Members, Duties & Funding

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Members

Position Incumbent Term
Director, MEMA, Chair Peter J. Rogers
Director
Maine Emergency Management Agency
Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management
72 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04330-0072
Serves at the pleasure of the Governor
Commissioner or designee, Department of Environmental Protection Christopher Hopper
Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management
17 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
Appointed by the President of the Senate
Commissioner or designee, Department of Health and Human Services Bill Jenkins
Director OPHEP
Maine CDC
11 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0011
Serves at the pleasure of the Commissioner
Chief of the Maine State Police or designee Lt. Aaron Hayden
Maine State Police
20 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0020
Serves at the pleasure of the Commissioner
Commissioner or designee, Department of Labor Steven Greeley
Director, Workplace Safety and Health Division
Maine Department of Labor
45 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0045
Serves at the pleasure of the Commissioner
Commissioner or designee, Department of Transportation Dwight Doughty
Hydrogeologist, Environmental Office
Maine Department of Transportation
16 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0016
Serves at the pleasure of the Commissioner
Director or designee, Maine Emergency Medical Services Vacant Serves at the pleasure of the Commissioner
Representative of local government Kevin Howell
Town Manager
1 Safety Lane
Carmel, ME 04119
Appointed by the Governor
Representative of the Maine Fire Chief's Association Kenneth Brillant
Fire Chief
Brunswick Fire Department
21 Town Hall Pl
Brunswick, ME 04011
Appointed by the Governor
Representative of professional firefighters Gerry Gay
1st District Vice President
Professional Firefighters Union
58 Chick Road
Sanford, ME 04073
Appointed by the Governor
Representative of private commerce and industry Robin Faulkner
Health & Safety Manager, SAPPI
1329 Waterville Road
Skowhegan, ME 04976
Appointed by the Governor
Representative of volunteer firefighters Jared Blake
Chaplain
Sabattus Fire Department
72 Main Street
Sabattus, ME 04280
Appointed by the Speaker of the House
Representative of organized labor Matt Barnes
Captain
21 Town Hall Place
Brunswick, ME 04011
Appointed by the Speaker of the House
Representative of an environmental advocacy organization Susan F. Breau, LG
Environmental Representative
11 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04330
Appointed by the President of Senate

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Duties

  • Advise the Director, MEMA, on rules promulgated under Chapter 13, Title 37-B;
  • Designate emergency planning districts to facilitate preparation and implementation of emergency response plans;
  • Appoint members to Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPC) within each emergency planning district;
  • Supervise and coordinate the activities of LEPC’s;
  • Receive and process requests from the public regarding emergency response plans, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), inventory forms, toxic chemical release forms, and emergency release notices;
  • Review and make recommendations on emergency response plans submitted by LEPC’s;
  • Receive release notifications;
  • Rule on trade secrets in cooperation with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA);
  • Monitor, observe, participate, and review certain hazardous materials exercises;
  • Review and monitor hazardous materials training programs;
  • Conduct joint emergency operations from the State Emergency Operations Center (EOC);
  • Undertake all other actions necessary for state implementation of SARA Title III (the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986) and Chapter 13, Title 37-B; and
  • Provide oversight and control of the State Emergency Response Fund.

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Funding

Facilities that manufacture, process, use, store and sometimes, transport chemicals are required to provide annual reports of their inventories of chemicals and pay fees to the State Emergency Response Fund. This fund is used to provide two positions in the Maine Emergency Management Agency which provide planning and data management services and administer the program. Some training programs are also provided from this level, as well as an annual Hazardous Materials Conference.

Funds are provided to the Local Emergency Planning Committees in each county to implement the program at that level, complete emergency response plans, provide public access to data, monitor facility exercises and provide training programs for public safety responders to prepare them to safely respond to chemical releases.

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