EPA OSC Randy Schademann and one START contractor deployed to the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Lincoln, NE on March 27 to join Unified Command and to support FEMA and the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) with household hazardous waste (HHW) response coordination at the state and local level and with orphaned container identification and recovery. Additional coordinating agencies included NDEQ, Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), USDA, Army Corps of Engineers, Nebraska Department of Agriculture, and the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission.
EPA developed orphaned container data collection and data management procedures March 27-29 including an online form to allow state and local response personnel to report orphaned containers and debris fields with descriptions, geographic coordinates, and to upload photos to a central database. An online GIS "dashboard" map was developed to display identified orphaned container locations and response operations.
EPA began ground reconnaissance March 29 for orphaned containers and observed state and local HHW collection operations in Fremont, North Bend, and Valley, Nebraska. USDA Wildlife Services identified orphaned container and debris field locations while conducting flights throughout Nebraska to identify livestock carcasses.
EPA conducted aerial reconnaissance April 5-9,2019, for orphaned containers with the United States Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol (CAP). Identified orphaned container targets were documented in a tablet based data collection form and uploaded to a central database. As of April 10, 2019, approximately 350 orphaned container locations have been identified for assessment and removal.
EPA received a FEMA Mission Assignment on April 15 to conduct oil and hazardous materials field operations in Nebraska, including cleanup and disposal of hazardous materials and oil and response to orphaned containers in support of FEMA and NDEQ disaster operations.
