Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3750.04 – Chemical emergency response and preparedness plan

(A) Within ninety days after the effective date of this section, the local emergency planning committee of each emergency planning district shall prepare and submit to the emergency response commission a chemical emergency response and preparedness plan for the district. The district's plan shall contain all of the following:
1. (1) An identification of each facility within the district that meets either of the following qualifications:
  1. (a) Has an extremely hazardous substance present at the facility in an amount that exceeds the threshold planning quantity for the substance established in rules adopted under division (B)(1)(a) or (C)(5) of section 3750.02 of the Revised Code;
  2. (b) Is required to participate in the emergency planning process by an order issued under division (A) of section 3750.05 of the Revised Code.
2. (2) An identification of all facilities within the district that are contributing or subjected to additional risk due to their proximity to facilities identified under division (A)(1) of this section;
3. (3) An identification of routes likely to be used for the transportation of extremely hazardous substances to and from each facility identified under division (A)(1) of this section;
4. (4) The methods and procedures to be followed by owners and operators of facilities identified under division (A)(1) of this section and by local emergency response and medical personnel to respond to releases of extremely hazardous substances;
5. (5) The designation of a community emergency coordinator for the district, identification of the facility emergency coordinator for each facility identified under division (A)(1) of this section, and identification of the heads of the emergency response organizations for designated areas or political subdivisions within the district;
6. (6) An identification of procedures for reliable, effective, and timely notification and communication among emergency responders within the district and to the public in the event of a release of an extremely hazardous substance from a facility identified under division (A)(1) of this section;
7. (7) The development of methods for determining the occurrence of a release of an extremely hazardous substance from each facility identified under division (A)(1) of this section and for identifying the geographic area or population likely to be affected by such a release;
8. (8) A composite statement of specialized equipment, facilities, personnel, and emergency response organizations available within the district to respond to releases of extremely hazardous substances;
9. (9) The development of evacuation plans including, but not limited to, provisions for a precautionary evacuation and for alternative traffic routes in the event of a release of an extremely hazardous substance from a facility identified under division (A)(1) of this section;
10. (10) A plan for mutual aid to other emergency planning districts and for the allocation of emergency response facilities, equipment, and personnel for responding to releases of extremely hazardous substances;
11. (11) A plan for the development or provision of training programs, seminars, and other forms of educational programs for the personnel of facilities identified under division (A)(1) of this section, emergency response personnel of political subdivisions within the district, and medical personnel;
12. (12) The development of methods and schedules for exercising the plan;
13. (13) Such other information as the commission requires by rules adopted under division (B)(2)(a) of section 3750.02. The committee shall base its plan on information obtained from the commission, the environmental protection agency, emergency management agencies of the state and political subdivisions within the district, and facilities identified under division (A)(1) of this section.
(B) The committee annually shall submit the plan to the commission not later than the seventeenth day of October for review and concurrence. The commission shall review the plan to ensure that it complies with division (A) of this section and rules adopted under divisions (B)(2)(a) and (b) of section 3750.02 of the Revised Code, and to ensure that it is coordinated with the plans of adjoining districts. The commission shall endeavor to review each such plan and provide notice of concurrence with the plan or of recommendations for modifications to it within sixty days after its submission to the commission. The commission may assign the highest priority for review to plans applying to geographic areas having the greatest number of facilities that pose the greatest risk of harm to the public health or safety or to the environment. If the commission finds that the plan submitted by a committee complies with division (A) of this section and rules adopted under divisions (B)(2)(a) and (b) of section 3750.02 of the Revised Code and is coordinated with the plans of adjoining districts, the commission shall, within sixty days after submission of the plan, issue an order in accordance with section 3750.18 of the Revised Code concurring with the plan. If the commission finds that the plan submitted by a committee does not comply with division (A) of this section and rules adopted under divisions (B)(2)(a) and (b) of section 3750.02 of the Revised Code or is not coordinated with the plans of adjoining districts, the commission shall, by issuance of such an order within that sixty-day period, refuse to concur with the plan and direct the committee to submit a modified plan that complies with those requirements within a reasonable time, not exceeding sixty days, after issuance of the order.
(C) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, the committee shall conduct an exercise of its plan at least annually. The committee shall notify the commission at least thirty days before each such exercise, and the commission shall observe each such exercise. The commission shall review each such exercise in accordance with the rules adopted under division (B)(2)(b) of section 3750.02 of the Revised Code and shall either concur with the conduct of the exercise or direct the committee to make modifications in the exercise of the plan in accordance with those rules. If the commission finds that the committee's exercise of its plan complies with the criteria established in rules adopted under division (B)(2)(b) of section 3750.02 of the Revised Code, the commission shall issue an order in accordance with section 3750.18 of the Revised Code concurring with the conduct of the exercise. If the commission finds that the committee's exercise of its plan does not comply with those criteria, the commission shall, by issuance of such an order, refuse to concur with the conduct of the exercise and direct the committee to make modifications in the exercise of the plan that comply with those rules. Each committee shall annually, or more frequently if changed circumstances in the district or at any facility in the district so require, review the plan of the district. The review shall include, without limitation, an evaluation of the need for funds, personnel, training, equipment, and facilities to develop, revise, implement, and exercise the plan and recommendations and requests to the commission regarding any additional funds that may be needed for those purposes and the means for providing them.
(D) The commission, by order, may exempt a committee from conducting an exercise of its plan if, in the determination of the commission, conducting an exercise is likely to have an adverse effect on the public health or safety or the environment of its emergency planning district. Such an exemption shall not last for more than one year.