Four community awareness and emergency planning/response committees have been honored by the Chemical Educational Foundation (CEF) in Charlotte NC. The top award winner was the North Central Florida Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) of Gainesville FL. Honorable mentions went to the Erie County LEPC of Erie County NY, Oregon LEPC of Salem OR, and Union County LEPC of Union County AR.
The North Central Florida LEPC coordinates efforts with several hundred businesses, including the chemical facilities: Clariant, Moletech Power Systems (formerly Energizer), PCS Phosphate, Savage Industries, and Buckeye Florida Ltd Partnership (formerly Proctor and Gamble). The Erie County LEPC's programs are sponsored by 21 chemical companies, including 3M, Dupont, FMC, and Ashland Chemical. Oregon LEPC represents more than 2,500 chemical facilities that identify themselves as handling, transporting, or possessing extremely hazardous substances. Union County LEPC works with chemical companies, including Colombian Chemical Co, El Dorado Chemical Co, Great Lakes Chemical, ENSCO, Lycus, and T&T Chemical, to increase communication between the industry and its local community.