The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has published multiple Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) to award $18 million in grants through its pipeline and hazardous materials safety programs. These funding opportunities are open to states, local communities, tribal entities, universities, and non-profit organizations to support pipeline and hazardous materials safety programs across the country. Funding will be used to improve community and environmental safety through projects that train first responders, educate the public on local safety initiatives, encourage the development of new pipeline technologies, and more. Visit Grants.gov for more information.

FEMA’s National Integration Center (NIC) is releasing updated NIMS Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Skillsets for national engagement. The NIC has updated the NIMS EOC Skillsets that were originally published in 2018 in coordination with external stakeholders and subject matter experts. Comments on these updates will be accepted until March 28, 2024.

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released an update on the agency’s investigation of a November 19, 2023, fire at the Martinez Renewables facility in Martinez, California. The CSB’s investigation has found that a metal tube ruptured within a reactor charge furnace during a unit startup. The furnace pre-heats renewable feedstock, recycled renewable diesel, and hydrogen before subsequent processing. The ruptured tube released hot renewable diesel and hydrogen, resulting in a fire that seriously injured one Marathon employee who suffered third-degree burns to most of his face and body.

Please visit www.csb.gov. For more information, contact Communications Manager Hillary Cohen at Hillary.Cohen@csb.gov.

It has now been more than seven months since Congress allowed the statutory authority for the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program (6 CFR Part 27) to expire on July 28, 2023. More than 89 million people in the United States live or work within two miles of a high-risk chemical facility, and CISA has now missed 1,050 compliance inspections at these facilities, leaving our communities vulnerable to exploitation of unidentified and unresolved security gaps. CISA continues to urge Congress to reauthorize the CFATS program in order to better protect our communities against the threat of chemical terrorism. 

The National Association of SARA Title III Program Officials (NASTTPO) is made up of members and staff of SERCs, TERCs, LEPCs, various federal agencies, and private industry. Members include state, tribal or local government employees with Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know (EPCRA) program responsibilities, such as health, occupational safety, first response, environmental, and emergency management agencies. Find more information and register here.

EPA will hold a series of informational webinars on the $2 billion Community Change Grants (CCG) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the five Target Investment Areas (TIA). Each webinar will last between 60-90 minutes and will cover similar content including what is in the NOFO, application requirements, eligible entities, eligible project activities, and other helpful information on the specific TIAs. While each session is geared towards a TIA, please join any webinar at your convenience. 

 

Question-and-answer portions will also be dedicated to questions from the audience. Please note that EPA cannot answer individualized questions specific to one application or comment on the merits of an application or an applicant’s competition strategy.

When: Mar 6, 2024 - 12:00 PM PST; 1:00 PM MST; 2:00 PM CST; 3:00 PM ET

Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qSO77wXtRwSI2uhi47pGNg

 

When: Mar 18, 2024 - 3:00 PM ET; 3:00 PM AST

Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2heD1nOaSC2gQcVpBk6hKA

 

When: March 18, 2024 - 2:00 PM SST; 7:00 PM ET; March 19, 2024 - 11 AM ChST

Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hXkT1cCMT2yJenItwGOsQA

 

When: March 27 & 28, 2024 (Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX) and May 8 & 9, 2024 (El Centro/Imperial Valley, CA)

Learn more here: https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/inflation-reduction-act-community-change-grants-program#Engagement

 

When: Mar 25, 2024 - 12:00 PM PST; 1:00 PM MST; 2:00 PM CST; 3:00 PM ET

Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DDrPySW_QgyVu1wMpXpJTA

If you have questions, please email Karina Baker at baker.karina@epa.gov. For more information on the CCG NOFO, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/inflation-reduction-act-community-change-grants-program.

The webinar will cover the basic capabilities and functions of the RTLT and explore new functions recently added to the tool. Resource management is the cornerstone of preparing for and responding to incidents that require mutual aid among agencies and jurisdictions. RTLT is a web-based catalog and authoritative source for all FEMA National Incident Management System (NIMS) and National Qualification System (NQS) resource types. RTLT includes Resource Typing Definitions, Job Titles/Position Qualification Sheets, and Position Task Book Templates. RTLT presents these resources in a format that is easy to search and discover, empowering resource managers and users to plan for mutual aid efforts.

For more details on these and other events please visit the FEMA Events webpage: Resource Typing Library Tool Webinars.

This course provides an introduction to identifying, assessing, evaluating, and mitigating chemical security risks. This easy-to-understand overview identifies key components and best practices of chemical security awareness and planning to help kickstart chemical security discussions at a facility. This course runs 1-2 hours in length and is appropriate for all personnel regardless of their level of involvement with dangerous chemicals.

This course walks through how to create a tailored, scalable security plan that meets the business model and unique circumstances of a facility. Participants will learn the key elements of a chemical security plan and benefit from examples, lessons learned, and best practices. The course runs 2-3 hours in length and is designed to help leadership, facility security personnel, and other applicable personnel understand, develop, and implement a facility security plan.

For more information or to request a specific training for your facility, please visit the ChemLock Training webpage.

you how to use the Computer Aided Management of Emergency Operations (CAMEO) Suite software to facilitate planning for hazardous material incidents. This training focuses on CAMEO Data Manager (DM), CAMEO Chemicals, and MARPLOT. Find more information and register here.

The Tribal Assistance Coordination Group Conference brings together tribal emergency managers and program personnel, federal emergency management personnel, volunteer organization active in disasters personnel, state, local and non-government organizations involved in emergency management professionals to share the latest program information and best practices for all hazard emergencies and disasters.

Click here for more information and to register.