Gatekeeper Newsletter - Arizona State University · Page 2 Gatekeeper Newsletter information regarding response actions taken, any known or anticipated acute or chronic health risks

March 1, 2009

Volume IX, Edition 03

Lou Trammell, Chair http://www.dem.state.az.us/

Janice K. Brewer, Governor http://www.governor.state.az.us/

Gatekeeper Newsletter

Inside this issue: EPA CORNER 2

EPA SEEKS COMMENT ON HAZWOPER RULE:

6

CROWN CHEMICAL PRESI-DENT SENTENCED FOR

ILLEGAL DUMPING:

10

FEMA'S NEW "SIM CITY" OPEN FOR BUSINESS:

13

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS STANDARDS DIVISION (CG-

5223):

17

STATES RESPONSIBLE FOR FOOD SAFETY:

19

MAN DIES AFTER FALL INTO PET FOOD SILO:

20

INDUSTRY CORNER 24

Mark Howard, Executive Director http://www.azserc.org

A R I ZO N A E M E R G E N C Y R E S P O NS E C O M M I S S I ON 5636 E AST M CD OWELL R OAD

P HOENIX, A RIZONA 85008-3495

mission – 208-422-5725 Oregon Office of the State Fire Marshall – 503-373-1540 x262 Washington Emergency Manage-ment Division - 1-800-258-5990. What information does the NRC request from individuals report-ing a release? When reporting a release, the per-son making the report should pro-vide as much of the following in-formation as possible: • Name, address, and telephone number of the person reporting and the responsible party; • Specific location of the incident; • Date and time the incident occurred or was discovered; • Name of the material released; • Source and cause of the release; • Total quantity discharged; • Medium into which the substance was discharged; • Amount spilled into water; • Weather conditions; • Name of the carrier or vessel, the railcar/truck number, or other iden-tifying information; • Number and type of injuries or fatalities; • Whether an evacuation has oc-curred; • Estimate of the dollar amount of property damage; • Description of current and future cleanup actions; and • Other agencies notified or about to be notified. Continued on next page...

In 1986, Congress passed the Emergency Planning and Commu-nity Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) in response to concerns about envi-ronmental and safety hazards posed by the storage and handling of toxic chemicals. These concerns were triggered by the Bhopal disas-ter and other releases of toxic chemicals. To reduce the possibil-ity of such a disaster in the United States, Congress imposed require-ments on both states and regulated facilities about how they deal with reporting of releases of hazardous materials. Reporting Requirements The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Li-ability Act (CERCLA) Section 103 and EPCRA (40 CFR Part 355.40: Emergency Release Notification) both require immediate reporting of unpermitted releases of hazardous chemicals. Any unpermitted re-leases of hazardous chemicals that exceed the specified Reporting Quantity (RQ) within a 24-hour period must be reported to the Na-tional Response Center (NRC), and any State Emergency Response Committee (SERC), and Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) likely to be affected by the release. How to Report The person in charge of the vessel or facility must report the release of the hazardous substance to the NRC, SERC,

and LEPC, as soon as it is deter-mined that an RQ has been released into the environment within a 24-hour period. This initial reporting should be done within 15 minutes of discovery if possible. There are no penalties for reporting a spill unnecessarily, but there may be significant penalties, up to $32,500.00 per day for each of the required reports that were not made. The steps to follow are: • Call 911 to report the emergency and get help. (While not required by law, this is the most important step in getting emergency response started). • Call the Local Emergency Plan-ning Committee or all LEPCs likely to be affected by the release. (The 911 call may satisfy the re-quirement to notify the LEPC if the county or city has delegated this in their local emergency plan). • If the chemical is also a CERCLA chemical, call the National Re-sponse Center at 1-800-424-8802. In some cases, releases that do not leave the facility may need to be reported under CERCLA, which is not re-quired under EPCRA. • Call the State Emergency Re-sponse Commissions for all states affected by the release. The Region 10 SERC contact numbers are: Alaska Office of Homeland Secu-rity & Emergency Services – 907-428-7089 Idaho Emergency Response Com-

Emergency Reporting of Chemical Re-leases Under EPCRA and CERCLA:

Page 2 Gatekeeper Newsletter

information regarding response actions taken, any known or anticipated acute or chronic health risks associated with the release, and where appropriate, advice on medical attention for exposed individuals. Failure to properly report chemical releases can have serious ef-fects on the community and the environment. Therefore, EPA takes noncompliance very seriously, as illustrated by the following exam-ple:

What information must be provided when reporting releases under EPCRA? EPCRA Section 304(B)(1) directs that the release report include the following informa-tion, if known, and if inclusion will not cause a delay in responding to the emergency: • Chemical name or identity of the released substance(s); • Whether the substance is an EHS; • Estimate of the quantity of the substance released; • Time and duration of the release; • Media

into which the release occurred; • Associated health risks and medical attention necessary for exposed individuals; • Precautions to take due to the release; and • Name and telephone number of contact per-son for further information. Written Report Follow-up As soon as practicable after this initial notice, EPCRA Section 304(c) requires the facility owner or operator to submit written follow-up notices providing and updating the initial no-tice’s information and including additional

Emergency Reporting of Chemical Releases Under EPCRA and CERCLA: (continued)

architect's statement or building inspec-tion and the annual notification to parents, teachers, and employees regarding the availability of the plan. The EPA's rules also require the school to appoint a designated person who is trained to oversee asbestos activities and ensure compliance with federal regula-tions. Finally, schools must conduct peri-odic surveillance and re-inspections, properly train the maintenance and custo-dial staff, and maintain records in the management plan. Local education agencies must keep an updated copy of the management plan in its administrative office and at the school which must be made available for inspec-tion by parents, teachers, and the general public. For on asbestos in schools visit: http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/asbestos_in_schools.html

Noah Webster Basic School takes steps to comply with asbestos law, protect stu-dents Mesa, Ariz., charter school lacked management plan, proper inspection The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has settled with the Noah Web-ster Basic School for alleged violations of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Re-sponse Act. In April 2007, EPA inspectors discovered the Mesa, Ariz., school had not been in-spected to determine if asbestos-containing materials were present in the school's buildings and had not created an asbestos management plan. The school has since completed inspec-tions performed by accredited inspectors. No asbestos was found at the school, and necessary actions have since been taken to comply with the law by developing an asbestos management plan. The school was assessed a $2,400 fine for the viola-

tions which was off-set by the expense of coming into compliance. "Asbestos can potentially endanger the health of students, teachers, and mainte-nance workers at schools," said Katherine Taylor, associate director for the Commu-nities and Ecosystems Division in EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "We are pleased that Noah Webster has now con-ducted inspections and has put an asbes-tos management plan into place." Federal law requires schools to conduct an initial inspection using accredited in-spectors to determine if asbestos-containing building material is present and develop a management plan to ad-dress the asbestos materials found in the school buildings. Schools that do not contain asbestos-containing material must still develop a management plan which would identify the designated person and include the

Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals News Release (Region 9) Noah Webster Basic School takes steps to comply:

EPAEPAEPA CORNERCORNERCORNER

To contact Arizona’s Emergency Response Com-mission Call 602-231-6346 or visit our website at: www.azserc.org

of-the art emission control technology is installed at new plants or existing plants that are undergoing a major modification. Aggregation refers to the grouping of multiple, related physical or operational changes into a single project for evaluat-ing requirements under the New Source Review program. More information: http://www.epa.gov/nsr/actions.html

Contact: Cathy Milbourn, (202) 564-4355 / [email protected] To allow time for further review, a Jan. 15 New Source Review final rule specifi-cally regarding the air permitting pro-gram’s “aggregation” policy will not take effect before May 18, 2009. EPA is staying the effective date for 90 days to reconsider the rule in response to

the current Office of Management and Budget memorandum regarding regula-tory review, and also in response to a Natural Resources Defense Council peti-tion for reconsideration. New Source Review is a pre-construction permitting program to ensure air quality is maintained when factories, industrial boilers and power plants are built or modified. The program ensures that state-

EPA to Further Consider New Source Review Final Rule:


Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF Railway to Pay Nearly $1 Million for Brown & Bryant Superfund Cleanup Funds will be used to replace Arvin drinking water well:

Additional Background Information Brown & Bryant Inc. formulated agricul-tural chemicals including pesticides, her-bicides, fumigants, and fertilizers at the site from 1960 to 1989. In 1981, the site was licensed under the Resource Conser-vation and Recovery Act as a hazardous waste transporter. Contamination of soil and groundwater resulted from inadequate procedural controls, chemical spills dur-ing operations, and leaks from a surface wastewater pond and sumps. In 1989, the site was listed on the Super-fund National Priorities List. Subse-quently, a series of removal actions were initiated to clear contaminants from sur-face soils which posed the most immedi-ate threat to human health. The site is currently vacant. A warehouse, an open metal shed, and an above-ground storage tank are on the site. The property is se-cured by a chain-link fence and paved with asphalt. The EPA is also currently in the process of planning for the removal of the above-ground storage tank from the site. For more information on the web please visit: www.epa.gov/region09/Brown&Bryant Note: If a link above doesn't work, please copy and paste the URL into a browser.

In a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency settlement announced today, the Union Pacific Railroad Company and BNSF Railway Company agreed to pay a total of $985,000 in cleanup costs at the Brown & Bryant Superfund site in Arvin, Calif., located at 600 South Derby Road. The settlement funds will be used to relo-cate Arvin City Well No. 1, a drinking water well. As part of the cleanup rem-edy, the city well is being relocated as a precautionary measure because of its down gradient proximity to the site. The well has been tested and is not currently contaminated. "This action is a safeguard to ensure that the people who rely on Arvin’s water system will continue to receive clean, safe drinking water,” said Keith Takata, the Superfund Division director for the EPA’s Pacific Southwest region. “The current well is not a problem right now, but the new well will be in a better, more protective location.” Presently, the well is situated in a location approximately 1500 feet from the Super-fund site, in a direct pathway of slow moving contaminants migrating from the site. The City of Arvin tests the well monthly to ensure it meets safe drinking water standards, and the EPA tests the well periodically to look for site

contaminants. The EPA is currently in the design phase of the project and is working with the Arvin Community Services District to determine a location for placement of the new city well. Recent site history Union Pacific Railroad Company and BNSF Railway Company leased land that they owned to Brown & Bryant Inc., which operated an agricultural chemicals facility at the site. A third potentially responsible party, Shell Oil Company, which supplied some of the pesticides to the site, chose not to participate in this settlement agreement. A trial court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with EPA that both railroads are liable as owners of the site and that Shell Oil Company is liable as an arranger of disposal of hazardous sub-stances, in light of its knowledge that spills were routine in deliveries controlled by Shell. On February 24, the Supreme Court will hold a hearing reviewing this deci-sion. This settlement agreement will pro-ceed independently from the Supreme Court review of pending litigation involv-ing both railroads named above and Shell Oil Company for the Brown & Bryant site.


government discovered the violations through an information request submitted to KU. The settlement is part of the EPA's en-forcement initiative to control harmful emissions from coal-fired power plants under the Clean Air Act's New Source Review requirements. The total combined sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emis-sion reductions secured from these settle-ments will exceed more than 1.8 million tons each year once all the required pollu-tion controls have been installed and im-plemented. Coal-fired plants release sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides, which are a primary cause of acid rain that harms trees and lakes and impairs visibility. These pollut-ants cause severe respiratory problems, contribute to childhood asthma, and con-tribute to smog and haze. Air pollution from power plants can drift significant distances downwind and degrade air qual-ity in nearby areas. Kentucky Utilities, based in Lexington, Kentucky, generates and distributes elec-tricity to more than 500,000 customers in Kentucky and Virginia. It owns and oper-ates five coal-fired electrical generating stations in Kentucky. The settlement ap-plies to the largest boiler unit at the E.W. Brown Generating Station located on Lake Herrington in Mercer County, Ken-tucky. The proposed settlement was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky in Lexington and is subject to a 30-day public comment pe-riod and final court approval. More information on the settlement: www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/cases/civil/caa/kucompany.html

