STATE EMERGENCY RESPONSE COMMISSION | COMMUNITY OUTREACH | NEBRASKA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

SERC OVERVIEW

Background

The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) became law in 1986. Title III of SARA, the Emergency Planning & Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) was enacted by Congress as the national legislation on community safety. EPCRA establishes requirements for federal, state and local governments, tribes, and industry in an effort to protect public health, safety, and the environment from a hazardous materials disaster.

Appointments

The Nebraska State Emergency Response Commission is comprised of 19 Commissioners from state and local government, private and public sector including; fire, law, public health, school, industry, transportation and military.

Purpose

To implement EPCRA, The Nebraska State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) was created in accordance with federal Public Law 99-499 and can be found in Nebraska Revised Statute 81-15,210.

The SERC’s responsibilities include:

Establishing procedures for receiving and processing public requests for information collected under EPCRA
Reviewing local emergency response plans
Designating local emergency planning districts
Appointing a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) for each district
Supervising the activities of the LEPC
Plan for chemical emergencies

SERC Meeting Information

The SERC conducts quarterly public meetings in varying locations throughout the state. The Commission established its bylaws, which set forth, in part, its governing rules.

To view previous meeting information Click Here. To view upcoming SERC meetings visit the agency Calendar.

All SERC Meetings are open to the public.

Hazardous Materials Emergency Planning (HMEP) Grant

The HMEP grant program, established by the Hazardous Materials Transportation Uniform Safety Act, is issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

Hazardous Materials Planning and Resources

Emergency Assistance to a Hazardous Materials Incident (Blue Book)
A guide to assist in the activation of a state response to a hazardous materials incident.
Emergency Response Guidebook
The guide for use by firefighters, police, and other emergency services personnel who may be the first to arrive at the scene of a transportation incident involving a hazardous material.
Community Emergency Response Plan
Emergency managers shall include these nine required elements when developing a community emergency response plan.