The NRT Training Subcommittee's presentation: Emerging Risks Response Awareness Training: Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) / Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) describes the history of EPCRA and LEPCs, LEPC roles and responsibilities, resources available to LEPCs, and a case study of and best practices from the Honolulu, Hawaii LEPC. The training is narrated by subject matter experts from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), United States Coast Guard (USCG), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the City and County of Honolulu Department of Emergency Management.

Recording of Training (.MP4) (Depending on your connection speed, this file will take a few minutes to download and begin playing).

Presentation Only (.PDF)

Additional Reference Materials:

EPCRA and EPCRA Training for States, Tribes, LEPCs, Local Planners and Responders

Local Emergency Planning Committees (points of contact)

Please reference presentation to access additional materials.

Recording of Training (.MP4) (Depending on your connection speed, this file will take a few minutes to download and begin playing).

Download PowerPoint Slides (.PDF)

Additional Reference Materials:

U.S. Coast Guard Liquefied Gas Carrier National Center of Expertise

CAMEO Chemicals: Liquefied Natural Gas

Liquefied Natural Gas: Understanding the Basic Facts (DOE)

Natural Gas (DOE)

The NRT Training Subcommittee’s presentation: Emerging Risks Responder Awareness Training: Bakken Crude Oil, provides background information on Bakken crude oil production and transportation, as well as information on recent regulatory efforts to deal with Bakken crude oil transportation methods and route. Topics emphasize health and safety and include:  

- Where is Bakken oil coming from?

- How is it being transported?

- Bakken chemistry

- Response issues

- Case studies from recent incidents  

The training was delivered as a live webinar on January 12, 2015 to planners and field responders from Federal, state, local, and tribal governments. Subject matter experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Scientific Support Coordinator), U.S. Department of Transportation (Enforcement Officer), Transport Canada (Containment Specialist), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Safety and Occupational Health Specialist), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Environmental Response Team and Federal On-Scene Coordinator) and Environment Canada (Field Work & Response Unit) delivered the training.

Speaker Biographies (.PDF)

Download PowerPoint slides (.PDF)

Recording of Live Webinar (.MP4) (Depending on your connection speed, this file will take a few minutes to download and begin playing).

Additional Reference Materials:

- A Survey of Bakken Crude Oil Characteristics Assembled For the Department of Transportation (American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers) (2014)

- Understanding Crude Oil Transportation by Rail: An Environmental Protection Agency Brown Bag Lunch Presentation (Energy Policy Research Foundation, Inc.) (2014)

- Unconventional Crude Oils Briefing: U.S. Coast Guard (2014)

- Operation Safe Delivery Update

- Bakken Petroleum: The Substance of Energy Independence. Written Statement of Timothy P. Butters, Deputy Administrator, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Before the Subcommittees on Energy and Oversight, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives (2014)

- Bakken Crude in Transportation (2014): Coffee Break Training (NFA)

- Petroleum Crude Oil - Hazard Assessment and Risk Evaluation (2014): Coffee Break Training (NFA)

- Petroleum Crude Oil - Oil Transportation and Response Considerations (2014): Coffee Break Training (NFA)

- Petroleum Crude Oil - Preincident Planning (2014): Coffee Break Training (NFA)

- Petroleum Crude Oil - Principles of Successful Incident Management (2014): Coffee Break Training (NFA)

- Petroleum Crude Oil - Railroad Safety Procedures (2014): Coffee Break Training (NFA)

- Petroleum Crude Oil - Implementing Response Objectives (2014): Coffee Break Training (NFA)

- Vapor Pressure, Boiling Point and Vapor Density (2012): Coffee Break Training (NFA)

NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) offers various classes and references for spill response professionals in local, state, and federal governments and industry. Training resources on this site include:

Science of Oil Spills (SOS) Course - SOS classes help spill responders increase their understanding of oil spill science when analyzing spills and making risk-based decisions. They are designed for new and mid-level spill responders. These trainings cover: fate and behavior of oil spilled in the environment; an introduction to oil chemistry and toxicity; a review of basic spill response options for open water and shorelines; spill case studies; principles of ecological risk assessment; a field trip; an introduction to damage assessment techniques; and determining cleanup endpoints. SOS classes are held 2-4 times per year in different regions of the United States. Contact OR&R Training with questions, comments or suggestions about SOS classes.

Science of Chemical Releases (SOCR) Classes - SOCR classes are designed to help spill responders and planners increase their understanding of chemical spill (release) science when preparing for and analyzing chemical spills, and making risk-based decisions to protect public health, safety, and the environment. SOCR classes are designed to offer a broad, science-based approach to understanding the framework for chemical release response for the purpose of increasing awareness and preparedness and reducing uncertainty and risk associated with this type of incident. The classes are primarily intended for new and mid-level spill responders, planners, and stakeholders from government and public agencies.