Contact: Dave Ryan, (202) 564-4355 / [email protected] Kentucky Utilities (KU), a coal-fired electric utility, has agreed to pay a $1.4 million civil penalty and spend approxi-mately $135 million on pollution controls to resolve violations of the Clean Air Act, the Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency an-nounced today. "Today's settlement sets the most strin-gent limit for nitrogen oxide emissions ever imposed in a federal settlement with a coal-fired power plant," said Catherine McCabe, acting assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "EPA is commit-ted to ensuring our nation's coal-fired power plants comply with the Clean Air Act. Pollutants from these facilities can cause severe respiratory problems and contribute to smog, haze and childhood asthma." "This settlement will result in the substan-tial reduction of harmful emissions, and will benefit air quality in Kentucky and downwind areas," said John C. Cruden, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division. "The Justice Department will spare no effort in its pur-suit of emission reductions from power plants across the country to achieve the benefits envisioned by the Clean Air Act." KU has agreed to install new pollution control equipment on its largest generat-ing unit that will reduce combined emis-sions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen ox-ides by more than 31,000 tons per year, which is 90 percent below the 2007 emis-sion levels. KU will also install controls to reduce particulate matter emissions by

approximately 1,000 tons per year. KU will spend approximately $3 million on projects to benefit the environment and mitigate the adverse effects of the alleged violations including: - Contribute $1.8 million to a pilot project on the effectiveness of storing com-pressed carbon dioxide gas, a by-product of coal combustion, in deep injection wells; - Spend $1 million to retrofit school buses with filters or other controls to reduce emissions of particulate matter; and - Pay $200,000 to the National Park Ser-vice to help restore Mammoth Cave Na-tional Park. KU has agreed to surrender the excess nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide allow-ances it will have after installing the pol-lution controls. Coal-fired power plants are allowed to emit sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides as allowances, which are granted under federal or state acid rain permits. Once surrendered, these allow-ances cannot be used again, thus remov-ing the emissions from the environment permanently. In a complaint filed in March of 2007, the government alleged that KU modified the largest coal-fired electrical generating unit at the E. W. Brown Generating Sta-tion in Mercer County, Kentucky without installing required pollution control equipment or complying with applicable emission limits, in violation of the Clean Air Act. The unit has been operating since 1971, and the modifications made in 1997 allowed the unit to increase the amount of coal it burned and increase the amount and rate of emissions for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter. The

Coal-fired Power Plant to Spend More than $135 Million to Settle Clean Air Violations:


stances Control Act unless export authori-zation has been granted by EPA pursuant to the procedures established under the Toxic Substances Control Act. Vessels built before 1979, such as the Oceanic, may contain PCBs in various materials including cables, electrical equipment such as capacitors and transformers, gas-kets and watertight seal material, and painted surfaces. More than 1.5 billion pounds of PCBs were manufactured in the United States before the EPA banned the production of this chemical class. PCBs were com-monly used in paints, industrial equip-ment, plastics, and rubber products. EPA banned this class of chemicals after tests showed that PCBs cause cancer in ani-mals and adversely affect the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems in hu-mans. For more information on PCB regulation and enforcement, as well as enforcement of U.S. laws related to toxic materials in general, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/pcb/pubs/laws.htm . Or: http://www.epa.gov/Compliance/ . For information on PCBs, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/pcb/ .

Contact: Dean Higuchi, 808-541-2711, [email protected] The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has settled an administrative complaint against Global Shipping LLC and Global Marketing Systems, Inc. for alleged illegal distribution and export of a PCB-containing ship. The companies will pay a total of $518,500 to resolve the two Toxic Sub-stances Control Act violations. Global Marketing Systems, Inc. will pay a pen-alty of $32,500 and Global Shipping LLC will pay a penalty of $486,000. Global Shipping LLC purchased and held the Oceanic, a cruise ship formerly named the SS Independence, for the purpose of export beginning on or about July 24, 2007 and continuing until the vessel left the United States on or about February 8, 2008. EPA alleged that the ship contained PCBs and that holding a vessel containing PCBs for purposes of export for disposal constitutes unauthorized distribution in commerce of PCBs. "Companies need to ensure PCBs are removed from any ship being exported in order to protect public health and the en-vironment from exposure to PCBs," said

Jeff Scott, division director for waste pro-grams in the EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "Federal law prohibits companies from exporting PCBs for disposal, includ-ing PCBs built into ship components, unless approval from EPA has been ob-tained." On or about February 8, 2008, the ship was towed out of the territorial waters of the United States. EPA alleged that Global Shipping LLC and its affiliated company Global Marketing Systems, Inc. worked together to export the Oceanic for disposal outside the United States, a vio-lation of federal law. The EPA was not informed by Global of their intention to export the ship for disposal. After EPA initiated its enforcement ac-tion, Global submitted a new application to the Maritime Administration seeking approval to sell the vessel but changing the purpose of export from disposal to continued use of the vessel to accommo-date labor workers in the Arabian Gulf area. Under the Toxic Substances Control Act, EPA also regulates export for contin-ued use of materials containing regulated levels of PCBs. Export of PCB materials from the United States is a violation of EPA's Toxic Sub-

Global Shipping LLC and Global Marketing System, Inc. to pay penalties for PCB export violations involving Oceanic Ship exported in violation of the Toxic Substances Control Act:

involves purchase and donation of emer-gency response equipment to the Granite City Fire Department and Madison County HAZMAT Team.

Gateway Regional Medical Center and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have agreed to settle alleged haz-ardous chemical reporting violations by the medical center, the federal agency said today.

The agency said the medical center failed to file with state and local authorities re-quired reports on fuel oil kept on hand to power backup generators. Gateway paid $12,900 and agreed to per-form an environmental project costing $38,899, the agency said. The project

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH:

If the renewal of the EPA stan-dards is ap-proved, it would continue the ex-isting mandatory record keeping collection of ongoing ac-tivities including monitoring of any po-tential employee exposure at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites, maintaining re-cords of employee training, refresher training, medical exams, and reviewing emergency response plans. Thanks to www.ercweb.com

EPA is seeking public input and comment on the renewal of the EPA Worker Pro-tection Standards for Hazardous Waste Operation and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER). The notice was published in the February 3, 2009, Federal Register. Entities potentially affected by this action are those state and local employees en-gaged in hazardous waste operations and emergency response in the states that do not have OSHA-approved state plans. EPA will be collecting information and comments through March 31, 2009. Section 126(f) of SARA requires EPA to set worker protection standards for state

and local employees engaged in hazard-ous waste operations and emergency re-sponse in states that do not have OSHA-approved state plans. EPA’s coverage, required to be identical to the OSHA stan-dards, extends to three categories of em-ployees: those engaged in clean-ups at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites, in-cluding corrective actions at treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) facilities regulated under RCRA; employees work-ing at routine hazardous waste operations at RCRA TSD facilities, and employees involved in emergency response opera-tions without regard to location.

EPA Seeks Comment on HAZWOPER Rule:


42,000 tons of lead waste. The Metales y Derivados property is now owned by the state of Baja California as a result of the cleanup and land-transfer agreement established in 2004 between the federal and state governments. Baja California is exploring reuse options, in-cluding the installation of solar panels to power local industry and a state environ-mental testing lab. Lead poisoning symptoms include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, headache, joint or muscle aches, and anemia. Long term overexposure to lead may result in severe damage to the nervous, urinary, and reproductive systems. The Border 2012 U.S.-Mexico Environ-mental Program is a results-driven, bot-toms-up binational program that works to protect the environment and public health in the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border region. For additional information see: http://www.epa.gov/Border2012/

Contact: Francisco Arcaute, (213) 244-1815, cell (213) 798-1404, [email protected] The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency joined Mexico's environmental ministry, SEMARNAT, to celebrate the cleanup of Metales y Derivados, a former Tijuana lead smelter that was abandoned with over 42,000 tons of lead in open pits or buried in drums and sacks, which posed significant public health risks to the residents of nearby Otay Mesa. Joining the EPA and SEMARNAT were representatives from the state of Baja California; the federal enforcement agency, PROFEPA; members of the Colectivo Chilpancingo; Mexican elected officials; and grassroots environmental organizations, including the Environ-mental Health Coalition. "The Metales y Derivados cleanup effort is a model of binational partnership," said Laura Yoshii, the EPA's acting Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest region. "We're proud to be part of this joint effort with the Tijuana community

and Mexican officials that has had a posi-tive impact on the lives of the people liv-ing nearby." "The Environmental Health Coalition and our community action team in Tijuana, the Colectivo Chilpancingo Pro Justicia Ambiental, celebrate this historic accom-plishment for the local community, for cross-border solidarity, and for the U.S. and Mexican governments who worked with the community to achieve the cleanup," said Amelia Simpson, director of the Border Environmental Justice Campaign at Environmental Health Coali-tion. Starting in the late 1980's, Metales y De-rivados was a U.S.-owned, lead smelting facility. In 1992, the facility was cited by Mexico's PROFEPA for environmental non-compliance, and in 1994, the site was abandoned by its owner. In 2004, a bina-tional partnership workgroup established as part of the U.S.-Mexico Border 2012 Program implemented a four-phase cleanup plan which included the initial removal of 2,000 tons of high risk wastes and the recent construction of a cap over

U.S. EPA, Mexican environmental agencies celebrate cleanup of former abandoned lead smelter Over 42,000 tons of dangerous lead contained:


quired for treatability studies. The EPA subsequently decided to proceed with seasonal interim treatment for most of the site, while the investigation for long-term cleanup explores options for year-round treatment. Site history The site, which was listed on the EPA's National Priorities List in 2000, was ini-tially developed as an underground mine for gold, copper and copper sulfate, start-ing in 1863. From 1954 through 1962, Anaconda Copper Mining Company, which later was acquired by ARC, con-ducted open pit mining. The open-pit mining of sulfur from the site left wastes and underground conduits that result in acid mine drainage. The low pH and high metals content of the acid mine drainage historically limited most aquatic life in Leviathan Creek and portions of Bryant Creek downstream of the mine. In 1984, the state of California acquired approximately 495 acres of the mine to clean up and abate water quality problems associated with historic mining. The La-hontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, which was delegated authority over the mine property, constructed evaporation ponds in an attempt to reduce the impact from some of the mine re-leases. Since 1999, the water board has treated drainage collected in these ponds, to prevent overflow into Leviathan Creek. This work, together with seasonal treat-ment conducted by ARC since 2001, has improved conditions for aquatic life when the systems are operating.

