Monday, October 01, 2007 (Washington, DC) U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters today announced grants to states, territories and Native American tribes totaling $12.8 million for planning and training to improve the nation’s response to hazardous materials transportation incidents. The grants help train first responders to react to incidents involving hazardous materials and to meet the challenges posed by new chemicals and alternative energy products like ethanol.

“This program is a valuable tool that builds upon and enhances the foundation of emergency response capabilities,” Secretary Peters said. “The umbrella of hazardous materials safety offered from this DOT-funded specialized training is extensive.”

The grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration are funded by user fees paid by shippers and carriers of certain hazardous materials. Since 1993, over 2 million emergency responders and others have received training assistance nationwide using HMEP grants. Assistance was also given in fiscal year 2006 to approximately 1,700 local emergency planning committees in preparing and exercising hazardous materials emergency response plans and in conducting commodity flow studies that identify transportation hazards.

All 50 states, U.S. territories and many North American tribes received funding this year.

FY 2007 HMEP GRANTS

States Amount

Alabama $236,183
Alaska $82,560
Arizona $183,283
Arkansas $158,959
California $964,316
Colorado $181,716
Connecticut $145,112
Delaware $91,223
Florida $453,407
Georgia $300,494
Hawaii $88,920
Idaho $113,259
Illinois $612,982
Indiana $302,514
Iowa $204,938
Kansas $230,885
Kentucky $182,148
Louisiana $204,058
Maine $107,242
Maryland $186,902
Massachusetts $214,283
Michigan $331,393
Minnesota $262,068
Mississippi $177,883
Missouri $266,548
Montana $118,746
Nebraska $183,399
Nevada $123,594
New Hampshire $106,013
New Jersey $289,579
New Mexico $150,123
New York $470,968
North Carolina $316,260
North Dakota $137,298
Ohio $510,751
Oklahoma $188,028
Oregon $175,178
Pennsylvania $404,762
Rhode Island $92,480
South Carolina $190,616
South Dakota $126,980
Tennessee $249,996
Texas $668,460
Utah $145,957
Vermont $84,172
Virginia $243,051
Washington $206,220
West Virginia $140,570
Wisconsin $260,053
Wyoming $94,237

District and Territories Amount

American Samoa $66,207
District of Columbia $73,484
Guam $67,353
Northern Mariana Islands $65,973
Puerto Rico $126,417
U.S. Virgin Islands $66,984

Native American Tribes Amount

Inter Tribal Council of Arizona $160,000
Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe , AZ $ 19,626
Ely Shoshone Tribe, NV $ 19,626
Pueblo of Laguna Tribe, N.M. $ 19,626
Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, NV $ 19,626
Reno Sparks Indian Colony, NV $ 19,626
Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, N.Y. $ 19,626
The Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes, MT $ 19,626
Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California $ 19,626
Pueblo of Isleta Tribe, N.M. $ 19,626
Pueblo of Acoma Tribe, N.M. $ 19,625
Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin $ 16,556

$12,800,000 TOTAL