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Agency	November 2017
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
100 INTRODUCTION	1
101	Puipose	1
102	Objectives	1
103	Scope	1
104	Coordinating Authority	2
105	Joint Policies	3
106	Related Plans in Mexico	4
107	Related Plans in the United States	4
200 ORGANIZATION	5
201	Joint Response Team (JRT)	5
202	Situation/Incident-Specific Joint Response Team (ISJRT)	5
203	On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs)	6
204	Coordination with the Tribal, Local, and State
Governments for Preparedness and Response	6
205	Technical Assistance	7
300 RESPONSE AND NOTIFICATION OPERATIONS	8
301	Notification	8
302	Preliminary Assessment	8
303	Joint Response Team Activation	8
304	Joint Response Team Deactivation	9
305	Joint Response Team Procedures	9
306	Documentation for a Joint Response	9
307	Public Information	10
308	Health and Safety	11
400 PREPARATION	12
401	Revision, Assessment, and Update of the Inland Border Plan	12
402	Drills	12
403	Educational Activities	12
500 EFFECTIVE DATE/AMENDMENTS/TERMINATION	13
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
APPENDIX A - Telephone Numbers and E-mails
to Notify of an Emergency/Notification Procedures	14
APPENDIX B - Notification Form	20
APPENDIX C - Activation/Deactivation Forms	23
APPENDIX D - Response Operations Diagrams	27
APPENDIX E - Reporting Information	29
APPENDIX F - Acronyms	31
APPENDIX G - Definitions	34
APPENDIX H - Joint Response Team (JRT) Institutions and Agencies	37
APPENDIX I - Roles and Responsibilities	44
APPENDIX J - Map of Inland Border Area and Sister Cities	48
APPENDIX K - List of Federal and State Plans	50

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100 INTRODUCTION
100 Introduction
Recognizing that chemical hazardous substances contingencies or emergencies primarily affect the local
community and that 90% of the population in the Inland Border Area resides in 15 pairs of Sister Cities—15
cities in the United States of Mexico (Mexico) and 15 cities in the United States of America (United States
or U.S.)—future planning efforts are required to respond to an event of considerable magnitude that involves
one or more chemical hazardous substances.
The Mexico-United States Joint Contingency Plan for Preparedness for and Response to Emergencies and
Contingencies Associated with Chemical Hazardous Substances in the Inland Border Area (hereafter referred
to as the Inland Border Plan), provides a mechanism for cooperation between Mexico and the United States
to respond to a chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency that may present a significant
threat for both Participants or that affects one of them in such a way that justifies the notification of the other
Participant or request for assistance.
This Inland Border Plan is not intended to supersede any statutory authorities held by either Participant,
to create any legally binding rights or obligations under domestic or international law with regard to the
Participants or any other entity, or to create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable by law
or equity against the Participants or any other entity.
101	Purpose
101.1 The puipose of the Inland Border Plan is based on the principles of Annex II of the 1983 La Paz Agreement,
which seeks to protect health, human safety and the environment, providing joint and coordinated responses
to significant chemical hazardous substances contingencies or emergencies that affect the Inland Border Area
between Mexico and the United States.
102	Objectives
102.1 The objectives of this Inland Border Plan are:
•	to provide a bi-national coordination mechanism to ensure appropriate and effective cooperative
preparedness and response measures between Mexico and the United States during significant chemical
hazardous substances contingencies or emergencies; and
•	to develop a notification system for chemical hazardous substances contingencies or emergencies in the
area covered by this Inland Border Plan.
103	Scope
103.1 The Inland Border Plan applies to significant incidents and emergencies involving chemical hazardous
substances that affect or have the potential to affect the environment along the Inland Border Area of
Mexico-U.S. ( as shown in Appendix J). As used in this Inland Border Plan, the term "chemical hazardous
substances" includes oil. This Inland Border Plan includes contingencies and emergencies involving chemical
hazardous substances in the Inland Border Area that have the potential for transboundary effects, and may
apply to incidents and emergencies that although directly affecting one country, are of such magnitude as
to justify notifying or requesting assistance from the other country (e.g., for technical advice, responders
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100 INTRODUCTION
and equipment). The chemical hazardous substances contingencies or emergencies that affect the marine
environment or coastal waters are covered in the Joint Contingency Plan between the Secretariat of the
Navy of the United Mexican States and the United States Coast Guard Regarding Pollution of the Marine
Environment by Discharges of Hydrocarbons or Other Hazardous Substances (MEXUS Plan), updated on
July 11,2017.
103.2	This Inland Border Plan does not provide for either notification or response to contingencies or emergencies
caused by radiological substances or materials, biological substances, or terrorist acts.
103.3	Nothing that is contained in the Inland Border Plan is intended to supercede, or preclude the development
or implementation of, existing or future agreements or arrangements between Mexico and the United
States. Nor is it intended to affect any rights and obligations of the Participants established pursuant to other
agreements or international instruments of which they are or may become Participants or Parties.
103.4	The Inland Border Plan is to be implemented in coordination with the MEXUS Plan in the event both plans
are activated for the same contingency or emergency.
104 Coordinating Authority
104.1	This Inland Border Plan is to be implemented under the principles of the Agreement between the United
States of America and the United Mexican States on Cooperation for the Protection and Improvement of
the Environment in the Border Area, signed August 14, 1983 ( known as the La Paz Agreement ), that are
authorized and established in accordance with Annex II of the Agreement, dated July 18, 1985.
104.2	The Coordinating Authorities of this Inland Border Plan are to have the roles of Co-chair. The United States
is to have one Co-chair and Mexico two.
104.3	For Mexico, the Co-chairs for this Inland Border Plan are: the Secretariat of Environment and Natural
Resources ( SEMARNAT ) through the Office of the Under Attorney of Industrial Inspection of the Federal
Attorney General for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA); and the National Coordination for Civil
Protection (CNPC) within the Secretariat of Governance (SEGOB). For the United States, the Co-chair for
this Inland Border Plan is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA), through its Office of Emergency
Management ( OEM ) within the Office of Land and Emergency Management.
In Mexico, the Joint Response Team (JRT) is composed of representatives of PROFEPA and CNPC; in
the United States by EPA, and appropriate support agencies ( as specified in Appendix H ), to coordinate
responses to chemical hazardous substances contingencies or emergencies consistent with the provisions of
Section 300 and Appendix I of this Inland Border Plan. The Co-chairs of the Emergency Preparedness and
Response Border-wide Workgroup are to Co-chair the JRT. The Co-chairs of this Inland Border Plan are to be
responsible for securing the involvement of the agencies in their respective countries. Such efforts are to be
conducted in cooperation with the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs in Mexico and the Department of State in the
United States.
104.4	The Co-chairs are to keep their respective National Coordinators, authorities designated by the La Paz
Agreement, informed of all key activities and emergency activations conducted under this Inland Border Plan.

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100 INTRODUCTION
104.5	The responsibilities of specific agencies in Mexico are intended to be consistent with the General Law
of Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection (LGEEPA), the General Law for Prevention;
and Integrated Waste Management (LGPGIR), the Law of the National Agency for Industrial Safety and
Environmental Protection for the Hydrocarbon Sector ( LANS!) and the General Law of Civil Protection
and the responsibilities for the specific agencies in the United States are to follow the U.S. National Oil and
Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP), 40 CFR part 300 and its supplemental guidance.
The NCP is authorized by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of
1980 (CERCLA), in addition to the Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1972 as amended by the Oil Pollution Act
(OPA)ofl990.
104.6	In the event of contingencies or emergencies involving activities of the hydrocarbons sector, Mexico's
National Agency for Industrial Safety and Environmental Protection for the Hydrocarbons Sector (ASEA)
is responsible for their attention, established under the LANSI.
104.7	In the event of a spill, discharge or release of chemical hazardous substances into international rivers and
waters along the Inland Border Area, the Mexico and United States Commissioners to the International
Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) are to respond to the event when doing so is consistent with
IBWC authorities and to the extent resources permit. The Commissioners are to inform the Co-chairs of the
Joint Response Team and the Tribal, state and local authorities in their respective countries of such events. If
an incident exceeds the response capacity of the IBWC, the Commissioners have the responsibility to contact
the National Center for Communications and Operations for Civil Protection ( CENACOM ) and the National
Response Center (NRC ) respectively, in order to assure that the response actions are earned out. Such
notification is to follow the procedures established in the Appendix A of this Inland Border Plan.
105 Joint Policies
105.1	When a joint response is required to mitigate the effects of a chemical hazardous substances contingency
or emergency, this Inland Border Plan is intended to facilitate the provision of assistance to the affected
country. Such assistance may include: facilitation of the entrance of officials from one country to the
other; the provision of assistance at the request or after receiving the prior consent of the other country; the
coordination of federal efforts, activities and resources of both countries; and/or the exchange of information
between the Participants.
105.2	The Co-chairs are to promote the development, maintenance, and implementation of the Joint Contingency
Plans of the Sister Cities that are coordinated with the local, state and Tribal authorities.
105.3	Effective communication between Mexico and the U.S is crucial to the successful implementation of this
Inland Border Plan. The Co-chairs are to develop and maintain the necessary communication systems that
allow for effective communication with regard to the chemical hazardous substances contingencies or
emergencies. Any chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency along the inland border that
represents a potential threat to the other country, according to the provisions of Section 103.1 and 103.2 of
this Plan, is to be reported as early as possible in accordance with the procedures established in Appendices A
and B of this Inland Border Plan.
105.4	This Inland Border Plan is to be implemented in a manner consistent with the laws and regulations of
each country.
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100 INTRODUCTION
105.5	In a response situation covered by the Inland Border Plan, the Co-chairs, subject to the availability of
appropriate funds and resources, are to make every effort to obtain resources that may be used in the
joint response operations. In addition, each country is to have procedures in place to facilitate obtaining
the necessary resources from both the public and private sectors that may be used to achieve a successful
outcome to a joint response operation.
105.6	In observation of each country's legislation, each Co-chair is to encourage appropriate officials in his/her
country to ensure the timely implementation of customs, immigration, and other necessary authorization
mechanisms in order to facilitate an expedited entry and exit of responders and equipment needed to ensure
an efficient joint response.
105.7	Each country, in observation of its current procedures and legislation, is to determine what type of chemical
and/or biological counter-measures are to be employed in mitigating a chemical hazardous substance
contingency or emergency in its territory.
106	Related Plans in Mexico
106.1	National Plans
•	Organization Guide and Operation of the National System of Civil Protection Program ( Secretariat
of Governance )
•	Program of Specific Action and Attention for Epidemiological Emergencies and Disasters 2013-2018
(Ministry of Health)
•	Marine Plan of Assistance to the Civilian Population in Emergency and Disaster Cases and Areas
(Navy Secretariat)
•	Plan DN-III-E for Assistance to Civilian Population in Disaster Cases (Secretariat of National Defense)
•	National Response Plan MX of the Federal Public Administration ( Secretariat of Governance)
•	Manual for the Attention of Hydroecological Emergencies and Environmental Contingencies that are
present in Bodies of Water or National Assets under the National Water Commission ( CONAGUA )
•	National Contingency Plan for Spills of Hydrocarbons and Potentially Dangerous Hazardous Substances in
the Mexican Marine Zones (Marine Secretary )
106.2	Civil Protection State Programs
•	Baja California	• Chihuahua	• Nuevo Leon
•	Sonora	• Coahuila	• Tamaulipas
107	Related Plans in the United States
107.1 The United States intends to implement this Inland Border Plan in a manner that is consistent with the
NCP (40 CFR part 300 ). The NCP is the U.S. government's plan of action for responding to both oil spills,
discharges and releases of hazardous substances ( including biological and disease causing agents, illness
generators and radioactive materials). For the purposes of this Inland Border Plan, the U.S. may implement
the NCP to respond to potential chemical hazardous substances emergencies and contingencies.