Contact: Wendy Chavez, 415/947-4248, [email protected] In a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency settlement announced today, the Atlantic Richfield Company agreed to treat acid mine drainage and resolve other liabilities at a cost of more than $8 mil-lion at the Leviathan Mine Superfund Site in Alpine County, Calif., near the Califor-nia-Nevada border. Under the settlement, ARC will treat acid mine drainage for 5 years -- at a cost the EPA estimates at $5.6 million. In addi-tion, the company will reimburse the EPA for $1.7 million in past cleanup costs, pay $90,000 in penalties for failing to comply with an EPA order issued in 2000, and spend $400,000 on a riparian restoration project at the River Fork Ranch on the Carson River, near Genoa, Nev. "Today's agreement addresses the most significant pollution from the mine and protects Leviathan Creek until a long-term cleanup strategy is in place," said Keith Takata, the Superfund Division director the EPA's Pacific Southwest re-gion. "This settlement makes sure that the company that caused the pollution pays for the cleanup and restores vital habitat downstream from the site." Until a final cleanup plan is developed, seasonal treatment of acid mine drainage is necessary to prevent untreated releases of elevated concentrations of metals and metalloids, most notably arsenic, as well as iron, aluminum, chromium, cobalt, copper, nickel and zinc. There are several releases of acid mine drainage at the site

that have the potential to impact Levia-than Creek. When a release from the site occurs, it can flow into the Leviathan Creek/Bryant Creek watershed, which drains into the East Fork of the Carson River -- a major source of water and a habitat for fish. Under EPA oversight, the company will treat acid mine drainage from several sources at the mine from June 1 to Sep-tember 30. The treatment season will be extended before the final cleanup is se-lected, if conditions at this remote moun-tain site allow safe access and operation. Because the site lacks paved roads and power lines, winter treatment of most seeps will not be accomplished through interim actions, although cutting edge biological treatment technology will con-tinue to treat one of the seeps at the site through the winter. Today's settlement complements a sepa-rate EPA order issued in June 2008 re-quiring ARC to investigate long-term cleanup methods for the site, which the EPA will select. Afterwards, the agency anticipates that ARC, the state of Califor-nia, the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, and other stakeholders will enter into negotiations to implement final cleanup by 2013 and address other out-standing issues at the site. The settlement also resolves the EPA's claims that ARC violated a 2000 order when it released untreated acid mine drainage for nine days in the summer of 2006 and failed to build a year-round treatment system that the EPA had re-

Atlantic Richfield agrees to $8 million settlement for cleanup at Leviathan Mine Superfund Site Settlement includes $400,000 riparian restoration project along Carson River:


health screenings. Emergency actions to take following a mercury spill: - Keep people away from mercury liquid to reduce exposure to vapors and to avoid cross contamination by walking in, or through, the liquid. - Wash with soap and water. Remove clothes that have been contaminated and place them in a plastic bag for disposal. What Never to Do with a Mercury Spill: - Never use a vacuum cleaner to clean up mercury. The vacuum will put mercury into the air and increase exposure. - Never use a broom to clean up mercury. It will break the mercury into smaller droplets and spread them. - Never pour mercury down a drain. It may lodge in the plumbing and cause future problems during plumbing repairs. If discharged, it can cause pollution of the septic tank or sewage treatment plant. For more information on the web please visit: http://www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/index.htm or http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html . If you are a member of the media seeking further information, please contact any of the following contacts: - David Groesbeck, Superintendent, Ca-lexico Unified School District, at (760) 768-3888 x-3008 - Imperial County Public Health Informa-tion Officer (760) 482-4461 - U.S. EPA Media Contact Mary Simms, (415) 947-4270, [email protected] - California Department of Toxic Sub-stances Control Chief of Public Affairs, Carol Northrup, (510) 407-4817 Parents may call Imperial County Envi-ronmental Health at (760) 336-8530 if they have particular questions about the response to this incident. If your son or daughter has any of the symptoms de-scribed above, please contact your health-care provider for further evaluation.

Public Health Officials Declare it Safe for Campus Operations to Resume Following a temporary school closure, students at Calexico High School returned to campus today after Imperial County public health officials declared it was safe. Emergency responders from the U.S. En-vironmental Protection Agency, Califor-nia’s Department of Toxic Substances Control, and the Imperial County Public Health Department have been working together to investigate and assess mercury exposure that may have resulted from a January 29 mercury spill at Calexico High School in Calexico, California. Emergency responders surveyed the en-tire campus yesterday and found 12 rooms with elevated detection readings for mercury. Mercury was also found outside of the classrooms in three quad/transition areas. These areas will be fenced off and dusting sulfur has been applied to stabilize the material. An ‘action level’ is an indoor air concen-tration of mercury vapor which prompts a response by public health and environ-mental officials. The EPA’s action level for mercury is 1,000 parts per tril-lion. Hazardous waste experts have found readings on campus above the EPA’s action level, and are taking steps to protect the public. During the ongoing investigation, federal, state and local officials will continue to work together with the Imperial County Public Health Department and school officials to ensure that students and fac-ulty are protected. Air monitoring is be-ing done to ensure that people are not exposed to traces of mercury vapor. An in-depth investigation of the site will determine whether the mercury contami-nation was limited to those in the immedi-ate vicinity of the campus. The EPA, DTSC and a private contractor are con-ducting air monitoring at the campus and also at 20 – 40 residences. The final investigation and cleanup is expected to take 3-5 days to complete. Background

On January 29, students at Calexico High School were handling a blood pressure cuff which burst, causing a mercury spill. Approximately two tablespoons of mercury were released during the spill. School officials were unaware of the incident until the mercury spill was reported late Friday, January 30. School district officials acted quickly to notify city officials and the Imperial County Public Health Department on Monday, February 2, and emergency response pro-cedures were immediately initiated. After consulting with Imperial County Public Health Department staff and the U.S. EPA, the local health officer and the Superintendent made the decision to tem-porarily close Calexico High School yes-terday. This was done as a precautionary measure against potential health hazards, and to protect students and staff. Parents were notified on February 3 to not send students to school until further notice. Elemental mercury is a shiny, silvery metal that is liquid at room tempera-ture. It’s often found in thermometers, barometers, thermostats, electrical switches, and science labs. When dropped, it can break into smaller droplets that can migrate into cracks and crevices, and become attached to shoes, clothing or skin. Mercury can cause serious health effects, especially for young children, when its vapor is breathed, or when it comes into contact with skin. Symptoms Mercury exposure can harm the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune sys-tem. Symptoms can start within a few hours of exposure and could include weakness, chills, a metallic taste, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, head-ache, tremors and visual distur-bances. Other symptoms include short-ness of breath, cough, chest tightness, irritability and mood changes, delirium, insomnia, loss of appetite and respiratory diseases. Parents of children who may have been exposed to toxic elemental mercury are strongly urged to contact their medical provider so that their children can receive

Classes Resume at Calexico High School Following Mercury Spill:

Caterpillar spokeswoman Kate Kenny said the tank, which holds oil and water runoff, overflowed when a mechanical pump failed to shut off. "Everything's being investigated now and we want to determine why that happened so it won't happen again," she said. To read the entire article go to: http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/1421741,6_1_NA10_SPILL_S1.article

By BRIAN STANLEY [email protected] JOLIET TOWNSHIP -- The Environ-mental Protection Agency has determined approximately nine miles of the Des Plaines River was affected by Sunday's oil leak at the Caterpillar plant. "We had the helicopter out this morning and ... reassessed the area of impact from three to nine miles," EPA spokesman Jim Mitchell said. Mitchell and Coast Guard Cmdr. Paul Mehler both noted the spill has had mini-mal impact on the shoreline.

"It's always a concern for the wildlife but we have no reports of any (dead ani-mals)," Mehler said at a press briefing. The Coast Guard closed the river to boat traffic so environmental officials could examine the shoreline with agents from the Department of Natural Resources and Fish and Wildlife Service. Mehler said seen from the air Monday morning, the oil on the river appeared to be a "light sheening" in small pockets. "It's not pooled up on the shoreline like you might expect," he said, "(but) there's light oil and wind, so it is moving."

Caterpillar oil spill extends for nine miles in river:

and the recent construction of a cap over 42,000 tons of lead waste. The Metales y Derivados property is now owned by the state of Baja California as a result of the cleanup and land-transfer agreement established in 2004 between the federal and state governments. Baja California is exploring reuse options, in-cluding the installation of solar panels to power local industry and a state environ-mental testing lab. Lead poisoning symptoms include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, headache, joint or muscle aches, and anemia. Long term overexposure to lead may result in severe damage to the nervous, urinary, and reproductive systems. The Border 2012 U.S.-Mexico Environ-mental Program is a results-driven, bot-toms-up binational program that works to protect the environment and public health in the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border region. For additional information see: http://www.epa.gov/Border2012/

Contact: Francisco Arcaute, (213) 244-1815, cell (213) 798-1404, [email protected] Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency joined Mexico’s environmental ministry, SEMARNAT, to celebrate the cleanup of Metales y Derivados, a former Tijuana lead smelter that was abandoned with over 42,000 tons of lead in open pits or buried in drums and sacks, which posed significant public health risks to the residents of nearby Otay Mesa. Joining the EPA and SEMARNAT were representatives from the state of Baja California; the federal enforcement agency, PROFEPA; members of the Colectivo Chilpancingo; Mexican elected officials; and grassroots environmental organizations, including the Environ-mental Health Coalition. “The Metales y Derivados cleanup effort is a model of binational partnership,” said Laura Yoshii, the EPA's acting Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest region. “We’re proud to be part of this joint effort with the Tijuana community

and Mexican officials that has had a posi-tive impact on the lives of the people liv-ing nearby.” "The Environmental Health Coalition and our community action team in Tijuana, the Colectivo Chilpancingo Pro Justicia Ambiental, celebrate this historic accom-plishment for the local community, for cross-border solidarity, and for the U.S. and Mexican governments who worked with the community to achieve the cleanup," said Amelia Simpson, director of the Border Environmental Justice Campaign at Environmental Health Coali-tion. Starting in the late 1980’s, Metales y De-rivados was a U.S.-owned, lead smelting facility. In 1992, the facility was cited by Mexico’s PROFEPA for environmental non-compliance, and in 1994, the site was abandoned by its owner. In 2004, a bina-tional partnership workgroup established as part of the U.S.–Mexico Border 2012 Program implemented a four-phase cleanup plan which included the initial removal of 2,000 tons of high risk wastes

U.S. EPA, Mexican environmental agencies celebrate cleanup of former abandoned lead smelter Over 42,000 tons of dangerous lead contained:


fort to heighten community awareness about this important issue.” The EPA will continue to provide com-munity updates on this issue and will make new information available to the public by posting it on the EPA website, providing fact sheets, and hosting addi-tional public meetings. The EPA successfully conducted coordi-nated community outreach in advance of the public meeting to encourage maxi-mum community participation. More than 130 people participated in the public meeting. Members of the media: If you would like schedule an interview with an EPA sub-ject matter expert please contact Mary Simms at (415) 947-4270, [email protected] . If you are a member of the public inter-ested in receiving further information, please contact Luis Garcia-Bakarich at (415) 972-3237 or email [email protected]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency hosted an informational public meeting last night in Kettleman City to provide an update to the surrounding community regarding the current status of the Chemical Waste Management, Inc. polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) dis-posal permit renewal application. Based on the EPA’s review of public comments and the risk assessment pre-pared by Chemical Waste Management for its California Department of Toxic Substances hazardous waste permit, the EPA is requiring Chemical Waste Man-agement to conduct additional sampling as part of the permitting process. This additional sampling is designed to identify whether congener forms of PCBs are present in air, soil, and vegetation at or near the facility. The site-specific in-vestigation will asses potential human and biological impacts from PCB disposal activities. Last night’s meeting highlighted the sam-pling that will be required to determine an impact to the surrounding commu-

nity. The meeting was conducted in Eng-lish and also featured real-time Spanish translation. “The EPA is committed to using sound science in our decision-making to ensure protection of human health and the envi-ronment,” said Dr. Patrick Wilson, senior toxicologist for EPA’s Pacific Southwest region. This additional sampling data will be used to evaluate whether exposure to these pathways could potentially impact human health and the environment and will pro-vide important information to be consid-ered in the permit process. “We will be steadfast in our commitment to provide for candid and meaningful involvement of the local community dur-ing the PCB sampling and permit proc-ess,” said Enrique Manzanilla, Communi-ties and Ecosystems Division director for the Pacific Southwest Region. “Last night, our EPA experts provided insight into the additional PCB sampling require-ments that the EPA has imposed upon Chemical Waste Management, in an ef-

