U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region III
October 2000
#tDSr^
Chemical Emergency
Preparedness & Prevention
Alan Brown
U.S. EPA, Region III
Chemical Emergency
Preparedness Coordinator
Dear Readers:
Well if you missed our little
HAZMAT Transportation
Seminars in Erie and Wilkes-
Barre, PA. you've still got one
chance, one strike left to not miss out on one of the best training
opportunities to come down the pike in a long time. Our last one is
November 28-30 at the Waterside Marriott Hotel in beautiful,
downtown Norfolk, Virginia. This is what you get: a chance to
network and rub elbows with some of the best experts in the field of
hazardous materials transportation and pick up on the latest, state-
of-the-art technology from numerous exhibitors at our kick-off on
Tuesday afternoon (did I mention free refreshments?). On Wednesday,
you get eight hours of lectures, workshops, and how to's from these
same experts and a free lunch, (that's right, / said free). On Thursday,
it's two dynamite interactive, tabletop scenarios with "Terror Town'"
plus (for those of you who can't handle the excitement) a repeat of
some of the lectures you may have missed the day before. Did 1
mention it's at the Waterside Marriott? Did I mention that rooms are
only $55? Did 1 mention Norfolk has an airport? Did I mention the
"Terror Town" scenarios would include a military aircraft crash and
a maritime accident? Did I mention the registration fee? How about
35 bucks! 35 bucks and it's your last chance. The telephone number
to call is (410) 676-0882. Enough said. Well almost. If you are a sales
rep or marketing pro and somehow this is all news to you, we still
have three or four empty exhibit spaces. Eirst come, first serve. Call
Jerry Heegan at (410)-235-9510 and see if you 're too late.
Just in case some of you more skeptical readers think all we do is
put on meetings and educational seminars....check out our new
audiotape for LEPCs on RMPs, e.g., how to find out if a facility in
their jurisdiction did one, how to get a hold of it, and what to do with
it when they do get their hands on it. It's free of course while supplies
last. Be on the look out for our LEPC promotional video, " What is an
LEPC? " as well as a two part, educational video on how to under-
stand and apply NRT manuals I and IA to your emergency plans.
See.
And, for those of you who still think all we do is plan and put on
the nation's best meetings, conferences, and seminars	Get ready for
"CEPP 2001," our super, biennial conference being held December
10-13, 2001 at the brand, spanking new Marriott Waterside Hotel in
Baltimore's Inner Harbor.
01
EPA CONFERENCE COMING TO
BALTIMORE
Mark your calendars, add it to your budget,
and get ready for the biggest and the best... EPA's
Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Preven-
tion Conference will be December 10-13,2001 at
Baltimore's Inner Harbor.
Joining forces with EPA Region III this year
will be the EPA Headquarters CEPP Office who
previously presented the International Hazmat
Spills Conference. Working together, we are
planning an outstanding roster of internationally
recognized speakers on the most critical topics
to emergency responders and planners as we
enter the next millennium.
Last year, more than 1,100 individuals from
43 states and 7 foreign countries attended this
dynamic conference. Our hosts this year will be a
group of LEPCs from the Baltimore area who are
very excited about bringing this conference to
Baltimore's scenic Inner Harbor.
We will be at the new Marriott Waterside Hotel
and will have a beautiful exhibit hall overlooking
the harbor. As always, the registration fee will be
very low ($150 or less) so plan now to not miss
this one.
A Planning Committee is forming and will be
meeting before the end of this year. If you're
interested in helping, let us know; contact Katrina
Harris by phone at (410) 676-8835 or by e-mail at
kharris@genphysics.com.
Watch your mail for more information!
IN THIS ISSUE
Risk Management Program Notes	2
Assistance For Responders	3
Federal Flashes		4
Preparedness And Planning Resources... 5
Drills, Exercises And Training	10-11
Chemical Emergency Preparedness & Prevention Update

-------
RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM NOTES
FINAL RULE ISSUED
ON OFF-SITE
CONSEQUENCE
ANALYSIS
INFORMATION
EPA and the Department of
Justice issued a final rule on August
4, 2000 regulating public access to
off-site consequence analysis
information. The rule grants public
access to paper copies of the
information through a minimum of 50
Federal reading rooms across the
United States and its territories, and
Internet access to limited information
considered unlikely to pose a
criminal threat.
Under section 112(r) of the Clean
Air Act, industrial facilities that store,
use, or process extremely hazardous
chemicals above established
thresholds are required to submit a
Risk Management Plan to EPA. An
important component of the Risk
Management Plan is the off-site
consequence analysis information,
which details the potential impact of
an accidental release. Section 112(r)
also requires that this information be
made available to the public for
review.
The 1999 Chemical Safety
Information, Site Security and Fuels
Regulatory Relief Act charged the
EPA and the Department of Justice
with assessing the benefits of
providing unrestricted public access
to the information against the
concern that this information could
make sites vulnerable to terrorist
attack and criminal activity. Based
on these assessments, the final rule
allows public access to the off-site
consequence analysis information in
ways that minimize the likelihood of
chemical accidents as well as the
risk of terrorist and criminal activity
associated with Internet posting.
