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U.S. Border Environmental Programs

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(Note: To order a paper copy of any of the documents on these pages, contact the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) at 1-800-490-9198.

Who We Are

Chemical emergencies do not respect international boundaries. In order to protect human health and the environment throughout the United States, the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) administers programs jointly with Canada and Mexico to prepare for and prevent chemical emergencies along the northern and southern borders of the United States. Each of these three countries organizes its efforts according to its government structure. For the United States, OEM depends primarily on the support of the respective EPA regions, the border states, and the local communities. Additional support is provided by other agencies, such as the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Administration. Depending on the specific task at hand, the international activities of OEM are given different titles, as follows:

Border Program Description
Group Title Explanation

For the United States-Canada border:

  • International Joint Advisory Team
  • Regional Joint Response Team
 The director of OEM chairs the U.S. National Response Team for EPA. The director of OEM also serves as co-chair of the International Joint Advisory Team (IJAT) along with a representative from Environment Canada. The IJAT is a policy and advisory body with overall responsibility for the maintenance, promotion, and coordination of the United States-Canada Joint Inland Pollution Contingency Plan. The IJAT consists of representatives from all appropriate federal agencies in both countries that are responsible for chemical emergency prevention, preparedness, and response.

The EPA Regions head their geographically corresponding U.S. Regional Response Teams, which are required to supply a representative to each Regional Joint Response Team (RJRT). The RJRTs are responsible for the development, maintenance, and effective implementation of the respective Regional Annexes to the United States-Canada Joint Inland Pollution Contingency Plan.

For the United States-Mexico border:

  • Joint Response Team
 The director of OEM serves as co-chair of the Joint Response Team (JRT) along with a representative from SEMARNAP-PROFEPA in Mexico. The JRT is responsible for the maintenance of the United States-Mexico Joint Contingency Plan. The JRT also promotes the preparation, maintenance, and exercises of joint sister city contingency plans that will ensure emergency preparedness at the local level.

Now that you are familiar with who we are, please browse the information provided here on our United States-Canada programs and our United States-Mexico programs.

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UNITED STATES - CANADA BORDER

Canada-United States Joint Inland Pollution Contingency Plan (PDF) (31 pp, 131K)

The Canada-United States Joint Inland Pollution Contingency Plan provides for an international coordination mechanism to ensure appropriate and effective cooperative preparedness, reporting, and response measures between Canada and the United States when a chemical accident occurs along the shared inland boundaries. A Fact Sheet (July 1994) is available in English (ASCII) (8 K) or (PDF) (2 pp, 40K)

One feature of the Canada/U.S. Joint Inland Pollution Contingency Plan is the development of Regional Annexes that include, among other matters, the definition of the jurisdiction, roles, and response procedures of regulatory and support agencies within specific regions of each country. The Regional Annexes and the geographic areas they cover are listed below. The Regional Annexes will be posted as they are signed.

  • Annex I - CANUSWEST -- includes the combined border of the Yukon Territory and British Columbia with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regions 8 and 10 (Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska)
  • Annex II - CANUSPLAIN (PDF) (37 pp, 196K) -- includes the combined border of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regions 5 and 8 (Minnesota, Montana, and North Dakota)
  • Annex III - CANUSCENT (PDF) (54 pp, 803K) -- includes the border of Ontario with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regions 2 and 5 (New York and Minnesota)

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UNITED STATES - MEXICO BORDER

U.S./Mexico Joint Contingency Plan

The Joint U.S./Mexico Contingency Plan provides a framework for cooperation between the United States and Mexico in response to a polluting incident that may pose a significant threat to both parties or that affects one party to such an extent as to justify warning the other party or asking assistance. English (PDF) (44 pp, 598K) or En Español (PDF) (45 pp, 612K)

U.S./Mexico Border Newsletter -- Semiannual Report on U.S./Mexico Border Contingency Planning Activities
  • Issue #9 (PDF) (24 pp, 1.5MB) - August 2003 - includes an article on the efforts of the recently formed Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Response Task Forces under the new Border 2012 Plan.
  • Issue #8 (PDF) (26 pp, 1.1MB) - January 2003 - includes an article on the first Bioterrorism Field and Tabletop exercise along the border and the Operation: Border Safeguard exercise. (document without graphics) (PDF) (30 pp, 413K)
  • Issue #7 (PDF) (24 pp, 708K) - August 2001 - features a report on the United 2000 exercise in Reynosa, Tamaulipas and the Ambos Nogales exercise held earlier this year.
    (PDF)
  • Issue #6 (PDF) (17 pp, 1.2MB) - October 2000 - features a report on the emergency response exercises underway in Texas and the recent U.S./Mexico National Coordinators Meeting in El Paso, TX, including the meeting of the Workgroup on Contingency Planning and Emergency Response.
  • Issue #5 (PDF) (20 pp, 1.1MB) - April 2000 - features reports on the three Sister City plans signed this year and the U.S./Mexico Joint Response Team meeting as well as updates on other border contingency planning efforts.
  • Issue #4 (PDF) (21 pp, 1.4MB) - September 1999 - features report on the U.S./Mexico National Coordinators meeting and updates on Sister City contingency planning.
  • Issue #3 (PDF) (23 pp, 1.0MB) - January 1999 - features the signing of the Laredo-Nuevo Laredo Sister City Plan.
  • Issue #2 (PDF) (11 pp, 257K) - August 1998 - features the signing of the Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras Sister City Plan.
  • Issue #1 (PDF) (13 pp, 295K) - February 1998 - features the signing of the Brownsville-Matamoros Sister City Plan.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding U.S./Mexico Contingency planning and Emergency Response