U.S. EPA Provides Community Update in Kettleman Hills Chemical Waste Management required to conduct additional sampling for PCB permit:

1985 until 2001. The discharges ceased in 2001 after special agents from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency served the Crown Chemical facility with a crimi-nal search warrant. Spain also admitted to lying to federal investigators and telephoning employees before they arrived for work, telling them to lie to investigators about the dis-charges. Contact Waste & Recycling News re-porter Joe Truini at 330-865-6166 or [email protected]

A federal court has sentenced the former president of Crown Chemical Inc. for illegally dumping chemical waste into an Illinois regional sewer system. James E. Spain must pay a $30,000 crimi-nal fine and spend one year in home con-finement, according to the sentence passed down this month by the U.S. Dis-trict Court for the Northern District in Chicago. The court also ordered Spain to spend three years on probation. Spain pled guilty to illegally dumping chemical waste. Crown Chemical, which also pled guilty,

was sentenced to pay a criminal fine of $100,000, spend a year on probation and make a public apology. The company´s manager, Catalino Uy, was sentenced to pay a $5,000 fine and spend two years on probation. In 2006, the federal government charged the company with illegally discharging acidic and caustic wastewater, lying to federal investigators and conspiracy. Spain admitted he showed employees how to discharge untreated wastewater into local sewers and that the illegal dumping occurred for 16 years, from

Crown Chemical president sentenced for illegal dumping:


• Keep any-thing that can catch fire away from the stovetop. Don’t become a cooking fire casualty. Learn the facts about cooking fire safety today!

Fires resulting from cooking continue to be the most common type of fire experi-enced in U.S. households. Cooking fires are also the leading cause of civilian fire injuries in residences. These fires are pre-ventable by simply being more attentive to the use of cooking materials and equip-

ment. Here are some simple tips to ensure fire safe cooking: • Never leave boiling, frying, or broiling food unattended; • Wear short, tight-fitting sleeves when cooking;

Cooking Fires:


LEPC LEPC LEPC CCCORNERORNERORNER

heavily on community policing models and public health philosophies; and we urge the federal government to invert its strategic planning and funding processes, seizing the moment and leveraging the restructuring of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other priorities as opportunities to put commu-nities first. The new Administration has issued a national call to service. This call offers an opportunity to invest in a social infrastructure for homeland security that will bring the American people fully into strengthening their own preparedness.

To view the whole paper go to: http://www.cna.org/documents/Social%20Infrastructure%20for%20Hometown%20Security.pdf

The United States, through a concerted national effort that galvanizes the strengths and capabilities of Federal, State, local, and Tribal governments; the private and non-profit sectors; and re-gions, communities, and individual citi-zens – along with our partners in the in-ternational community – will work to achieve a secure Homeland that sustains our way of life as a free, prosperous, and welcoming America.

-- Vision Statement, 2007 National Strat-egy for Homeland Security1

The Nation’s homeland security strategy calls on federal, state, and local govern-ments, businesses, communities and indi-viduals across the country to work to-gether to achieve a shared vision of a se-cure way of life. Yet, for over seven

years, through attacks, threats, and disas-ters, the core ingredient in efforts to achieve that goal remains elusive.2 The American public has been left out and is largely missing in action.

In this paper we argue that this elusive-ness persists because of a misdiagnosis of the way the American people experience homeland security practices, inappropri-ate application of border screening and verification techniques to domestic public life, and an incomplete strategic prepared-ness framework that relies excessively on top-down federal management. We argue for a new approach that engages the American people in ways that invites their participation in understanding, assessing, and mitigating risk. New community ori-ented techniques are needed that draw

A Social Infrastructure for Hometown Security: Evolving the Homeland Security Paradigm By: Dr. Robert Bach and David J. Kaufman


group members vie for position and struggles erupt over approaches, direction and control; compromise may be necessary to enable pro-gress. Hendrik described norming as when people find common ground and performing is when the group is working and things begin to happen. In order to build successful teams to deal with the problems in a community you need to have the following characteristics as part of an ef-fective team. A meaningful mission must be identified with a clearly defined outcome. An understanding of cultural norms and their impact on commu-nication, problem solving and conflict; a set of shared values that clearly demonstrate dignity and respect; a cultivation of different viewpoints; a willingness to get the job done; loyalty and devotion to the team experience; a desire for individual and collective growth; openness to new experiences and processes; shared laughter and humor as part of the team experience. Hendrik introduced the characteristics of criti-cal thinking to the trainees. Critical thinking helps uncover bias and prejudice. Critical thinking is a path to freedom from half-truths and deceptions. Critical thinking requires the willingness to say, "I don't know." Critical thinkers are: inquisitive with regards to a wide range of issues; concern to become and remain well-informed; alertness to oppor-tunities to use critical thinking; trust in the processes of reasoned inquiry; self-confidence in one's own abilities to reason; open minded-ness regarding divergent world views; flexibil-ity in considering alternatives and opinions; understanding of the opinions of other people; fair mindedness in appraising reasoning; honesty in facing one's own biases, prejudices, stereotypes, or egocentric tenden-cies; prudence in suspending, making or alter-ing judgments, willingness to reconsider and revise views where honest reflection suggest that change is warranted.

Thanks to Timothy Gablehouse

Creating vigilant, prepared and resilient com-munities for homeland security was the topic of training sponsored by the Local Emergency Planning Committee. The training was held at the county building and Richard Hendrik was the trainer. He is a retired police chief from Logan. The training included a lot of hands on exer-cises and collaboration between participants. The trainees were divided into three groups and these groups worked together on the train-ing exercises. The teams were encouraged to look at their involvement as part of whichever community team they represented. Those tak-ing the class were from a variety of commu-nity networks including, Emery County Sher-iff's Office personnel and Emery County Drug Task Force, Emery County Personnel, Rocky Mountain Power representatives from the local power plants; Emery County Ambulance, Southeastern Utah Homeland Security person-nel; Medical Reserves personnel, Logan LDS church emergency preparedness team and the Emery County Progress newspaper. Hendrik said, "As a member of a community team, it is important to be able to work to-gether and understand the stages of group dynamics and team building as you complete your work." Hendrik outlined ground rules as the teams learned to work together. Rules included: be prepared to start and end on time; direct your attention to the front of the room; get everyone involved; respect the opinions of others; be an active and empathetic listener; do not label others; recognize the value of making mistakes. Hendrik assigned the three teams to work on a plan of action for a community problem. They were to brainstorm and identify a problem and possible solutions to the problem. Previous classes Hendrik said had used putting 72 hour kits into the community as their problem other ideas included evacuation plans for communi-ties. Hendrik said all of the plans developed in the training classes are complete action plans and can be accessed at the website. The three teams went to work on their plans. Team one came up with preventing prescrip-tion drug abuse in the community; team two

wanted to establish an information center where all those who provide services can come together to disseminate information; team three wanted to prevent the spread of flu and other diseases through appropriate hand washing techniques to be employed beginning in the elementary schools. Hendrik said if communities become prepared for disaster then they will be prepared for all types of disaster; if you are prepared then you are prepared for whatever situation might arise. Events of national significance included: hurricanes, wildfires, chemical spills disease control, riots, major sporting events, political events and rallies. Hendrik said with the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 homeland security changed. Their goals and objectives include: The dramatic and far reaching impact of terrorism over the past decade has resulted in a re-ordering of priorities and a new commitment to enhanced security at all levels of government across the nation. In the aftermath of these unprece-dented events within the United States and across the globe, the nation must continue to enhance its national all-hazards preparedness. The participants listed hazards that are a par-ticular concern for the Emery County area: coal mines, power plants, railroad, Interstate 70, weather related events, mud slides, snow, earth quakes, dams along fault lines and fires. Hendrik introduced the students to problem based learning and doing things with specific intent. There are five basic steps in problem based learning, these include: ideas, known facts, learning issues, action plan and evalua-tion. Hendrik said as new groups form and people come together and meet each other various things take place. The leader will direct and there is little agreement on group goals and purposes and individual roles and responsibili-ties are unclear. Communication is low when groups are forming. Hendrik said storming comes in as people struggle through the discomfort of being part of a new group. The group leader coaches,

Creating vigilant communities for homeland security - LEPC activities in Utah: By Patsy Stoddard


in the event of a terrorist act, for example, can help reduce some of these fears among the physically disabled. "Terrorism-related fears and avoidant behavior can be considered part of the 'disaster burden' - the amount of adverse health effects ranging from loss of well-being or security to injury, illness or death caused by a disaster associated with terrorism and national terrorism policies," the researchers con-clude. "The disaster burden associated with terrorism and consequent policies may fall disproportionately on the vulner-able groups we studied." In addition to Eisenman, study research-ers included Michael Ong, Qiong Zhou and Chi-Hong Tseng of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; Steve Asch of the Geffen School of Medicine, the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System and the RAND Corp.; Deborah Glik of the UCLA School of Public Health; Jonathan Fielding of the UCLA School of Public Health and the Los Angeles County Department of Pub-lic Health; and Anna Long of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Grants from the Centers for Disease Con-trol and Prevention funded the study.

Research has shown that certain margin-alized groups - including the mentally ill, the disabled and ethnic minorities such as African Americans and Latinos - fare worse than others in the aftermath of natural disasters, suffering disproportion-ate impoverishment, injuries and fatali-ties. Now, a new study by UCLA researchers and colleagues has found that they also experience greater terrorism-related fears and make more behavioral changes based on those fears - such as avoiding certain activities - than others. These groups also tend to overestimate the threat of terrorism, perceiving the risk as high even when the Homeland Security Advisory System's (HSAS) color-coded alert system rates it lower. "Just like natural disasters have been shown to affect certain groups of people more than others, we're now seeing evi-dence that terrorism fears are having a disproportionate effect on some of our most vulnerable groups," said leady study author David P. Eisen-man, assistant professor of medicine in the division of general internal medicine and health services research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "It's important for the public to know this because it shows that terrorism's intention to induce fear and change does work - on the most vulnerable. Terrorism affects

these groups even when there has not been an event in a long time. "It also shows," he added, "that the HSAS color-coding is misjudged by citizens, and the same persons who have the most fear and avoid activities are also misjudging it." The findings are based on random-digit dial surveys conducted in six languages in Los Angeles County between October 2004 and January 2005. Respondents were asked the color of the country's alert level at that time, as well as how often they worried about terrorist attacks and how often they avoided activities because of those fears. Researchers found that the mentally ill, the disabled, African Americans, Latinos, Chinese Americans, Korean Americans and non-U.S. citizens were likelier to think the HSAS alert level was higher than it was, and to worry more and change their behavior due to those fears. These findings present evidence that the structure of the HSAS alerts need to be reevaluated - in part to ensure that terror-ism alerts better reach these vulnerable populations, Eisenman said. Also, vulner-able groups need assistance to help them reduce their fears and avoidance. Ensur-ing that structures can be safely evacuated

Disabled and Other Vulnerable Groups More Susceptible To Terrorism Fears:

The new simulation center now supports basic training and exercises. Eventually, the center will offer realistic incident sce-narios, 24-hour simulation exercises, modeling and planning support, mock-media capabilities, and real world coordi-nation activities. Thanks to Timothy R Gablehouse

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has stretched its exercise capaci-ties with the opening of the National Ex-ercise Simulation Center on January 12. The center, which was mandated as part of the Post-Katrina Emergency Manage-ment Reform Act, will offer virtual and live all-hazard preparedness and response simulations. The center is key to creating a Federal

Coordination Center at FEMA headquar-ters, according to a FEMA press release (http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=47279 ). Other pieces of the effort include the Disaster Operations Directorate and National Re-sponse Coordination Center. When fully functional, FEMA will provide coordi-nated planning, training, and operational support to emergency officials at the lo-cal, state, regional, and federal levels.

