On Monday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHSMA) announced it would make available more than $25 million in grant funding to improve safety.
The grants, part of the pipeline and hazardous materials safety programs would be for projects centering around safety – from training first responders, strengthening safety programs, reducing environmental impact or educating the public on local safety initiatives.
“We need to make sure our first responders are ready to respond to emergencies involving pipelines and hazardous materials,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “These grants will train firefighters and other first responders and help ensure that communities have the resources they need to keep their residents safe.”
The funding comes as a response to the Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The DOT said responders nationwide received training on safety because of the Assistance for Local Emergency Response Training Grant program (including more than 2,500 responders in 137 different Ohio locations), and that several of the emergency responders on the ground in East Palestine had received that training.
Buttigieg said Congress needed to increase funding to hazardous material training for first responders. As part of the Bipartisan Railway Safety Act of 2023, first responders received more funding for training.
Funding from this round of grants will go toward pipeline safety and hazardous material safety.
“Whether it’s dealing with a pipeline rupture or a train derailment—training is essential to the safety of our first responders and the communities they serve,” said PHMSA Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown. “These grant opportunities will help ensure first responders have what they need to address the unique challenges that exist in communities across the country.”