§2368. Designated repositories

A. The Emergency Response Commission shall designate the following as repositories for information gathered under this Chapter. The repositories shall be:

(1) The local emergency planning committee, as designated by the commission.

(2) The local fire department.

(3) The Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of state police, hazardous substance control section, acting for the Emergency Response Commission.

B.(1) Each repository designated pursuant to Subsection A of this Section shall provide information gathered under this Chapter to any person upon request during reasonable office hours and may charge such person a reasonable amount for copying charges and other administrative costs. The charges for the said costs shall be the same as the charges authorized for copies of public records as provided for in R.S. 44:32.

(2) In addition, the repository may refer public requests for information regarding specific medical, toxic, and health effects to the Louisiana Regional Poison Control Center.

C. The department shall, whenever practical and feasible, enhance the capability of local governing authorities and repositories to maintain and update public information, train personnel in repository management, and to develop other capabilities to assist in their compliance with this Chapter.

D. Each local governing authority may adopt an ordinance to impose fees or charges on owners or operators whose facilities are located within the parish and who are subject to the reporting requirements of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, Title III, 42 U.S.C. 11022. The amount of the fee or charge imposed pursuant to this Subsection shall provide anticipated proceeds not to exceed the anticipated costs for performing the services required in this Section, and the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, Title III, 42 U.S.C. 11022, including those initial costs necessary to establish a system for storage, updating, and dissemination of the information herein required to be made available to the public. In no case shall the fees or charges imposed on any one person by the local governing authority exceed one dollar per page, fifty dollars per inventory report, or three hundred dollars per report including but not limited to reporting multiple facilities in one parish. In no case shall charges imposed on small businesses, as defined in this Chapter, exceed fifteen dollars per inventory report.

Acts 1985, No. 435, §1, eff. July 11, 1985; Acts 1987, No. 347, §1; Acts 1988, No. 753, §1, eff. July 15, 1988; Acts 1992, No. 541, §1; Acts 1997, No. 1046, §1.