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200 ORGANIZATION
200	Organization
The following is a summary of the federal response structure intended to provide the core framework for the
coordination of a joint response to a chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency within this
Inland Border Plan. A detailed list of functions and responsibilities of the federal agencies can be found in
Appendix H. The federal response structure that is intended to provide the nucleus for coordinating a joint
response to a polluting incident under this Inland Border Plan is summarized below.
201	Joint Response Team (JRT)
201.1	The JRT is the policy and decision-making body with overall responsibility for the maintenance and effective
implementation of this Inland Border Plan for both the United States and Mexico.
201.2	The U.S. and Mexican Co-chairs of the JRT are represented by the EPA Office of Emergency Management
( OEM), the Office of the Under Attorney of Industrial Inspection of the Federal Attorney General for
Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) and the National Coordination for Civil Protection (CNPC),
respectively. They are also the coordinating authorities for the implementation of the Inland Border Plan.
201.3	The Agencies and relevant support institutions from each country are the members of the JRT.
201.4	The Co-chairs of the JRT are to ensure the coordination with JRT support agencies.
202	Situation/Incident-Specific Joint Response Team (ISJRT)
202.1	The ISJRT is responsible for implementing the Inland Border Plan effectively at the state and local level in
Mexico and at the regional level in the United States, consistent with JRT policies.
202.2	The general function of the ISJRT includes planning and preparing for a chemical hazardous substances
contingency or emergency, as well as monitoring and supporting response operations, as necessaiy. The
ISJRT may be called upon to resolve a preparedness issue that requires some localized geographic action,
when a chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency has occurred and a coordinated response
and follow up are required, or when there is a threat to a specific geographic area that requires coordination
with appropriate personnel. The Co-chairs of the JRT of Mexico and the U.S. are to designate, as appropriate,
a representative to lead this team.
•	In Mexico, a representative from PROFEPA and a representative from the Civil Protection office.
•	In the United States, the Co-chair from the Regional Response Team (RRT) from the corresponding EPA
Regional office may include members from the National Response Team (NRT ), as described in section
300.110 of the National Contingency Plan. The RRT may also include Tribal, state, local and regional
representatives.
202.3	The ISJRT may be comprised of federal, regional, state and local agencies from each country and in the case
of the United States, also by representatives of Tribal Governments.
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200 ORGANIZATION
203	On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs)
203.1	The OSC is the federal authority designated in each country to perform the functions and responsibilities
of coordination of joint response actions at the site of the chemical hazardous substances contingency or
emergency in the Inland Border Area of that country and to provide information on the chemical hazardous
substances contingencies or emergencies to the ISJRT.
203.2	When the contingency or emergency occurs within federal jurisdiction, or in compliance with federal or state
requirements, the OSC may:
•	Direct the response to the chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency, including when the
chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency is beyond the response capabilities of the state
and local incident commander, or,
•	Provide advice, assistance and support to the Tribal Governments, local or state incident commander
and serve as coordinator and director of the federal government activities at the scene of the chemical
hazardous substances contingency or emergency.
203.3	For Mexico, two OSCs are to be designated in the affected zone; one is to be designated by a PROFEPA
Representative and the other by the National Coordination for Civil Protection ( CNPC ) from the Secretariat
of Governance (SEGOB).
203.4	For the United States, the OSC is to be designated by the EPA Regional office in the affected zone, in
accordance with the NCP
204	Coordination with the Tribal, Local, and State Governments for
Preparedness and Response
204.1	Local authorities are responsible for initiating and coordinating responses to contingencies and emergencies
involving chemical hazardous substances. Therefore, each country is to encourage its Sister Cities to
have up-to-date contingency plans ( Sister City Plans ) and information about potential hazards, as well as
adequate equipment and trained personnel for responding to chemical hazardous substances contingencies
or emergencies. Ninety percent of the border population resides in fifteen pairs of inter-dependent Sister
Cities. There are 26 U.S. Federally Recognized Tribes in the border region, which range in size from 9
to 17,000 members; and seven Indigenous Mexican Groups reside in the border area. Recognizing that
chemical hazardous substances contingencies or emergencies affect the local community first, JRT members
determined that subsequent planning efforts are needed for the Tribal Governments and the 30 Border
Cities—fifteen in Mexico and the adjacent fifteen in the United States—that could be affected by a major
hazardous chemical substance release. The Sister City Contingency Plan Program was created to meet that
need. Currently, fifteen paired Sister Cities have a Joint Contingency Plan.
204.2	To ensure that there is no duplication of effort by the authorities during a chemical hazardous substances
contingency or emergency, the Inland Border Plan and its Appendices are to be coordinated with all the
existing Mexican plans and agreements and the emergency plans prepared by the local planning districts
from the U.S. with regard to the international border, in compliance with the Superfund Amendments and
Reauthorization Act of 1986 ( SARA), Title III, as well as the Area Contingency Plans developed under the
Section 311 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) as amended by the Oil Pollution Act (OPA) of 1990.

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200 ORGANIZATION
204.3	Nothing in this Inland Border Plan imposes formal obligations to the Tribal, state, local and regional
authorities beyond those established by the laws of both countries.
204.4	The Co-chairs for the Inland Border Plan are to ensure the development and implementation of the Sister City
Plans at the Tribal, state and local level.
205 Technical Assistance
205.1 Technical assistance is available to help the OSC in response operations under this Inland Border Plan in the
form of experts and specialized equipment through the ISJRT. Such resources include experts with experience
in cleaning techniques, chemistry, engineering, biology, hydrology, health effects, toxicology, communications,
natural resources and other related situations that involve control and evaluation of the response.
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300 RESPONSE AND NOTIFICATION OPERATIONS
300	Response and Notification Operations
This section puts forward the general procedures for a joint, integrated and coordinated response at the
federal level, to complement the response actions to Tribal, state, local and regional emergencies after a
chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency in the Inland Border Area. The specific details on
these procedures for a joint response are indicated in Appendices D and I.
301	Notification
301.1	Any chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency that affects or has the potential to affect
the environment along the Inland Border Area is to be reported immediately to the National Center for
Communications and Operations for Civil Protection ( CENACOM) or the National Response Center (NRC),
which in turn is to notify its counterpart, following the notification procedures using the telephone numbers
described in Appendix A of this document and providing the information described in Appendix B.
301.2	The OSC is to ensure that all the appropriate notifications in his/her respective country are performed, as
described in Appendices A and D.
302	Preliminary Assessment
302.1 After receiving the notification of a chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency in the Inland
Border Area, the OSC, in consultation with the ISJRT, is to perform a preliminary assessment to determine
whether the Inland Border Plan is to be activated and, in turn, transmit this information to the country's JRT
Co-chair consistent with the activation procedures and form in Appendix C.
303	Joint Response Team Activation
303.1	If, after a preliminary assessment from the OSC, the ISJRT determines that the response action required
exceeds its capabilities and resources, the ISJRT is to request the Co-chair of the JRT to activate the Inland
Border Plan, using the form described in Appendices B and C.
The Co-chair of the JRT is to notify the National Coordinator that the activation of the Plan is recommended
and if they concur, they may request that their Mexican counterpart activate the Plan, using the form located
in Appendix C, with the information described in Appendix B.
The information is to be sent via email and by telephone.
303.2	After receiving the activation form, the National Coordinators or JRT Co-chairs are to notify their respective
foreign affairs department that an environmental emergency has occurred ( or has the potential to occur ). For
Mexico, this department is the Secretariat of Foreign Relations, which is to be notified through the General
Directorate for North America, and for the United States it is the Department of State.

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300 RESPONSE AND NOTIFICATION OPERATIONS
304	Joint Response Team Deactivation
304.1 If the Co-chairs of the JRT determine that the Inland Border Plan activation is no longer needed, based on
OSC and ISJRT information, they are to deactivate the Inland Border Plan by sending an e-mail, completing
the deactivation form found in Appendix C, and notifying the National Coordinators, as noted in the La Paz
Agreement, the OSCs, the ISJRT and the foreign affairs departments, by telephone.
305	Joint Response Team Procedures
305.1	In the event of Inland Border Plan activation the ISJRT, is to provide recommendations to the OSC, which
could include the following:
•	Joint response actions that are to take place;
•	Status of the response operations in each country;
•	Personnel, equipment and financial resources available;
•	Information that is to be transmitted to the public;
•	Health and safety concerns; and
•	Environmental considerations.
305.2	Conflicts that cannot be resolved by the OSCs, are to be brought before the ISJRT for resolution; the JRT is
to be consulted as needed.
306	Documentation for a Joint Response
306.1	The OSC, the ISJRT and the JRT under this Inland Border Plan are to prepare the appropriate documentation,
consistent with Section 306.2 of this Inland Border Plan:
306.2	The OSC is to provide:
•	The Preliminary Assessment, to describe the nature and effects of the chemical hazardous substances
contingency or emergency ( see Appendix E), indicating the identification of the source, and the quantity
and the location of the chemical hazardous substance; an evaluation of the threat to human health or the
environment; an evaluation of the magnitude of the release or threat of release; and whether the potentially
Responsible Party is undertaking a proper response.
•	Situation Reports (SITREPs), to provide up-to-date information on the emergency incident and response
action conducted under this Inland Border Plan. SITREPs are to describe the current status of the chemical
hazardous substances contingency or emergency, the actions taken, future plans, recommendations, and
requests for assistance. The SITREPs are to be forwarded to the Co-chairs and the members of the ISJRT
as frequently as necessary, or as determined by the Co-chairs.
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300 RESPONSE AND NOTIFICATION OPERATIONS
306.3	The ISJRT is to provide the following:
•	Final Incident Report. After a joint response has been terminated, the ISJRT is to prepare a final incident
report in conjunction with the OSCs to be forwarded to the Co-chair. The Final Incident Report is to
accurately describe the situation as it developed, the actions taken, the resources committed, the problems
encountered, and recommendations as described in Appendix E. This report may be accessed through the
EPA OSC website at https://response.epa.gov.
•	Final Preparation and Planning Report. If the ISJRT is called to assist in conducting a preparedness
exercise in the Inland Border Area, as specified in Section 202 of this Inland Border Plan, a Final Issue
Report is to be prepared and transmitted to the Co-chair. This Final Preparation and Planning Report is to
describe the specific issues in detail, the specific geographic area, and members of the ISJRT who worked
on the drills, their roles, actions taken, ideas and options considered for the response and the pros and cons
of each, as well as final recommendations.
306.4	The Co-chair has the responsibility to provide:
•	Activation Declaration that formally activates the Inland Border Plan, providing a brief description of the
chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency, and detailing the initial responsibilities.
•	Deactivation Declaration that formally deactivates the Inland Border Plan, describing briefly the reasons
for the deactivation.
307 Public Information
307.1	When a chemical hazardous substance contingency and emergency occurs, the affected population and
general public are to receive timely and accurate information with regard to the nature of the incident, the
actions being undertaken to solve the problem, and what the population needs to be protected from exposure.
This information is intended to protect human lives, encourage understanding among the community, ensure
the cooperation from all affected populations and the general public, and reduce the possibility
of misinformation.
307.2	When the Inland Border Plan is activated, the Co-chair, in coordination with the ISJRT and the OSC, is to
develop a public information strategy incorporating the guidelines from Section 307.1 of the Inland Border Plan.
307.3	Each Co-chair of the JRT is to assign, with the resources from his/her country, an on-scene public
information specialist to act as a liaison between the Co-chair and interested Participants in their respective
countries, including Tribal Governments, local and state authorities, electronic and printed news media,
government press offices, the public, special interest groups, and concerned industries.
307.4	In coordination with the OSC, the public information specialists of each country are to jointly issue press
releases and other public information relative to Section 307.2 of this Inland Border Plan. The published
news releases are to contain response operations information. The Co-chairs in coordination with other-
representatives are to discuss policy issues prior to communicating them when the Co-chairs consider it
necessary. The OSC is to notify the state and local authorities, as well as the ISJRT, of all activities related to
public relations and press releases.