(More information on these assess-
ments can be found on the Depart-
ment of Justice Web Site at
www.usdoj.gov and the EPA Web
Site at www.epa.gov/ceppo).
The federal reading rooms will
permit individuals to access paper
copies of off-site consequence
analysis information for all facilities
near their home or office (defined as
within the jurisdiction of their Local
Emergency PlanningCommittee).
Individuals can also obtain access to
the information for any facility that
has a "vulnerable zone" that extends
into their Local Emergency Planning
Committee's jurisdiction. A vulner-
able zone is an area likely to be
impacted by an accidental release.
In addition, individuals can access
the information for up to 10 facilities
per month regardless of the facility's
location.
The federal reading rooms will be
designated by December 31,2000.
Some of the reading rooms will
operate on a walk-in basis, while
others will operate on an appointment
only basis. Local Emergency
Planning Committees, State Emer-
gency Response Commissions, local
government agencies such as fire
and police, and other agencies
involved in chemical emergency
response and planning are also
permitted to provide read-only
access to off-site consequence
analysis information. However, the
facilities must be within their jurisdic-
tion or have a vulnerable zone that
extends into their jurisdiction. These
agencies can obtain the information
by requesting it from EPA Headquar-
ters, EPA Regional Offices or the
RMP Reporting Center.
(In Region III, questions about
RMP can be directed to Mikal
Shabazz at (215) 814-3281.
In order to gain access to the
information, individuals will be
required to provide photo identifica-
tion and to sign a certification that
they have not received off-site
consequence analysis information
for more than 10 facilities outside
the local jurisdiction within the last
month. Individuals are also required
to provide documentation of their
home and work addresses to obtain
the information on local facilities.
Reading room personnel will main-
tain records of reading room use.
Information about the location of
the federal reading rooms and
access to Risk Management Plans,
including off-site consequence
analysis information that is not
considered to pose a security risk,
will be posted on the Internet by
December 31,2000 at www.epa.gov/
ceppo/. Individuals can also access
an Internet-based Vulnerable Zone
Indicator System at this web site to
find out if a particular address (such
as their home or office) is within the
vulnerable zone of a facility that
submitted a Risk Management Plan.
Chemical Emergency Preparedness & Prevention Update

-------
ASSISTANCE FOR RESPONDERS
RUNOFF FROM MASS
DECONTAMINATION:
ARE YOU LIABLE?
The Chemical Emergency
Preparedness and Prevention Office
at EPA Headquarters recently issued
an alert addressing the question of
whether first responders would be
liable for spreading contamination
while attempting to save lives during
a weapons of mass destruction
incident.
According to the alert, the answer
can be found in the "Good Samaritan"
provision. Before you reach for your
Bibles, the provision is in the
Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation and
Liability Act, Section 107(d), Render-
ing Care or Advice. The provision
states: "No person shall be liable
under this subchapter for costs or
damages as a result of actions taken
or omitted in the course of rendering
care, assistance, or advice in
accordance with the National Contin-
gency Plan (NCP) or at the direction
of an on-scene coordinator appointed
under such plan, with respect to an
incident creating a danger to public
health or welfare or the environment
as a result of any releases of a
hazardous substance or the threat
thereof." Section 107(d)(2) provides
that state and local governments are
not liable "as a result of actions
taken in response to an emergency
created by the release or threatened
release of a hazardous substance."
However, these provisions do not
apply to costs or damages caused
by "gross negligence or intentional
misconduct."
EPA's alert states that first
responders should undertake any
necessary emergency actions to
save lives and protect the public and
themselves. Once any imminent
threats are addressed, first respond-
ers should immediately take all
reasonable efforts to contain the
contamination and avoid or mitigate
environmental consequences. First
responders should involve state and
federal officials as soon as possible
to reduce potential liability concerns.
EPA's alert also emphasizes the
importance of pre-planning and being
prepared which will help minimize the
environmental impacts from such
incidents.
EPA cannot prevent a private
citizen from filing suit; however, the
Good Samaritan provision could be
used as a defense. First responders
could also be subject to actions
under other laws, including state tort
laws, and should consult legal
counsel in their state.
A full copy of the alert can be
obtained through EPA's Web Site at
www.epa.gov/ceppo/ or by calling the
Emergency Planning and Community
Right-to-Know Hotline at (800) 424-
9346.
Delaware County LEPC
Honored
Congratulations to the Delaware
County Local Emergency Planning
Committee of Pennsylvania for
receiving the honorable mention
award from the Chemical Educational
Foundation. The Foundation's
Community Chemical Product
Stewardship Awards honor commu-
nity-based emergency planning
agencies that have exemplified the
goal of chemical safety.
