RSPA 14-03
Contacts: Joe Delcambre
Thursday, September 25, 2003
Tel.:  (202) 366‑4831

U.S. Department of Transportation Awards $12.8 Million in Hazardous Materials Planning and Training Grants

U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta today announced grants to states, territories and Native American tribes totaling $12.8 million for planning and training to improve response to hazardous materials transportation incidents.

"President Bush supports the men and women who are first to arrive on the scene in an emergency,” said Secretary Mineta.  “RSPA’s grants help our firefighters, police and other first responders protect our citizens by assuring that they are ready to respond to hazardous materials incidents.”

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) made the funds available under the Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) Grants Program.  The HMEP grants support the development of emergency response strategies tailored to regional needs and is funded through registration fees paid by shippers and carriers of certain hazardous materials. 

“The President’s top transportation priority is safety,” said Secretary Mineta.  “RSPA’s grants help our firefighters, police and other first responders protect our citizens by assuring that they are ready to respond to hazardous materials incidents.”

More than 1one million emergency responders, as well as 3,000 local emergency planning committees from across the nation, have received training and support under HMEP since the program began in 1993. 

Other federal agencies participate in the program by assisting DOT in developing hazardous materials curriculum guidelines.  These agencies include the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Departments of Energy, Labor, and Health and Human Services.

The six largest grants were awarded to California, $964,316; Texas, $668,460; Illinois, $612,982; Ohio, $510,751; New York, $470,968; and Florida, $453,407.  See the list below for the fiscal year 2003 grant amounts to states, territories and Native American tribes.

RSPA has public responsibilities to industry and consumers for safe and secure movement of hazardous materials by all transportation modes, including the nation’=s pipelines; rapid response to emergencies by government agencies; training for transportation safety professionals; and applying science and technology to meet national transportation needs.

For additional information, go to the RSPA website http://www.rspa.dot.gov/ (click on HAZMAT Safety) or contact Gordon.Delcambre@rspa.dot.gov.
 

    
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