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Maryland Delegation Announces Nearly $954,000 to Improve Readiness, Response for Hazardous Materials Spills

U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Andy Harris, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, David Trone and Kweisi Mfume (all Md.) today announced $953,854 in new federal funds for Maryland to further invest in emergency preparedness plans, inspecting pipelines and training for managing bulk transportation of petroleum products and other hazardous materials. 

  • $622,776 was awarded to the Maryland Public Service Commission.  This funding comes from the 2020 State Base Pipeline Safety Grants, dispersed by the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration
  • $331,078 was awarded to Maryland Emergency Management Agency. This funding comes from the 2020 Hazardous Material Emergency Preparedness grant, through the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration. 

“This new federal funding will help bolster Maryland’s emergency preparedness planning, mitigate the risk of transporting hazardous materials, and keep our communities safe. Regularly monitoring safety measures is essential to protecting Marylanders, as is a comprehensive investigation in the wake of any disaster,” the lawmakers said. “We are committed to ensuring that Maryland has the necessary resources and knowhow to respond to emergency situations.”

The Maryland Public Service Commission monitors and promotes regulations and safety in transportation and utility services across the state. They are currently investigating the fatal gas explosion in Baltimore City. In Maryland, MEMA works to proactively mitigate risks and disasters across the state, while providing critical and life-saving responses in times of emergency. 

In 1990, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Uniform Safety Act established the Hazardous Material Emergency Preparedness Grant Program to assist in safely transporting hazardous energy products.  More information on the State Base Pipeline Safety Grants can be found here.