NCJ Number
190519
Date Published
February 1998
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This document describes the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) role in counterterrorism activities.
Abstract
The United States government has responded to the threat of terrorist activities by aiding State and local governments in preparing for and responding to terrorist threats that involve weapons of mass destruction (WMD). This effort is being conducted through a partnership that involves the EPA, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Public Health Service. Because of its inherent role in protecting human health and the environment from possible harmful effects of certain chemical, biological, and nuclear materials, the EPA is actively involved in counterterrorism planning and response efforts. Congress has given the EPA responsibilities and legal authorities to prepare for and respond to emergencies involving oil, hazardous substances, and certain radiological materials -- any of which could be a component of a WMD. In addition, the President has given the EPA responsibilities for some counterterrorism activities. The EPA’s responsibilities include: assisting the FBI in determining what sort of hazardous substance may be, or has been, released in a terrorist incident; and following an incident, assisting with environmental monitoring, decontamination efforts, and long-term site cleanup operations. The EPA supports the Federal counterterrorism program specifically by helping State and local responders to plan for emergencies, training first responders, and providing resources in the event of a terrorist incident.