Overview of Developments: Environmental Protection Agency’s Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program Bonnie Gitlin, Acting Director, Radiation Protection Division Radiation Emergency Preparedness Conference April 2005

2 Presentation Overview  New Developments  National Response Plan: Impact on EPA  Ruby Slippers Exercise  RERT Infrastructure  Continuing Efforts  Protective Action Guides  RadNet (previously ERAMS) augmentation  Homeland Security  Open Discussion  Questions or comments

3 New Developments: National Response Plan  EPA’s Radiological Emergency Response role stayed largely the same under the new NRP  Emergency preparedness planning  Development of Protective Action Guides (PAGs) –Provide recommendations during emergencies  Emergency response –Lead & support federal response to radiological emergencies  Monitoring and assessment of release impacts  Provide technical advice & response support –To state, tribal, and local governments, and other federal agencies

4 Coordinating Agencies Under the NRP DHS is responsible for the overall coordination of incident management activities for Incidents of National Significance (3) EPA (4) EPA (3) EPA (2) EPA

5 New Developments: Ruby Slippers Exercise  An internal, no-fault exercise designed to test EPA’s readiness and to practice EPA’s role in responding to a radiological emergency of national significance  EPA-only emergency response exercise, July , 2004 (the week of the Democratic National Convention)  One-day tabletop and two-day field exercise at Ft. Leavenworth, KS  Multi-regional EPA field response by Regions 6 and 7, RERT (ORIA laboratories), On-Scene Coordinators  150 participants from across EPA

6 Ruby Slippers Exercise Scenario  Foreign satellite breaks up on re-entry and crashes in the United States  Satellite is from the imaginary country of Usepastan  Satellite contains a Topaz II reactor and up to 16 cesium/strontium Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators  Radioactive material contaminates parts of Kansas and Oklahoma (EPA Regions 6 & 7)  OK and KS request Federal help  DHS delegates EPA to lead the U.S. radiological response per FRERP (DHS is dealing with DNC)  National Response Plan still under development

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9 Lessons Learned from Ruby Slippers  Communications  Incident Command System  Employee Health & Safety and Medical Monitoring

10 New Developments: RERT Infrastructure  ER Planning Retreat  Identified specific actions needed to address lessons learned from Ruby Slippers  Action Plan  Developed to track progress –HQ, NAREL, R&IE, and regional participation  Efforts expected through next fiscal year and beyond –Continuous improvements

11 Continuing Efforts: Protective Action Guides  Early and intermediate phases essentially the same  Updated to incorporate new FDA guidance on food and KI, as well as water requirements  Consistent with the National Response Plan  Long-term guidance consistent with the Radiological Dispersion Device/Improvised Nuclear Device (RDD/IND) Guidance  Not yet issued  Following internal EPA negotiations, next step is review by the Federal Radiological Emergency Preparedness Committee’s PAG Subcommittee

12 Continuing Efforts: RadNet  Maintaining and improving National Environmental Radiation Ambient Monitoring System  New Name = RadNet  Telemetry and database development  Improving and expanding fixed component (traditional ERAMS) –Including “real-time” gamma detection  Adding deployable component –40 units, 20 at each ORIA Lab

13 Continuing Efforts: Homeland Security  Supporting classified operations  Working with DHS, DOE, and other partners  Supporting EPA’s Office of Homeland Security  Participating in EPA Homeland Security Collaborative Network  Continuing to address impact of new Homeland Security Presidential Directives  Primary focus is on decontamination of materials, environment

14 Questions or comments?