The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced it is issuing $20.4 million in Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) grants to states, territories, and Native American tribes to enhance their ability to respond to hazardous materials transportation incidents. The grants allow emergency response personnel to maintain the safety of themselves and the public when responding to hazardous materials related emergencies.
The HMEP grant program is part of DOT’s comprehensive approach to improving the safe transportation of crude oil and other hazardous material across the country. PHMSA’s HMEP grants program allows recipients to design and implement planning and training programs according to their specific needs. For this grant cycle, HMEP applicants were encouraged to allocate funding towards:
Developing or revising emergency plans and training activities to account for bulk transportation of energy product by rail and over the road;
Conducting commodity flow studies to determine the frequency and quantity of hazardous materials shipments being transported through local communities; and
Training emergency responders to respond appropriately to incidents involving hazardous materials.
“Our nation’s emergency responders have an immensely challenging job, and this grant funding supports their efforts to protect our communities,” said PHMSA Administrator Marie Therese Dominguez. “PHMSA has taken a comprehensive approach to enhance the safe transportation of energy products that includes prevention, mitigation, and emergency preparedness and response. These grants are another critical element of our focus to improve safety.”
Historically, PHMSA’s HMEP grant program required recipients to use grant funds within the fiscal year it was received. The recipients of the 2016 HMEP grant will be the group to benefit from PHMSA’s updated grant policy, which now allows up to three years for projects funded by the grant to be completed.
HMEP grants are funded by annual user registration fees paid by shippers and carriers of certain hazardous materials in commerce. All 50 states, five US territories, and eight Native American Indian tribes received HMEP grant funding this year.
HMEP Grant Amounts Received by State/Territory/Tribe:
Alabama $558,185
Alaska $150,221
Arizona $266,723
Arkansas $370,575
California $1,503,300
Colorado $448,536
Connecticut $164,130
Delaware $114,975
Florida $635,081
Georgia $443,961
Hawaii $130,165
Idaho $157,554
Illinois $676,732
Indiana $492,480
Iowa $390,454
Kansas $365,291
Kentucky $381,757
Louisiana $565,759
Maine $131,024
Maryland $286,145
Massachusetts $289,099
Michigan $521,254
Minnesota $410,311
Mississippi $265,292
Missouri $429,232
Montana $138,878
Nebraska $278,069
Nevada $180,330
New Hampshire $111,322
New Jersey $369,324
New Mexico $217,490
New York $764,669
North Carolina $463,621
North Dakota $194,331
Ohio $742,272
Oklahoma $408,427
Oregon $258,898
Pennsylvania $659,064
Rhode Island $115,215
South Carolina $260,149
South Dakota $144,617
Tennessee $405,857
Texas $1,503,300
Utah $221,690
Vermont $129,523
Virginia $392,880
Washington $325,379
West Virginia $317,804
Wisconsin $412,944
Wyoming $121,060
Territory:
American Samoa $73,033
Guam $75,298
Northern Marianas Islands $73,495
Puerto Rico $170,426
Virgin Islands $71,449
Tribe:
Nez Perce $78,391
St Regis $43,470
Pueblo of Laguna $74,455
Paiute Shoshone Tribe $70,514
Shoshone Paiute Fire $63,611
Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Nation $96,857
Inter Tribal Counsel of AZ $220,413
Poarch Band of Indians $33,300