FEMA's New "Sim City" Open for Business:


spection Service. Anyone with information concerning who may be sending these letters is requested to contact the Knoxville FBI Joint Terror-ism Task Force at 865-470-0007 or at www.fbi.gov If you receive a letter, please notify the FBI and your local authorities. Information on how to handle suspicious mail can be found at www.fbi.gov.

Contact: Media Representative Stacie Bohanan (865) 544-3518 On Wednesday January 21, approxi-mately 13 powder-laden envelopes were received at the office of the Wall Street Journal in New York City. The letters reportedly bear a Knoxville, Tennessee postmark. New York City Police Depart-ment's Emergency Services Unit and the FBI responded to the scene and are test-ing the letters to determine whether they contain a hazardous substance. An additional letter was also received

today at Harvard Law School addressed to Alan Dershowitz. This letter was also postmarked Knoxville, Tennessee. "Right now our first priority is the safety of our citizens," said Richard Lambert, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Knoxville. "We take these matters seri-ously and will investigate all leads to de-termine who sent the letters and why." This investigation is being conducted by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces in New York, Boston and Knoxville in part-nership with the United States Postal In-

Suspicious White Powder Letters Postmarked from Knoxville Received in New York and Massachusetts:

color-coding," Eisenman said. "The real issue is that people know they're going to receive less services, that they're going to be more on their own and they're going to be more vulnerable. We need to change that perception." Results were based on random phone surveys conducted with more than 2,500 Los Angeles County residents between October 2004 and January 2005. The study was funded through a grant to the Los Angeles County Department of Pub-lic Health from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thanks to Timothy R Gablehouse.

The Department of Homeland Security's color-coded threat level system is meant to communicate with officials and the public about the nation's safety. Some communities, however, are getting the wrong message, according to a new UCLA study. Published in the January issue of the American Journal of Public Health, the study found that marginalized groups, including people of color and those with physical disabilities, were more likely to overestimate the color-coded system and tended to harbor a higher fear of terror-ism. David P. Eisenman, lead author of the study and an assistant professor of medi-cine at UCLA, said some of the fear had

to do with how Hurricane Katrina was handled. "The memory of the last disaster doesn't go away until the next disaster occurs," Eisenman said. "The perception has been that FEMA and Homeland Security are going to take care of the upper-income neighborhoods before they take care of the lower-income neighborhoods." According to the study, 26.1% of Latinos reported worrying very often or often about terrorism, compared with 14.1% of whites, while 6.7% of African Americans said they often avoided activities because of terrorism concerns, compared with 1.1% of whites. "I wouldn't even say the problem is the

UCLA study finds problems in terror alert system:

American Chemistry Council has been a world leader in the hazmat response com-munity since 1971. CHEMTRECR - The Right Information at the Right Time.

CHEMTRECR - the Chemical Transpor-tation Emergency Center - has created a new training video for the Emergency Response community. To view and download a free copy of CHEMTRECR An Overview for Emergency Responders, visit www.chemtrec.com . CHEM-

TRECR, an emergency responder's first line of defense, is a 24/7/365 emergency call center that provides immediate infor-mation and assistance to anyone, any-where, involved in a hazardous material or dangerous goods incident. CHEM-TRECR is an initiative of the

From the US Fire Service TradeNet:


the property. By law, companies must file updated inventories with local authorities of hazardous chemicals it stores on-site. Source: http://www.bakersfield.com/102/story/671215.html

FBI raids fertilizer facility. FBI agents and local hazardous material crews searched a local fertilizer manufacturing facility on January 22 that was fined in 2007 for not reporting the use of hazard-ous materials. Authorities would not dis-close the reason for the search at Port Organic Products Ltd., located west of

Bakersfield. KGET Channel 17 reported that agents involved wore protective suits and breathing masks to remove items from a building. Boxes were also taken from an office. County records showed Port Organic Products was fined $10,000 by environmental health officials in No-vember 2007 following an inspection of

FBI Raids Fertilizer Facility - California (where else?):

- Revise, distribute, and rehearse emer-gency operations plans for all probable contingencies. - Assure a strong linkage between emer-gency operations plans and continuity of operations plans. - Arrange for regional response options to maximize capabilities. - Coordinate and exercise emergency plans with automatic and mutual aid part-ners. - Guarantee the continued supply of food, fuel, etc., for extended operations. - Incorporate the Incident Command Sys-tem and National Incident Management System into emergency plans, training, and operations. - Acquire an alternative site from which to operate when the primary site has been degraded. Taken from the EMR-ISAC CIP INFOG-RAM.

For over seven years the United States has enjoyed the absence of a major terror-ist attack. Much credit for this belongs to the many public and private organizations that altered their plans, training, and op-erations to prevent and protect against the next man-made disaster. Despite severely restrained resources, these countless enti-ties avoided complacency by continu-ously improving their capabilities to deter or mitigate the catastrophic effects from all hazards. Now that the political conventions, elec-tions, holidays, and inauguration have passed, informal national research indi-cates the potential for growing relaxation at numerous public and private venues throughout the country. The Emergency Management and Response*Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) noted that some localities already reduced protection and resilience meas-ures because of the economic downturn. However, Emergency Services Sector

(ESS) departments and agencies cannot afford to ease preparedness. Contentment with the existing state of preparedness is particularly dangerous and undesirable for emergency managers and their local ESS organizations. To combat complacency, the EMR-ISAC offers the following few suggestions from multiple sources, but articularly from "A Report to Provide an Assessment of Emergency Preparedness in the State of Maryland." http://www.wittassociates.com/6485.xml . - Clarify and delineate lines of authority for each individual and agency responsi-ble for managing disaster response. - Provide clarity for local emergency managers regarding their powers and chain of command. - Ensure leaders are knowledgeable, trained, and capable to manage massive emergencies and successfully perform in all hazards.

Combating Complacency:

centers should be "environmentally safe" and be "capable of being scaled up or down" to accommodate major disasters, says the bill, which currently has no co-sponsors. Source: http://www.gsnmagazine.com/cms/features/news-analysis/1438.html Thanks to Timothy Gablehouse.

Government Security News - Legislation has been submitted in the House that would authorize $360 million over a two-year period to identify and convert six closed military bases across the country into "national emergency centers," ready to provide housing, medical and humani-tarian assistance to individuals who have been dislocated by a major disaster. The emergency centers would house citizens

in times of crisis, provide training to first responders and provide locations to help coordinate the preparedness, response and recovery efforts of both public and private organizations. The emergency centers, as envisioned in the legislation, would con-sist of "a complete operations command center, including 2 state-of-the-art com-mand and control centers that will com-prise a 24/7 operations watch center." The

Proposed US House bill calls for six new national emergency centers at closed military bases:


efforts. Primary Audience This course is intended for government executives, private-sector and nongovern-mental organization (NGO) leaders, and emergency management practitioners. This includes senior elected and ap-pointed leaders, such as Federal depart-ment or agency heads, State Governors, mayors, tribal leaders, and city or county officials – those who have a responsibility to provide for effective response. http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/is/is821.asp Thanks toTimothy R Gablehouse

Course Overview The National Response Framework (NRF) presents the guiding principles that enable all response partners to prepare for and provide a unified national response to disasters and emergencies – from the smallest incident to the largest catastro-phe. As part of the NRF, Support An-nexes describe how Federal departments and agencies, the private sector, volunteer organizations, and nongovernmental or-ganizations (NGOs) coordinate and exe-cute the common support processes and administrative tasks required during an incident. The actions described in the Support Annexes are not limited to par-ticular types of events, but are overarch-

ing in nature and applicable to nearly every type of incident. This course pro-vides an introduction to the Critical Infra-structure and Key Resources (CIKR) Sup-port Annex to the NRF. Course Objectives At the end of this course, students will be able to: - Describe the relationship between the NRF and CIKR prevention, protection, and response and recovery. - Define the role of the Infrastructure Li-aison in supporting coordination with the CIKR sectors and all levels of partners. - Identify the processes defined in the NRF for ensuring that CIKR considera-tions are integrated into incident response

New DHS Course on IS-821 Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources Support Annex:

have cooperated with the investigation, and the CSB team has also been coordi-nating with investigators from Utah OSHA and the South Davis Metro Fire Agency. The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating indus-trial chemical accidents. The agency's board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. CSB investigations look into all aspects of chemical accidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in regulations, industry standards, and safety management sys-tems. The Board does not issue citations or fines but does make safety recommenda-tions to plants, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA. Visit our web-site, www.csb.gov. For more information, contact Director of Public Affairs Dr. Daniel Horowitz, 202-261-7613, cell 202-441-6074 or Hillary Cohen at 202-261-3601, cell 202-577-8448.

Key Areas of Interest Identified; Team to Examine Storage Tank 105 CSB investigators will return tomorrow to the Silver Eagle refinery in Woods Cross, Utah, to continue looking for the causes of the January 12 fire that seriously burned four workers. On the evening of January 12, 2009, a large vapor cloud was released from a petroleum storage tank, known as Tank 105. The cloud was ignited by an as yet undetermined ignition source, causing a massive flash fire. The storage tank con-tinued to burn for a number of hours, until the flames were extinguished by the South Davis Metro Fire Agency and local refinery fire brigades early the following morning. Two refinery operators and two contrac-tors, who were standing in a shed 230-238 feet from the tank, were engulfed by the flame front and suffered serious burns. All four were hospitalized and are now recovering. Tank 105 is an atmospheric storage tank

and was almost full on the night of the accident, containing approximately 440,000 gallons of what the refinery terms 'light naphtha.' The tank is equipped with an interior floating roof and has seven atmospheric vents on the top sides of the exterior roof. 'The CSB team will be examining a re-ported history of releases from the tank and the integrity of the tank seal,' said Investigations Supervisor Don Holm-strom. 'We will also be looking at the operation of the refinery and any recent process changes to determine why highly volatile hydrocarbons were released on January 12.' Mr. Holmstrom said that Tank 105 was receiving up to three differ-ent streams of hydrocarbon liquids from the refinery, including 'light' or low-boiling substances at the time of the inci-dent. CSB investigators were present at the refinery throughout the past two weeks, conducting approximately 30 witness interviews, gathering samples and evi-dence, and examining the accident scene. The staff and management of the refinery

CSB Investigators to Return to Silver Eagle Refinery, Continue Examination of Serious Flash Fire:


spill was contained to the room where the spill occurred because of the teams' proper response time. "Everything after the accident worked the way it was sup-posed to," Galitzer said.

A lab worker was exposed to waste chemicals in an accident in Durland Hall. The worker accidentally mixed some in-compatible waste chemicals together that over-pressurized, and the container ex-ploded, spilling the substance on the worker. Steven Galitzer, K-State director of environmental health and safety, said

the lab worker, whose name has yet to be disclosed, was taken to Mercy Regional Health Center to be examined by a doctor. Galitzer said this is the standard proce-dure for chemical hygiene. The spill was cleaned up by the Manhattan Fire Depart-ment Hazardous-Materials team as well as the K-State in-house hazmat team. The

K-State lab worker exposed to hazardous chemicals: by Tim Schrag

may be safely transported in bulk by tank ship and tank barge. Develop and maintain the regulations containing the minimum car-riage require-ments appro-priate for tank ships and barges.

