Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)

The purpose of the Forsyth County Local Emergency Planning Committee is to help reduce the community's risks from accidents involving hazardous chemicals. LEPC also serves as a focal point in the community for information and discussions about hazardous substance emergency planning, and health and environmental risks as well as natural disaster planning.


For information on Tier II  or Hazardous Materials, please see Hazardous Material Information on this site.

  1. Why is the LEPC Needed?
  2. How was Forsyth County's LEPC formed?
  3. Committee & Meeting Information

Chemicals are used by public and private facilities throughout Forsyth County. These chemicals are used to provide essential services like clean water and to manufacture goods at area industries.

Chemicals, such as gasoline, are transported daily along the area's highways. Although companies that handle or transport these chemicals in our state have excellent safety records, the need to plan for and be capable of responding to accidental releases of these chemicals is necessary.

Facilities that use or store a hazardous chemical above a threshold quantity must annually submit their chemical inventory information to off-site officials each year. This information is submitted to the fire department having jurisdiction over the facility, the respective county LEPC, and the SERC (State Emergency Response Commission).

Forsyth County LEPC recommends local facilities to use E-PLAN software to submit their Tier II reports.

In recent years, the LEPC's planning efforts have been refocused to include planning for a variety of disasters that may affect the community. Floods, hazardous material spills, wild fires, natural disasters, and even terrorism all constitute real challenges facing community leaders today. Planners are advocating the development of "All-Hazards" planning, which prepare towns for any disaster, not just those from chemical releases.