Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet

Pesticide Education Program

1991 Kenny Road, Columbus, OH 43210

S.A.R.A. Title III
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know

PEP-2-02

Joanne Kick-Raack, State Coordinator, and Cindy Folck, Extension Associate,
Pesticide Education Program, Ohio State University Extension

S.A.R.A. Title III, also known as the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know, is a federal law that was enacted in 1986. S.A.R.A. stands for Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act. The law mandates a community right-to-know program that will give local officials and citizens information about hazardous chemicals in their communities.

S.A.R.A. Title III requirements:

1. Report stored chemicals. The law has a list of extremely hazardous substances. Anyone (businesses, municipalities, farmers, etc.) who stores more than a specified quantity of any of these substances must provide notification to the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC). The specified quantities are known as the threshold planning quantity of the individual hazardous substances. A link to the list of the hazardous substances and threshold planning quantities is available at our web site: http://pested.osu.edu. If you have a reportable quantity in your farm/business storage, contact SERC at (614) 644-2260 or (888) 644-2260. This is a one-time notification.
2. Provide information to the LEPC. As part of the law in Ohio, every county has a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). A list of the contacts at the county LEPC is available on-line at www.epa.state.oh.us/dapc/serc. You must notify your LEPC if you have pesticides or other hazardous substances stored that are above the threshold planning quantity. In addition to identification of the pesticides stored on your farm or business, the LEPC will also need a map of your facility in case of emergencies.
3. Report spills. Whether or not you are required to report to the LEPC and SERC for threshold planning quantities, if you have a pesticide release at or above the Reportable Quantity, you are required to notify federal, state, and local authorities. A link to the reportable quantities is available on our web site at http://pested.osu.edu. Ohio EPA has a 24-hour emergency spill hotline at (800) 282-9378.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture

All educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status.

Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Ag. Adm. and Director, OSU Extension.

TDD No. 800-589-8292 (Ohio only) or 614-292-1868