USDOT awards grants for hazmat preparation

The U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration yesterday announced $20.4 million in grants to help states, territories and Native American tribes respond to transportation incidents involving hazardous materials.

The Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) grants are part of the USDOT's effort to improve the safe transportation of crude oil and other hazardous materials across the country. The grants are used to enable emergency response personnel to maintain the safety of themselves and the public when responding to emergencies involving hazardous materials.

"These grants are important tools for communities to plan and stay prepared for transportation incidents involving hazardous materials, including those involving high-hazard flammable trains," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in a press release.

For this grant cycle, HMEP applicants were encouraged to allocate funding toward:
• developing or revising emergency plans and training activities to account for bulk transportation of energy product by rail and over the road;
• conducting commodity flow studies to determine the frequency and quantity of hazardous materials shipments being transported through local communities; and
• training emergency responders to respond appropriately to incidents involving hazardous materials.

Recipients will have up to three years for grant-funded projects to be completed.

For a list of the recipients and their grant amounts, click here.