The Delaware County LEPC was
commended for its extensive educa-
tion and outreach efforts to the
community and its ongoing training
program for emergency response
personnel. Several other emergency
response programs in EPA Region III
were finalists for the award:
-	Bucks County LEPC (PA)
• City of Danville Department of
Emergency Services (VA)
-	Harford County Division of
Emergency Operations (MD)
-	Philadelphia LEPC (PA)
-	York County Emergency
Management (PA)
Hats off to all these outstanding
programs!
PREPAREDNESS
IN PRINT
H Title: Joint Information Center
Model: Collaborative Communica-
tions During Emergency Response
H Publisher: National Response
Team (a national planning, policy
and coordinating body consisting of
16 Federal agencies with the U.S.
EPA and the U.S. Coast Guard
serving as co-chairs)
A well-organized and detailed
publication for conducting crisis
communication during emergency
responses. Also useful for other
situations in which multiple organi-
zations need to collaborate to
provide timely, useful, and accurate
information to the public and other
stakeholders. The authors of the
document also intended for the
model to be able to accommodate a
response conducted under a
weapons of mass destruction or
other type of terrorist incident. The
publication includes a number of
useful sample documents,
worksheets, checklists and forms.
H You can download a copy of the
publication from the National
Response Team Web Site at
www.nrt.org.
3
Chemical Emergency Preparedness & Prevention Update

-------
Federal Flashes
NEW REGULATION
STREAMLINES
ENVIRONMENTAL
REPORTING FOR
SYNTHETIC ORGANIC
CHEMICAL
MANUFACTURERS
EPA recently issued the Consoli-
dated Federal Air Rule to combine 16
existing Federal air rules that apply to
the synthetic organic chemical
manufacturing industry. This new rule
provides flexibility to these manufac-
turers by offering a choice of compli-
ance options. A source owner or
operator can comply with the Consoli-
dated Federal Air Rule or continue
complying with existing applicable
requirements. The new rule simplifies
the regulatory language, combines
similar requirements, and eliminates
duplicative compliance activities while
maintaining at least the current level
of environmental protection. The
regulation is expected to significantly
reduce the monitoring, recordkeeping
and reporting burden associated with
compliance.
Further information can be
obtained through EPA's Web Site at
www.epa.gov
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
COMPANIES DISCLOSE
AND CORRECT
VIOLATIONS
Five telecommunications compa-
nies have voluntarily disclosed and
promptly corrected 3,457 environmen-
tal violations that occurred at 1,122 of
their facilities in 45 states and the
District of Columbia. These settle-
ments commit the companies to
comply with right-to-know require-
ments that help identify potential
environmental hazards, protect
emergency personnel responding to
accidents, and to take steps to
prevent accidental spills of oil or
hazardous chemicals.
The proposed settlements were
reached under EPA's Audit Policy,
which allows EPA to reduce or
eliminate penalties for companies
that voluntarily audit, promptly
disclose, and correct violations.
The policy does not cover criminal
violations by a company or viola-
tions that resulted in actual signifi-
cant harm to public health or the
environment.
Under the proposed settle-
ments, the companies will pay a
total of $329,426, which is the
amount they saved by delaying
compliance with the Emergency
Planning and Community Right-to-
Know Act, the Spill Prevention
Control and Countermeasure
requirements, the Clean Air Act,
and the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act. The companies
include AirTouch Communications,
Inc.; AT&T Corp.; AT&T Broadband,
LLC; NEXTLINK Communications,
Inc.; and QWEST Communications.
Remedial actions for these
companies' violations include
notifying Local Emergency Plan-
ning Committees of the presence of
hazardous chemicals, preparing
spill prevention plans, applying for
permits to construct or install
standby generators, maintaining
records for appliances containing
more than 50 pounds of refrigerant,
repairing refrigerant leaks from
heating, ventilation and air condi-
tioning units, and obtaining a letter
of financial assurance demonstrat-
ing financial responsibility for
corrective action or damage caused
by sudden accidental releases from
underground storage tanks.
More information on EPA's
Audit Policy can be found on
EPA's Web Site at www.epa.gov/
oeca/ore/apolguid.html.
Regional ResponseTeams
Contact List
Region I
Dennisses Valdes
U.S. EPA
(617) 918-1261
Capt. John Orenier
USCG
(617) 223-8447
Region 11
Bruce Sprague
U.S. EPA
(732) 321-6656
Capt. John Orenier
USCG
(617) 223-8447
Region 111
Dennis Carney
U.S. EPA
(215) 814-3241
Capt. John Schrinner
USCG
(7 57), 398-6637
Region IV
Myron Lair
U.S. EPA
(404) 562-8721
Capt. William H. Fek
USCG
(305) 415-6861
Region V
Richard Karl
U.S. EPA
(312) 353-9295
Capt. Randy Holland
USCG
(216) 902-6046
Region VI
Charles Gazda
U.S. EPA
(214) 665-2270
Capt. Gordon Marsh
USCG
(504) 589-6271
Region VII
Bob Jackson
U.S. EPA
(913) 551-7952
Capt. Gordon Marsh
USCG
(504) 589-6271
Region VIII
Doug Skie
U.S. EPA
(303) 312-6827
CDR Michael Drieu
USCC.
