In October 1986, Congress enacted the "Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act" (EPCRA) and "Superfund Amendments Reauthorization Act Title III" (SARA Title III) in direct response to the 1984 Union-Carbide toxic gas release in Bhopal, India. This one incident resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries in the area surrounding the facility. Under United States Code Title 42, the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) is the organization responsible for development and implementation at the local level of the plans set-forth and required by this legislation.

EPCRA, SARA Title III, and Texas Health & Safety Codes exist to protect and educate the general public. The LEPC's primary charges are:

1. Ensure that residents and workers in Collin County are aware and informed of their right to know what chemicals are being stored, used, released, and discarded.
2. Facilitate public requests for information as required by these laws.
   

EPCRA and SARA Title III also serve business and industry employees as well as first responders (police, firefighters, EMS) by protecting their right to know about chemicals they may be exposed to in the course of performing their jobs.