SERC-TERC Update: April 2023
Mention of non-EPA documents, presentations, training opportunities and conferences does not constitute an U.S. EPA endorsement of their contents, only an acknowledgment that they exist and may be relevant to the SERC-TERC audience.
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Regulatory and Policy Information Related to Chemical Safety & Security
CSB Issues New Safety Alert Focused on the Hazards of Emergency Discharges from Pressure Release Valves
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) issued a new Safety Alert titled Hazards Posed by Discharges from Emergency Pressure-Relief Systems. The CSB’s alert highlights hazards identified with emergency pressure-relief systems from four CSB investigations. The alert advises facilities that while a discharge from emergency pressure-relief systems can help protect equipment from unexpected and undesired high-pressure events, it can also seriously harm or fatally injure workers and cause extensive damage to a facility if the discharge is not made to a safe location.
FEMA Seeks National Resilience Guidance Input
FEMA is spearheading an effort to create national resilience guidance and resources for the whole community to help everyone understand and fulfill their critical roles related to increasing national resilience. With the goal of increasing community and national resilience, the guidance and resources will:
- Promote a common understanding of resilience.
- Incorporate the relationship between chronic community stressors and shocks.
- Address the critical roles of all stakeholders.
- Inspire an equitable approach to planning.
FEMA will gather input from across the whole community to aid in the development of resilience guidance and resources by hosting six 60-minute listening sessions in April, May and June. Based on the input from the listening sessions, FEMA will draft national disaster resilience guidance that incorporates stakeholder feedback.
FEMA will post and distribute the draft national disaster resilience guidance in fall 2023 for national review to ensure the guidance meets stakeholder needs. After the review period, the guidance will be updated to reflect comments received during the national engagement period, with the target publishing date in the spring of 2024.
FEMA Publishes NIMS Information and Communications Technology Functional Guidance
FEMA has published the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Functional Guidance.
- The Guidance provides instruction on integrating communications, information technology and cybersecurity functions into the ICS structure while adhering to the concepts and principles of the NIMS doctrine.
- FEMA will host two, 30-minute Zoom for Government webinars during the spring and summer of 2023 (exact dates TBD) to discuss the NIMS ICT Functional Guidance and answer related questions. The webinars will be open to the whole community. Advance registration is required and will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
Hot Topics
EPA Publishes the 2021Toxics Release Inventory National Analysis
EPA’s analysis of the most recent TRI data (EPCRA §313) is now available. Summaries, interactive charts, graphs, and maps, and embedded tools help you explore and understand the data for calendar year 2021: www.epa.gov/trinationalanalysis
BNSF Railway Hazardous Materials Information and Training
- BNSF Hazmat offers both in-person classes (minimum class size of 20 responders) and web-based training for individuals and groups. BNSF also provides scholarships that cover the tuition to railroad emergency response training at the industry’s Security and Emergency Response Training Center (SERTC) in Pueblo, CO. SERTC’s website. Learn more about the training and how to register here.
- BNSF provides hazardous materials traffic flow reports to fire departments and emergency managers. These reports provide a listing of the hazardous materials that BNSF transported through a city or county over the last 12 months. Request a hazardous materials traffic flow report here.
- Another tool for emergency responders and managers is the AskRail app. This app provides responders at no cost with immediate access to accurate, timely data about what type of hazardous materials a rail car is carrying so they can make an informed decision about how to respond to a rail emergency. AskRail also has a desktop version available for local Emergency Communication Centers (ECC) that can be used to provide responders with this necessary hazmat car and train information. Get more information about the AskRail app here.
- A copy of BNSF’s System Emergency Response Plan is available for review and use. Part of the System Emergency Response Plan is BNSF’s Incident Management Team (IMT). BNSF's IMT allows for the mobilization of resources at varying levels as dictated by incident circumstances. BNSF’s IMT maintains a large group of well-trained personnel to lead and assist with emergency response incidents and is comprised of a local or state IMT, a Regional Away Team, and a Corporate Crisis Management Team (known as a “Go-Team”).
CFATS Operational Updates
To date, CISA has received over 107,000 Top-Screen submissions from over 44,000 unique facilities. Of these, CFATS covers 3,243 facilities. Additionally, the program has completed 4,653 Authorization Inspections, 10,339 Compliance Inspections, and 10,492 Compliance Assistance Visits.
Training Opportunities and Conferences
Tribal Oil Spill Prevention and Chemical Emergency Preparedness Webinars
- Tank Talk: Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure Overview Webinar for Tribal Partners
- Visit this link for more information and to register.
- Overview of Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure and Computer-Aided Management of Emergency Operations (CAMEO) Software Suite Webinar for Tribal Partners
Online Training: Hazmat Management Railroading 101
The Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) Hazardous Materials Management Team presents Railroading 101, and provides and overview of the UPRR system, pre-planning, railroad equipment (locomotives, tank cars (pressure and non-pressure), contacting the railroad, discusses safety while operating on or near the railroad, railroad resources, markings, rail shipping papers, the emergency response process, and recovery operations.
More Information
Environmental Protection Agency / Department of Homeland Security & US Coast Guard
Department of Labor & Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Department of Transportation / Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives/ Department of Agriculture