As part of the EPA's Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), Congress decreed that facilities that use large quantities of hazardous chemicals must inform the local community of their presence and work with local fire departments to plan for accidents and releases. These requirements to inform the Public of chemical use and storage are known as Emergency Planning and Community Roght to Know Act (EPCRA).

Specifically, regulations require the following:

1. Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPC) be established by fire and police departments, working with community chemical users;

2. Facilities must notify the LEPC when chemicals are released;

3. Facilities must submit chemical inventories to the LEPC and state officials to help in planning for releases.

In order to comply with there regulations, EMP requires chemical users on campus to fill out a specific chemical inventory each year, tabulates the data, and submits it to the Cambridge LEPC and state officials. A chemicals database by building and room enables the fire department to know what materials are in a building in the event of a fire. MIT also has representatives from different departments attend the Cambridge LEPC to develop and coordinate emergency procedures. Representatives from the Medical Department, the Environmental, Health and Safety Office, The Nuclear Reactor, and MIT Police participate on LEPC subcommittees and in mock emergency preparedness drills.