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300 RESPONSE AND NOTIFICATION OPERATIONS
308 Health and Safety
308.1	Medical Services. Each of the coordinating local authorities has the responsibility to notify the appropriate
health agencies of the need for medical services related to the chemical hazardous substances contingencies
or emergencies.
308.2	Worker Health and Safety. All government divisions and private organizations are responsible for the health
and safety of their employees. Each agency and organization is to make sure that a program for occupational
safety and health is made available for the protection of its workers at the response site. Workers involved
at the response, and workers entering the response site, are to be informed of the response site hazards and
provisions of the health and safety program. Involved workers are to follow standard operating procedures
during the chemical hazardous substances contingencies or emergencies.
For the United States, the provisions of the health and safety program are to include: (1) standard operating
procedures for entering and leaving the response site, ( 2 ) use of equipment and decontamination; ( 3)
accountability for personnel entering and leaving the response site; ( 4) recommended safety and health
equipment; (5) personal safety precautions; and (6) other measures as warranted.
308.3	Evacuation and Relocation. In the event of an evacuation, Tribal, state, and local authorities are to be in
charge of identifying the evacuation zones, notifying the civilian population, and transporting and relocating
them to a safe place, following their established procedures.
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400 PREPARATION
400	Preparation
This section describes the planning and preparedness activities that are to take place prior to a chemical
hazardous substances contingency or emergency. Appendices H and I describe the specific functions and
responsibilities of the JRT, the ISJRT and the OSC prior to a chemical hazardous substances contingency
or emergency
401	Revision, Assessment, and Update of the Inland Border Plan
401.1	The Inland Border Plan may be assessed eveiy five years, or as necessary, or at the request of one of the
Co-chairs, with prior consultation with the JRT.
401.2	When reviewing the Inland Border Plan, the Co-chairs, in consultation with the JRT, are to take into
consideration the following:
•	The SITREPs provided by the OSC, the Final Incident Report and the Final Preparation and Planning
Report, provided by the ISJRT;
•	Lessons learned from the exercises; and
•	Changes or updates in national policies and/or procedures in Mexico and the United States.
401.3	According to the assessment, the Co-chairs are to propose the changes and updates to the National
Coordinators, as needed.
401.4	The proposed changes by the Co-chairs and subsequent approval by the National Coordinators are to be
undertaken through written correspondence, once settled upon and validated by the Participants. When the
changes are approved, they are to be inserted into a new revised version for the Inland Border Plan.
402	Drills
402.1	In order to evaluate each procedure of this Inland Border Plan, each Sister City pair is to plan and conduct
binational table-top and field drills and exercises, as needed.
402.2	In order to promote greater efficiency between the entities and authorities involved in the Inland Border Plan,
it is recommended that the JRT and the ISJRT organize planning meetings during dates when the drills take
place and invite more than one Region or State.
402.3	In order to improve the response capacity in the Inland Border Area and have specialized personnel attend the
chemical hazardous substances contingency and emergency, training courses are to be scheduled prior to the
drill, taking into consideration the specific local needs.
403	Educational Activities
403.1 Both countries may participate in an exchange of educational activities including academic courses, seminars,
workshops and conferences that contribute to the implementation of this Inland Border Plan.

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500 EFFECTIVE DATE/AMENDMENTS/TERMINATION
500 Effective	Date/Amendments/Termination
500.1	This Inland Border Plan supersedes the Mexico-United States Joint Contingency Plan for Preparedness for
and Response to Environmental Emergencies caused by Releases, Spills, Fires, or Explosions of Hazardous
Substances in the Inland Border Area, signed on September 5, 2008.
500.2	This Inland Border Plan is to take effect upon the signature of all Participants.
500.3	This Inland Border Plan is to be amended in accordance with Section 401.4 of this Inland Border Plan.
500.4	Any of the Participants may discontinue this Inland Border Plan at any time, by providing written notice at
least ninety (90) days prior to the desired discontinuation date.
Signed on November 17, 2017, in Spanish and English.
For the United States of America
Reggie Cheatham
Director, Office of Emergency Management
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
For the United States of Mexico
Arturo Rodriguez At
Deputy Attorney for Industrial Inspection of the Federal Attorney General for Environmental Protection
Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources
Luis Felipe^ruente Espinosa
Natioiud^oordinator for Civil Protection
Seeraariat of Governance
MEXICO-UNITED STATES JOINT CONTINGENCY PLAN

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APPENDIX A
Telephone Numbers and E-mails to Notify of an Emergency
Any chemical emergency or contingency that involves a chemical hazardous substances, oil spill or discharge that has
the potential to affect the other country should be reported by any local, state or federal officer in the following manner:
Notification in Mexico
For calls in Mexico, the National Center for Communications and Operations of Civil Protection (CENACOM) may
be reached by dialing any of the following numbers and extensions:
CENACOM ( Operates 24 hours a day/7 days a week)
(01) (52) (55) 5128 - 0000 with the following extensions: 36400, 36428, 36429, 37807, 37809 to 37812
(01) (800) 0041 - 300 (toll free number only in Mexico)
E-mail: cenacom@segob.gob.mx
For callers from the United States, CENACOM may be reached by dialing (011) (52) (55) 5128 - 0000 and any of
the above extensions. The numbers follow the following format: 011 (International Code); 52 (Country Code); 55
(City Code); and telephone number:
(011) (52) (55) 5128 - 0000, exts.: 36400, 36428, 36429, 37807, 37809 to 37812
When providing notification of a chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency to the NRC, the person
who calls should provide as much information as possible from the list in Appendix B.
Subsequently, CENACOM is to notify ( via e-mail and telephone) the members from both countries listed below.
CENACOM is to also notify the JRT Co-chairs in Mexico and the NRC, in case of a chemical hazardous substances
contingency or emergency ( see Appendix A, Notification Procedures from Mexico ).
The border state and local offices for emergency response may access the additional contact numbers for the United
States agencies that are listed below. The Local Contingency Plans for Sister Cities ( See Appendix J) contain local
United States contacts and may be consulted for additional notification procedures.
Mexico Contacts
COATEA/PROFEPA, operates Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
(55) 5449 - 6300 exts. 16152 and 16986
(55) 2615 - 2045 (24/7 only in Mexico)
E-mail: coatea@profepa.gob.mx
JRT Co-Chair in Mexico (COATEA/PROFEPA), operates Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
(55) 5449 - 6391, Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
(55) 3233 - 5890 (Cellphone)
(55 ) 5408 - 1564 (24/7)
(55 ) 2615 -2045 (24/7)
E-mail: coatea@profepa.gob.mx
JRT Co-Chair in Mexico (CNPC/SEGOB), 24/7
(01) (55) 5128 - 0000 exts. 36400, 36428, 36429, 37807, and 37809 to 37812 (24/7)
(01) (800) 0041 - 300 (toll free number only in Mexico)
E-mail: cenacom@segob.gob.mx

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APPENDIX A
National Coordinator in Mexico (SEMARNAT)
Coordination Unit for International Affairs
(01) (55) 5628 - 3907
E-mail: enrique.lendo@semamat.gob.mx
General Directorate for North America (SRE)
(01) (55) 3686 - 5823 (telephone 1)
(01) (55) 3686 - 5863 (telephone 2)
E-mail: mibarrapl@sre.gob.mx
Civil Protection of the State of Baja California (Mexico)
(01) (664) 634 - 9360 (telephone Tijuana)
(01) (686) 555 - 4998 (telephone Mexicali)
(01) (646) 152 - 1684 (telephone Ensenada)
E-mail: arosquillas@baja.gob.mx
Civil Protection of the State of Sonora ( Mexico)
(01) (662) 236 - 4400 (telephone 1)
(01) (662) 236 - 4402 (telephone 2)
(01) 800 - 277 - 2222 (toll free in Mexico only 3)
E-mail: aflores@proteccioncivilsonora.gob.mx
Civil Protection of the State of Chihuahua ( Mexico )
(01) (614) 429 - 7317 (telephone 1)
(01) (614) 429 - 3300 exts. 10725 and 10726 (telephone 2)
(01) 800 - 480 - 8080 (toll free only in Mexico 3)
E-mail: proteccioncivil@chihuahua.gob.mx
Civil Protection of the State of Coahuila ( Mexico )
(01) (844) 412-6316 (telephone 1)
(01) (844) 439 - 2746 (telephone 2)
(01) 800 - 000 - 3372 (toll free only in Mexico 3)
E-mail: subsecretariapc@coahuila.gob.mx
Civil Protection of the State of Nuevo Leon ( Mexico)
(01) (818) 343 - 1116 ext. 107 (telephone 1)
(01) (818) 343 - 9530 (telephone 2)
(01) 800 - 200 - 7265 (toll free only in Mexico 3)
E-mail: pcivil@nuevoleon.gob.mx
Civil Protection of the State of Tamaulipas ( Mexico )
(01) (834) 305 - 7132 (telephone 1)
(01) (834) 305 - 6596 (telephone 2)
(01) 800 - 718 - 8988 (toll free only in Mexico 3)
E-mail: proteccioncivil@tamaulipas.gob.mx
MEXICO-UNITED STATES JOINT CONTINGENCY PLAN
fB

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APPENDIX A
PROFEPA Branch Office in the State of Baja California, Mexicali (Mexico)
(01) (686)5689-266
(01) (686) 5689 - 267 exts. 18051, 18067 and 18055
E-mail: emergencias_bc@profepa.gob.mx
PROFEPA Branch Office in the State of Sonora, Hermosillo (Mexico)
(01) (662) 2174 - 359 exts. 19200, 19201, 19204 and 19218
E-mail: emergencias_son@profepa.gob.mx
PROFEPA Branch Office in the State of Chihuahua, Juarez (Mexico )
(01) (656) 6823 - 990 exts. 18251, 18255, 18268 and 18270.
E-mail: emergencias_chih@profepa.gob.mx
PROFEPA Branch Office in the State of Coahuila, Saltillo (Mexico)
(01) (844) 485 - 1620
(01) (844) 485 - 0981 exts. 18301, 18302 and 18305
E-mail: emergencias_coa@profepa.gob.mx
PROFEPA Branch Office in the State of Nuevo Leon, Guadalupe (Mexico)
(01) (81) 8354 - 0391
(01) (81) 8354 - 9806
(01) (81) 8355 - 1102
(01) (81) 8355 - 1094 exts. 18851, 18852, 18855 and 18867
E-mail: emergencias_nl@profepa.gob.mx
PROFEPA Branch Office in the State of Tamaulipas, Victoria (Mexico)
(01)(834)312-2456
(01) (834) 312 - 8663 exts. 19301, 19302 and 19305
E-mail: emergencias_tams@profepa.gob.mx
International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC)
(01)(656)613 - 9916
(01)(656)613 - 7950
(01)(656)613 - 7959
E-mail: cilamex@cilamexeua.gob.mx
National Water Commission ( CONAGUA)
General Coordination of Emergency Response and Watershed Councils Management
(01) (55) 5174 - 4000 exts. 1050 and 1051
E-mail: omar.gomez@conagua.gob.mx
Emergency Attention and Hydraulic Infrastructure Protection Agency (PIAE)
(01) (55) 5366 - 2124
(01) (55) 5366 - 2100 ext. 5224
E-mail: pedro.madrigal@conagua.gob.mx
Water Quality Management
(01) (55) 5377 - 0234
E-mail: enrique.mejia@conagua.gob.mx
fB

