24-hour emergency
response
Who Pays?
SERA
EPA 905-F-00-002 1-
To report a spill, call the
National Response Center at
800-424-8802
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
217-782-3637
Indiana Department of Environmental
Management
317-233-7745
Michigan Department of Environmental
Quality
800-292-4706
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
800-422-0798
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
800-282-9378
Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources
800-943-0003
The National Response Center
receives emergency calls and
forwards them to EPA and the States.
EPA's goal is to make the responsible parties
clean up their own hazardous substances.
However, in an emergency situation where
human health and the environment is affected
and when those responsible cannot be found,
or when they will not cooperate, EPA responds
without delay. In an emergency, funding is
provided by the Superfund (CERCLA) account.
The potential responsible parties will then be
required to pay for any cleanup.
EPA Region 5 handles the cleanup of
sites that range from mercury poisoning
and hazardous waste spills at plants
and on highways, to homes sprayed
with methyl parathion, a toxic pesticide.
• Region 5 has cleaned up more than
1,000 Emergency Response/Removal
sites since 1981.
• Informing the community about
environmental cleanups has been
and will continue to be a priority.
For more information about the
EPA Region 5 Emergency
Response Program, contact:
Ginny Narsete
Public Affairs Specialist
U.S. EPA Region 5
Emergency Response Branch
77 West Jackson Blvd. (SE-5J)
Chicago, IL 60604
800-621-8431 or 312-886-4359
Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. CST
www.epa.gov/region5
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Region 5
Emergency Response Branch
March 2000
emergency
L pesponse
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Superfund Emergency
Response
While the first priority is to eliminate
dangers to the public — to make sites
safe for those who live or work nearby,
Federal Emergency Response on-scene
coordinators (OSC's) respond to direct
threats to the environment that may
seriously affect natural or economic
resources. Situations requiring
emergency response actions include the
uncontrolled release of hazardous or
toxic materials, such as truck or train
accidents, chemical fires or explosions,
leaking drums and vats, tire fires, and oil
spills.
OSC's work with other first responders,
such as firefighters, police and emergency
medical technicians, as well as with
officials from other Federal, State, and
tribal agencies.
Removal Actions
Superfund Removal actions typically involve
cleanups to eliminate the sources of
contamination (leaking drums, vats, tanks,
lagoons, etc.) and to prevent direct human
contact with hazardous
substances.
Community Involvement
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
recognizes the importance of keeping the public
informed during emergency response actions.
Community Involvement
staff work with public
officials, the news
media, and the
public to provide
updated information
on hazards to the ^^
local community, Ik
evacuation plans
and issues, health
concerns, and the
status of clean-up
efforts.
Types of
Emergency/Removal Actions
Classic Emergency
Cleanup or stabilization actions must be
initiated within hours or days after
completion of
the preliminary
assessment,
regardless of
cost or
duration of the
response.
Time - Critical
Cleanup or
stabilization
actions must
be initiated
within six
months after
discovery.
Non-Time Critical
Cleanup or stabilization actions may be
delayed for six
months or more
after completion
of the
preliminary
assessment.
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