train derailment at Axis, Alabama. This accident, just at the U.S. Environ- 

 mental Protection Agency (EPA)-U.S. Coast Guard spill jurisdiction boundary, 

 has killed two of the train crew and four nearby residents. Various chemicals 

 and oils were being transported. In these ruptured and leaking cars were 

 vinyl chloride, metalic sodium, No. 2 fuel oil, No. 5 heating oil, sulphuric 

 acid, chlorine, carbon disulphide, and amino toluene. All, or parts, of 

 these various otherwise useful and expensive products are flowing directly 

 into the Mobile Riber. The weather on this November day is cool, foggy, and 

 threatening rain. There are several private wells in the area and two domes- 

 tic water supplies taking from the Mobile River just downstream from the 

 accident site. Also, there are five large industrial water intakes (including 

 a power plant) in the same vicinity. The time of the event is 2:00 a.m., 

 Sunday. What laws (Federal or other) will embrace the largest portion of this 

 event, what funding is immediately available, what or who has legally vested 

 interests, and, finally, who may have significant moral interests? At the 

 risk of leaving something or someone out, let's examine the interacting 

 dynamics of this madness. 



It is clear that the spill of the various materials is critical. Thus 

 the Federal Government will view all matters relating to the event as a 

 Section 311 (P.L. 92-500) exercise. The RRT will be the principal operation- 

 al element; but who will have input to the decisionmaking processes? Would 

 you believe that the listing is as follows? 



1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): 



a) Solid Waste Program, Resource and Conservation Recovery 

 Act (RCRA) 



b) Environmental Emergency Program (Section 311) 



c) Drinking Water Supply Program 



d) Toxic Material Program, Toxic Substances Control Act 

 (TSCA) 



e) Public Affairs 



f) Surveillance and Analysis Program 



g) Legal. 



2. U.S. Department of Transportation - U.S. Coast Guard: 



a) Marine Environmental Protection 



b) The Gulf Strike Team 



c) The Public Information Assistance Team 



d) Marine Safety Office (MSO). 



3. U.S. Department of Defense: 



Note: Could be any one or more of several agencies; 

 i.e., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Navy, Army, 

 Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD Team). 



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