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APPENDIX A
National Agency for Industrial Safety and Environmental Protection for the Hydrocarbon Sector (ASEA)
(01) (55) 9126 - 0111 (24 hours a day)
E-mail: emergencias@asea.gob.mx
United States Contacts
The NRC may be reached by dialing 001-202-267-2675 (not a toll free number) for real incidents and for drills.
Notification in the United States
Callers from the United States may contact the National Response Center (NRC), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
using the following numbers:
1-800-424-8802 (toll free)
1-202-267-2675 (not toll free)
Callers from Mexico may reach the NRC by dialing:
001-202-267-2675 (not toll free) for drills and real incidents
Please note that the NRC may receive verbal notification in Spanish. The NRC utilizes a Spanish translator for
these calls.
When providing notification of an emergency to the NRC, the person who calls is to provide as much information as
possible from the list in Appendix B.
The NRC is to notify ( via e-mail) the Participants in both countries in the following list. In the case of some state
emergency management agencies ( EMAs), the notification is to be made by fax. In the case of COATEA, Mexico,
the notification is to be done by e-mail.
United States Contacts
U.S. EPA Regional Coordinators
US EPA Region 9
US EPA Region 6
U.S. JRT Co-chair
US EPA Office of Emergency Management,
Emergency Operations Center
(202) 564-3850
eoc.epahq@epa.gov
Mexican Contacts
National Center for Communications and Operations of
Civil Protection ( CENACOM )
(011) (52) (55) 5128 - 0000 exts. 36400, 36428,
36429,37807,37809 to 37812
cenacom@segob.gob.com
COATEA/PROFEPA
coatea@profepa.gob.mx
The NRC is to also notify the EPA On-Scene Coordinators ( OSCs ) in the jurisdiction of the incident, who in turn
are to follow up on the notification. The Tribal Governments are to be notified of incidents through the U.S. EPA
Regional Coordinators in the appropriate Region.
MEXICO-UNITED STATES JOINT CONTINGENCY PLAN
(H

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APPENDIX A
Notification Procedures from Mexico
CENACOM
E-mail
Notification
National
Response
Center (NRC)
Co-Chair
USA (JRT)
E-mail
Notification
COATEA/
PROFEPA
Co - Chairs
PROFEPA-
Proteccion Civil
Mex (JRT)

r
ISJRT

k	

A
ACRONYM KEY:
CENACOM - National Center for Communications and Operations for Civil Protection (Proteccion Civil, SEGOB)
COATEA - Center for the Orientation of Emergencies (PROFEPA)
ISJRT - Incident-Specific Joint Response Team
JRT - Joint ResponseTeam (Co-chairs Mexico PROFEPA, Proteccion Civil, and Co-chair U.S. EPA)
PROFEPA - Federal Attorney General for Environmental Protection

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APPENDIX A
Notification Procedures from U.S. EPA
National
Response
Center (NRC)
E-mail
E-mail
t-mai
t-mai
E-mai/Fax
CENACOM
Regional
Offices
USEPA
COATEA/
PROFEPA
Co-Chair
USA (JRT)
State EM As
Co - Chairs
PROFEPA-
Proteccion
Civil Mex (JRT)
ACRONYM KEY:
CENACOM - National Center for Communications and Operations for Civil Protection (Proteccion Civil, SEGOB)
COATEA - Center for the Orientation of Emergencies (PROFEPA)
EMA - Emergency Management Agency
JRT - Joint ResponseTeam (Co-chairs Mexico PROFEPA, Proteccion Civil, and Co-chair U.S. EPA)
PROFEPA - Federal Attorney General for Environmental Protection (Mexico)
USEPA - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
MEXICO-UNITED STATES JOINT CONTINGENCY PLAN

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APPENDIX B
Notification Form
When any participating group is notified of a chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency1 covered
under this Inland Border Plan, the following fields are to be provided to the National Response Center (NRC).
1.
Is this a drill?/<',Este es un simulacro?
2.
Has there been a release of material/Is there a potential for the release of material?/^,Se ha liberado un material/

Hay alguna posibilidad de una liberation de material?
3.
Reporting party phone number/Numero telefonico de la parte informante
4.
Reporting party last name/first name ( can be anonymous )/Apellido/nombre de la parte informante (puede

ser anonimo )
5.
Reporting party company/Empresa de la parte informante
6.
Reporting party organization type (i.e., private enterprise, private citizen, military, federal/state/local government,

fire department, police department, other, unknown) / Tipo de organization de la parte informante ( es decir,

empresa privada, ciudadano particular, fuerzas armadas, gobiemo federal/estatal/local, departamento de

bomberos, departamento de policia, otro, desconocido)
7.
Reporting party address and state/Domicilio y estado de la parte informante
8.
Suspected responsible party last name/first name/Apellido/nombre de la supuesta parte responsable
9.
Suspected responsible party phone number/Numero telefonico de la supuesta parte responsable
10. Suspected responsible party company/Empresa de la supuesta parte responsable
11.
Suspected responsible party organization type (i.e., private enterprise, private citizen, military, federal/state/

local government, fire department, police department, other, unknown )/Tipo de organization de la supuesta parte

responsable ( es decir, empresa privada, ciudadano particular, fuerzas armadas, gobiemo federal/estatal/local,

departamento de bomberos, departamento de policia, otro, se desconoce)
12. Suspected responsible party address and state/Domicilio y estado de la supuesta parte responsable
13.
Brief description of the incident/Breve description del incidente
14. Date and time incident occurred/Fecha y hora en que se produjo el incidente
Although the Mexico-United States Joint Contingency Plan (Inland Border Plan) focuses on "chemical hazardous substances" contingencies or emergencies, the Sister
City Contingency Plans may reference all hazards.
I

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APPENDIX B
15.	Type of accident/Tipo de accidente
•	Aircraft/Aeronave
•	Fixed facility/Instalacionfija
•	Mobile/Movil
•	Pipeline/Oleoducto
•	Railroad/Ferrocaril
•	Storage Tank/Tanque de Almacenamiento
•	Vessel/Barco
•	Unbwwn Sheen/Iridiscencia de Petroleo
16.	Cause of accident/Causa del accidente
•	Derailment/Descarrilamiento
•	Dumping/Vertimiento
•	Equipment Failure/Falla en el Equipo
•	Explosion/Explosion
•	Operator Error/Error del Operador
•	Over Pressuring/Presion Excesiva
•	Transport Accident/Accidente de Transporte
•	Vessel Sinking/Barco Hundido
•	Other/Otro
•	Unknown/Desconocido
17.	Description of the area where the incident occurred/Description del area donde se produjo el incidente
18.	Incident location state/Estado donde se produjo el incidente
19.	Incident location municipality (if known)/Municipio donde se produjo el incidente (si se conoce)
20.	Type of vehicle, vessel, pipeline, train or facility involved (i.e., tractor trailer, cruise ship, break out, locomotive,
chemical facility, unknown)/Tipo de vehiculo, barco, oleoducto, ferrocarril o instalacion involucrado/involucrada
(es decir, remolque-tractor, crucero, fuga, locomotora, instalacion de sustancias quimicas, desconocido)
21.	Material involved (UN identification, generic name, quantity transported)/Material involucrado (identification
ONU, nombre generico, cantidad transportada)/Material involucrado (identification ONU, nombre generico,
cantidad transportada)
MEXICO-UNITED STATES JOINT CONTINGENCY PLAN

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APPENDIX B
22. Material released? (If yes, indicate quantity released J/^.Liberacion de material? (si la respuesta es "si," senalar la
cantidad derramada)
23. Material released in water? ( If yes, indicate quantity re 1 eased )/<, Liberacion de material en el agua? ( si la
respuesta es "si," senalar la cantidad derramada)
24. Water bodies contaminated (name( s ) )/environmental impact/Cueipos de agua contaminados (nombre( s) )/
afectacion medioambiental
25. Fatalities? (If yes, provide number)/^,Muertos? (si la respuesta es "si," senalar la cantidad)
26. Injured? (If yes, provide number)/^Lesionados? (si la respuesta es "si," senalar la cantidad)
27. Summary of damages/Resumen de danos
28. Actions taken/Medidas implementadas
29. Institutional response (Mexico (/Respuesta institucional (Mexico)
30. Institutional response (United States )/Respuesta institucional (Estados Unidos)
31. Report number provided by the NRC/Numero de reporte proporcionado por el NRC

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APPENDIX C
Activation Form
If the Inland Border Plan is activated, the following information is required to supplement the information provided
in the Notification Form (see Appendix B):
A
Summary of information provided in the Notification Form/ Resumen de la information proporcionada en el

Formulario de Notification:
B
Justification for joint response/Justification para la respuesta conjunta:
C
Date and time of joint response activation/Fecha y hora de la activation de la respuesta conjunta:
D
Describe assistance required/Description del apoyo requerido:
MEXICO-UNITED STATES JOINT CONTINGENCY PLAN

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APPENDIX C
Activation Diagram
Chemical Hazardous
Substances Contingency
or Emergency
Telephone Notification
CENACOM
or NRC
Notification
OSC and
ISJRT Leader
Preliminary
Evaluation
No Activation
Exceeds
Capacity
Department
of State
Foreign
Relations
1 Notification
T ^
Requests
¦
l
I
Activation
l

JRT Co-chair
Telephone '

L J
E-mail 1
Notification
Notification
Joint Agreement
Consulates
and
Embassies
National
Coordinator for
the La Paz
Agreement
O
O
OSC and
ISJRT Leader
Notification
Notification
JRT Co-chair
Notification
Notification
National
Coordinator for
the La Paz
Agreement
ACRONYM KEY:
CENACOM - National Center for Communications and Operations for Civil Protection (Mexico)
ISJRT - Incident-Specific Joint Response Team
JRT - Joint Response Team
NRC - National Response Center (U.S.)
OSC - On-Scene Coordinator

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APPENDIX C
Deactivation Form
If the Inland Border Plan is deactivated, the following information is required in addition to the information provided
in the Notification Form (see Appendix B):
A Summary description of the contingency or emergency of chemical hazardous substances ( a summary of
the information provided in the Notification Form)/Resumen de la contingencia o emergencia de sustancias
quimicas peligrosas (un resumen de la information incluida en el Formulario de Notification):
B Justification for deactivation of joint response/Justification para la desactivacion de la respuesta conjunta:
C Date and time of joint response deactivation/Fecha y hora de la desactivacion de la respuesta conjunta:
D Assistance requested/Asistencia requerida:
MEXICO-UNITED STATES JOINT CONTINGENCY PLAN

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APPENDIX C
Deactivation Diagram
OSC and ISJRT Leader

Recommend Deactivation
JRT Co-chair
No Deactivation
Joint Agreement
Requests
Deactivation
JRT Co-chair
National Coordinator
for the La Paz Agreement
National Coordinator
for the La Paz Agreement
Notifications
Notifications
U.S. or Mexico
Telephone
E-mail
OSC
ISJRT Co-chair
OSC
ISJRT Co-chair
Department of State
Foreign Relations
Department of State
Foreign Relations
Embassies and
Consulates
Embassies and
Consulates
U.S. or Mexico
ACRONYM KEY:
ISJRT - Incident-Specific Joint Response Team
JRT -Joint Response Team
OSC - On-Scene Coordinator
m

