Idaho Administrative Code
Title IDAPA 15 - Governor, Office of
Rule 15.06.05 - HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE RESPONSE RULES
Section 15.06.05.010 - DEFINITIONS

Universal Citation: ID Admin Code 15.06.05.010

Current through August 31, 2023

In addition to the definitions in Section 39-7103, Idaho Code, the following definitions apply: (3-31-22)

01. Emergency Responder. Person affiliated with an emergency response agency who is dispatched to the scene upon notification of a hazardous substance incident. Emergency responders may be local, state, federal or industry personnel who have received appropriate hazardous materials training as defined by OSHA and EPA Regulations. (3-31-22)

02. EPCRA. Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act of 1986 (Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act).. (3-31-22)

03. Hazardous Substance Incident. An emergency circumstance that requires a response by the state emergency response team or the local emergency response agency to monitor, assess and evaluate a release of, or the threat of a release of, a hazardous or potentially hazardous substance. A hazardous substance incident may require containment or confinement, or both, but does not include site cleanup or remediation efforts after the incident commander has determined the emergency has ended. (3-31-22)

04. Hazardous Substance Incident Levels. (3-31-22)

a. Regulatory - A release of a 'reportable quantity' or less of regulated hazardous substances that does not require any emergency response on the part of public sector responders. This would include a weapons of mass destruction threat or suspicion that is clearly a hoax without requiring additional analysis. (3-31-22)

b. Level 1 - An incident involving any response, public or private, to an incident involving hazardous substances that can be contained, extinguished, or abated using resources immediately available to the responders having jurisdiction. A weapons of mass destruction threat or suspicion that requires local response to determine whether or not it is life threatening. A Level 1 incident presents little risk to the environment or public health with containment and clean up. (3-31-22)

c. Level 2 - An incident involving hazardous substances that is beyond the capabilities of the first responders on the scene, and may be beyond the capabilities of the public sector response agency having jurisdiction. Level 2 incidents may require the services of a state of Idaho Regional Response Team, or other state/federal assistance. This would include a weapons of mass destruction (WMD) threat or incident that involves explosives, release of toxic material, release of radioactive material or release of organisms that can be analyzed and stabilized using resources that exist within the state of Idaho. This level may pose immediate and long-term risk to the environment and public health and could result in a local declaration of disaster. (3-31-22)

d. Level 3 - An incident involving weapons of mass destruction/hazardous substances that will require multiple state of Idaho Regional Response Teams or other resources that do not exist within the state of Idaho. These incidents may require resources from state and federal agencies and private industry. Level 3 incidents generally pose extreme, immediate and long-term risk to the environment and public health. (3-31-22)

05. Idaho Hazardous Materials/WMD Incident Command and Response Support Plan. A plan that has the primary purpose of providing effective, coordinated emergency response support to local government by state, federal and private agencies for incidents involving the release of hazardous substances in the state of Idaho. (3-31-22)

a. This plan may be activated independently of the Idaho Emergency Operations Plan. (3-31-22)

b. Authority for implementation of this plan is derived from the Idaho Hazardous Substance Emergency Response Act (Section 39-7101, Idaho Code), the Idaho Environmental Protection and Health Act (Section 39-101 et seq., Idaho Code), the Hazardous Waste Management Act (Section 39-4401 et.seq., Idaho Code), Protection from Radioactive Materials (Section 39-3005, Idaho Code), and the Idaho Homeland Security Act of 2004 (Section 46-1001 et.seq. Idaho Code). (3-31-22)

06. Idaho Regional Response Teams. Teams authorized by the state of Idaho which are trained and equipped to respond to incidents. These teams are based in local departments and respond outside local jurisdictional boundaries upon approval of the Office of Emergency Management. These teams include Regional Hazardous Materials Response Teams (RRT's) as well as Regional Bomb Squads (RBS's). The Idaho Regional Response Teams are responsible to the local Incident Commander. (3-31-22)

07. Incident Command System (ICS)/National Incident Management System (NIMS). (3-31-22)

a. The Incident Command System (ICS) is a widely used and understood emergency management tool. It is used by local, state, and federal agencies and the military. Use of the ICS for hazardous substance incidents is required by the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rules, and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). It has been adopted by the National Fire Academy as the model system for the fire service. It is also the policy of the state of Idaho that the ICS will be used in response to hazardous substance incidents. (3-31-22)

b. NIMS is a system mandated by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 that provides a consistent nationwide approach for federal, state, local and tribal governments, as well as the private-sector and nongovernmental organizations to work effectively and efficiently together to prepare for, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents, regardless of cause, size or complexity. NIMS builds on the ICS and the proven principles of unified command. (3-31-22)

08. Incident Commander. The designated local emergency response official responding to an incident. This person must be fully trained and knowledgeable in the ICS. Normally, the Incident Commander will be the local fire chief or law enforcement officer. A local jurisdiction, based on its local plan and resource assessment, may request that Idaho State Police assume incident command, particularly for incidents on U.S. Interstates and state-numbered routes, including rights-of-way. The Incident Commander is in overall charge of all efforts at the scene. (3-31-22)

09. Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). A committee made up of local officials, citizens, and industry representatives charged with development and maintenance of emergency response plans for the local emergency planning district as per EPCRA requirements. Planning procedures include hazardous substance inventories, compilation and coordination of fixed facility emergency response plans, hazardous substance response training, and assessment of local response capabilities. (3-31-22)

10. Regional Response Team (RRT). See Idaho Regional Response Teams. (3-31-22)

11. Reimbursable Costs. The total eligible expenses arising from response to a hazardous substance incident. Such costs generally include, but are not limited to, all state and local government expenses that result from the assessment and emergency phases of the response activity. Emergency response costs do not include clean-up or disposal costs of hazardous substances, except as may be reasonably necessary and incidental to preventing a release or threat of release of a hazardous substance or in stabilizing the emergency response incident. (3-31-22)

12. Responsible Party or Spiller. Any person who owns, controls, transports, or causes the release, or threat of release of a hazardous substance which is involved in a hazardous substance incident shall be strictly liable for the costs arising out of the response. (3-31-22)

13. State Communications. The communications center for state hazardous substance emergency response. State Communications can be reached by calling 1-800-632-8000 or 208-846-7610. Notification of State Communications is the first step in initiating the Idaho Hazardous Materials/WMD Incident Command and Response Support Plan. (3-31-22)

14. State Emergency Response Teams. See Idaho Regional Response Teams. (3-31-22)

15. State On-Scene Coordinator (SOSC). To ensure coordination during a significant incident, the state of Idaho will provide a State On-Scene-Coordinator (SOSC). The SOSC will facilitate the formation of a unified command during a significant incident. Under Unified Command, the Idaho SOSC can assist by acquiring resources, advising on response issues, and coaching the jurisdiction in overall scene management. The SOSC will coordinate with responding state agencies and be the principal state spokesperson in the unified command as an advocate for all state interests. In this role, the SOSC effectively represents the interests of the state of Idaho and its citizens. The Idaho SOSC will be appointed by the Director, Office of Emergency Management or his designee. (3-31-22)

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Idaho may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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