Frequently Asked Questions document Exit EPA . The purpose of this document is to answer the frequently asked questions (FAQs) concerning emergency response to hazardous material accidents along the inland border between the United States and Mexico. These questions are based on the issues initially identified by the National Response Team (NRT) Response Committee’s Subcommittee on Transboundary Issues and have been presented previously as issues in the 14-Points Document (EPA, October 1994) and the Summary Report of the Cross-Border Workgroup (EPA, May 1997). As indicated in the present document’s title, the focus is on issues pertaining to hazardous material accidents along the inland border between the United States and Mexico. Each question included in this report has been phrased to elicit a practical response that people along the border can use in their emergency response efforts.

Joint Response Team meeting reports

Materials from the U.S./Mexico Inland Joint Response Team meeting in San Diego, CA, February 15, 2006
  • Meeting Agenda: English (PDF) (4 pp, 6.1MB), En Español (PDF) (4 pp, 6.1MB)
  • Draft U.S.-Mexico Joint Contingency Plan (JCP): English (PDF) (35 pp, 2.3MB), En Español (PDF) (37 pp, 2.3MB)
  • Revised JCP Appendix A: English (PDF) (1 pg, 36K), En Español (PDF) (2 pp, 38K)
  • Presentation – Welcome Opening Remarks: English (PDF) (10 pp, 208K), En Español (PDF) (10 pp, 209K)
  • Presentation – U.S.-Mexico JCP Proposed Revisions: English (PDF) (8 pp, 39K), En Español (PDF) (8 pp, 41K)
  • Presentation – U.S.-Mexico Notification System Update: English (PDF) (12 pp, 54K), En Español (PDF) (12 pp, 46K)
  • Presentation – U.S. Update on Cross-Border Response: English (PDF) (8 pp, 46K), En Español (PDF) (8 pp, 47K)
  • Presentation – International Trade or International Business: En Español (PDF) (89 pp, 5.2MB)
  • Presentation – EPA Region VI – Emergency Preparedness and Response Update on Region VI Border Activities: English (PDF) (11 pp, 1.1MB)
  • Presentation – EPA Region VI – Emergency Preparedness and Response Update on Emergency Response to Chlorine Incidents: English (PDF) (39 pp, 3.2MB)
  • Presentation – EPA Region VI – Emergency Preparedness and Response Update on ATSDR Proposal: Poison Control Centers (PCC) Role in Preparedness and Response Focus: U.S.-Mexico Border: English (PDF) (12 pp, 2.3MB)
  • Presentation – EPA Region VI – Emergency Preparedness and Response Update on Emergency Response Capabilities EPA Grant: English (PDF) (15 pp, 760K)
  • Presentation – EPA Region VI – Emergency Preparedness and Response Update on U.S.-Mexico Hazardous Materials Training Facility: English (PDF) (19 pp, 1.8MB)
  • Presentation – EPA Region VI – Emergency Preparedness and Response Update on Border 2012 Regional Communication Needs: English (PDF) (11 pp, 440K)
  • Presentation – EPA Region IX – Emergency Preparedness and Response Update on Border Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response EPA Southwest Region: English (PDF) (32 pp, 2.7MB)
  • Mexico-U.S. Pacific Coast Joint Response Team (MEXUS PAC JRT): English (PDF) (24 pp, 280K)
  • Inland JRT Meeting Conclusions: English (PPT) (8 slides, 820K)
Hazardous Material Commodity from studies for the U.S./Mexico border area

Hazardous Material Commodity Flow Study: Calexico, California Area (February 2001) (PDF) (69 pp, 3MB) A commodity flow study is an analysis of the goods that are moving through a particular area. The study describes the identity and quantity of hazardous materials traveling through Calexico, and provides recommendations for reducing risks that these materials pose to the community. The study identifies the nature, quantities and routes of hazardous substances transported in or near Calexico, including exports to and imports from Mexico.

NOTE: This is a large document that may require a longer downloading time. This document is summarized in the Calexico Hazardous Material Commodity Flow Study Fact Sheet (PDF). (4 pp, 21K)

Hazardous Material Commodity Flow Study: San Diego, California Area (June 2001) (PDF) (84 pp, 1.7MB) A commodity flow study is an analysis of the goods that are moving through a particular area. The study describes the identity and quantity of hazardous materials traveling through San Diego, and provides recommendations for reducing risks that these materials pose to the community. The study identifies the nature, quantities and routes of hazardous substances transported in or near San Diego, including exports to and imports from Mexico.

NOTE: This is a large document that may require a longer downloading time. This document is summarized in the San Diego Hazardous Material ommodity Flow Study Fact Sheet (PDF). (4 pp, 21K)

U.S./Mexico Border Agreements, Laws, Regulation, Policies, and Procedures Related to Chemical Accident Prevention, Preparedness, and Response

U.S./Mexico Border Agreements, Laws, Regulations, Policies, and Procedures Related to Chemical Accident Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (PDF) (13 pp, 73 K)

Related Border Planning Links
U.S./Mexico Local Sister City Joint Contingency Plans
U.S.-Mexico Border Program - Additional Resources

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Let Us Hear From You!

Send us your comments on the Web page and the material in the Web page. Tell us about any activities you know are going on along the border which are not listed here.


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