The Hazardous Materials Transportation Uniform Safety Act of 1990 (P.L.

101-615), authorizes DOT to provide assistance to public sector employees through training and planning grants to States, Territories, and federally recognized Tribes for emergency response.

The purpose of this

credit:

grant program is to increase State, Territorial, Tribal, and local effectiveness in safely and efficiently handling hazardous materials incidents, enhance implementation of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA), and encourage a comprehensive approach to emergency training and planning by incorporating the unique challenges of responses to transportation situations.

The HMEP program is authorized under 49 United States Code (U.S.C.) part 5116 and is governed by program regulations in 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 110 and Federal grants administration regulations at 2 CFR part 20 0. Under 49 U.S.C.

part 5116, Training and Planning Grants are available to:
(1) Develop, improve, and carry out emergency plans under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 (42 U.S.C.

part 11001 et seq.), including ascertaining flow patterns of hazardous material on lands under the jurisdiction of a State or federally recognized tribe, and between lands under the jurisdiction of a State or tribe and lands of another State or tribe.

(2) Train public sector employees to respond to accidents and incidents involving hazardous material incidents.

To the extent that a grant is used to train emergency responders, the applicant must ensure that the emergency responders who receive training under the grant will have the ability to protect nearby persons, property, and the environment from the effects of accidents or incidents involving the transportation of hazardous material in accordance with existing regulations.This funding announcement is for federally recognized Tribes only.