Pueblo County Local Emergency Planning Committee

Grassy Area near Electric Plant depicted
Pueblo County Local Emergency Planning Committee - LEPC - Informed Citizen = Safe Community

Local Emergency Planning Committee Background

The Local Emergency Planning Committee is a program implemented by the Colorado Emergency Planning Commission and federally by the Environmental Protection Agency. It is designed to emphasize local awareness and planning to ensure that all businesses and organizations that store hazardous materials have emergency plans to assist emergency responders in safely handling material spills on their property.

Local Emergency Planning Committee activities include emergency response planning, training, education and outreach, program administration, and local initiatives. The Committee's membership is diverse and includes elected officials, emergency responders, community groups, and those subject to federal hazardous material reporting regulations.

Business and Industry Role 

Under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, facilities that deal with hazardous materials that meet or exceed certain threshold amounts are required by federal law to submit documentation of said materials annually. This documentation must now be submitted electronically through the submission program “TIER II submit.” This program is free and available online.

To obtain Colorado's Tier II submission program and reporting requirements or procedures, please click on this link. click here.

For further information on submitting material documentation and learning if you have hazardous materials that exceed the threshold amount required by law to report, call 719-583-6203 or click here.

Hazmat team training to repair tank leak
Images of the Pueblo Chemical Depot disposal site

Your Right to Know

The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act federal regulation was designed to give the public access to their community's chemical storage information. This knowledge informs each community of what hazardous materials may surround them, better preparing them in case of an emergency.

The law requires businesses and industries to provide information on any hazardous materials they possess, including potential risks and effects on public health, safety, and the environment.

In Pueblo County, the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office Emergency Service Division and the local fire departments are responsible for maintaining the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.

Copies of facility reports, Material Safety Data Sheets, and response plans for extremely hazardous substances are on file, and citizens who wish to review this information should contact the Emergency Services Division at 719-583-6203 or their local fire department.

Preparing for Haz-Mat Incidents

Knowing what to do in the event of a hazardous materials release is key. When a hazmat emergency requires citizens to protect themselves, either through evacuation or immediate sheltering, local authorities will notify the public through news outlets, on-scene announcements, emergency telephone notifications, and possibly door-to-door contact. It is critical to your safety that you follow the emergency instructions that you are given.

If you see an accident or incident involving hazardous materials, notify your local emergency authorities and dial 911. DO NOT approach an area where potentially hazardous materials may be present. Let authorities and trained emergency personnel handle the situation. Hazardous materials spills should be reported to the proper authorities for safe and complete clean-up and disposal.

A Unified Community

The Local Emergency Planning Committee encourages an active community to increase awareness of hazardous materials and emergency planning, and it should not be viewed as a regulatory commission but rather a partner in safety and preparedness with all local businesses, industries, and, most of all, the community. The Local Emergency Planning Committee is here to help and welcomes any questions, comments, or concerns about local emergency planning and preparation.

All Local Emergency Planning Committee meetings are open to the public, and everyone is invited to attend. The Local Emergency Planning Committee meets at 10:00 am on the third Wednesday of every third month beginning in February of each year. If you are interested in attending these meetings or for further information or assistance, please get in touch with the Local Emergency Planning Committee through the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office Emergency Services Division at 719-583- 6200 or send correspondence to:

Pueblo County Local Emergency Planning Committee

c/o Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office

101 West 10th Street

Pueblo, CO 81003

DO NOT SUBMIT TIER II REPORTING INFORMATION TO THIS ADDRESS.

Please submit Tier II info electronically through the Tier II submit program.