Minutes of the Meeting

Sarpy County Local Emergency Planning Committee

8 September 1999

7:30 PM

The Sarpy County Local Emergency Planning Committee was convened in open and public session on 8 September 1999 at 7:30 PM at the LaVista Fire Hall. The following members or alternates were present according to the sign-in sheet: Joe Mastandrea, Matt Wallace, Scott Keep, Tim Schram,  Brent Meling, Ron Clark, Steve Young, Keith Deiml, Bill Roone, Jeff Book, Louis Wilson, Gary Fliehmann, Ted Ramey, Kevin Reeder, Robin Gullie, Don McDouglas and Nancy Noda.

Notice of the meeting was given in advance by publication in the Bellevue Leader and the Papillion Times. Copies of the Proofs of Publication are on file in the Sarpy County Clerk’s Office. All proceedings were taken while the convened meeting was open to the attendance of the public.

Approval the minutes of the March 10, 1999 LEPC meeting was held over to the January 12, 2000 meeting due to lack of quorum.

Chairman’s Report: Wallace thanked the LaVista Volunteer Fire Department for hosting the meeting. The regional SERC/LEPC conference will be held in Kansas City this weekend.  Wallace advised of a release of ammonia at the PCS Plant in LaPlatte on August 18th at 8:45 AM.  The incident was handled by PCS staff.

Vice Chairman’s Report: Mastandrea reported that CAMEO program is now free, and will be maintained by the EPA. If anyone wants a free copy see him. CAMEO training has been scheduled locally, and additional classes can be scheduled.

Information Coordinator’s Report: Please review the roster and insure that your contact information is up to date.

Exercise Subcommittee Report: Wallace advised this year’s exercise will  be a hazardous material spill to be held at 2 PM on October 1, 1999. There will be forty patients that will be moulaged.  There will be an exercise subcommittee meeting on Friday August 24 at 11:30 AM at the Sarpy County Courthouse. 

Legislative Subcommittee: Mastandrea briefed on LR153 and LR203, which are investigating hazardous materials response cost recovery for local government subdivisions.

Response Plan Subcommittee: Mastandrea reported that the Omaha/Council Bluffs Missouri River HAZMAT Plan will be distributed at an Orientation Meeting on Thursday morning, November 4, at Iowa Western Community College. A multiagency tabletop exercise of this plan will be held in March 2000.

Training Subcommittee: The Department of Energy will sponsor responder training in Denver on October 26 and 27.

Program: Ted Ramey, from PCS Nitrogen, advised that the plant is shutting down on August 31, 1999.  When shut down is complete the facility will be used as a storage facility, with complete removal of the product by January 1, 1999.

Nancy Noda, from Midlands Hospital, briefed on the hospital evacuation plan, and asked for comments and suggestions to improve the plan. She also briefed on the hospital response plan to be exercised on October 1.

Chairman Wallace advised that the next meeting is scheduled to meet at Bellevue Fire District IV on January 12. 2000.