(504) 589-3656
Region IX
Michael Feeley
U.S. EPA
(415) 744-2199
Capt. Frank Whipple
USCG
(510) 437-2940
Region X
Chris Field
U.S. EPA
(206) 553-1674
Capt. John Veentjer
USCG
(206) 220-7210
Alaska
Carl Lautenberger
U.S. EPA
(907) 271-4306
Capt. Ed Page
USCG
(907) 463-2199
Caribbean
Bruce Sprague
U.S. EPA
(732) 321-6656
Capt. William H. Fels
USCG
(305) 415-6861
Oceania
Michael Feeley
U.S. EPA
(415) 744-2199
Capt. Terry Rice
USCG
(808) 541-21 14
4
Chemical Emergency Preparedness & Prevention Update

-------
Preparedness and Planning Resources
NEW LEPC
AUDIOTAPE
AVAILABLE
NEW PRODUCTS
For more information, contact
Megator Corporation at (800) 245-6211.
Just released and already
climbing the charts...the next hit in
the EPA Region III LEPC audiotape
collection, "RMP's And Your LEPC."
Looking for a copy of a risk
management plan? Wondering how
other LEPCs are using
data from risk manage-
ment plans? Want to
know how to improve your
emergency response
planning for chemical
incidents? This new
audiotape will not only
give you these answers
but much more. You'll also
hear how other LEPCs are
achieving better communi-
cation between industries
and with the public and
how safety is being
increased in various
communities.
Included on the tape
are Mark Scott of the
National Institute for
Chemical Studies; Mark
Wolford, Mikal Shabazz,
and Bill Finan of EPA; Jim
Bailey of Union Carbide;
Mary Moses of the Harford
County Division of Emer-
gency Operations; Gene
Reynolds of FMC; Chief
Steve Hardman of the
Nitro, West Virginia Fire
Department; and Pat
Conlon of the U.S. Chemi-
cal Safety and Hazard
Investigation Board.
A copy of the tape is being sent
to each LEPC in Region III with
responsibility for facilities that
submitted risk management plans.
If you don't receive a copy and
you would like one, send an e-mail
(brown .alan @ epa.gov) or fax (215-
814-3254) to Al Brown at EPA
Region III.
(1-1/2" solids) make it suitable for
pumping debris-laden viscous oil.
High-discharge pressure makes it
possible for liquids to flow through a
long distance of hose. The combina-
tion of handling weight and portabil-
ity enables the user to deploy the
system in remote areas.
For more information,
contact Marine Sonic Technology at
(800) 447-4804.
Note: We believe information on new
products is of value to our readers.
However, such information does not
reflect an endorsement, view, position or
policy of the Agency.
Sea ScanOPC
Manufactured by Marine Sonic
Technology, Ltd., the Sea Scan® PC
is a high-resolution towed side scan
sonar system. Sea Scan® PC is
used for a variety of underwater
search and survey applica-
tions. Its performance has
been repeatedly demon-
strated to be useful in
locating underwater objects,
large and small, from
submerged wrecks to
drowning victims and
weapons. Small and
lightweight, the entire
system is completely
portable and can be towed
behind nearly any size boat.
The system can be installed
and in operation in just a few
minutes. Some of its unique
features include acoustic
transducers that employ
patented medical technol-
ogy and extremely low noise
electronics to produce a
precise, clean pulse and
extremely high resolution
acoustic beam which
Sata clean up system tor oil and chemical* is designed for rescue and clean up of oil
spin* and othe< high v*aco*is and polluted Nquids. The extremely strong suction
(vacuum) and debns tolerance 11 1/2* solids) make it suitable tor pumptng debns laden
viscous oil. The extremely n discharge pressure rrafces it poswWo for liquids to now
through a long distance of hose. The combination of handing weight end portability
enables the use* to deploy the system remote areas.
produces an almost picture
quality image. The system
is being used worldwide in
the fields of law enforce-
ment, search and rescue,
surveying, geological
research and the military.
Sala Rollpump®
Megator Corporation is introduc-
ing a new spill response system for
oil and chemicals. The Sala system
is designed for rescue and cleanup
of oil spills and other high viscous
and polluted liquids. The extremely
strong suction and debris tolerance
ffl HrollaumD
CLEAN UP SYSTEM FOR OIL AND CHEMICALS
Chemical_Emergency Preparedness & Prevention Update
5

-------
"Hazmat Transportation Incidents -
Last Chance—November 28-30 in
Norfolk!
Three days of networking, workshops and hands-on
tabletop exercises. Transportation incidents are one of
the most common Hazmat responses. From trains and
ships to trucks and planes, we'll cover it all and make
sure you are prepared and ready to respond. We've got
a great location and great rates too!
