Section 6022.102 - Legislative findings and purpose(a) Findings.--The General Assembly hereby determines, declares and finds that exposure to hazardous materials has the potential for causing undesirable health and environmental effects and poses a threat to the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of this Commonwealth, and that the citizens of this Commonwealth and emergency service personnel who respond to emergency situations should be protected from health hazards and harmful exposures resulting from hazardous material releases at facilities and from transportation-related accidents.(b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this act to: (1) Create a strong working relationship and partnership between business and industry and the Commonwealth and its municipalities in order to protect and safeguard the citizens of this Commonwealth from the health hazards and other risks of harm resulting from or incident to the use, storage, distribution and transportation of hazardous materials.(2) Designate the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Council as the Commonwealth's emergency response commission and establish an emergency planning district and a local emergency planning committee in each county of this Commonwealth to act in accordance with the provisions of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 (Title III of Public Law 99-499, 42 U.S.C.§ 11001, et seq.), also referred to in this act as SARA, Title III.(3) Establish and maintain a comprehensive hazardous material safety program for the Commonwealth and its counties.(4) Create the Hazardous Material Response Fund to provide financial assistance to Commonwealth agencies and counties to develop an effective and integrated response capability to the health hazards, dangers and risks which hazardous material releases pose to the general public.(5) Establish an emergency notification system whereby the release of hazardous materials occurring at a facility or resulting from a transportation accident will be promptly reported to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and county emergency management agency.(6) Assign responsibilities to various Commonwealth agencies and local agencies to ensure the development and furtherance of a comprehensive hazardous material safety program.(7) Provide civil liability protection to officials and emergency response personnel of the Commonwealth and municipalities who are properly carrying out their duties and responsibilities under the Commonwealth's hazardous material safety program.(8) Require persons responsible for the release of hazardous materials to pay the costs incurred by certified hazardous material response teams and supporting paid and volunteer emergency service organizations for emergency response activities caused by the hazardous material release.1990, Dec. 7, P.L. 639, No. 165, § 102, effective in 60 days. Amended 2000, Dec. 20, P.L. 885, No. 121, § 1, effective in 60 days.