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APPENDIX D
Response Operations Diagram: Mexican Response
Incident occurs
o
©
Internal
units intervene



Activate municipal
system

©
Capacity
exceeded?
STATE system
reinforces duties
incident and
report incident
information by
phone to
CENACOM

©
Convene National
Disaster
Emergency
Committee
If the capacity of
the State of
Mexico is
exceeded,a
request for
international
assistance is
expected
Incident
information
gathering
CENACOM:
Analysis,
processing of
information
CENACOM
disseminates
information to
superiors (DAE,
DGPC, CNPC)
CENACOM
documents and
archives
corresponding
records
ACRONYM KEY:
CENACOM - National Center for Communications and Operations for Civil Protection (Civil Protection, SEGOB)
DAE - Emergency Response Agency
DGPC - Civil Protection Agency
CNPC - National Coordination for Civil Protection
SEGOB - Secretariat of the Governance
MEXICO-UNITED STATES JOINT CONTINGENCY PLAN

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APPENDIX D
Response Operations Diagram: U.S. Response
Incident Occurs
Natural
Resource
Trustees
Notification
(Unified Command Structure, as
developed by the Area Contingency Plans)
"Initial Assessment First Response"
Federal/State/Local Notification
Response Measures
(as specified in the U.S. National
Contingency Plan)
Federal
Assistance
Required?
State, Local,
and Tribal
Governments
State/Local Response
*Special Forces, National Strike
Team, Environmental Response
Team, Radiological Emergency
Response Team, Scientific Support
Coordinator, National Pollution
Funds Center, District Response
Group, U.S. Navy Supervisor of
Salvage, National Decontamination
Team (NDT).
*Resources available to support the OSC upon request.
ACRONYM KEY:
CBRN CMAD - Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Consequence Management Advisory Division
NRC - National Response Center
NRT - National Response Team
OSC - On-Scene Coordinator
RRT - Regional Response Team

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APPENDIX E
Reporting Information
1.	Preliminary Assessment
•	Date;
•	Time;
•	OSC name and phone number;
•	Receiver name and address;
•	SITREP number;
•	Location of the incident;
•	Status;
•	Response actions;
•	Recommendations; and
•	Future plans.
2.	Situation Reports (SITREPs)
Updated information about the chemical hazardous substances emergency and the response action(s)
taken in accordance with this Inland Border Plan is to be provided by the OSCs to the leader of the ISJRT.
The frequency is to be determined as needed or established by the Co-chairs using the situation report
( SITREP ), that is to describe the present situation, actions taken, future plans, recommendations, and all the
requirements for assistance. The SITREP is to be sent to the Co-chairs and the members of the JRT by e-mail
and by telephone. The SITREP is to contain the following information:
•	Date;
•	Time;
•	Name and phone number of sender;
•	Name and address of receiver;
•	Number of this SITREP;
•	Situation, name of chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency, discharge, spill medium it
was released to, and concentration (parts per million);
•	Action( s ) taken;
•	Future plans; and
•	Recommendations.
3.	Final Incident Report
After a joint response is terminated, the ISJRT, in conjunction with the OSCs, is to prepare a Final Incident
Report for transmittal to the Co-chairs. The Final Incident Report is to accurately describe the situation as it
developed, the actions taken, the resources committed, the problems encountered, and the recommendations.
For the United States, the format for the Final Incident Report may be uploaded to the EPA OSC website at
https://response.epa.gov. The Final Incident Report is to contain the following information:
MEXICO-UNITED STATES JOINT CONTINGENCY PLAN

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APPENDIX E
Summary of Events—a chronological narrative of all events and each of the developed phases, including:
•	The cause of the chemical hazardous substances emergency;
•	The initial situation;
•	Efforts to obtain response action by those potentially responsible for the chemical hazardous substances
emergency;
•	The organization of the response, including participation by public and private sector organizations;
•	The resources committed or used;
•	The location of the chemical hazardous substances, released, spilled, or burned in a fire or explosion;
•	Details of any action taken to reduce environmental and health impacts; and
•	Public information and community relations activities.
Effectiveness of Removal Actions—A thorough analysis of the removal actions taken by:
•	Those potentially responsible for the chemical hazardous substances emergency;
•	State and local response personnel;
•	Federal agencies; and
•	Private groups, volunteers, and others.
Problems Encountered—A list of problems affecting response.
Recommendations—OSCs recommendations are a source for new procedures and policy and is to include:
•	Means to prevent a recurrence of the incident;
•	Improvement of response actions; and
•	Any recommended changes to the Inland Border Plan.
4. Final Preparation and Planning Report
If an IS JRT is convened to address an issue of planning and preparation in the Inland Border Area as specified
in Section 202.2 of this Inland Border Plan, a Final Preparation and Planning Report is to be prepared and
transmitted to the Co-chair. The Final Preparation and Planning Report is to describe: the specific incident
in detail; the specific geographic area; members of the ISJRT who worked on the incident and their roles;
actions taken; ideas and options considered for resolving the incident; and if applicable, the pros and cons of
each; and final recommendations. The Final Preparation and Planning Report is to include:
•	Description of planning and preparedness issue;
•	List of support agency members on the ISJRT and their specific roles;
•	Specific steps taken to resolve the planning and preparedness issue;
•	Ideas and options considered and pros and cons of each;
•	Final resolution;
•	Next steps; and
•	Final recommendations.

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APPENDIX F
Acronyms
APELL	Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at the Local Level (U.S. )
AGA	General Customs Administration (Mexico)
ASEA	National Agency for Industrial Safety and Environmental Protection for the Hydrocarbon Sector
(Mexico)
BIA	Bureau of Indian Affairs (U.S.)
CBP	Customs and Border Protection (U.S. )
CBRN CMAD Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Consequence Management Advisory Division (U.S.)
CENACOM
National Center for Communications and Operations for Civil Protection (Mexico )
CENAPRED
National Center for Disaster Prevention (Mexico )
CERCLA
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (U.S. )
CLAM
Local Committees of Mutual Support ( Mexico)
CNPC
National Coordination for Civil Protection (Mexico )
CNS
National Commission for Safety (Mexico)
CNSNS
National Commission of Nuclear Security and Safeguards (Mexico)
COATEA
Center for the Orientation of Emergencies ( Mexico)
CONAGUA
National Water Commission (Mexico )
CWA
Clean Water Act (U.S. )
DHS
Department of Homeland Security (U.S. )
DOC
Department of Commerce (U.S. )
DOD
Department of Defense (U.S. )
DOE
Department of Energy (U.S. )
DOI
Department of the Interior (U.S. )
DOJ
Department of Justice (U.S. )
DOL
Department of Labor (U.S. )
DOS
Department of State (U.S. )
DOT
Department of Transportation (U.S.)
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. )
MEXICO-UNITED STATES JOINT CONTINGENCY PLAN
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APPENDIX F
ESF	Emergency Support Function (U.S. )
FEMA	Federal Emergency Management Agency (U.S.)
GSA	General Services Administration (U.S.)
HHS	Department of Health and Human Services (U.S.)
HSA	Homeland Security Act (U.S.)
HSPD	Homeland Security Presidential Directive (U.S. )
IBWC	International Boundary and Water Commission (U.S.-Mexico)
INM	National Migration Institute (Mexico )
ISJRT	Incident-Specific Joint Response Team (U.S.-Mexico)
JCP	Joint Contingency Plan (U.S.-Mexico)
JRT	Joint Response Team (U.S.-Mexico)
LANSI	Law of the National Agency for Industrial Safety and Environmental Protection for the Hydrocarbon
Sector (Mexico)
LGEEPA	General Law of Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection ( Mexico)
LGPC	General Law of Civil Protection ( Mexico )
LGPGIR	General Law for Prevention and Integrated Waste Management (Mexico)
NCP	National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (U.S.) (a.k.a. the National
Contingency Plan)
NOAA	National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (U.S.)
NRC	National Response Center (U.S. )
NRF	National Response Framework (U.S. )
NRT	National Response Team (U.S. )
OEM	Office of Emergency Management (EPA) (U.S.)
OPA	Oil Pollution Act (U.S. )
OSC	On-Scene Coordinator (U.S. )
PAMI	Industrial Mutual Aid Program (U.S.-Mexico)
PEMEX	Mexican Petroleum Company (Mexico)
PF	Federal Police (Mexico)