November 28-30,2000
Norfolk, Virginia
Waterside Marriott
235 East Main Street
Norfolk, VA 2351
(800) 228-929
(757) 627-4200
Special rate: $55 plus tax
Please call the hotel directly to make your reservations.
Be sure to ask for the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency conference rates.
SCHEDULE
DAY I
2:00 - 7:00 P.M	REGISTRATION
4:00 - 7:00 P.M	OPENING RECEPTION
IN EXHIBIT HALL
DAY 2
8:00 - 3:00 P.M	EXHIBIT HALL OPEN
8:00- 11:30 A.M	GENERAL SESSION
11:30 - 1:00 P.M	LUNCH IN EXHIBIT HALL
1:00 - 4:30 P.M	BREAKOUT SESSIONS
DAY 3
8:00 - 3:30 p.m	INTERACTIVE TABLE TOP
TRAINING SCENARIOS AND BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Plenary Session Speakers
Tom Lasseigne - National Transportation Safety Board
All you need to know—what the NTSB does and how it
does it.
Danny Swift - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Who we are and what we do. Where we're going and how
we're going to get there.
Ella McNeil - U.S. Department of Energy
As a high-visibility shipper of radioactive materials, DOE
has come under intense scrutiny - from Congress to local
citizens. Learn about a new program being developed to
address preparedness needs nationwide.
Perry Cogburn -Virginia Department ofTransportation
We can help! Hear how VDOT can provide assistance
when incidents occur and how Virginia transportation
Hazmat regulations are enforced.
Brett Burdick - Virginia Department of Emergency
Management
Learn what resources are available to you in responding to
Hazmat transportation incidents.
Scott Gorton -Transcaer®
TRANSCAER® (Transportation Community Awareness and
Emergency Response) is an alliance of chemical manufac-
turers, distributors and transporters. Hear how this alliance
provides assistance to communities in developing and
evaluating their emergency response plans for hazardous
material transportation incidents.
Rene Henry - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Region III
Learn from the author of the book "You'd Better Have a
Hose if You Want to Put Out the Fire" the steps to avoid a
communication crisis and what to do if one occurs.
Workshops
Airport Safety
Hank Kim
International Association of Fire Fighters
Too many airports are unprepared to adequately respond
to airport emergencies because they lack the necessary
aircraft rescue and fire fighting personnel and equipment.
Hear from the principal author of the report, Surviving the
Crash, about these deficiencies and how it impedes the
ability of fire fighters to respond to Hazmat emergencies.
Airports/Dangerous Cargos
Janet McLaughlin
Federal Aviation Administration
Highlights of the FAA's Dangerous Goods Program. Find
out about the incident trends identified by the FAA and
current initiatives for preventing future incidents.
6
Chemical Emergency Preparedness & Prevention Update

-------
Are You Really Prepared?"
Preparing for Plane Crashes
Neil Krosner - Maxwell Air Force Base
Understand the role of the U.S. Air Force in responding to a
major accident both as the primary responder and in
support of civilian agencies. View dramatic footage from an
Air Force Stealth Fighter crash in a small community in
Maryland. Other topics include notification, response and
recovery operations, national defense areas and media
concerns.
Highway Incidents
Bill MacReady and Carrie Taranta Wayne
Jevic Transportation, Inc.
Where does the Responsible Care® program fit in a trans-
portation company's response measures? What role does
Transcaer® play? How can industry enhance the knowledge
of local responders? Staff from Jevic will answer these
questions plus demonstrate all the methods used to mitigate
a release.
Ammonia Incidents
David Binder - Tanner Industries, Inc.
Get prepared to handle ammonia incidents from start to
finish, beginning with an overview of anhydrous ammonia
properties to various types of transportation packaging to
troubleshooting incidents.
Using Commodity Flow Studies
Mark Scott - National Institute for Chemical Studies
Improve your understanding of commodity flow studies and
the importance of having one for your community. How to
do one and how to use the results.
Pressurized Railroad Cars
Bill Oertly - Association of American Railroads
Everything you need to know about pressurized railroad
cars including information available from the railroad to
assist emergency responders, types of tank cars, how to
distinguish between general service and pressure tank cars,
and how to handle derailments.
Chlorine Incidents
Frank Gilmore - PPG Industries, Inc.
What you need to know to respond to chlorine incidents
including chemical properties, methods of transportation
and protective measures. Find out about CHLORER the
chlorine emergency response network.
How the Railroad System Really Works
Scott Gorton - CSX Transportation
Gain valuable insight into the internal crisis communications
network activated by most railroads during a hazardous
materials emergency, how to obtain critical information on
products being carried in a train, and how to contact key
railroad officials. Railroads have a wide array of technical
expertise available - learn how to contact these resources
to manage incidents.
