ABSTRACT
In the wake of hazardous chemical accidents like that in Bhopal, India, governments at all levels have be come keenly aware of the potential for toxic hazards in their own jurisdictions and of the necessity for contingency planning for possible airborne toxic releases (Bowonder et al, 1985). The concern of the US Congress was reflected in its enactment in October 1986 of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), a portion of which addresses this need for improved emergency response planning. SARA now mandates a comprehensive planning effort for hazardous chemical releases, involving coordination between local, state and federal governments and industry (see Box 23.1). 1
