Photo credit: NASA
Tips to Stay Safe
- ALWAYS CALL 911 if you are in immediate danger and need emergency help.
- Stay safe. Return home only if you are told it is safe by local officials. As you clear debris please look carefully around the debris for any visible cables. If you see any cables, wait for professional help. Power cables can kill easily.
- Be strong. Focus on your specific needs and take care of one another. Shelters are providing information, charging stations, and connection to assistance from federal, state, and voluntary agencies. They also have communications support so you can contact loved ones and let them know you’re safe.
- Start cleaning up. Photograph/video damages before you start cleaning up. Contact your insurance company to file a claim.
Hurricane Michael Response - October 18, 2018
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to coordinate with our local, state, tribal and federal partners to respond to impacts associated with Hurricane Michael in support of our mission to protect human health and the environment.
Florida
- EPA field teams assessed three Superfund National Priority List (NPL) sites in the Florida panhandle and determined that there were no environmental impacts or releases.
- At the state’s request, EPA is preparing to deploy landfill debris specialists to support a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Emergency Support Function (ESF)-10 Mission Assignment for debris removal and management.
- Under a FEMA ESF-3 Mission Assignment, EPA sent technical staff to Bay County, FL, this week to assist the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FL DEP) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in restoring drinking water and wastewater service to communities in Bay County affected by Hurricane Michael. EPA also sent a mobile laboratory to support these efforts.
- EPA continues to coordinate with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FL DEP) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to respond to potential oil and waste related incidents, as necessary.
- On Oct. 12, EPA approved a fuel waiver for Florida for the use of red-dyed diesel in order to ensure an adequate supply of diesel fuel across the state for ongoing response activities.
Georgia
- EPA has been in daily contact with GA Environmental Protection Division concerning impacted water/wastewater facilities.
- EPA has deployed field teams to assess 11 NPL sites in Georgia. Three assessments have been completed and no environmental impacts or releases were identified.
Alabama
- On Oct. 17, EPA completed assessments of southeastern Alabama RMP facilities have been completed with no reports of significant concerns.
The EPA Region 4 Administrator maintains frequent communication with the environmental directors of the impacted states. Today, Oct. 17, EPA senior leaders were on the ground in impacted areas of Florida to support state and federal response efforts.
View EPA press releases on Hurricane Michael here.
EPA Enforcement Actions
On Friday, October 12, 2018, following requests from the state of Florida, OECA Assistant Administrator Susan Bodine issued three No Action Assurances in Florida. One No Action Assurance addressed vapor recovery devices at fuel loading and unloading terminals and associated loading racks in Florida that are not operational due to damage or loss of power and to address severe fuel shortages resulting from hurricane damage to fuel distribution systems in Florida. The next No Action Assurance addressed the loading of tank fuel trucks at petroleum distribution stations in Florida to facilitate fuel distribution for operations that are serving areas affected by the hurricane. The third No Action Assurance was issued for the Avrah B. Hopkins generating station in Florida to facilitate the supply of power to Leon County, Florida, which was significantly impacted by the hurricane.
On Friday, October 12, 2018, following a request from Florida, Acting Administrator Wheeler signed an emergency fuel waiver through October 26, 2018, for the state of Florida. The waiver allows the use of red dyed 15 parts per million (ppm) non-road locomotive and marine (NRLM) diesel fuel in diesel-powered highway vehicles in the Florida. The waiver was needed to minimize and prevent the disruption of the supply of diesel fuel for emergency response vehicles.