Planning for Pipeline Incidents
Joy Kadnar - Office of Pipeline Safety, DOT
What types of environmental impacts could result from a
pipeline failure? What is the most likely cause of pipeline
failures? What is the total mileage of liquid and natural gas
pipelines in the U.S.? You'll get these answers plus much
more including the statutory history, regulatory compliance
efforts, and safety initiatives of the Office of Pipeline Safety.
Responding to Railway Incidents
John Smoot - Kanawha County,WV EMS/Teays Valley
Fire Department
The real thing... lessons learned from the collision and
derailment of two trains resulting in the explosion of a tank
car of flammables, exposures to other cars of combus-
tibles, fire, rescue of train crew members, and blocking of
a community egress. You'll leave knowing how to deal
with the full range of response issues, from planning to
operational to political.
Planning for Maritime Incidents
Lt. Connie M. Rooke - U.S. Coast Guard Hampton
Roads Marine Safety Office
Handle the challenges of a multi-agency response. Form a
Unified Command and establish and activate realistic
response objectives. Improve your internal planning and
exercises for maritime incidents.
Maritime Incident Response
Ed Lewis - Chesapeake Diving Services, Ltd.
Hear what is involved in responding to a maritime incident
(underwater) from an experienced Hazmat responder and
professional diver.
Pipeline Case Study: PEPCO Oil Spill
Alan Williams - Maryland Department of the Environment
Hear a case study presentation of the PEPCO oil spill
incident in Prince George's County, Maryland. This
incident released 110,000 gallons of petroleum affecting 10
miles of the Patuxent River. Find out key lessons learned
from responding to this incident.
DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GET
PREPARED! REGISTRATION IS LIMITED.
REGISTRATION FORM IS ON PAGE 8
CONFERENCE HOTLINE (4101676-0882
Chemical Emergency Preparedness & Prevention Update

-------
I" ~ "EPA REG|5n MlTlAZMATTRANSP^TAfbTjlNCiDEhPrS SEMINAR ~'
I	REGISTRATION FORM
NAME:		
NAME FOR NAME BADGE:	
STREET ADDRESS:	
CITY:	STATE:	ZIP:
WORK PHONE:	
E-MAIL:	
EMPLOYER:	
POSITION:		
REGISTRATION FEE: $35 per person
(includes opening reception,
continental breakfast, lunch)
Make check payable to
PA Chemical Industry Council and mail to:
GP Corporation, 500 Edgewood Road,
Suite 110, Edgewood, MD 21040
ATTN: Katrina Harris
Regional and National Conferences
LIMITED EXHIBITOR OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE. CALL THE
CONFERENCE HOTLINE FOR INFORMATION 410-676-0882
Domestic Terrorism Conference
Being Held in Philadelphia
Thomas Jetferson University Hospital
in Philadelphia will sponsor Domestic
Terrorism 2000, a two-day workshop for
health professionals and first responders
on November 30 and December 1, 2000.
Cost is $150 for registered nurses and
physicians and $75 for EMTs, paramed-
ics, police and fire personnel.
Workshop topics include blast and
explosive injuries, chemical and biologi-
cal agents, federal assets and response
plans, terrorism and lessons learned,
radiation basics and treatment, hospital
response plans, static displays in technol-
ogy and equipment, and bioterrorism and
public health initiatives. Contact hours
will be awarded for physicians, nurses
and EMTs.
As part of the workshop, instructors
from EPA's Region III will be presenting a
four-hour course in "Hazardous Materials
Response Training for Hospitals." This
course meets OSHA requirements for
an awareness level training. Course
attendees will gain an understanding
of hazardous materials, associated
risks and potential outcomes, learn to
recognize and identify the presence
of hazardous substances in an
emergency, understand the role of an
individual trained at the awareness
level, become familiar with the U.S.
DOT'S Emergency Response
Guidebook, and receive a brief
overview of terrorist biological and
chemical threats and responding to
mass casualty incidents.
Additional information can be
obtained by contacting Arthur
Blackshaw at (215) 955-6161 or
Linda Wilson at (215) 955-8215
New Jersey Emergency
Management Association Holds
Annual Workshop
The New Jersey Emergency
Management Association will be
holding its 40,h Annual Workshop/
Seminar, "Plan for the Worst - Pray for
the Best," November 17-19, 2000 at
the Holiday Inn in Atlantic City.
Workshop topics include EPA's
training and outreach programs,
successful mitigation tactics to reduce
community loss, the RACES Program,
debris management, and how to
obtain federal grants to purchase
equipment for paid and volunteer fire
departments. Representatives from
the New Jersey Office of Emergency
Management will present a FEMA
professional development course on
the decision making process in crisis
situations, and course attendees will
receive credit and a state certificate.
There will also be sessions presenting
outcomes from actual disasters, and
an opportunity to tour the New Jersey
Transit Mobile Command Center.
For additional information, contact
Shirley Baker at (201) 935-2268.
