public with information about possible chemical hazards in Eddy County.

The Eddy County LEPC recently assisted in an assessment of local jurisdictions' abilities to respond to acts of terrorism involving weapons of mass destruction (WMD) conducted by the U. S. Department of Justice.  The most vulnerable targets were identified, as well as the equipment and trained personnel that are available.  Monies have been marked to be distributed statewide for equipment and training to improve response capabilities - approximately $500,000 per year for three years.

Another project the LEPC participated in was a Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow Study conducted in February, 2000.  A survey was done inspecting all comercial vehicle traffic passing through Eddy County during a twenty-four hour period.  The data gathered from this survey was beneficial for many different agencies and will continue to be highly useful as a reference for future projects.

Members:

The members of the Eddy County LEPC include:

JOEL ARNWINE                                             DANNY KIPER
Eddy County Emergency Preparedness Director          New Mexico State Police Dept.

MICKEY LOVELL                                                  ERNIE MENDOZA
WIPP Emergency Management                                   Eddy County Sheriff's Office

JIM AMMONS                                                        MIKE HILL
WIPP                                                                         Carlsbad Police Dept.

KOREEN GUILLERMO                                        MIKE REYNOLDS
WIPP                                                                         Carlsbad Fire Dept.

JR GALLE                                                               KENT BRATCHER
DOE                                                                          Artesia Fire Dept.

DON WHALEY                                                       LUIS CAMERO
Navajo Refining Co.                                                   City of Carlsbad

JOE YSUSI                                                               LINK LACEWELL
Navajo Refining Co.                                                    BLM

DICKIE TOWNLEY                                               JOHN HEATON
Navajo Refining Co.                                                   New Mexico State Representative

CHARLIE POWELL                                               DAVID HANSON
Duke Energy Field Services                                        Carlsbad Amateur Radio Club

HARLEY TEMPLE                                                 RICK WIEDENMANN
Duke Energy Field Services                                         NMSU-Carlsbad

KELLY LAIRD                                                        FAITH GOAD
Western Environmental Management                           Carlsbad Health Office

                                                 ANTHONY LANDRETH
                                           Carlsbad Health Office

DON TITUS                                                              JERRY YOUNG
PNM Gas Service                                                       Carlsbad Medical Center

KARL MCDONALD                                               TRUDY L. FOGG
Transwestern Pipeline Co.                                            Artesia Health Resources

GENE DOW                                                             PEGGY MARRS
KTZA Radio Station                                                   Eddy County Emergency Preparedness

RAY FAGEN                                                            WAYNE WRIGHT
National Weather Service                                            Artesia Police Department

RAY CAMP                                                     GLENN COLLIER
County Commissioner                                              County Commissioner

 RAE LYN GONZALEZ                                       J. R. BUNCE
 BP Pipelines                                                           Elkhorn Operating Co.

 DAN DOLAN                                                      T. C. PASTORELLO
 Yates Petroleum                                                     Weather Watch of NM

LYNDEE GRAHAM                                        LINDA JO DALTON
Artesia General Hospital                                               WIPP

GLADYS SWISHER                                         H. L. "JODY" PLUM
Red Cross                                                                    US DOE/CBFO

PAUL SCHMIDTKE                                        ROSIE FLOREZ
US Forest Service                                                     Carlsbad Red Cross

PAUL RAGSDALE                                                   LT. GILBERT CHAVEZ
Agave Energy                                                               Eddy County Sheriff's Dept.

R.A. WALLS                                                             WOODS HOUGHTON
Amateur Radio Club                                                    Eddy County Extension Service

LEO EVANS                                                             BOB WALLACE
Unicraft Products                                                         NMSU-Carlsbad

LIZ BAGGS                                                              KENNETH SHEPHERD
Carlsbad Fire Dept.                                                     Phillips/Conoco Pipeline Co.

JEFF LARA                                                        KEN BRITT
NM Dept. of Health                                                    Living Desert State Park

ART ARIAS                                                      SCOTT MAXWELL
BLM                                                                        BLM

EDDIE SMITH                                                 RICHARD ZUNIGA
Carlsbad Fire Dept.                                                  Artesia Fire Dept.

MARCIA WESTFALL                                          BILL JENKINS
Carlsbad Medical Center                                           NM State Police

DOUG COOPER                                                 HARVEY RODRIQUEZ
Carlsbad Amateur Radio Club                                Loving Police Dept.

RON WALKER
Motor Transport Division

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