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Hazardous Materials Emergency Management For Guam
About the Project
PCR Environmental, Inc. has been retained by the Guam Environmental Protection Agency for: Updating the Hazardous Materials Emergency Operations Plan and Development of Model Legislation Relative to the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) and the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). The scope of work calls for an update of Guam's existing Hazardous Materials Emergency Operations Plan, an annex of the Guam Emergency Plan. In addition, Guam EPA is interested in developing model legislation to formalize positions and relationships between the SERC and the LEPC.
Background
The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 was included as Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA). The Act authorized a nationwide program of emergency planning as a protection against accidents involving extremely hazardous materials. The Act also required a comprehensive body of information about hazardous materials to be submitted to various State and local groups. The four major issues addressed in the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act deal with:
The legislation built on EPA's Chemical Emergency Preparedness Program (CEPP) and required each State to establish an emergency response commission. This SERC was required to form Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) to operate at the community level. Because of our island's size, it is envisioned that the LEPC will be a subcommittee of the SERC.
Emergency Planning
Under SARA Title III, the local committees are required to develop contingency plans for responding to releases of extremely hazardous substances. On Guam, the SERC is chaired by Civil Defense, which ensures coordination between the two entities. Because of the availability of equipment, training, and manpower, the Guam Fire Department is the "First Responder" in the event of a release of hazardous materials. Federal HazMat Response Teams and local commercial resources are usually mobilized on an "as needed" basis. The Hazardous Materials Emergency Operations Plan, to be updated under the proposed project, is part of the island-wide Guam Emergency Plan which covers other potential calamities.
Incidents, such as the warehouse fires at SPG in Asan and Oceanic Lumber on Airport Road, highlight the importance of having a functioning HazMat Emergency Response Plan. This is important not only to protect the community, but also to protect the lives of the first responders on the scene.
Project Status
At present, a draft of an Act to establish The Guam Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act is pending and is expected to be submitted to the Guam Legislature in August of 1999. For a preliminary draft of this Act, click here. Please note that this draft is submitted for informational purposes only. The 25th Guam Legislature will hold Public Hearings prior to acting on this proposed legislation.