8

-------
SERCs and LEPCs: Are They Really Effective?
This is the second in a series of
articles looking at State Emergency
Response Commissions (SERCs)
and Local Emergency Planning
Committees (LEPCs) and examining
whether they are accomplishing their
purpose and achieving the goals
originally envisioned by Congress. In
the first article, we looked at the
history of why SERCs and LEPCs
were established and their regulatory
responsibilities. In this issue, we
take a closer look at some indicators
of how SERCs and LEPCs are
functioning.
The National Governors'
Association recently issued a
report entitled "Emergency
Planning and Community Right to
Know: State Profiles, 1999-2000."
Funded by a grant from EPA
Headquarters' Chemical Emer-
gency Preparedness and Preven-
tion Office, this report provides a
concise summary of the charac-
teristics of each state's emer-
gency response commission. The
state profiles include information
on the state laws or executive
orders that formally established
the commission, SERC member-
ship, approaches to funding,
status of the formation of LEPCs
and their submission of plans,
and the potential liability of SERC/
LEPC members.
The report shows a broad
variance in SERC membership.
Some SERCs are made up of one
or two state agencies while others
include a spectrum of stakehold-
ers, such as members of state
legislatures, media representa-
tives, environmental and con-
sumer groups, and members of
the general public.
Approaches to funding of
SERC and LEPC activities also
varies. Approximately 20 states
have created a fee system. Most
states are assuming the costs
within state budgets, and some
are taking advantage of federal
grants. The report shows a wide
range of budgets for chemical
emergency planning and commu-
nity right to know activities.
Obviously, factors such as the
amount of industry and the size of
the state impact the need for such
planning, and there may have
been some differences in how the
information was reported. Also,
some states did not provide
budget information. A few states
reported budgeting as little as
$14,000 (Wyoming), many are
budgeting in the $100,000 to
$400,000 range, and a few
reported budgeting in the
$1,000,000 to $4,000,000 range
(Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Ohio,
Oregon and Alaska). These
ranges were reported for states
with fees as well as states without
fees.
The report also summarizes
the number of LEPCs in each
state and the basis for delineating
planning districts. As mentioned
in the first article in our series,
most states used city and county
boundaries to delineate planning
districts and to form LEPCs. A
few states have organized by
smaller geographic boundaries,
such as municipalities; New
Hampshire and New Jersey are
two such states. New Jersey has
the largest number of LEPCs
(587). Several states, such as
Florida and California, have
created regional planning districts
and similarly organized LEPCs,
with Florida having 11 and Cali-
fornia having 6.
The majority of states reported
that each LEPC has submitted an
emergency response plan to
cover chemical incidents, with a
few states reporting that some
planning districts are still develop-
ing plans.
A few SERCs have imple-
mented interesting approaches to
ensuring LEPCs are functioning
effectively. Indiana is one of the
states with a fee system and it
distributes a base amount to each
LEPC, plus an additional sum
based on the number of reporting
facilities in each district. However,
the SERC can withhold funding
from an LEPC if it does not
perform certain activities such as
updating and exercising its emer-
gency preparedness plan, provid-
ing the SERC with an updated
membership list, conducting LEPC
meetings at least quarterly, and
providing the SERC with minutes
of LEPC meetings. Wisconsin,
also a state with a fee system,
awards grants to LEPCs; however,
to be eligible for the grant pro-
gram, the LEPCs are required to
perform activities similar to those
mentioned for Indiana.
A copy of the report is
available from the National
Governors' Association Web
Site at www.nga.org.
Once again, we ask: How is
your SERC/LEPC?
If you have an opinion on
SERCs and LEPCs, if you think
your SERC or LEPC is successful,
if you think your SERC or LEPC is
not as effective as it should be, let
us hear from you. Send your
thoughts, opinions, or stories to
Katrina Harris by e-mail
(kharris@genphysics.com) or by
fax (410) 676-8545.
9

-------
Drills, Exercises and Training
Buzz Melton of FMC, drill coordinator, faciliated the
extensive planning prior to the exercise and kept
attendees informed as the scenarios unfolded.
One of the lessons from the exercise is that more labor
needs to be directed toward getting the decontamination
operation up and running immediately.
The exercise provided several HAZMAT teams with the
opportunity to work together and get to know each
other's capabilities.
separate anhydrous ammonia
release scenarios: a tank truck
involved in a rollover traffic accident
releases a cloud of ammonia which
moves towards populated areas, a
farmer applying anhydrous ammonia
as a fertilizer develops a tank leak
and is overcome, and a leak from a
frozen food facility's refrigeration unit
overcomes a worker trying to stop
the leak.
In addition to the involvement of |
many local, state and Federal
agencies, a nearby school was the
site of an actual shelter-in-place
exercise which could be observed by
drill spectators.
EPA Region III provided profes-
sional sound equipment and staff for
the exercise which allowed the large
number of attendees to hear the
exercise as it evolved.
