Worcester Patch: Baker-Polito Administration Awards $68,234 For Chemical Safety Trainings

17 Jan 2017

By Mona Lkazour

The Baker-Polito Administration today announced $68,234 in grants for Massachusetts Regional Planning Agencies (RPAs) to incorporate chemical safety into climate change resiliency planning. The grants, awarded by the Office of Technical Assistance (OTA), are funded by a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant to help first responders, businesses, and communities prevent climate change weather-related industrial accidents through emergency preparedness.

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With these grants, the RPAs will sponsor workshops designed to build awareness and educate city officials, community leaders, Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) and businesses about the toxic chemicals stored, used and transported through their communities.

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“It is imperative that all sectors of the government (federal, state, regional and local) collaborate with the private sector to work together to build chemical safety into climate resilience planning,” said Tim Brennan, Executive Director of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission. “Global warming in Massachusetts is creating significantly more unusual and unpredictable disastrous weather events that can endanger environmental and public safety if flood waters reach stored chemicals and/or cause transportation problems.”

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