SERC

The state body that receives EPCRA filings and oversees local emergency planning committees.

Every state has a State Emergency Response Commission, appointed by the governor. It receives EPCRA notifications and Tier II reports, designates the emergency planning districts within the state, and appoints the Local Emergency Planning Committee for each.

The SERC is often housed within a state environmental agency, emergency management agency or fire marshal's office, and which one it is varies by state, which is part of why filing procedure differs so much across state lines.

The SERC is also usually the body that sets any state-specific filing portal, format or fee.

Related terms

• LEPCThe local body that develops emergency response plans using the chemical data facilities report.
• Tier II reportThe annual inventory of hazardous chemicals a facility held during the previous calendar year, filed under EPCRA Section 312.
• EPCRA Section 302Requires a facility to notify state and local planners when it holds an Extremely Hazardous Substance at or above its Threshold Planning Quantity.

A plain-English explanation, not legal advice. Figures are the federal baseline; your state may differ, so see the state-by-state requirements.