Interagency Hazardous Materials Public Sector Training and Planning Grants

Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Grant (HMEP): To increase State, local, territorial and tribal effectiveness to safely and efficiently handle hazardous materials accidents and incidents; enhance implementation of the Emergency Planning and

This Assistance Listing will be phased out and archived at the end of HMEP grant period of performance of September 30, 2028. Originally, this assistance list included PHMSA'S HMEP five grant programs, ALERT, CSG, HMEP, HMIT, and SPST.

Federally Recognized Tribal Governments, U.S. Territories and possessions, and States may apply for planning and training grants. The Governor or Tribal official of each eligible applicant has been asked to designate an agency responsible for managing the program. DOT will work with the designated organization. Public nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals) may apply for training grants.

HMEP: State, Local, Federally Recognized Tribal Governments, U.S. Territories, Student/Trainee HMIT: Public nonprofit institution/organization, Private nonprofit institution/organization SPST: Public nonprofit institution/organization, Private nonprofit institution/organization ALERT: Public nonprofit institution/organization, Private nonprofit institution/organization CS: Public nonprofit institution/organization, Private nonprofit institution/organization All segments of the U.S. including Territories and tribal populations that are involved with management of or possible exposure to hazardous materials benefit. Specifically Federal, State, and local authorities are assisted through the HMEP grant program with their responsibilities. Students and trainees in emergency response and local emergency planning activities are program beneficiaries since grant funds will be used to benefit local programs.

Transportation, Civil Defense/Disaster Prevention and Relief/Emergency Preparedness The five grant programs will be used to increase the emphasis on transportation in ongoing efforts and to improve the capability of communities to plan for and respond to the full range of potential risks posed by accidents and incidents involving hazardous materials. HMEP grants have two principal uses. First, to assist States, Territories and Tribes in developing, improving and implementing emergency response plans under EPCRA; including the determination of flow patterns of hazardous materials within a State, between States and lands; determining the need for regional hazardous materials response teams. Second, to stimulate support for training of public sector employees to respond to accidents and incidents involving hazardous materials. HMIT grants will be used to ensure that hazmat employees receive an initial and continuing understanding of the risks involved in transporting hazardous materials, the relevant requirements that have to be met, and the need for performing their duties in a way that will ensure their safety and the safety of others. SPST grants will be used to train instructors to conduct hazardous materials response training programs, to purchase training equipment used exclusively to train instructors to conduct training programs and to disseminate information and materials necessary for the conduct of training programs. ALERT grants will provide hazardous materials direct or web-based training for volunteer or remote emergency responders, with a focus on response activities for the transportation of crude oil, ethanol and other flammable liquids by rail. CS grants will provide national outreach and training programs to assist communities in preparing for and responding to accidents and incidents involving the transportation of hazardous materials, including Class 3 flammable liquids by rail; and train State and local personnel responsible for enforcing the safe transportation of hazardous materials, including Class 3 flammable liquids.

Transportation, Civil Defense/Disaster Prevention and Relief/Emergency Preparedness The five grant programs will be used to increase the emphasis on transportation in ongoing efforts and to improve the capability of communities to plan for and respond to the full range of potential risks posed by accidents and incidents involving hazardous materials. HMEP grants have two principal uses. First, to assist States, Territories and Tribes in developing, improving and implementing emergency response plans under EPCRA; including the determination of flow patterns of hazardous materials within a State, between States and lands; determining the need for regional hazardous materials response teams. Second, to stimulate support for training of public sector employees to respond to accidents and incidents involving hazardous materials. HMIT grants will be used to ensure that hazmat employees receive an initial and continuing understanding of the risks involved in transporting hazardous materials, the relevant requirements that have to be met, and the need for performing their duties in a way that will ensure their safety and the safety of others. SPST grants will be used to train instructors to conduct hazardous materials response training programs, to purchase training equipment used exclusively to train instructors to conduct training programs and to disseminate information and materials necessary for the conduct of training programs. ALERT grants will provide hazardous materials direct or web-based training for volunteer or remote emergency responders, with a focus on response activities for the transportation of crude oil, ethanol and other flammable liquids by rail. CS grants will provide national outreach and training programs to assist communities in preparing for and responding to accidents and incidents involving the transportation of hazardous materials, including Class 3 flammable liquids by rail; and train State and local personnel responsible for enforcing the safe transportation of hazardous materials, including Class 3 flammable liquids. Emergency Preparedness grants are intended to support the direct costs of planning and training activities, in accordance with an approved budget, plus indirect costs at a pre-established rate. Both the award and use of funds are subject to applicable provisions of basic statutory authorities, appropriations acts, pertinent regulations, and operating policies of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). All of the programs that falls under this program are discretionary.