Report an Oil or Hazardous Material Spill:

The National Response Center (NRC) is the sole federal point of contact for reporting oil and chemical spill inci-dents. Reports can be made online at: http://www.nrc.uscg.mil/nrchp.html or by phone: 1-800-424-8802 or 202-267-2675

Contact the Hazardous Materials Standards Division:

Hazardous Materials Standards Division (CG-5223) U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters (Room 1210) 2100 Second Street, SW Washington, DC 20593 202-372-1401

[email protected]

Under the direction and supervision of the Chief, Office of Operating and Environ-mental Standards (CG-522), the Chief, Hazardous Materials Standards Division (CG-5223) shall:

• Develop and maintain regulations, standards, and industry guidance to pro-mote the safety of life and protection of property and the environment during the marine transportation of hazardous mate-rials.

• Provide expertise and technical sup-port to the Commandant, Coast Guard units, U.S. Governmental agencies, other national governments, industry and the public.

• Prepare national positions and par-ticipate as a United States representative to international forums as necessary and in particular with regard to: the Interna-tional Maritime Organization Subcommit-tee on Bulk Liquids and Gases (BLG), and the Subcommittee on Dangerous Goods, Solid Cargoes and Containers (DSC).

Serve as Executive Director and provide administrative and technical support to the Chemical Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC). • Represent the Coast Guard and par-ticipate in NFPA Marine Chemist Qualifi-cation Board reviewing qualifications of new applicants, recertifying existing ma-

rine chemists, and consider disciplinary actions against marine chemists as appro-priate.

• Represent the Coast Guard on NFPA 59 and 306 Committees as well as the National Academy of Science Transporta-tion Research Board grant projects.

• Recommend, guide and conduct re-search and development as necessary to establish a sound technical basis for regu-lations, policy and guidance related to transportation, storage, and handling of hazardous materials in the marine envi-ronment.

• Coordinate with and support the DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, ABS technical committees, national professional com-mittees, and national and international standards organizations to achieve effec-tive industry standards related to transpor-tation, storage and handling of hazardous materials on vessels and waterfront facili-ties.

Perform oversight of Marine Vapor Con-trol System (VCS) Certifying Entities. • Develop and maintain instructions and guidance for naval architects, marine engineers, and shipbuilders outlining minimum acceptable hazardous material safety standards for vessels.

Classify chemicals to determine which

Hazardous Materials Standards Division (CG-5223):


ing the site. "We're working towards removal of all contaminants from the area," he said. The work is comparable to the removal of petroleum from a spill site, he said. "We would keep on monitoring until we feel comfortable that we've either recov-ered all the material or that it's below any risk to the environment or the residents," he said. Chromium trioxide is a hazardous mate-rial. It's toxic, corrosive and carcinogenic. To date, there has been no sign of the chemical in any of the residential or busi-ness wells that existed at the time of the spill. Monitoring wells that were dug after the spill have found traces of the chemical, that includes two deep-monitoring wells that were dug at the request of residents. "There was some very low levels of hex chromium in those deep-monitoring wells the first few times that we sampled them," Gagnon said. "We think that was due to well develop-ment. It's a common thing that we en-counter for remediation sites and monitor-ing wells we have in place. "When you develop a well, there's poten-tial contamination that you can bring dur-ing the development or drilling of the well. It's not an uncommon thing that occurs."

People who live near the site of an indus-trial chemical spill say they're in talks with their MLA about having the prov-ince buy their properties. Residents who live near Evergreen Park, where 2,700 litres of chromium - an acid based corrosive - was spilled last October, are meeting with Kelly Lamrock this week, and they're telling him how much they think their homes are worth. "If we can't be assured that we have safe water, we would prefer they buy us out so we can go somewhere where we can feel safe," said Elaine Hoyt, one of the home-owners who lives on properties next to Evergreen Park. Hoyt said purchasing homes that are on well water is one of the possibilities being examined by Lamrock. Reached on Monday evening, Lamrock said any talk of a buyout is premature. "At all of these meetings we're looking at a full range of options governments have used in similar situations," said Lamrock, who has already conducted five private meetings with residents. An Oct. 27 advisory that warns against drinking or consuming well water re-mains in place at 10 homes and 20 busi-nesses in the area. The other options being examined include the extension of municipal water services from Fredericton and installation of water

treatment technology for homeowners. The filtration system could be costly, Hoyt said, and the preliminary estimate is that even if the city is willing to extend water services, it's likely to cost about $150,000 per property to connect. Lamrock said they're talking about how the ordeal has affected the lives and fi-nances of the people who own properties next to the site. Hoyt said there appears to be a precedent for the purchase of homes. The province is buying some properties affected by last spring's flooding of the St. John River. Ruth Peterson, one of the residents who lives on Richibucto Road, said she learned during a meeting of neighbours Saturday that many of her neighbours had meetings scheduled Monday with Lam-rock. "They want a price range to buy us out," she said. "I've been here all my life. It's not easy to just pick up and leave." She said the message from the MLA and the Department of Environment is contra-dictory. "We shouldn't worry about the water, but they want to buy us out." A Department of Environment employee contacted Friday was unaware of any discussions about buying homes. Serge Gagnon, regional manager for the department, said it's focused on remediat-

Residents want province to buy them out: By SHAWN BERRY [email protected]

document might be blacked out, but the rest of the information would remain un-classified. The bill was one of several Homeland Security-related bills the House passed February 3. Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gXWjD52LjxBpk5wM6Xf_ajkd c8GwD964EAQO0

Terrorists could be lurking in some American town, but the local sheriff or fire chief might be left in the dark about the threat because he can’t easily access information classified by the Feds in Washington. That scenario could change under legislation passed by the House Tuesday to reduce overclassification of

threat information. The legislation would require the Homeland Security Depart-ment to produce a declassified version of threat information for state and local first responders who do not have the security clearance to view classified material. The measure would also require portion mark-ing, where certain classified parts of a

Congress may open terrorism secrets to local first responders:


according to the Government Account-ability Office. A former FDA deputy commissioner said the FDA does not have enough money to perform its own inspec-tions. But he acknowledges problems with state visits and has urged a dramatic overhaul of federal and state food safety. Some states, such as New York and Flor-ida, earn high praise among food safety experts for conducting professional in-spections. And in some cases, state en-forcement laws give state officials more authority than the FDA’s inspectors have under federal laws. Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gD1-Tezv6lJOz9hwR0I-Vu6zTW7xwD968JD8G0

Agriculture and Food Sector (National) U.S. relies on states for food safety inspections. The U.S. government has increasingly relied on food-safety inspections performed by states, where budgets for inspections in many cases have remained stagnant and where over-burdened officials are trained less than their federal counterparts and perform skimpier reviews, an Associated Press (AP) investigation has found. State inves-tigators performed more than half the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) food inspections in 2007, according to an AP analysis of FDA data. That represents a dramatic rise from a decade ago, when FDA investigators performed three out of four of the Federal Government’s inspec-tions. Increased inspection responsibilities

have not been accompanied by big spend-ing increases in many states responsible for the bulk of the nation’s food produc-tion. The FDA covers some costs for states to perform inspections. But in Pennsylvania and Ohio, for example, each state’s own food safety spending in-creased only slightly since 2003, less than the rate of inflation; in California and Massachusetts, just barely more than in-flation; and in New Jersey, spending has remained about the same. Those are among states with the largest numbers of food-processing plants. The number of federal field food inspectors dropped by more than 400 between 2003 and 2007, according to the FDA’s budget. The num-ber of businesses requiring oversight in-creased by 7,200 between 2003 and 2007,

States responsible for food safety:

information throughout the incident. Subject experts on the responder video expand on CHEMTREC's services, noting that some chemical manufactur-ers send their own personnel to help with response operations. Additionally, CHEMTREC can activate its nation-wide emergency responder contractor network. One expert clarifies that CHEMTREC successfully assists call-ers whose experience ranges from little to no training to those of highly trained hazmat teams. In terms of gauging CHEMTREC's success, its managing director explains that CHEMTREC will be successful when every responder knows the center's telephone number (1-800-424-9300) and takes advantage of its services. The video for emergency responders can be seen at http://www.chemtrec.com/Chemtrec/. Taken from the EMR-ISAC CIP IN-FOGRAM.

Established by the chemical industry in 1971, the Chemical Transportation Emer-gency Center (CHEMTREC®) provides emergency response information to Emer-gency Services Sector (ESS) departments and agencies on a 24x7 basis for incidents involving chemicals and hazardous mate-rials. Recently, CHEMTREC created two videos to explain its services and opera-tions. The Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analy-sis Center (EMR-ISAC) reviewed the videos one targeted to the chemical indus-try, the other to emergency responders for their value in protecting personnel and their critical assets. The video for first responders outlines the process that begins with an initial 911 call, responders' arrival at the incident, the subsequent call to CHEMTREC, and con-tinues by describing the following CHEMTREC services: - A 24x7 communications center with

trained and certified hazmat specialists who have immediate access to a database of more than 30,000 manufacturers, ship-pers, carriers, public organizations, private resources, and an electronic library exceed-ing four million Material Safety Data Sheets. - Call specialists who contact the manufac-turer(s) and shipper(s) of the hazardous material(s) involved in an incident and link instantly with chemists, toxicologists, and medical personnel who are on duty 24x7. - Medical experts who offer advice and emergency medical treatment assistance to ESS personnel on scene, and are available to speak with local receiving medical fa-cilities. - Call-takers who send needed information immediately to responders via phone, fax, or electronic mail, or remain on the phone if responders lack access to alternative communications modes. - A translation service that enables infor-mation to be provided in 170 languages. - Reports that capture and document scene

CHEMTREC:


* The requirement to retain pressure-vacuum test and repair results for two years [6 NYCRR 230.6(c)]. Moskowitz pointed out that PHMSA found that the requirements are not sub-stantively the same as the federal require-ments for marking, maintaining, repair-ing, or testing of a qualified hazardous materials package. The agency also found that federal law does not preempt the New York requirement that a gasoline transport vehicle must be marked, near the US DOT specification plate, with the date on which the tank was last tested for vapor tightness, as this requirement is substantively the same as the federal re-quirement. The NTTC petition, filed more than 10 years ago, was delayed by a need to con-sult with the US Environmental Protec-tion Agency to determine whether the New York marking and recordkeeping requirements are authorized under the Clean Air Act and DOT's efforts to de-velop a uniform marking requirement for cargo tanks. The notice can be seen online http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-1431.htm in the January 23 issue of the Federal Register.

The Pipeline and Hazardous http://phmsa.dot.gov/ Safety Administration (PHMSA) has granted in part the National Tank Truck http://www.tanktruck.org/ Carriers' (NTTC) preemption petition that challenged the New York State Depart-ment of Environmental Conservation's marking and recordkeeping requirements for gasoline transport vehicles, according to information published in the Federal Register January 23. John Conley, NTTC president, and Rich Moskowitz, American Trucking Associa-tions vice-president and regulatory affairs counsel, voiced their support of the PHMSA decision. "This is an important ruling as it rein-forces the principle of preemption by the federal government in the area of devel-oping regulations to govern the safe trans-portation of hazardous materials in the United States," Conley said. "The safe, secure, and efficient transportation of hazardous materials throughout the coun-try requires a consistent regulatory re-gime. We cannot have every political jurisdiction developing its own hazardous materials regulations. "This would result in confusion, delay and, inevitably, non-compliance. The tank truck industry and the economy it sup-

ports are well served by the concept of federal preemption, and this ruling force-fully upholds that concept. National Tank Truck Carriers appreciates the strong sup-port we received in this petition from other transportation modes, all of which are served by the decision." Moskowitz seconded Conley's comments, adding: "We are pleased with the out-come of this preemption determination. The Department of Transportation's (DOT) preemption process helps maintain uniform hazmat transportation regulations across the United States. Most motor car-riers operate in many different jurisdic-tions. Unique local marking and record-keeping requirements, such as the ones preempted in New York, confound a mo-tor carrier's ability to operate in compli-ance." PHMSA ruled that the federal hazardous materials transportation law preempts the following New York regulations: * The NY marking requirement that specifies "NYS DEC" appear in two inch type near the U.S. DOT certification plate [6 NYCRR 230.4(a)(3). * The recordkeeping requirement to maintain a copy of the most recent pres-sure-vacuum test results with the trans-port vehicle [6 NYCRR 230.6(b)].