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PIAE
PKEMRA
PROFEPA
RRT
SAGARPA
SARA
SCT
SEDENA
SEGOB
SEMAR
SEMARNAT
SENER
SHCP
SII
SINAPROC
SITREP
SRE
SS
USCG
USDA
APPENDIX F
Hydraulic Infrastructure Protection and Emergency Attention (Mexico)
Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act (U.S. )
Federal Attorney General for Environmental Protection (Mexico )
Regional Response Team (U.S. )
Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fishing and Food (Mexico)
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (U.S. )
Secretariat of Communications and Transport (Mexico )
Secretariat of National Defense (Mexico)
Secretariat of Governance ( Mexico )
Secretariat of the Navy ( Mexico )
Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources ( Mexico)
Secretariat of Energy ( Mexico)
Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit ( Mexico)
Under Attorney of Industrial Inspection (Mexico)
National Civil Protection System (Mexico )
Situation Report (U.S.-Mexico)
Secretariat of Foreign Relations ( Mexico)
Secretariat of Health ( Mexico)
U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Department of Agriculture
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APPENDIX G
Definitions
Chemical Hazardous Substances (U.S.-Mexico)—For the puiposes of this Inland Border Plan, the term covers oil
and chemicals, including those that due to their high indexes of flammability, explosiveness, toxicity, corrosiveness,
and/or reactivity, can cause significant effects to the environment, the population and/or property Chemical
hazardous substances as a result of terrorist acts are excluded.
Co-chair (U.S.-Mexico)—Co-chair for the Inland Border Plan and Joint Response Team.
For Mexico, the Co-chair for this Inland Border Plan is the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources
(SEMARNAT) through the Office of the Under Attorney of Industrial Inspection of the Federal Attorney General
for Environmental Protection ( PROFEPA ) and the National Coordination for Civil Protection ( CNPC ) within the
Secretariat of Governance (SEGOB).
For the United States, the Co-chair for this Inland Border Plan is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA)
through the Office of Emergency Management ( OEM ) within the Office of Land and Emergency Management.
Contingency (U.S.-Mexico)—Unplanned and unexpected risk situation, derived from human activities or natural
phenomena that can endanger the environment, the population or its goods. For the puiposes of this Inland Border
Plan, only contingencies associated with chemical hazardous substances are to be considered.
Discharge (U.S.-Mexico)—The action of depositing, leaking, infiltrating, spilling ( see also: Spill (Mexico ) ) or
injecting a chemical hazardous substance into the environment.
Emergency (U.S.-Mexico)—Unplanned and unexpected situation, resulting from human activity or natural
phenomenon that affects the environment, the population and/or property. For the puiposes of this Inland Border
Plan, only emergencies associated with chemical hazardous substances are to be considered.
Environment (U.S.-Mexico)—The atmosphere, land and surface and groundwater, including the natural
resources therein, such as fish, wildlife, forests, crop and rangeland, rivers, streams, aquifers and all other
components of the ecosystem.2
Event (U.S.-Mexico)—Contingency or Emergency as defined herein.
Facility (U.S.)—( a) Any building, structure, installation, equipment, pipe or pipeline (including any pipe into a sewer
or publicly owned treatment work), well, pit, lagoon, impoundment, ditch, landfill, storage container, motor vehicle,
rolling stock, or aircraft, or (b) any site or area where a chemical hazardous substance, oil spill or discharge has been
deposited, disposed of, placed or come to be located, excluding any consumer product in consumer use or any vessel
in navigable waters.
Hydrocarbons (Mexico)—petroleum/oil, natural gas, condensates, natural gas liquids and methane hydrates.
Hydrocarbons Sector (Mexico)—Includes the following activities: a) surface reconnaissance and exploration, and
the exploration and extraction of hydrocarbons; b ) the treatment, refining, transfer, marketing, transportation and
storage of oil; c ) processing, compression, liquefaction, decompression and regasification, as well as the transport,
storage, distribution and sale to the public of natural gas; (d) the transportation, storage, distribution and sale to
the public of liquefied petroleum gas; (e) transportation, storage, distribution and sale to the public of petroleum
products; and (f) pipeline transportation and storage, which is linked to petrochemical pipelines resulting from the
processing of natural gas and oil refining.
2Definition consistent with the La Paz Agreement of 1983.
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APPENDIX G
Incident/Situation-Specific Joint Response Team (U.S.-Mexico)—The Incident/Situation-Specific Joint Response
Team is responsible for effective implementation of the Inland Border Plan on a regional level in the United States
and on a state and local level in Mexico in accordance with the policies of the Joint Response Team.
Inland Border Area (U.S.-Mexico)—Inland border that corresponds to the area situated 100 kilometers on either
side of the inland international boundary as defined in Annex II of the 1983 La Paz Agreement between the United
States of America and the United States of Mexico on Cooperation of the Protection and Improvement of the
Environment in the Border Area (as illustrated in Appendix J).
Inland Border Plan (U.S.-Mexico)—The Mexico-United States Joint Contingency Plan for Preparedness and
Response to Emergencies and Contingencies Associated with Chemical Hazardous Substances in the Inland Border
Area, based on the principles of the Annex II of the 1983 La Paz Agreement.
Joint Response (U.S.-Mexico)—The assistance of one group of Participants to the other group of Participants
in relation to an incident, including: (1) one group of Participants entering the territory of the other group of
Participants and providing assistance at the request of the other group of Participants or with their prior consent;
( 2 ) coordination of federal response efforts, activities, and resources of both participating groups in response to an
incident; or (3) the exchange of information between the two participating groups concerning response to an incident.
Joint Response Team (U.S.-Mexico)—The policy and decision-making body with overall responsibility for the
maintenance and effective implementation of this Inland Border Plan.
Leak (Mexico)—Uncontrolled release of chemical hazardous substances in gaseous state.
National Coordinator (U.S.-Mexico)—The authorities designated in the La Paz Agreement.
National Response Framework (NRF) (U.S.)— The NRF is a guide to how the Nation conducts all-hazards
response, issued by the DHS under the authority of the Homeland Security Act ( HSA), Post-Katrina Emergency
Management Reform Act (PKEMRA), Stafford Act, and Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 (HSPD-5 ).
The NRF documents the key response principles, roles and responsibilities, and coordinating structures that organize
national response. It describes how communities, all levels of government, and private-sector and nongovernmental
partners apply these principles for a coordinated, effective national response.
Natural Element (U.S.-Mexico)—The physical, chemical and biological elements that occur in a determined time
and space without human interference.
Natural Resource (U.S.)—Natural element that may be used for the benefit of mankind. Also includes land, fish,
wildlife, plants, air, water, groundwater, drinking water supplies, and other such resources.
For Mexico, it is the natural element that may be used for the benefit of mankind.
On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) (U.S.-Mexico)—The EPA, PROFEPA and CNPC officials authorized to coordinate
and direct responses under this Inland Border Plan.
Operation/Management (Mexico)—Joint operations that include the storage, production, transportation, disposal
and all activities related to the use of chemical hazardous substances.
Participants (U.S.-Mexico)—Signatories to this Inland Border Plan.
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APPENDIX G
Release (U.S.)—For the United States, it is any spilling, burning, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying,
discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, or disposing into the environment of chemical hazardous
substances. It includes the abandonment or discarding of barrels, containers, and other closed receptacles containing
any chemical hazardous substances or oil. The term does not include: (a) any release which results in exposure to
persons solely within a workplace, (b ) emissions from the engine exhaust of a motor vehicle, rolling stock, aircraft,
vessel, or pipeline pumping station engine, and ( c ) the normal application of fertilizer. For puiposes of this Inland
Border Plan, "release" also means a threat of release.
For Mexico, release is any leaking, spilling, explosion or fire by a chemical hazardous substance.
Response Action (U.S.-Mexico)—The removal of chemical hazardous substances that have been released, spilled,
discharged or caught fire in the environment; actions taken to reduce the threat of spills, discharges or releases;
actions taken to monitor, calculate, or evaluate the threat ( or the spill/discharge itself) of chemical hazardous
substances; disposal of removed materials; or other actions taken to prevent or mitigate damages to public health,
well-being, or the environment.
Risk (U.S.-Mexico)—Combination of the probability of occurrence of a chemical hazardous substances emergency
and its consequences.
Spill (Mexico)—Uncontrolled release of chemical hazardous substances.
State (U.S.-Mexico)—( a ) The federal entities of Mexico that are part of the border with the United States of
America: Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, Chihuahua, Sonora and Baja California; and (b) the states from the
United States of America that border with Mexico: Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.
Unified Command (U.S.)—An incident command mechanism that may be used in managing complex responses.
A Unified Command, as part of an Incident Command System, brings together the "incident commanders" from each
organization involved in a response to allow key decision-makers to develop consensus, coordinate, and cooperate.

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APPENDIX H
Joint Response Team (JRT) Institutions and Agencies
Primary Agencies
On the part of Mexico, SEMARNAT through PROFEPA, and CNPC within SEGOB, have the responsibility to give
assistance and coordinate Mexican participation in this Inland Border Plan, in coordination with the Secretariat of
Governance through the National Civil Protection System. For the United States, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) has primary responsibility for providing assistance and coordinating the U.S. response under this
Inland Border Plan. General responsibilities of these agencies include:
•	Coordinating, integrating, and managing the overall joint effort to detect, identify, contain, clean up, dispose of,
or minimize the danger of releases of chemical hazardous substances, or prevent, mitigate, or minimize threats
of releases;
•	Maintaining close coordination with the affected locality, ISJRT, OSCs, and other Participants; and
•	Providing administrative assistance, means, communications, and personnel to support response efforts under
this Inland Border Plan within that agency's jurisdiction.
Support Agencies
Assistance available from federal support agencies of the United States and Mexico is presented below. Each support
agency is to provide assistance to preparedness and response efforts under this Inland Border Plan in its respective
areas of expertise and consistent with its capabilities and legal authorities.
Bi-National Institutions
The International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC)—In the event of an incident in international rivers
and waters the EPA Regional Offices and/or PROFEPA and CNPC, is to notify the IBWC corresponding sections,
which are to respond to the extent that the IBWC's authority, responsibility, and resources permit. The U.S. section
of the IBWC coordinates with the Bureau of Reclamation, the Army Coips of Engineers, and appropriate federal
agencies or U.S. Border States, as well as notifies the NRC. The Mexican section of the IBWC may coordinate with
the Mexican National Water Commission ( CNA ) in fulfilling its responsibilities regarding international waters of the
United States and Mexico. The IBWC is also to notify CENACOM.
The IBWC functions as an international organization, consisting of a U.S. and a Mexican section. The two sections
operate under the policy guidance of the U.S. Department of State ( DOS) and the Mexican Secretariat of Foreign
Relations, respectively. The IBWC is charged with implementing the provisions of existing treaties dealing with
boundary and water matters affecting the U.S. Department of State ( DOS ) and the Mexican Secretariat of Foreign
Relations, respectively. The IBWC is charged with implementing the provisions of existing treaties dealing with
boundary and water matters affecting the United States and Mexico, including: preservation of the international
boundary, distribution of waters of the boundary rivers between the two countries, control of floods on the boundary
rivers, regulation of boundary rivers through joint storage works to enable division and utilization of the waters by
the two countries, improvement of the water quality of boundary rivers, solution of border sanitation problems, and
use of international waters of the Rio Grande to jointly develop hydroelectric power. In the event IBWC is unable
to contain a spill or discharge, it would seek the assistance in the United States from EPA, and in Mexico from
PROFEPA and Civil Protection to assure that responsible action is taken.
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APPENDIX H
The IBWC Mexican Section, which functions under the Mexican Secretariat for Foreign Relations (SRE) and
in coordination with CONAGUA, is to evaluate the effects of the chemical hazardous substances contingency or
emergency in international waters and implement emergency actions.
Agencies Supporting Mexico
The Secretariat of Governance (Spanish acronym: SEGOB) through the National Civil Protection System
(SINAPROC ) coordinates the activities of the agencies of the public sector - federal, state, and municipal - as
well as private institutions in order to prevent and respond to incidents that affect the population in areas where an
accident might occur. SEGOB also protects the population against risks and dangers associated with a natural or
human disaster.
The Secretariat of National Defense (Spanish acronym: SEDENA) is the institution that within its respective
jurisdiction and in accordance with its procedures, should be able to provide necessary support to assist the civil
population, in collaboration with this Inland Border Plan.
The Secretariat of the Navy (Spanish acronym: SEMAR) exercises sovereignty over the territorial sea, its
aerial space and coasts, conducts surveillance of Mexican marine zones, holds the authority to ensure compliance
with judicial order in the marine zones, protects the fluvial and maritime traffic and human life at sea, within its
jurisdiction; functions as the marine police to uphold the state of law in Mexican marine zones, participates in and
develops corresponding actions within the framework of the national system of civil protection for prevention,
assistance, recovery and support to the population in disaster situations, and provides assistance seivices to the Army,
as well as support seivices to other federal agencies, federal entities and municipalities that request it or when it is
dictated by the Federal Executive Titular.
The SEDENA and SEMAR, according with their respective jurisdictions, provide the necessary elements to help
the civil population, adapting its organization for a response and adjusting its procedures with derived actions of this
Inland Border Plan.
The Secretariat of Health (Spanish acronym: SS) acts in the event of an emergency caused by a sudden
deterioration of the environment that places the population at risk. The agency adopts the prevention and control
measures necessary to protect health.
Special actions in matters of general health are undertaken by the Secretariat of Health, which organizes special
responders that act under its direction and responsibility and entrust the federal, state, and municipal authorities with
the execution of activities these responders deem necessary.
The SS is to also coordinate the health institutions and other public, social and private centers that participate in the
emergency. It provides medical assistance requested by the population, workers, and personnel that will assist during
the chemical hazardous substance emergency and contingency. It plans to implement the necessary health protection
actions within its jurisdiction.
The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Spanish acronym: SEMARNAT) has the authority to
determine the guidelines that seive to guarantee the conservation or restoration of ecosystems; it regulates high risk
activities in coordination with other dependencies from the Federal Public Administration and provides support in
the coordination of the Inland Border Plan through the federal and state representatives in the Border States.

