# Supplemental Emergency Preparedness Grant Program > Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more. URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A98-3194 ## Record - **Collection:** Federal Register - **Document type:** Notice - **Published:** February 9, 1998 - **Citation:** 63 FR 6607 ## Text DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Research and Special Programs Administration [Notice No. 98-1] Supplemental Emergency Preparedness Grant Program AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), DOT. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: RSPA is providing notice of the availability of grant funds in the amount of $250,000 and soliciting applications from national nonprofit employee organizations engaged solely in fighting fires to train instructors to conduct hazardous materials response training programs. RSPA also seeks comments on the provisions contained in this notice in order to improve operation of the program. Grant application packages, reflecting comments made, will be available on April 1, 1998. DATES: Comments. Comments must be submitted on or before March 10, 1998. Applications. Applications must be submitted by May 15, 1998. ADDRESSES: Address comments and applications to the Grants Unit, DHM- 64, Room 8104, Research and Special Programs Administration, Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh St., SW, Washington, DC 20590-0001. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles G. Rogoff, Grants Manager, Office of Hazardous Materials Planning and Analysis, Research and Special Programs Administration, Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh St., SW, Washington, DC 20590-0001, telephone: (202) 366-0001. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Introduction The Hazardous Materials Transportation Authorization Act of 1994 (HMTAA; Pub. L. 103-311) amended 49 U.S.C. 5116 and added a new subsection (j) concerning supplemental training grants. These supplemental grants are intended to further the purposes of the State and Indian tribe grants under section 5116(b) to train public sector employees to respond to accidents and incidents involving hazardous material. Section 5116(j)(1) provides that the Secretary of Transportation shall, subject to the availability of funds, make grants to national nonprofit employee organizations engaged solely in firefighting to train instructors to conduct training programs for individuals responding to hazardous materials accidents. Section 5116(j)(2) requires the Secretary to consult with interested organizations to identify regions or locations in which fire departments are in need of training and prioritize those needs. Section 5116(j)(3) provides that funds granted to an organization may only be used to train instructors to conduct hazardous materials response training programs, to purchase equipment used to train those instructors, and to disseminate information necessary to conduct those training programs. Section 5116(j)(4) provides that a grantee must agree to use courses developed under the National Training Curriculum, and section 5116(j)(5) provides that the Secretary may impose such additional terms and conditions on grants as the Secretary determines are necessary to carry out the objectives of the supplemental grant program. RSPA asks comments to address the definitions of eligible applicants and criteria for grant selection described below. Availability of Funds Section 119(b) of the HMTAA amended 49 U.S.C. 5127(b) to provide that there shall be available to the Secretary, from the registration fee account established under section 5116(i), $250,000 for each of fiscal years 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998 (60 Federal Register 4,657, January 24, 1995). Under section 5116(i), amounts in the registration fee account are available without further appropriation. [[Page 6608]] Approximately $250,000 is projected to be available in fiscal year 1998. Awards will be made for a 12-month budget period. Eligible Applicants By law, grants are intended for ``national nonprofit employee organizations engaged solely in fighting fires for the purpose of training instructors to conduct hazardous materials response training programs for individuals with statutory responsibility to respond to hazardous materials accidents and incidents.'' 49 U.S.C. 5116(j)(1). RSPA interprets the first part of the quoted phrase to mean nonprofit organizations with employee members who fight fires. Objectives of the Grant Program RSPA expects that, by training additional instructors, course deliveries to hazardous materials emergency responders will increase. Because many responders cannot leave their immediate locations for extended periods of time, due to budget and other limitations, one way to deliver training to them is to train sufficient instructors for required course deliveries at convenient locations. As provided by statute, funds awarded to an organization under this grant program may only be used to train instructors to conduct hazardous materials response training programs, to purchase training equipment used exclusively to train instructors to conduct those training programs, and to disseminate information and materials necessary for the conduct of those training programs. RSPA will make a grant to an organization under this program only if the organization enters into an agreement with RSPA to train instructors, on a nondiscriminatory basis, to conduct hazardous materials response training programs using a course or courses developed or identified as qualified under the curriculum guidelines prepared by RSPA and its interagency partners, or other courses that RSPA determines are consistent with the objectives of the curriculum guidelines. Grant Application Requirements Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis. Applications shall, at a minimum, discuss the following requirements: (1) How applicants intend to provide training for instructors of individuals with statutory responsibility to respond to accidents and incidents involving hazardous materials. (2) The regions or locations in which fire departments or other organizations providing emergency response to hazardous materials transportation accidents and incidents require hazardous materials training and the method used to identify those needs. (3) Prioritized training needs, and a description of the means for identifying additional specific training needs. (4) A statement of work that describes and sets 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, including availability to present an interim report at a HMEP Workshop. In addition, since RSPA expects that the amount of funds requested by all applicants may exceed a total of $250,000, applicants should provide a prioritized listing of specific program tasks to be performed and the cost of each task. RSPA encourages the addition of non-Federal funds to support the project, but does not require cost sharing. Program funding is dependent on collection of registration fees and may be less than the authorized amount. Applications must be submitted by May 15, 1998. An application kit will be available from RSPA on April 1, 1998. Issued in Washington, DC, on February 4, 1998. Alan I. Roberts, Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety. [FR Doc. 98-3194 Filed 2-6-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-60-P --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A98-3194. Public record. Not legal advice.