PA EPA ANNOUNCES INTERAGENCY INITIATIVE ON EMERG. RESPONSE

PA EPA ANNOUNCES INTERAGENCY INITIATIVE ON EMERG. RESPONSE

FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY, MAY 31, 1996

EPA ANNOUNCES INTERAGENCY INITIATIVE ON EMERGENCY RESPONSE

In support of President Clinton's review of federal authorities related to hazardous materials prevention, mitigation and response, EPA, today announced the publication of an agreement to implement an interagency "One-Plan Guidance" for release of oil and hazardous substances. The One-Plan Guidance was developed under the auspices of the National Response Team, with participation by industry and environmental groups, state agencies; EPA, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Research and Special Programs Administration in the Department of Transportation and the Minerals Management Service in the Department of Interior. The guidance provides facilities with a common sense option for meeting multiple emergency planning require-ments under eight different federal regulations. The guidance includes a core facility response plan for releases of oil and hazardous substances under existing federal laws. The core plan contains information that emergency responders will need to implement the initial stages of the response. The core plan will be supplemented with annexes that contain information such as a description of the facility's incident command system and data on specific hazards at the facility, required to meet specific federal regulatory requirements. Facility plans prepared in accordance with the guidance will satisfy facility emergency response planning requirements of the five agencies listed above and will be the federally preferred method of such planning. The One-Plan Guidance approach serves to minimize duplication of effort and unnecessary paperwork burdens. Copies of the guidance can be obtained by calling the RCRA/Superfund Hotline at 1-800-424-9346 or 703-412- 9810. The guidance also can be obtained via the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/swercepp.

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