Current through Pa Acts 2024-53, 2024-56 through 2024-92
Section 6022.208 - Emergency management grants(a) General.--Each county shall participate in the hazardous material safety program and may be eligible to receive an emergency management grant from the Hazardous Material Response Fund in order to comply with the requirements of SARA, Title III, and the Commonwealth's hazardous material safety program.(b) Applications.--A county may apply annually to PEMA for an emergency management grant. Applications shall be made in accordance with the guidelines established by PEMA.(c) Eligible costs.--Eligible costs for emergency management grants are limited to the cost of:(1) Developing periodic reports conforming to the requirements of section 204(b.1). (2) Developing, updating and exercising emergency response plans required under section 303 of SARA, Title III.(3) Performing public information functions as required by section 324 of SARA, Title III.(4) Collecting, documenting and processing chemical inventory forms and other documents required by SARA, Title III.(5) Developing an emergency planning and response capability for responding to hazardous material releases and meeting the requirements of the Commonwealth's hazardous material safety program, including training, equipment, material and other supplies needed to respond to a release.(6) Supporting the operation and administration of local committees.(7) Reimbursing certain response costs of supporting volunteer emergency service organizations in accordance with section 207(b)(1) . (d) Grant amount.--The amount of the annual grant from the Hazardous Material Response Fund shall not exceed the sum of:(1) the funds of local revenues made available by the county for the purpose of complying with the requirements and provisions of SARA, Title III, and the Emergency Management Services Code with respect to hazardous material releases, retroactive to November 1986; and(2) the revenues collected under section 207(b)(2) and (f); except that any county emergency management coordinator whose Hazardous Material Emergency Response Account receives less than $10,000 annually in fees established in this section or meets the requirements of subsection (e)(3) shall be eligible for additional grants equal to county funds specifically appropriated for compliance with this act, not to exceed $5,000.(e) Payment of grants.-- PEMA shall review annually all applications received under this section and may make grants to the counties from the Hazardous Material Response Fund. PEMA shall prioritize the available funds among the eligible applicants based upon the following criteria: (1) Deleted by Act 2000, Dec. 20, P.L. 885, No. 121, § 1, eff. immediately.(2) Compliance with the requirements of SARA, Title III, and the Commonwealth's hazardous material safety program and Emergency Management Services Code with respect to hazardous material releases.(3) The number of facilities located within the county, or the existence of unique or special circumstances that pose a threat to the health and safety of the general public or the environment, or both. The existence of unique or special circumstances under this section as determined by PEMA shall include an interstate highway, the Pennsylvania Turnpike or any secondary route used by a transporter because of load restrictions on primary routes.(4) Availability of financial, technical or other assistance to the applicant from other governmental, business or private sources.(5) No more than 10% of the grant funds shall be allocated to any one county in any year.(f) Deleted by Act 2000, Dec. 20, P.L. 885, No. 121, § 1, eff. immediately.1990, Dec. 7, P.L. 639, No. 165, § 208, effective in 60 days. Amended 2000, Dec. 20, P.L. 885, No. 121, § 1, effective in 60 days.