PHMSA grants NTTC petition to preempt NY hazmat regulation:

were called in early on Monday. The silo was emptied during an almost five-hour-long rescue operation, but the man was found dead. An inquest docket was opened. - Sapa

An employee of pet food manufacturer Epol died after he fell into a silo full of the food in Pretoria West on Monday, police said. Captain Dumisani Ndlazi said the 27-year-old man slipped and fell into the silo,

which was three-quarters full, on Monday morning while conducting his duties. He died of suffocation. Pretoria fire and emergency services spokesperson Johan Pieterse said they

Man dies after fall into pet food silo:


In support of the Secretary’s Rural Ini-tiative, the HMEP grants program will: - Help re-establish Local Emergency Planning Committees in rural commu-nities. - Identify rural hazmat challenges: PHMSA, working in partnership with the USFA and emergency response organizations, will help volunteer emer-gency responders plan and train for hazmat transportation incidents. - Develop curriculum and technical assistance programs: Working with other federal agencies, including the USFA National Fire Academy, PHMSA will help develop innovative new curricula and technical assistance programs that specifically target improving rural com-munity hazmat planning and response capabilities. All 50 states, three U.S. territories, and many North American tribes received funding this year.

Thanks to Timothy Gablehouse.

Congresswoman Corrine Brown of the 3rd

District of Florida announced November 10 that $774,750 in hazardous materials (hazmat) training funding for the state of Florida would be available for use by first responders. Flanked by fire fighters at the Jacksonville Fire Training Academy, Representative Brown, Chair of the House Transportation Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Mate-rials, stated that these grants are of ex-treme importance, not only for the City of Jacksonville, but to cities nationwide. Putting national focus on a local prob-lem, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materi-als Safety Administration (PHMSA) ad-vanced the Secretary of Transportation’s Rural Initiative with the issuance of grants totaling $21.1 million to states, territories and Native American tribes for planning and training to improve the na-tion’s re-sponse to both rural and urban hazmat transportation incidents. The grants will help train first responders to react to in-cidents involving hazmat and to meet the safety challenges posed by new chemicals and alternative energy products such as ethanol.

“This hazmat grants program enhances the foundation of local emergency response capabilities and serves a vital role in a comprehensive hazmat safety program,” PHMSA Administrator Carl T. Johnson said. “Although prevention is our first pri-ority, preparing communities to respond safely and effectively to those incidents that do occur provides impor-tant protec-tion to all Americans.” The PHMSA grants are funded by user fees paid by shippers and carriers of certain hazardous materials. Since 1993, over 2.2 million emergency responders and others have received train-ing assistance nationwide using Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) grants. According to United States Fire Admini-stration (USFA) statistics, there are ap-proximately 824,000 volunteer fire fight-ers, many of whom are rural hazmat re-sponders. USFA estimates that as many as 80 percent of rural fire service hazmat re-sponders are not trained to the minimum hazmat operations level.

DOT Grants $21.1M to First Responders, Emergency Workers to Im-prove Hazardous Materials Planning and Training:

Omaha Fire and Rescue responded to the Durham Science Center.

After the student was safely in the hands of emergency medical technicians, Car-roll said he began to clean up the acid spill out of concern that the sulfuric acid and the water from the emergency shower would find a hole in the floor and trickle downstairs.

To read the whole article go to: http://media.www.unogateway.com/media/storage/paper968/news/2009/01/30/News/Sulfuric.Acid.Spill.Causes.Scare-3606519.shtml

A UNO undergraduate student picked up a 10-pound bottle of sulfuric acid late Monday night as she prepared to dilute the acid for classroom laboratory experi-ments.

It was then that the bottom of the bottle broke off, perhaps due to an impurity in the container, and spilled the acid all over the counter where the student was work-ing, said James Carroll, chair of the De-partment of Chemistry.

"She almost immediately realized the severity of the problem," Carroll said.

The student rushed across the hall to the classroom where Carroll was teaching a

general chemistry laboratory section. She then clearly explained the problem, and Carroll took immediate action.

Sulfuric acid, H2SO4, is an extremely corrosive, colorless, odorless liquid com-monly used in lead-acid car batteries among many other industrial applications.

After assessing the situation, Carroll took the student to an emergency shower in the laboratory and held her under the cold water while using sodium bicarbonate - baking soda - to neutralize the acid.

Campus Security arrived quickly, Carroll said, and a student in his class called emergency services. Minutes later,

Sulfuric acid spill causes scare:

The "Health and Wellness Guide" demon-strates ways to overcome these obstacles, and provides direction for developing and implementing a department program. It also highlights several existing health and wellness programs and how they have maintained their success over time. Origi-nally released in 1992 and updated sev-eral times, the 2009 version includes new information and resources to help depart-ments ensure the health and well-being of their members. The "Health and Wellness Guide for the Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services" also provides the most current informa-tion on how volunteer fire departments can enhance compliance with appropriate National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Firefighter Health and Safety Standards such as NFPA Standard 1583 - "Health Related Fitness Programs for Fire Fighters". For more information on all USFA pro-grams and activities, visit the USFA Web site http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/index.shtm .

Emmitsburg, MD - The U.S. Fire Ad-ministration (USFA), working with the National Volunteer Fire Council http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/goodbye.jsp?url=http://www.nvfc.org/ (NVFC), has issued a revised Health and Wellness Guide for the Volunteer Fire and Emer-gency Services http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa_321.pdf (PDF, 2.1 Mb, Adobe Acrobat PDF Help http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/help/pdf.shtm ). The "Health and Wellness Guide" now provides updated information on health and wellness issues, trends, and programs focused on the needs of the volunteer fire service. The document addresses fitness including aerobic exercise, flexibility, strength training, diet; smoking cessation; and other areas that will have a positive impact on volunteer firefighters. "This partnership to improve the health and wellness of the volunteer fire service will support reducing the primary cause of on-duty deaths in the volunteer fire service - heart attack and stress," said Acting Assistant Administrator Dr. Denis Onieal. "Effective health and wellness programs will also be expected to contrib-

ute to operational effectiveness of volun-teer fire departments as well as serve as a valuable retention and recruitment instru-ment." The prevalence of cardiovascular illness and deaths and work-inhibiting strains and sprains among firefighters illustrates the need for a comprehensive health and wellness program in every department. Yet department leaders often struggle to implement a program due to a variety of reasons, including resistance or lack of motivation from members, the costs asso-ciated with implementing a program, and the lack of well-defined requirements. "With heart attack, overexertion, and strain causing more firefighter deaths and injuries than any other cause, it is criti-cally important for departments and per-sonnel to focus on health and wellness," said NVFC Chairman Philip C. Stittle-burg. "The NVFC is pleased to partner with the USFA to create a guide to help departments develop life-saving health and wellness initiatives and overcome the obstacles to a successful program."

USFA and NVFC Release Updated Health and Wellness Guide for the Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services:


ally is happening, there's already some-thing in place to help protect them and keep them safe.” More than 2,000 students at the univer-sity receive basic supplies, like a gen-erator, goggles, fire extinguisher, port-able lights and two-way radios. The students also receive training in at least some of the following courses: basic preparedness, fire suppression, light search and rescue, disaster first aid, disaster mental health, radio communi-cations and incident command systems. To read the full article, click here: http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/615787

Berkeley, California is not settling for simply responding to an earthquake after the fact. Instead, city officials are teaming up with the University of California, Berkeley, to train students in disaster re-sponse. In an article on the Emergency Manage-ment website, Jessica Jones says the city is retrofitting fire stations, historic build-ings and landmarks to meet earthquake safety standards, and offering tax breaks to homeowners who do the same, as well as giving the university students special training in disaster response and equip-ping them with the supplies that are nec-essary to help. “If you look at the greater good - espe-cially if you live in a community that is subject to fires, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis - you have to have a plan in advance,” Gil Dong, deputy fire

chief of the Berkeley Fire Department, told Jones. What’s the point of training students, though? Jones says the idea is that by train-ing the students, more people will be there to help when an earthquake occurs. “For some people who don't know how to take care of themselves in disaster situa-tions, there will be people who know what to do,” Bradley Kerr, a junior at Cal who is majoring in environmental science and the Interfraternity Council (IFC) vice president of risk management, told Jones. “For the majority of the populace that doesn't take the time and wouldn’t even consider that an earthquake might happen until it actu-

California Students Being Trained in Disaster Response:

However, these recommendations are currently under review and may change. Please refer to the Anthrax Vaccine Home Page http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/anthrax/default.htm for the most cur-rent recommendations. What is the protocol for anthrax vacci-nation? The primary immunization series consists of five intramuscular injections given at day 0, week 4, months 6, 12, and 18. Following the priming series, annual booster injections of the vaccine are rec-ommended. Are there adverse reactions to the an-thrax vaccine? Mild local reactions occur in 30% of re-cipients and consist of slight tenderness and redness at the injection site. Severe local reactions are infrequent and consist of extensive swelling of the forearm in addition to the local reaction. Systemic reactions occur in fewer than 0.2% of recipients.

Is there a vaccination for anthrax? A protective vaccine has been developed for anthrax; however, it is primarily given to military personnel. Vaccination is rec-ommended only for those at high risk, such as workers in research laboratories that handle anthrax bacteria routinely. The combination of 60 days antibiotics plus 3 doses of vaccine used in post expo-sure prophylaxis are very effective in preventing anthrax disease from occurring after an exposure. Is the anthrax vaccine available to the public? A vaccine has been developed for anthrax that is protective against invasive disease. Inquiries regarding availability of the vaccine should be directed to the manu-facturer, Emergent BioSolutions, Rock-ville, MD. Currently the vaccine is rec-ommended prior to an event or exposure only for populations at high risk of expo-sure to aerosolized B anthracis spores. The Advisory Committee for Immuniza-tion Practices met in October 2008 and revised their recommendations; provi-sional recommendations are currently available through the October 2008 min-

utes, posted at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/acip/downloads/min-oct08.pdf . CDC and academic partners are continuing to support the development of the next generation of anthrax vac-cines. Who should be vaccinated against an-thrax? The Advisory Committee on Immuniza-tion Practices (ACIP) has recommended anthrax vaccination for the following groups: - Persons who work directly with the or-ganism in the laboratory. - Persons who work with imported animal hides or furs in areas where standards are insufficient to prevent exposure to an-thrax spores. - Persons who handle potentially infected animal products in high-incidence areas; while incidence is low in the United States, veterinarians who travel to work in other countries where incidence is higher should consider being vaccinated. - Military personnel deployed to areas with high risk for exposure to the organ-ism.

