U.S.-Mexico Border 2012
Border-wide Workgroup: Emergency Preparedness & Response
Annex II of the La Paz Agreement established a Joint Response Team (JRT). The JRT, co-chaired by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Procuraduría Federal de Protección al Ambiente (PROFEPA), includes U.S. and Mexico representatives from federal, state and local agencies responsible for emergency prevention, preparedness, and response in the border area. Annex II required the JRT to develop a Joint Contingency Plan (JCP) that established cooperative measures for preparing and responding to oil and hazardous substance incidents along the border, including emergency response planning, exercises, and training. The JCP provided the foundation for the fourteen Sister City Binational Emergency Response Plans that have been developed over the last several years.
The Role of the BWWG
Border 2012 created the Emergency Preparedness and Response Border-Wide Workgroup (BWWG) to coordinate and implement Border 2012's Goal #5 and its 3 objectives. The BWWG essentially functions as the Steering Committee of the Joint Response Team. The BWWG is comprised of representatives of Mexico's Procuraduría Federal de Protección al Ambiente (PROFEPA) and the Sistema Nacional de Protección Civil (Protección Civil), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Headquarters and EPA Regions 6 and 9.
Activities
- Periodically revise and update the binational notification system
- Finalize the revised Joint Contingency Plan (JCP)
- Facilitate US EPA and PROFEPA border crossings for emergency response incidents and binational training exercises through an interagency initiative with the US Customs and Border Protection's Trusted Traveler Program
- Organize and coordinate BWWG meetings
Documents:
- BWWG Indicators Document (PDF) (1 pg. 87K)
- BWWG's Written Report for the National Coordinators Meeting (NCM) (PDF) (3 pp. 35K)
- BWWG's Oral Presentation to the NCM (PDF) (13 pp. 324K)
Links:
Mexico-United States Joint Contingencies and Emergencies Plan
Preparedness for and Response to Emergencies and Contingencies Associated with Chemical Hazardous Substances in the Inland Border Area
The Mexico-United States Joint Contingencies and Emergencies Plan for Preparedness and Response to Events Associated with Chemical Hazardous Substances in the Inland Border Area (hereafter referred to as the Inland Border Plan), provides a mechanism for cooperation between Mexico and the United States to provide response to a chemical hazardous substances contingency or emergency that may present a significant threat for both Participants or that affects one of them in such a way that justifies the notification of the other Participant or request for assistance.
Documents:
- Plan Conjunto de Contingencias y Emergencias México-Estados Unidos (PDF) (58 pp, 1.3 M)
- Mexico-United States Contingency Plan (PDF) (54 pp, 1.1M)
Sister City Agreements - Binational Hazardous Material Emergency Plans
Cross Border Contingency Plan U.S.-Mexico Sister Cities Brownsville/Matamoros (English) (PDF) (56 pp, 12.5MB) (En Español) (PDF) (61 pp, 2.8MB)
Cross Border Contingency Plan U.S.-Mexico Sister Cities Del Rio/Ciudad Acuña (English) (PDF) (53 pp, 1.9MB) (En Español) (PDF) (53 pp, 2.1MB)
Cross Border Contingency Plan U.S.-Mexico Sister Cities Eagle Pass/Piedras Negras (English) (PDF) (55 pp, 12.3MB) (En Español) (PDF) (54 pp, 12.3MB)
Cross Border Contingency Plan U.S.-Mexico Sister Cities Laredo/Nuevo Laredo (English) (PDF) (60 pp, 3.3MB) (En Español) (PDF) (65 pp, 3.8MB)
Cross Border Contingency Plan U.S.-Mexico Sister Cities McAllen/Reynosa (English) (PDF) (67 pp, 4MB) (En Español) (PDF) (71 pp, 3MB)
Cross Border Contingency Plan U.S.-Mexico Sister Cities Presidio/Ojinaga (English) (PDF) (42 pp, 1.1MB) (En Español) (PDF) (66 pp, 11.5MB)
Cross Border Contingency Plan U.S.-Mexico Sister Cities Weslaco/Rio Bravo-Villa De Nuevo Progreso (English) (PDF) (75 pp, 2.2MB, about PDF)
Cross Border Contingency Plan U.S.-Mexico Sister Cities Columbus/Ciudad Puerto Palomas, Municipio De Ascension (English) (PDF) (52 pp, 7.9MB) (En Español) (PDF) (53 pp, 11.9MB)
El Paso TX/ Sunland Park NM/ Juarez Chihuahua Mexico, 06/25/2007 English (PDF) (14pp, 533K), en Español (PDF) (14 pp, 547K)
Binational Prevention and Emergency Response Plan Between San Luis, Arizona and San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora (PDF) (94 pp, 1.3M)
Binational Prevention and Emergency Response Plan Between Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Sonoara (PDF) (77 pp, 3.6M, Large File)
Binational Prevention and Emergency Response Plan Between Cochise County, Arizona and Naco, Sonora (PDF) (116 pp, 3.0M, Large File)
Binational Prevention and Emergency Response Plan Between Douglas, Arizona and Agua Prieta, Sonora (PDF) (52 pp, 223K)
Binational Prevention and Emergency Response Plan Between Imperial, California and the City of Mexicali, Baja California (PDF) (116 pp, 33M, Large File)