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APPENDIX H
The Office of the Federal Attorney General for Environmental Protection (Spanish acronym: PROFEPA), as
a decentralized office of SEMARNAT, has the authority to verify compliance with environmental norms, cany out
environmental audits of private or public firms under federal jurisdiction with respect to the activities that might be
of potential risk to the environment, and provide specialized guidance for spills, explosions, fires, and releases of
chemical hazardous substances.
The National Commission of Water (Spanish acronym: CONAGUA), as a decentralized member of SEMARNAT,
is the authority that promotes the efficient use of Mexico's water resources and its reutilization, and operates the
services for its preservation, conservation and quality improvement in the phases of the hydrobiological cycle and
promotes a water culture that considers this element as a vital and scarce resource. Additionally, it implements the
mechanism of rapid, timely and efficient response for a hydroecological emergency or an environmental emergency
that occurs in the water bodies or national goods under its charge.
The National Agency for Industrial Safety and Environmental Protection for the Hydrocarbons Sector
(Spanish acronym: ASEA) is a decentralized administrative body of the Ministry of the Environment and Natural
Resources, with technical and management autonomy, in charge of regulating and supervising industrial safety,
operational safety and environmental protection in the activities of the hydrocarbons sector. The purpose of the
Agency is to regulate and supervise the installations and activities of the hydrocarbons sector in matters of industrial,
operational and environmental protection.
The Secretariat of Communications and Transport (Spanish acronym: SCT) has the authority to formulate and
direct the policies and programs for transport development and communications in accordance with the needs of the
country; provide concessions and permits to establish and exploit systems and services of wireless communications
via telecommunications and satellites; establish and operate aerial services in the national territory; exploit auto
transport services on federal roads and for the surveillance of their functioning and operation; and establish and
exploit services related to communications as well as the remaining rights laid out in the laws and regulations.
The SCT is to advise the concessionary or/and concessionaire of telecommunications, the services they should
provide to the Mexican institutions involved in a chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency.
The Federal Police (Spanish acronym: PF) is a decentr alized body of the National Security Commission
(Spanish acronym: CNS) charged with preventing and combating the commission of crimes, in compliance with
the legal framework, with committed and qualified personnel, in coordination with the three orders of governance
that allow citizen participation, in order to safeguard the integrity and rights of individuals and institutions, through
programs and actions developed with state-of-the-art intelligence and technology schemes that give confidence and
certainty to society. At the request of the competent authorities, it collaborates with the civil protection services in
case of calamities, high risk situations or natural disasters and carry out surveillance and inspection on the entry and
exit of goods and persons at airports, seaports authorized for international traffic, at customs, tax offices, customs
sections, checkpoints and customs checkpoints. In addition, it coordinates the handling, transport or possession of
aforementioned goods in any part of the national territory.
The Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, and Rural Development (Spanish acronym: SAGARPA) has
authority to control the foods that can be affected during an emergency.
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APPENDIX H
The National Center for Disaster Prevention (Spanish acronym: CENAPRED) is an agency under the
jurisdiction of the Secretariat of Governance that promotes the training of emergency response personnel in the
participating institutions. CENAPRED develops research strategies, applies and coordinates technologies for the
prevention and mitigation of disasters, promotes professional and technical training, and supports the dissemination
of information regarding preparation and self-protective measures for the population before the risk of a disaster and,
through these activities, supports and assists SINAPROC.
The National Center for Communications and Operations for Civil Protection (Spanish acronym:
CENACOM) heads the operation of communication, alert, information, permanent support and liaison between
the members of the National System, in the tasks of preparation, help and recovery In addition, it is in charge
of integrating systems, equipment, documents and other instruments that contribute to facilitating timely and
appropriate decision-making by the members of the National System.
The Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (Spanish acronym: SRE) helps the immigration and customs authorities
conduct bilateral negotiations to establish mechanisms to expedite the entrance of emergency response equipment
and personnel into Mexico, which is to be accredited before SRE to guarantee the applicable regulations and non-
tariff restrictions.
The General Customs Administration (Spanish acronym: AGA) authorized by the Ministry of Finance and
Public Credit (Spanish acronym: SHCP) is to implement the legal procedures and mechanisms that facilitate the
expedited border crossing for emergency response equipment.
The National Immigration Institute (Spanish acronym: INM), a technical and decentralized agency of SEGOB,
in accordance with the applicable regulations and dictated measures, is to facilitate the entry or exit to the national
territory of the group of participants in relation to a chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency.
The Secretariat of Energy (Spanish acronym: SENER), through the National Commission of Nuclear Security
and Safeguard (Spanish acronym: CNSNS), advises federal, state, and local entities concerning nuclear and
radiation safety measures that would be required in the event of an incident or potential incident and the evaluation
of the consequences of the radioactive emergency, as well as in the implementation of safety measures to protect the
population and the environment/natural ecosystem. When technically prudent, the SENER is also responsible for
containment equipment and securing ionizing radiation sources.
The Mexican Petroleum Company (Spanish acronym: PEMEX), which is part of the federal government,
promptly reports the existence of an emergency should a spill or release of hazardous substances to international
waters occur at one of its plants in the border zone between the U.S. and Mexico. PEMEX implements the first
response action measures until those legal authorities charged with the response arrive. Also, in the event of an
emergency in the Border Zone, PEMEX provides aid with response personnel and equipment.
Agencies Supporting the United States
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) co-chairs the U.S.-Mexico Joint Response Team, chairs the National
Response Team (NRT), Co-chairs the standing Regional Response Teams (RRTs), and the Incident-Specific Joint
Response Team at the response level; provides pre-designated On-Scene Coordinators for the inland zone, and
generally provides scientific support to coordinators for the inland zone. EPA provides expertise on environmental


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APPENDIX H
effects of releases and on environmental pollution control techniques. In addition, EPA provides guidance, technical
assistance, and training in hazardous materials preparedness and response. Furthermore, EPA is working with other
federal partners to prevent accidents as well as to maintain superior response capabilities. One of EPA's roles is
to provide information about response efforts, regulations, tools, and research to help the regulated community,
government entities, and concerned citizens prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), now part of the Department of Homeland Security, provides On-Scene
Coordinators for the coastal zone, the NRT Vice-chair, and Co-chairs for the standing RRTs. The USCG staffs
and administers the National Response Center; maintains the continuously manned facilities that may be used
for command, control, and surveillance of releases in coastal waters; and serves as fund manager for the Oil Spill
Liability Trust Fund established under the Oil Pollution Act. The Coast Guard's National Strike Force is specially
trained and equipped to respond to major pollution incidents. In water pollution incidents in which the USCG has
financial responsibility jurisdiction, the USCG ensures that responsible parties, both from the United States and
foreign countries, are able to compensate the United States and other damaged parties through the Certificate of
Financial Responsibility program.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has scientific and technical capability to measure, evaluate, and
monitor, either on the ground or by aircraft, situations where natural resources, including soil, water, wildlife, and
vegetation, have been impacted by hazardous substances. Agencies within the USDA with relevant expertise are:
the Forest Seivice, the Agricultural Research Service, the Soil Conservation Service, the Food Safety and Inspection
Service, and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Seivice.
The Department of Commerce (DOC), through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
provides scientific support for responses and contingency planning in coastal and marine areas, including
assessments of the hazards that may be involved, predictions of movement and dispersion of oil and hazardous
substances through trajectory modeling, and information on the sensitivity of coastal environments to oil or
hazardous substances. NOAA provides scientific expertise on the living marine resources it manages and protects. It
also provides information on actual and predicted meteorological, hydrologic, ice, and oceanographic conditions for
marine, coastal, and inland waters, as well as tide and circulation data.
The Department of Defense (DOD) takes all action necessary with regard to the releases of hazardous substances
where the release is on, or the sole source of the release is from, a facility or vessel under jurisdiction, custody, or
control of DOD.
The DOD may also, consistent with its operational requirements and at the request of the On-Scene Coordinator,
provide locally deployed U.S. Navy oil spill equipment and provide assistance to other federal agencies upon
request. The following two branches of the DOD have particularly relevant expertise:
•	The U.S. Army Coips of Engineers has specialized equipment and personnel for removing navigation
obstructions and accomplishing structural repairs.
•	The U.S. Navy has an extensive array of specialized equipment and personnel available for use in ship salvage,
shipboard damage control, pollution abatement and diving.
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APPENDIX H
The Department of Energy (DOE), except as otherwise established in Executive Order 125803, provides designated
On-Scene Coordinators that are responsible for executing all response actions with respect to the releases of
hazardous substances where the release is either on, or the sole source of the release is from, any facility or vessel
under its jurisdiction, custody, or control.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for preventing and deterring terrorist attacks and
protecting against and responding to threats and hazards to the nation. The DHS strives to ensure safe and secure
borders, welcome lawful immigrants and visitors, and promote the free flow of commerce.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for providing assistance on matters related
to the assessment of health hazards at a response site and the protection of both response workers and public health.
Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, the HHS is the delegated
authority when it is determined that illness, disease, or complaints may be attributable to exposure to a hazardous
substance or pollutant. Agencies within the HHS that have relevant responsibilities, capabilities, and expertise
include the U.S. Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), the National Institutes for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and
the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH ).
The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages a wide variety of natural, cultural, historical, and mineral resources
and has certain responsibilities for Tribal Governments and U.S. territories. The DOI manages almost 40 percent of
the land base in the United States along the Mexican border. These areas consist of internationally and nationally
significant parks and monuments, wildlife refuges, biosphere reserves, wilderness areas, public lands, wild and
scenic rivers, and other waterways. The DOI has additional management responsibility for federally listed threatened
and endangered animals and plant species, migratory birds, and certain marine mammals. The nine DOI bureaus with
jurisdiction over and expertise in these resources may be contacted during hazardous material emergency incident
response through DOI Regional Environmental Offices in Albuquerque (representing Texas and New Mexico )
and San Francisco (representing Arizona and California). DOI's Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is responsible
for the administration and management of land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans Tribes.
BIA's specific responsibilities include developing forestlands, leasing assets on these lands, directing agricultural
programs, protecting water and land rights, developing and maintaining infrastructure and economic development,
and providing education services to Native American students. The DOI's Office of Environmental Policy and
Compliance is the designated DOI representative to the U.S. RRTs and the JRT.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) provides expert advice on legal questions arising from discharges or releases, and
federal agency responses. In addition, the DOJ represents the federal government, including its agencies, in litigation
relating to such discharges or releases.
The Department of Labor (DOL), through the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the
States' operating plans approved under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, has authority to conduct health
and safety inspections of pollutant response operations and hazardous waste sites to assure that employees are being
protected and to determine if the site is in compliance with health and safety standards and regulations. Upon request,
OSHA is prepared to provide advice and assistance regarding hazards to persons engaged in response activities.
3Executive Order 12580 delegates to various Federal officials the responsibilities vested in the President for implementing the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA).

