LEPC Minutes 01-11-2023
January 11, 2023, at 11:00 AM,
New Hanover County EOC
Attendance
Name
Business
Name
Business
Tim Barefoot
SR&R Environmental, Inc.
Phil Misklow
Stephan
Joshua Beaulieu
NC Dept. of Transportation
Josh Monti
US Coast Guard
Paul Carr
New Hanover Regional Medical Center Emergency Management
Joe Morar
Airgas
Bryce Cox
NC Dept. of Transportation
Wayne Reed
US Coast Guard
TJ Dinkins
Corning
Holden Shepard
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority
John Dittmar
NC State Ports Authority
John B. Smith
American Red Cross
Kyle Earley
Corning
Teresa Smith
NHC Emergency Management, LEPC Chair
James Faulconer
US Coast Guard
Sam Stephens
Airgas
Allen Hancock
NC Dept. of Transportation
John Stephenson
City of Wilmington Fire Department
Lisa Harden
US Coast Guard
Catrina Streba
Novant Health Coastal Region Emergency Management
Audrey Hart
NHC Emergency Management
Michael Thompson
American Red Cross
Billy Howard
NHRMC Emergency Medical Services; LEPC Vice-Chair
Brenda Upchurch
Sturdy Corporation
Thomas Johnson
US Coast Guard
Mark Venters
GE Hitachi/Global Nuclear Fuels
Tina Kuhr
GE Hitachi, LEPC Secretary
Carol Yates
Corning
Mark Lewis
Airgas
Welcome and Introductions - The meeting was called to order by Teresa Smith, LEPC Chair, at 11:03 AM. Teresa welcomed those in attendance. The focus of today’s meeting is 2023 business
and a tour of the new NHC Government Center.
Review and Approval of Minutes – Mark Venters moved that the minutes of the November 9, 2022, meeting be accepted as corrected; Holden Shephard seconded the motion. The minutes were
approved.
Membership Announcements:
There were several new members attending today. The LEPC members present introduced themselves. Teresa will send a copy of the by-laws to the new LEPC members.
Training Updates
Teresa Smith stated that the Hazmat Functional Exercise held on December 1, 2022, was a huge success. Crowding was an issue; the new EOC will hold more people. The After-Action Report
will be provided to the LEPC after the meeting. One lesson learned involved coordination between New Hanover and Pender counties. Practicing more with neighboring counties will enhance
preparedness.
Committee Updates
Emergency Planning/Response – This committee is planning a follow-up Hazmat exercise as well as the 2023 Cape Fear Emergency Planning Conference to be held May 18 at the Wilmington Convention
Center. The plan for the conference is to have three general sessions in the morning with several breakouts in the afternoon. Teresa asked for additional volunteers for the committee
and received several new volunteers. The county has grant funding for the conference and is seeking funding for the 2023 exercise.
Community Education/Public Awareness – Tina Kuhr, Teresa Smith, and Linda Willis are meeting after the LEPC meeting today to plan for 2023. The committee will focus on membership recruitment.
Open Forum
Teresa stated that Tier 2 reports are publicly available except for items deemed proprietary. The public has to request the information, but the LEPC must make it available. Teresa
sent the legal notice of availability to the local newspaper, and it is expected to be published Sunday, January 15.
The LEPC application for reauthorization was submitted to the State on January 3, 2023.
The LEPC is supposed to review industry Hazmat plans per the EPCRA rule. Teresa is requesting guidance from the state on the process.
NC DOT provided a status update of road construction projects in the region as well as upcoming special events that will involve road closures.
The Red Cross has a new Disaster Coordinator, James O’Reilly. They are deploying personnel to California to support response to the storms.
Paul Carr announced that he is leaving New Hanover Regional Medical Center and that Catrina Streba will be the new point of contact.
Holden Shepard said that CFPUA is planning an internal exercise this year. They are monitoring information about the recent attacks on critical infrastructure.
Mark Venters stated that the GEH Wilmington site will need to do another exercise in October 2023 and will be asking for support from the offsite agencies.
Wilmington Fire Department has received a grant from the New Hanover County Endowment Fund and is using it to obtain a new boat and a high-water rescue vehicle.
Next LEPC Meeting
The next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at 11:00 AM. The location is still to be determined. It will be a working group meeting to review and provide feedback on the
recently updated New Hanover County Emergency Operations Plan and Hazmat annex, as well as considering
coordination with industry plans. The other LEPC meetings in 2023 are scheduled for May 10, July 12, September 13, and November 8.
Adjournment – Mark Venters made the motion to adjourn; Catrina Streba seconded. The business meeting was adjourned at 11:47.