The length of project periods may extend from time of initial award for 12 months, through the end of the following fiscal year; however phased accomplishments or budget periods will limit the time frame for the funds awarded. Payments will generally be reimbursable, paid based on submission of a Request for Advance or Reimbursement Form 270. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Reimbursed periodically after submission of incurred costs by grantee.

An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in their State for more information on the process the State requires to apply for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

HMEP: Not applicable for grants to States and Territories. Grants made to Tribes will be in accordance with the following selection criteria: (1) Potential Benefit; (2) Priority Need; (3) Number of Public Sector Employees Trained; (4) Long Term Benefit to Tribe; (5) Past Performance. HMIT: Grants made to nonprofit organizations with the ability to train hazmat employees will be in accordance with the following selection criteria: demonstrates quantified need for training; (2) Degree to which the proposed training program meets the identified training needs; (3) Number of instructors to be trained; (4) Projected number of hazmat employees each instructor is expected to train; (5) Projected impact of the training in reducing risk and enhancing hazmat transportation safety ; (6) Organization's prior experience in providing hazmat instructor and employee training and the facilities/mechanisms in place to conduct the training ; (7) Efficiency and cost associated with conducting the training ; (8) Ability to account for program expenditures and program outcomes . SPST: Grants made to national nonprofit fire service organizations will be in accordance with the following selection criteria: How applicants intend to accomplish training for instructors of individuals with statutory responsibility to respond to accidents and incidents involving hazardous materials supporting diverse States and Tribes curriculum ; the applicant's analysis of the regions or locations in which fire departments or other organizations providing emergency response to hazardous materials transportation accidents and incidents are in need of hazardous materials training and the applicant's method of identifying these needs ; the applicant's prioritization of training needs and the applicant's explanation of the means for identifying additional specific future training needs ; the applicant's prioritization of specific program tasks to be performed and the cost of each task. Since PHMSA expects that the number of applications will exceed the amount of funding, the prioritization is critical; the applicant's statement of work for the upcoming budget period that describes and set priorities for the activities and tasks to be conducted, the costs associated with each activity, the number and types of deliverables and products to be completed, and a schedule for implementation. ALERT: PHMSA will review applications based upon merit, including the clarity of the project narrative and reasonableness of cost as described in the budget narrative. PHMSA reserves the right to make adjustments that are beneficial to the goals of the ALERT Grant program. A review panel of Federal agency representatives will evaluate the grant applications. Each grant application will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria listed below. Special emphasis will be placed on reviewing whether or not the application has a coherent project narrative that follows the outline of this funding announcement, and whether or not the costs described in the budget narrative appear to be necessary, reasonable, allowable and allocable. Applications will be evaluated as exceptional, acceptable, or unacceptable. CS: PHMSA will review applications based upon merit, including the clarity of the project narrative and reasonableness of cost as described in the budget narrative. PHMSA reserves the right to make adjustments that are beneficial to the goals of the current FY CS Grant program. A review panel of Federal agency representatives will evaluate the grant applications. Each grant application will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria listed below. Special emphasis will be placed on reviewing whether or not the application has a coherent project narrative that follows the outline of this funding announcement, and whether or not the costs described in the budget narrative appear to be necessary, reasonable, allowable and allocable. Applications will be evaluated as exceptional, acceptable, or unacceptable.

PHMSA will review applications based upon merit, including the clarity of the project narrative and reasonableness of cost as described in the budget narrative. PHMSA reserves the right to make adjustments that are beneficial to the goals of the HMEP, HMIT, SPST, ALERT and CS grant programs. A review panel of Federal agency representatives will evaluate the grant applications for HMIT, SPST, ALERT and CS programs. Each grant application will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria listed in the NOFO. Special emphasis will be placed on reviewing whether the application has a coherent project narrative that follows the outline of this funding announcement, and whether the costs described in the budget narrative appear to be necessary, reasonable, allowable and allocable.

Contact the headquarters for application deadlines.

From 60 to 180 days. Grant awards will be signed by the Grants Agreement Officer for the PHMSA Office of Hazardous Materials Safety.

Grantee submits written extension requests with reasons for requests to the grant program for review and approval