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APPENDIX H
The Department of State (DOS) leads the negotiation of international agreements or arrangements that provide for
international joint contingency plans. The DOS also helps to coordinate an international response when discharges
or releases cross international boundaries or involve foreign flagged vessels. Additionally, the DOS coordinates
requests for assistance from foreign governments and U.S. proposals for conducting research into incidents
occurring in foreign waters. The DOS also works with U.S. immigration and customs authorities to conduct
any needed bilateral negotiations to establish mechanisms to expedite the entrance of emergency personnel and
equipment into the United States.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) provides response expertise pertaining to transportation of oil or
hazardous substances by all modes of transportation. Through the Research and Special Programs Administration
(RSPA), DOT offers expertise in the requirements for packaging, handling, and transporting regulated hazardous
materials. RSPA provides technical assistance in the form of Emergency Response Guidebooks and planning support
in the development of protective action decision strategies and exercise scenarios.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland
Security. CBP combines the inspectional workforces and broad border authorities of the United States Customs, United
States Immigration, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Seivice, and the entire U.S. Border Patrol. CBP includes more
than 41,000 employees who manage, control, and protect the borders of the United States, at and between the official
ports of entry. As the nation's unified border agency, CBP is strategically positioned at and between the United States'
ports of entry to prevent terrorist attacks on the United States. This includes carrying out traditional border-related
responsibilities, such as stemming the tide of illegal drugs and illegal aliens, securing and facilitating legitimate global
trade and travel, and protecting the food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as part of the DHS, provides guidance, policy, and
program advice, and technical assistance in hazardous, biological and radiological emergency preparedness activities
(planning, training, and exercising) to state and local governments. During a national response, FEMA provides
advice and assistance to the lead agency on coordinating relocation assistance and mitigation efforts with other
federal agencies, state and local governments, and the private sector.
The General Services Administration (GSA) provides logistical and resource support to federal response
operations. Such assistance includes emergency relief supplies, office and other space, office equipment, office
supplies, telecommunications, contracting seivices, transportation seivices, and personnel required to support
immediate response activities.
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APPENDIX I
Roles and Responsibilities
/. 1 Duties and Responsibilities of the Joint Response Team (JRT)
The JRT Co-chair of each country is to identify its support agencies, designate its members on the JRT, and
communicate these designations to the other country When the JRT meets in Mexico, the Mexican Co-chairs
are expected to preside. When the JRT meets in the United States, the U.S. Co-chair is expected to preside.
Listed below are the specific planning, preparedness, response, and activation duties and responsibilities of
the JRT.
1.1.1 Specific Preparedness Duties and Responsibilities of the JRT
When the JRT is not activated, it is to:
•	Develop and update procedures for carrying out a joint response to a chemical hazardous substances
contingency or emergency, including procedures to promote the coordination of federal, Tribal, state, and
local government as well as private industry responses to chemical hazardous substances contingencies or
emergencies;
•	Foster the development and international cooperation of local action groups, such as the Local Committees
of Mutual Support ( Spanish acronym: CLAM) and units under the Industrial Mutual Aid Program ( Spanish
acronym: PAMI) program in Mexico, and the Local Emergency Planning Committees ( LEPCs ) in the
United States;
•	Promote the preparation, maintenance, and execution of exercises of Sister City Plans to ensure emergency
preparedness at the local level to respond to chemical hazardous substances emergencies;
•	Review and/or revise the Inland Border Plan as necessary, incorporating any findings from:
•	Final Reports developed by the ISJRT after the termination of a joint response, especially the
recommendations for improving the joint response;
•	All reports developed by the ISJRT;
•	Lessons learned from drills and exercises; and
•	Changes in the national policies and/or procedures in the United States and Mexico.
•	Conduct regular meetings and conference calls, to discuss the issues of preparedness and activation issues
related to the successful implementation of the Inland Border Plan with planning responsibilities rotating
between the U.S. and Mexico;
•	Maintain an updated contact list of names and telephone numbers of all support agencies of the JRT as
well as appropriate persons to contact under this Inland Border Plan. This list is to be updated annually or
as necessary;
•	Develop recommendations for training of federal, Tribal, state, and local planners and responders;
•	Develop recommendations (based on each country's requirements) for equipping and protecting response
personnel; and
•	Conduct periodic exercises of this Inland Border Plan.

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APPENDIX I
1.1.2 Specific Activation Duties and Responsibilities of the JRT
When the United States and Mexico have determined to activate the Inland Border Plan, the JRT is to:
•	Follow instructions in Section 303 of this Inland Border Plan;
•	Notify the National Coordinators and keep them informed as designated by Annex II of the La Paz
Agreement of 1983;
•	Coordinate national-level activities of all involved federal departments and agencies;
•	Develop a joint public information strategy in conjunction with the IS JRT and the OSCs;
•	Facilitate information exchange between the countries;
•	Provide assistance to the ISJRT, this assistance could include:
•	Facilitating the provision of emergency resources, support, and promote the activation of other related
emergency plans, such as those involving customs and immigration during a chemical hazardous
substances contingency or emergency;
•	Advising the ISJRT and the OSCs about possible measures to take in response to a chemical hazardous
substances contingency or emergency and about the resources available to cany out these measures;
•	Evaluating and making recommendations concerning the response activities and measures taken by the
ISJRT and the OSCs;
•	Address policy issues and procedures as they arise; and
•	Request through the Co-chairs the deactivation of the Inland Border Plan as stipulated in Section 304.
1.2 Duties and Responsibilities of the Situation/Incident-Specific Joint Response
Team (ISJRT)
The Situation/Incident-Specific JRT (ISJRT) is responsible for effective implementation of the Inland Border
Plan on a state and local level in Mexico and on a regional level in the United States, in accordance with the
policies of the JRT
The duties and responsibilities of a Situation/Incident Specific JRT are listed below, in sections 1.2.1 and 1.2.2.
The Situation/Incident-Specific JRT is to address all the preparedness activities and the Incident-Specific JRT
is to address all the response activities during activation.
1.2.1 Duties and Responsibilities of the Situation-Specific JRT
The Situation-Specific JRT is to:
•	Conduct annual ( or as necessary ) meetings and conference calls to plan, review actions and activities in the
border area, address emerging issues, resolve outstanding issues, and exchange information;
•	Support the preparation, update, and exercise of Sister City Plans in order to ensure preparedness for and
effective response to a chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency;
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APPENDIX I
•	Develop procedures (in coordination with the JRT) for a joint response to a chemical hazardous substances
contingency or emergency;
•	Conduct exercises (as necessary) for this Inland Border Plan;
•	Develop and present a Final Preparation and Planning Report to the Co-chair, as stipulated in Sections
306.3 and Appendix E; and
•	Recommend to the JRT any changes and/or improvements needed to this Inland Border Plan.
1.2.2 Duties and Responsibilities of the Incident-Specific JRT
The Incident-Specific JRT is to:
•	Monitor incoming reports, evaluate the possible impact of chemical hazardous substances contingencies or
emergencies reported, and be fully aware at all times of the actions and plans of the OSCs;
•	Seek arrangements with appropriate agencies in having services, facilities, or equipment that may be
useful in the response to a chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency;
•	Coordinate the actions of the various agencies and governmental institutions and the private organizations
in supplying the human, material and financial resources required to the OSCs;
•	Inform and advise the OSCs about the resources and assistance available to cany out the OSCs'
response activities;
•	Make recommendations and provide advice to the OSCs concerning the response activities, as requested;
•	Coordinate all reports sent to the Co-chairs on the status of the chemical hazardous substances contingency
or emergency;
•	Ensure that the OSCs have adequate public information support and assist in the preparation of
information releases in compliance with the joint public information strategy ( see Section 307.2 );
•	Serve in an advisory capacity and function as the liaison between the JRT and the OSCs;
•	Review post-incident reports from the OSCs on the handling of chemical hazardous substances
contingencies or emergencies for the puipose of developing the Final Incident Report as stipulated in
Section 306.3;
•	Develop, in conjunction with the OSCs, a Final Incident Report as stipulated in Section 306.3 and
Appendix E; and
•	Send the Final Incident Report to the Co-chairs.
1.3 On-Scene Coordinator
The functions and responsibilities of the OSC, as detailed under the framework of the laws, rules, and
operating procedures of each country, are to:
•	Coordinate and direct measures related to the detection of chemical hazardous substances contingencies
or emergencies;

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APPENDIX I
•	Determine the facts related to the chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency, including
the nature, quantity, and location of the chemical hazardous substance; the direction and probable travel
time of the chemical hazardous substance; the available resources and those resources required; and the
potential impacts on public health and welfare, and on the environment;
•	Develop a Preliminary Assessment based on his/her findings ( as stipulated in Section 306.2 and
Appendix E);
•	Coordinate and direct all phases of the response action within his or her jurisdiction;
•	Develop detailed situation reports (SITREPs) to the ISJRT as stipulated in Section 306.2 and Appendix E;
•	In coordination with the ISJRT, recommend the deactivation of the Inland Border Plan to the JRT
Co-chairs; and
•	Prepare a Final Incident Report and/or a Final Preparation and Planning Report, in conjunction with the
ISJRT and submit it to the Co-chair, as stipulated in Section 306.3 and Appendix E.
In cases where a chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency involves multiple jurisdictions,
the OSCs are to coordinate their actions using a Unified Command (UC). The UC is an on-site tool to
efficiently manage all chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency responses. The UC provides
a forum to develop a common set of emergency response objectives and strategies, share information,
optimize the use of available resources and increase the efficiency of the individual response organizations.
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APPENDIX J
Map of Inland Border Area and Sister Cities
CALIFORNIA
ARIZONA
NEW MEXICO
TEXAS
BAJA
CALIF.
Pacific Ocean
Gulfof \
California
SONORA
CHIHUAHUA *
Gulfof
Mexico
COAHUILA
NUEVO
LEON
TAMAULIPAS
Plan Signed

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APPENDIX J
Sister Cities
MEXICO
UNITED STATES
Tijuana, Baja California
San Diego, California
Mexicali, Baja California
Calexico, California
San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora
Yuma, Arizona
Nogales, Sonora
Nogales, Arizona
Naco, Sonora
Bisbee, Arizona
Agua Prieta, Sonora
Douglas, Arizona
Las Palomas, Chihuahua
Columbus, New Mexico
Juarez, Chihuahua
El Paso, Sunland Park, Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, Texas
Ojinaga, Chihuahua
Presidio, Texas
CuidadAcuna, Coahuila
Del Rio, Texas
Piedras Negra, Coahuila
Eagle Pass, Texas
Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas
Laredo, Texas
Reynosa, Tamaulipas
McAllen, Texas
Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas
Weslaco, Texas
Matamoros, Tamaulipas
Brownsville, Texas
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APPENDIX K
List of Federal and State Plans
K.1.1 Bi-National Plans
Joint Contingency Plan between the Secretariat of the Navy of the United Mexican States and the United
States Coast Guard Regarding Pollution of the Marine Environment by Discharges of Hydrocarbons or Other
Hazardous Substances (MEXUS Plan), July 11, 2017.
United States-Mexico Agreement of October 23, 2008 on Cooperation in Cases of Natural Disasters.
K.1.2 Mexican Plans
National Plans
•	Organization Guide and Operation of the National System of Civil Protection ( Secretariat of Governance )
•	Program of Specific Action and Attention for Epidemiological Emergencies and Disasters 2013-2018
(Ministry of Health )
•	Marine Plan of Assistance to the Civilian Population in Emergency and Disaster Cases and Areas
(Navy Secretariat)
•	Plan DN-III-E for Assistance to Civilian Population in Disaster Cases (Secretariat of National Defense)
•	National Response Plan MX of the Federal Public Administration ( Secretariat of Governance)
•	Manual for the Attention of Hydroecological Emergencies and Environmental Contingencies that are
present in Bodies of Water or National Assets under the National Water Commission ( CONAGUA )
•	National Contingency Plan for Spills of Hydrocarbons and Potentially Dangerous Hazardous Substances in
the Mexican Marine Zones (Navy Secretariat)
State Civil Protection Programs
•	Baja California
•	Sonora
•	Chihuahua
•	Coahuila
•	Nuevo Leon
•	Tamaulipas
K.1.3 United Status Plans
National Plans
•	National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP )
•	National Response Framework (NRF )
•	National Drinking Water Plan


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APPENDIX K
Regional Plans
•	Region 6 Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan
•	Region 9 Mainland Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan
State Plans
•	State of Arizona Emergency Response and Recovery Plan (SERRP)
•	State of California Emergency Plan
•	State of New Mexico All-Hazard Emergency Operations Plan
•	State of Texas Emergency Management Plan: Annex Q - Hazardous Materials and Oil Spill Response
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