Congressman Bennie Thompson Announces $685,566 Awarded to Mississippi Agencies

(BOLTON, MS) Today, United States Representative Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) announced the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has awarded a FY 2022 Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) Grant, FY 2022 One-Call Grant, FY 2022 Underground Natural Gas Storage Grant and FY 2022 State Base Pipeline Safety Grant to Mississippi Agencies.

The HMEP grant program allows flexibility in implementing planning and training programs that address differing needs for each location. Well-trained first responders play a critical role in mitigating or responding to any hazardous materials incident. HMEP grants are part of PHMSA’s comprehensive approach to improving the safe transportation of crude oil and other hazardous material across the country.

The One Call Grants are designed to improve various aspects of states’ damage prevention programs, including one call notification systems, notification service quality, one call record retention, state investigations of excavation damage to pipelines, enforcement against violators of state law, improvements in underground facility-locating capabilities, training of involved personnel, and public outreach and education.

The Underground Natural Gas Storage Grants (UNGS) program participation requires a certification or agreement with PHMSA to enforce federal pipeline safety regulations. The grant is funded through a user fee on operators of underground natural gas storage facilities and not public funds. The statute allows PHMSA to reimburse up to, but not more than, 80 percent of the total cost of personnel, equipment, and activities reasonably required by State UNGS safety programs over the course of one calendar year.

PHMSA’s State Base Grants program supports State pipeline safety programs by reimbursing them a portion of each State's total program expenses for a given calendar year based on their performance. State pipeline safety programs assure public safety through inspecting and enforcing the pipeline safety regulations, conducting incident investigations, and taking corrective actions to assure the safety and integrity of pipelines under their safety authority.