Federal legislation requires each state to have a State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) and outlines it's duties. In 1986, Congress passed the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) with deals emergency response planning, and community right-to-know regarding hazardous materials (HAZMAT). SARA is also known as the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). It was enacted to prevent hazardous materials tragedies, such as the chemical plant accident in Bhopol (India) and the nuclear power plant accident in Chernobyl (USSR), from occurring in the United States. SARA establishes requirements for federal, state and local governments, Indian tribes, and industry regarding emergency planning and "Community Right-to-Know" (CRTK) regarding hazardous materials.

To comply with this Federal legislation, the Alaska Legislature passed Alaska Statutes 26.23.071 and 26.23.073. These statutes establish a SERC, Local Emergency Planning Districts (LEPD), and Local Emergency Planning Committee's (LEPC).