Anthrax Q & A: Vaccination

* Except for Gasohol with not more than 20% ethanol, effective compliance date for HM-218D proper shipping names and IDs is Octo-ber 1, 2008. For Gasohol with not more than 20% ethanol, the proper shipping name and ID number, Gasohol, (gasoline mixed with ethyl alcohol, with not more than 20 percent alcohol), NA 1203 may be used for US shipments only, until October 1, 2010. Alcohols, Ethanol, and gasoline/ethanol fuel blends containing more than 10% alcohol are not considered petroleum dis-tillate products when determining proper markings for shipments. Thanks to Timothy Gablehouse.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is alert-ing shippers and carriers of the proper shipping names and identification num-bers (ID) for fuel blends composed of ethanol and gasoline, as published in Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 171-180 (HMR). The following chart is provided as guid-ance in identifying proper shipping names and identification numbers for Ethanol, Gasoline, and gasoline/ethanol fuel blends. Voluntary compliance began January 28, 2008.

Proper Shipping Name and ID* Etha-nol Concentrations

Gasohol, NA 1203 E1 thru E10

Gasoline, UN 1203 E1 thru E10

Ethanol and Gasoline Mixtures, UN 3475 E11 thru E99

Denatured Alcohol, NA 1987 E95 thru E99

Alcohols, n.o.s, UN 1987 E95 thru E99

Ethanol or Ethyl alcohol, UN 1170 E100

Placarding for E 10 --- E 100 Fuels:



disconnect.” O.K…. fine… but that was never mentioned during the inspection. So I contested it and OSHA agreed; the citation and fine were dismissed. While I had OSHA on the phone I ask what the lab results were on the “Dust” they collected? The results of our “Dust” were negative. I guess that’s why I was cited on the drum. I still cannot believe that is the end of that dreaded inspection… but it is!! Also, just to let you know...we had an EPCRA inspection about the same time as the OSHA inspection. We figure we're doing okay in that arena consider-ing we received compliments from the inspectors on our program and docu-mentation. Our sincere thanks go out to the Gate-keeper Newsletter, The Gila River In-dian Community’s Chemical-Tribal Emergency Response Commission (C-TERC), Hal Berkowitz with ASU Poly-technic Campus For the EPA, OSHA Seminars and Environmental Resource Center (Regulation of the Day). Their information was timely, pertinent and valuable. It helped us to prepare for our inspection. It can help you to!!

Please do review my article in the Octo-ber, 2008 Gatekeeper. This short article shares more of the ‘experience!’ Before the inspector left I was notified that there is only one certified lab that can do the tests on the dust, and with 700 in-spectors out in the field we knew the re-sults would take awhile. The inspector pretty much insinuated that if the lab re-sults for the dust came back positive there would be numerous citations issued, be-cause of the type of electrical panels, out-lets and the type of electric forklift (Type “E”) we have in that area. (He took pic-tures of everything.) The inspector also cited the standards that would apply to the Combustible Dust Inspection: CPL 03-00-008, 29CFR1910.22 and 29 CFR1910.176(C). He told me that we would have a debrief-ing meeting when the results came back from the lab. So the next day I read and reread every standard the inspector cited to see how they would apply to this facility. One standard talks about the accumulation thickness (the thickness cited is about the thickness of a paper clip - 1/32 of an inch) of the dust on the rafters, floors etc.; it also states that the accumulated dust must be that thick in over 5% of the area of the

given room, including overhead beams, joists, ducts, tops of equipment and other surfaces. So, after reading and applying the knowl-edge I obtained, I realized that even if our dust is combustible, the standards did not apply in our case. We have a written, ‘House Cleaning and Material Storage Program’ in place and our personnel are trained on it annually. We do not allow any dust to accumulate in our powder room, and we sweep up at the end of each shift. We run 3 shifts a day 5 days a week. So how can OSHA cite me for a hazard that does not exist in our facility? All right… here we are… a brand new year and still no word from OSHA on the “Combustible Dust Inspection.” To me that was great because, I have learned a long time ago that when it comes to an OSHA or EPA inspection… no news is usually good news. But I also know my luck, and as I ex-pected… the certified letter came. I thought to myself, “O.K. here we go; let’s see what kind of citations are going to be issued.” So I opened the certified letter and it contained one citation and notice of a fine! “55 gallon drum blocking an electrical

ASHES TO ASHES; DUST TO DUST!! (The sequel - by Paul Coleman, Chem.-Processing Manager, Triumph Engines-Tempe) OSHA’S Combustible Dust, National Emphasis Program (NEP).

IIINDUSTRYNDUSTRYNDUSTRY CORNERCORNERCORNER

"It has become too easy for these types of facilities to flout both state and federal environmental laws, unfairly benefiting those that shirk their social and environ-mental responsibilities," said Karen Schapiro, executive director of Midwest Environmental Advocates. E-mail Waste News reporter Joe Truini at [email protected]

A Midwest environmental law center has filed two notices of intent to sue Wiscon-sin ethanol makers for alleged clean water violations. Midwest Environmental Advocates is giving Utica Energy LLC in Oshkosh, Wis., and Didion Milling Inc.´s Cambria, Wis., ethanol facility 60 days from its Feb. 4 notices to address their concerns. The group claims the two companies have

combined for more than 4,994 docu-mented violations of the federal Clean Water Act. Midwest Environmental Ad-vocates filed the intent to sue on behalf of the Clean Water Action Council and pri-vate citizens in Cambria. The notices allege the companies´ ethanol plants are illegally discharging chlorine, zinc, phosphorus and other pollutants into local waters.

Group threatens to sue Wis. ethanol plants over violations:

TRIBAL CORNER


Date: March 19, 2009 Location: Hoopa Valley Tribal Offices Neighborhood Facility Highway 96 Hoopa, California 95546 Host Agency: Hoopa Valley Tribe Hoopa Office of Emergency Services Register online at www.westernrcpi.com or fax or mail registrations to: Western Community Policing Institute/Western Oregon University 345 N. Monmouth Avenue, Monmouth, Oregon 97361 PH: 503-751-4001 FAX: 503-751-4009 Classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants are encour-aged to attend with a team of individu-als representing their community/region. Registrations must be received by March 12, 2009.

Historical events, such as 9/11 or Hurri-cane Katrina suggest that when the United States is confronted with a terrorist attack or with a major disaster, either natural or man-made, that event usually impacts multiple jurisdictions within a given re-gion. Therefore, a regional approach to homeland security is needed to prepare for future emergencies. Regional Collaboration & Tribal Partner-ships is designed to develop the tribal and non-tribal collaborative partnerships nec-essary to create, expand, and sustain homeland security regionalization initia-tives. Course content incorporates ele-ments of an existing successful regionali-zation initiative model. Topics include an overview of capabilities-based planning; homeland security policies and proce-dures; existing resources; and start-up policies and procedures, including devel-

oping strategic plans, timelines, MOUs, organization structure and modus operandi documents, bylaws, and research tools. This course is open to all tribal and non-tribal community leaders and individuals representing offices of homeland security, public safety programs, law enforcement, governmental and non-governmental or-ganizations, schools and post-secondary educational institutions, social service pro-grams, tribal and non-tribal business enti-ties, private sector corporations, and medi-cal organizations. This course includes lively interactive discussions, hands-on activities, valuable take-home resources, and continued learning opportunities. Those who attend this course serve as rep-resentatives for their communities for the development of a subsequent workshop-based course, Next Steps to Regionaliza-tion.

No-Cost Training Announcement Regional Collaboration & Tribal Partnerships:

Tribal Program Link: http://www.epa.gov/region09/indian

Tribal Program Newsletter: http://www.epa.gov/region09/indian/newslet.html

Governor's Tribal Community Outreach: Visit: http://azgovernor.gov/eop/TribalOutreach.asp for agency contact information.

Tribal news: http://www.navajohopiobserver.com/

USDA United States Department of Agriculture CSREES Tribal Colleges Extension Program Grant http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=45385

USDOJ - United States Department of Justice, Community Oriented Policing Services COPS Tribal Resources Grant Program Grant http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=45410

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LET’S HEAR FROM YOU! Send us your inputs and feedback on the newsletter; including, exercises and other LEPC related activities in which

you've been involved. Let us know what you’d like to see in future editions. Talk to us! We appreciate your input and look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Mark Howard

Commercial products and services are mentioned for informational purposes only and should not be construed as AZSERC endorsements.

UPCOMING EVENTS: soft Word Save The Date Reminder Adobe Acro-bat Reader .pdf file NASTTPO Home Page For more information visit: http://www.nasttpo.org/2009/Convention09.htm

• April 20-24, 2009 - 21st ANNUAL NASTTPO CONFERENCE AND HMEP GRANTS ASSISTANCE WORKSHOP Held at: Boise, Idaho Doubletree Hotel 2900 Chinden Blvd. Boise/Riverside, ID 83714

Telephone: 208-343-1871 Fax: 208-331-4994 Doubletree Hotel Boise-Riverside Web Site Links to: NASTTPO Conference Draft Agenda Adobe Acrobat Reader .pdf file Conference Registration Form Micro-

The AZSERC was established by Arizona Law (Arizona Revised Statutes-Title 26, Chapter 2, Article 3) and is tasked with the implementation of the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPRCA) in Arizona. This Commission oversees 15 Local Emergency Planning Committees and sup-ports community, industry and government and academia in: planning, release and incident reporting, data management guid-ance for inventory reporting, public disclo-sure of information about hazardous chemi-cals in Arizona as well as development of training and outreach programs. The Commission supports individual agency goals and objectives. This is accom-

plished through the receipt and coordination of emergency notifications of chemical re-leases, collection and provision of chemical inventory information to interested parties, training and grants programs. Additionally, the AZSERC provides con-sultative services, conducts and participates in workshops and coordinates development and review of plans and programs for 15 Local Emergency Planning Committees. Further, the AZSERC serves as a state clearinghouse for hazardous chemical emer-gency preparedness and planning activities and information through coordination with federal, tribal, state, local governments, industry and community interest groups.

ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION

ARIZONA EMERGENCY RESPONSE COMMISSION 5636 E. MCDOWELL ROAD PHOENIX, AZ 85008-3495

PHONE: (602) 231-6346 FAX: (602) 392-7519

Visit us on the web:www.azserc.org AZSERC STAFF Mark Howard Executive Director Roger Soden HAZMAT Program Coordinator Richard Eaton Web Portal/ Technology

Coordinator Paul Culberson Planner II Sylvia Castillo Admin Asst III Chrissy McCullough Admin Asst II

COMMISSIONERS: Lou Trammell ADEM Director (Chair) January Contreras ADHS Acting Director Stephen A. Owens ADEQ Director Victor Mendez ADOT Director Roger Vanderpool ADPS Director DESIGNEES: Mark Howard ADEM Don Herrington ADHS Michael Fulton ADEQ David Denlinger ADPS Sonya Herrera ADOT

ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Corporation Commission - Tom Whitmer Industrial Commission - Darin Perkins State Mine Inspector - Joe Hart State Fire Marshal - Phil Mele Radiation Regulatory Agency - Aubrey Godwin Department of Agriculture - Jack Peterson Arizona Fire Chiefs Association -Chandler FD - John Gardner -Yuma FD - Jack McArthur Asst. State Attorney General - Jeffrey Cantrell Private Sector - Vacant Private Sector - Vacant Intel Corporation - James Wick Riverside Environmental - Bill Embree GATEKEEPER NEWSLETTER: MARK HOWARD – EDITOR IN CHIEF CHRISSY MCCULLOUGH - EDITOR

Arizona Wildflowers

Documents

Gatekeeper Newsletter - Arizona State University · Page 2 Gatekeeper Newsletter information regarding response actions taken, any known or anticipated acute or chronic health risks