Document ID: EPA-HQ-OECA-2003-0154-0009
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2003-12-10T05:00Z

The
background
papers
on
the
candidate
national
program
priorities
are
intended
to
initiate
further
discussion.
When
priorities
are
selected
more
detailed
strategies
with
in­
depth
background
information,
numerical
targets,
schedules,
milestones
and
performance
measures
will
be
developed.
______________________________________________________________________________

December,
2003
Page
1
of
2
Proposed
Priority
Ports
of
Entry
Types
of
Facilities
and
Universe:

Facilities
disposing
and/
or
storing
hazardous
chemicals
or
wastes
which
are
located
at
or
near
ports
of
entry
into
the
United
States.
Ports
of
entry
include
airports
as
well
as
water
and
land
ports
of
entry.

Geographic
Range:

Ports
of
entry
throughout
the
United
States.

Environmental
Risks:

The
significant
environmental
risk
is
the
illegal
disposal
and/
or
storage
of
hazardous
chemicals
or
wastes
in
facilities
at
or
near
ports
of
entry
into
the
United
States.
Unsafe
or
improper
management
of
these
hazardous
materials
results
in
facilities
being
vulnerable
to
theft
or
destruction
through
intentional
acts
or
accidents.
The
targeting
of
such
facilities
for
intentional
hazardous
releases
at
the
local
level,
or
as
the
source
for
hazardous
materials
to
cause
incidents
elsewhere,
presents
a
Homeland
Security
risk
especially
if
the
owner/
operator
has
little
resources
to
secure
the
safe
operation
of
the
facility.
Additionally,
unfamiliarity
with
the
environmental
regulations,
as
well
as
the
dangers
associated
with
the
hazardous
materials
and/
or
wastes,
puts
warehouse
workers
and
owner/
operators
at
risk
for
exposure
to
chemicals
that
may
be
subject
to
the
Resource
Conservation
and
Recovery
Act
(
RCRA),
as
well
as
other
regulations
such
as
the
Clean
Air
Act
or
the
Toxics
Substances
Control
Act.

In
some
cases,
the
facilities
located
in
larger
population
centers
are
more
likely
to
be
scrutinized
by
federal,
state,
and
local
law
enforcement
thus
making
them
less
vulnerable
to
illegal
activity.
However,
smaller
facilities
in
less
populated
areas
such
as
along
the
US/
Mexican
border
may
lack
the
resources
and
knowledge
to
ensure
secure
operation
of
the
facilities.
By
working
with
state
and
local
emergency
planning
agencies,
EPA
can
provide
compliance
assistance
such
as
workshops,
mailings,
and
information
through
the
media
to
ensure
that
all
facilities
have
the
attention
of
federal
and
local
authorities.

In
some
cases,
the
communities
near
these
facilities
are
people
of
color
with
a
mixture
of
low
income
and/
or
non­
English
speaking
residents
and
they
may
face
disproportionate
exposure
to
The
background
papers
on
the
candidate
national
program
priorities
are
intended
to
initiate
further
discussion.
When
priorities
are
selected
more
detailed
strategies
with
in­
depth
background
information,
numerical
targets,
schedules,
milestones
and
performance
measures
will
be
developed.
______________________________________________________________________________

December,
2003
Page
2
of
2
environmental
risks.

Noncompliance
Information
Common
problems
include
illegal
disposal
and
failure
to
properly
identify
and
manage
hazardous
materials,
solids,
and
wastes.
Part
of
the
pattern
of
noncompliance
is
due
to
a
lack
of
awareness
of
the
contents
of
unlabeled,
poorly
maintained
containers,
some
of
which
can
become
subject
to
RCRA
by
being
abandoned,
illegally
stored
and/
or
disposed.

Region
6
inspections
show
that
a
pattern
of
noncompliance
is
confirmed
at
border
crossing
warehouses.
Recent
inspections
at
warehouses
within
port
authorities
indicate
these
compliance
issues
potentially
exist
at
all
ports
of
entry.