Section 610.40  Communications and coordination

a)         Representatives of business subject to the provisions of the Act shall annually review their chemical safety contingency plan and, upon completion of this review process, request in writing a meeting with representatives of the appropriate local emergency preparedness planning and emergency response agencies in local geographical jurisdictions where the facility is located.

b)         These meetings are designed to bring representatives from the public and private sectors together to discuss current emergency response functions, and update all affected entities on the chemical emergency preparedness activities undertaken by both the public and private sectors over the course of the previous year. At a minimum, the meeting shall address:

1)         Any changes in the facility's chemical safety contingency plan;

2)         the rationale for listing and non-listing of chemical substances contained in the plan, including a review of why any substance is expected to be innocuous under the circumstances of its release;

3)         changes in the facility emergency system operations or response capabilities;

4)         a review of any incidents of the previous year which resulted in a significant release;

5)         a discussion of any on-going, joint chemical education or emergency response programs; and

6)         a discussion of the local geographical jurisdiction's chemical safety emergency planning and response activities, and how the industry and the community may assist each other in their chemical safety preparedness efforts.

c)         If no authorized official of the appropriate emergency preparedness planning or emergency response agency responds within 20 working days following receipt of the business's written request for the annual meeting, the annual meeting need not occur and the business has fulfilled its responsibility under this section.