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Introduction 15
and the Gulf of Mexico, and shutting it down for six days (10). The spill caused concerns about
environmental damage and drinking water quality (11).
· In July 2009, a passenger vehicle collided with a gasoline tanker truck on I-75 in Hazel Park,
MI, causing the tractor and trailer to separate. The trailer struck an overpass bridge support
and exploded. Although no one was killed, the recently completed overpass was destroyed.
Reconstruction took several months and cost nearly $12 million (12), not including costs due
to roadway user delays.
As these examples show, the consequences of hazmat incidents are potentially catastrophic to
public safety, life and well-being, the environment, and infrastructure. This raises concern over
transportation of hazardous materials through populated or environmentally sensitive areas. Upon
completing an HMCFS, local planners, emergency managers, and emergency responders can have
a better understanding of hazmat transportation patterns and can use the data to estimate the risks
facing their jurisdiction. The information can help users better prevent hazmat incidents from
occurring, and more effectively protect, respond, and recover from them when they do.
1.3 Organization of this Report
This report covers the HMCFS process in six major steps, shown in Figure 1-2. Each step is cov-
ered in a separate chapter. The six HMCFS process steps follow procedures identified in previous
HMCFS guidance, and integrate concepts from emergency planning. They include the following:
· Select HMCFS leadership, set objectives, and define data requirements--This step is dis-
cussed in Chapter 2. LEPCs and other local entities select the HMCFS leadership. This includes
core team members who provide oversight of the project, set project objectives, and implement
project results. HMCFS project objective categories include hazmat awareness, scenarios defi-
nition, emergency and community planning, equipment needs, resource scheduling, hazmat
route designation, and legal takings. LEPC leadership also includes a project team that will
coordinate and manage the project. HMCFS data requirements are determined by the project
team based on the project's objectives.
· Collect and review baseline information and scope HMCFS project--This step is discussed
in Chapter 3. The project team collects and reviews readily available local information about
hazmat transportation, including previous studies, transport modes and routes, incidents and
accidents, and population locations. The project team scopes the HMCFS project by identi-
fying the extent of additional information required for the HMCFS and the resources needed
to obtain them.
· Collect and review existing HMCFS data--This step is discussed in Chapter 4. The project
team collects and reviews existing data. They search prior HMCFS documents; local, state, and
federal agency data; trade, environmental, social advocacy, and academic sources; other
printed sources of information about hazmat transport; and electronic databases and reports.
The project team confirms that collection of new data for the HMCFS is based on gaps in
existing data.
· Collect and validate new HMCFS data--This step is discussed in Chapter 5. The project team
collects and validates new HMCFS data. This step may be conducted concurrently with exist-
ing data collection. The team gathers information from key stakeholders through interviews
and collects field data, as needed. Field data may include vehicle, placard, or shipping mani-
fest surveys along various transportation routes and route segments.
· Analyze and document HMCFS data--This step is discussed in Chapter 6. The project team
analyzes existing and/or new HMCFS data to estimate hazmat flows. Spatial and/or temporal
analysis may be conducted. The outcome of this step is an evaluation report that documents
the results of the project.
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16 Guidebook for Conducting Local Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow Studies
Figure 1-2. The hazardous materials commodity flow study (HMCFS)
process.
· Implement HMCFS information--This step is discussed in Chapter 7. The core team uses
the HMCFS project evaluation to understand limitations of the results, disseminate and com-
municate information, apply results toward objectives, and plan for future activities.
Chapter 8 provides conclusions and HMCFS recommendations. Additional guidance and in-
formation that may be applied to an HMCFS by some users is provided in the appendices. Case
studies, presented in Appendix C, illustrate how and why HMCFS were conducted by seven
LEPCs from across the United States. The appendices also include reference materials and charts,
a discussion of promising practices used by LEPCs from across the country, descriptions of data
sources, and examples of HMCFS data analysis and applications.