The NCTC is a training resource provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The NCTC provides both in person and on-line trainings related to conservation, restoration, and other topics relevant to FWS and its conservation partners. Training resources on this site include:

Oiled Wildlife Training Video Series - The Oiled Wildlife Training video series provides detailed awareness of the activities the FWS or other DOI responders might take in response to an oil spill. The videos were developed and produced by the NCTC in partnership with the DOI Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance (OEPC).

In response to the growth in domestic oil production and increased inland transportation of petroleum products, the Department of the Interior (DOI) developed and implemented the Inland Oil Spill Preparedness Program (IOSPP) beginning in 2015. The IOSPP facilitates wider participation and contributions by DOI in nation-wide oil spill contingency planning and response activities by providing resources to support four key focus areas:

1. DOI bureau/office participation and coordination in Regional, Area, and Geographic (GRP) committee planning activities;
2. DOI bureau/office participation in inland oil spill response exercises and drills held by the EPA, U.S. Coast Guard, and National (NRT) or Regional Response Teams (RRT);
3. Development of an online library of applicable guidance, templates, and technical resources related to contingency planning and response activities; and
4. Development and delivery of targeted training primarily for DOI, but to include local and regional non-DOI response personnel, to support effective engagement in inland oil spill contingency planning and response activities, with a special emphasis on highlighting protective measures for our natural and cultural resources and tribal lands.

OSHA Hazard Alert: Extreme Heat Can Be Deadly to Workers

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Heat Illness Prevention Campaign

OSHA Factsheet: Protecting Workers from the Effects of Heat

OSHA Factsheet: Personal Risk Factors and Heat Exposure

OSHA Working in Outdoor and Indoor Heat Environments

OSHA-National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Heat Safety Tool (App)

OSHA Technical Manual (OTM): Heat Stress Chapter

The Outreach and Training branch of PHMSA is responsible for enhancing regulatory compliance through the development of training materials that enable the public to more easily understand and comply with training requirements related to hazardous materials transportation. The PHMSA Outreach and Training page allows users to access training modules and other resources related to PHMSA's mission. Training resources on this site include:

Transportation Rail Incident Preparedness & Response (TRIPR) - The TRIPR Flammable Liquid Unit Trains resource materials were developed to provide critical information on best practices related to rail incidents involving hazard class 3 flammable liquids, such as crude oil and ethanol. The training resources provided on the TRIPR site offer a flexible approach to training the first responders and emergency services personnel and pre-incident planning and response.

Overview of Oil Spill Exercise & Response - This video covers the history, authorities, and complexities of oil spill response and outlines how the oil spill response community works together on planning. It also provides an overview of oil spill exercises and response.

Anatomy of Oil Spill Exercise & Response - This video provides examples of roles and responsibilities during oil spill exercises and events. It highlights the Unified Command and Incident Command System functions and how the Planning P is utilized during an exercise or incident.

The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) offers various training and educational opportunities in the field of emergency management in order to enhance the capabilities of federal, state, local, and tribal government officials, volunteer organizations, and the public and private sectors.

National Response Framework Training Course - This course introduces students to the key concepts of the National Response Framework. This course is designed primarily for Federal department and agency staff.

The Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) provides advanced, all-hazards training to approximately 60,000 emergency responders annually from state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, as well as the federal government, foreign governments, and private entities, as available. The scope of training includes preparedness, protection, and response.

CDP offers in-person training and web-based training. Web-based training includes "Key Planning Factors and Considerations for Response to and Recovery from a Chemical Incident" and other biological, radiological and environmental health topics.

The National Training and Education Division (NTED) prepares state and local first responders to prevent, protect, respond to, and recover from manmade and natural catastrophic events. The term "first responder" refers to those individuals who, in the early stages of an incident, are responsible for the protection and preservation of life, property, evidence, and the environment, including emergency response providers as defined in section 2 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101), as well as emergency management, public health, clinical care, public works, and other skilled support personnel (such as equipment operators) who provide immediate support services during prevention, response, and recovery operations.

NTED serves the following 10 professional disciplines: Emergency Management Agency (EMA), Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Fire Service (FS), Governmental Administrative (GA), Hazardous Materials Personnel (HZ), Healthcare (HC), Law Enforcement (LE), Public Health (PH), Public Safety Communications (PSC), and Public Works (PW).

The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) develops innovative solutions to today's most pressing public policy challenges and is the only research and development firm that directly serves the nation's governors. NGA Center Divisions include:

- Environment, Energy & Transportation Division

- Health Division

- Homeland Security & Public Safety Division