Protection Agency Region III,
the Pennsylvania Emergency
Management Agency, and
Lehigh County emergency
response organizations held a
hazardous material incident
exercise on September 16,2000
in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.The
exercise was the final phase of
FEMA's Comprehensive Hazard
Emergency Response - Capabil-
ity Assessment Program (CHER-
CAP) and was the first CHER-CAP
exercise in Pennsylvania. CHER-CAP
is part of FEMA's preparedness
training program and helps coordina-
tion and communication among
various responding organizations in
any type of incident.
The exercise was held at Puritan
Products, Inc. (the owner of Puritan is
an LEPC member). Participants
included fire, police and HAZMAT
responders from Bethlehem, Allen-
town and Lehigh County, as well as
medical and other support personnel
from Lehigh County, the Pennsylvania
Emergency Management Agency,
Anhydrous Ammonia
Response PlansTested
at Annual Exercise
LEPCs from Balti-
more City, Baltimore
County and Anne
Arundel County joined
with the South Baltimore
Industrial Mutual Aid
Plan (SBIMAP) to put
their emergency re-
sponse plans to the test.
This 16th annual Hazmat
drill involved three
Lehigh County Tests
HAZMAT Response
Plans
Catherine Pomerantz
FEMA Region III
private businesses, and FEMA.
Volunteer organizations included the
American Red Cross and RACES, a
ham-radio group that handled
communications.
According to John Conklin,
Lehigh County Emergency Manage-
ment Agency Director, "This was the
first large-scale, mass casualty
exercise for most of the hospital
and EMS participants and will
do a great deal to boost their
capabilities in handling chemi-
cally-contaminated victims."
For information on the CHER-
CAP program, please contact
your FEMA regional office. In
Region III, please contact
Catherine Pomerantz at (215)
931-5610.
The Federal Emergency Manage-
ment Agency (FEMA) Region III
partnering with the Environmental
Chemical Emergency Preparedness & Prevention Update
Hundreds of representatives from local, state and Federal
agencies, as well as many community groups participated in.
evaluated and observed the exercise.

-------
Drills, Exercises and Training
EPA Transportation Seminars a Success
remer
EPA Region Ill's first two presentations of the "HAZM AT TRANSPORTATION INCIDENTS—ARE YOU REALLY PRE-
PARED?" seminars were well received in Wilkes-Barre and Erie, Pennsylvania. Emergency managers, Hazmat chiefs and
technicians, industry health and safety personnel, government staff and others have benefitted from the wide variety of
transportation workshops presented by experts in the
field and a full day of interative tabletop scenarios.
Suggestions from attendees in Wilkes-Barre were
incorporated into the Erie seminar and suggestions from
Erie attendees will make the Norfolk seminar the
best yet. Last chance—Norfolk, Virginia on
November 28 through 30!
Lock Haven Prepares for Transportation Incidents
EPA Region III staff are available
to support drills, exercises and
training within Region III. Even if
you don't need support, we'd like to
know about exercises and your other
events. Give Al Brown a call at
(215) 814-3302 or e-mail him at
brown.alan@epa.gov.
EPA Region III recently supported a classroom training program and field exercise in Lock
Haven, Pennsylvania. The Held exercise utilized a bulk liquid trailer to simulate a transportation
incident. Attendees found the instruction and exercise beneficial to improving their emergency
response skills
Chemical Emergency Preparedness & Prevention Update
11

-------
Sign Up For Our Mailing List
Chemical Emergency Prepared-
ness and Prevention Update will be
published periodically on an irregular
basis by the Chemical Emergency
Preparedness and Prevention folks
at EPA Region III under the direction
of Ai Brown.
Our goal is to provide interesting,
informative, and often timely infor-
mation to hazardous materials
emergency planners, responders and
stakeholders. If you have a story
you would like to tell, a point you
would like to make, or want to join
the mailing list, fill out this form and
mail it to:
Katrina Harris
General Physics Corporation
500 Edgewood Road, Suite 110
Edgewood, MD 21040
Fax to: 410-676-8545
Email to:
kharris@aenphvsics.com
NAME
COMPANY/AGENCY
DOD 	 OTHER FEDERAL 	STATE GOVERNMENT/EMA
INDUSTRY 	MEDICAL 	LOCAL GOVERNMENT
FIRST RESPONSE/LEPC 	OTHER:	
PHONE
ADDRESS
FAX
EMAIL
CITY
STATE ZIP
COMMENTS
HAVE A STORY IDEA?
HAVE A GOOD IDEA?
JHAVE NOIDEA?^
U.S. EPA Region III
1650 Arch Street (3HS33)
Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029
Address Correction Requested
BULK RATE
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
NIAGARA FALLS, NY
PERMIT NO. 28
DON'T MISS OUR FINAL HAZMAT
TRANSPORTATION SEMINAR
November 28-30 in Norfolk, HA
, October, 2000	printed on recycled paper using soy ink ^ ^

-------