Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 115 Part 1.djvu/891

This page needs to be proofread.

PUBLIC LAW 107-87—DEC. 18, 2001 115 STAT. 869 (6) The poor condition of highway, railway, and waterway infrastructure, increases in the voliune of hazardous material trguisport, and proposed increases in radioactive material transport increase the risk of incidents involving such materials. (7) Measuring the risks of hazardous or radioactive material incidents and preventing such incidents requires specific information concerning the condition and suitability of specific transportation routes contemplated for such transport to inform and enable investment in related infrastructure. (8) Mitigating the impact of hazardous and radioactive material transportation incidents requires skilled, locsdized, and well-equipped emergency response personnel along all specifically identified transportation routes. (9) Incidents involving hazardous or radioactive material tramsport pose threats to the public health and safety, the environment, and the economy. (b) STUDY.— The Secretary of Transportation shall, in consultation with the Comptroller General of the United States, conduct a study of the effects to public health and safety, the environment, and the economy associated with the transportation of hazardous and radioactive materisd. (c) MATTERS TO BE ADDRESSED.—The study under subsection (b) shall address the following matters: (1) Whether the Federal Government conducts or reviews individualized and detailed evaluations and inspections of the condition and suitability of specific transportation routes for the current, and any anticipated or proposed, transport of hazardous and radioactive material, including whether resources and information are adequate to conduct such evaluations 8ind inspections. (2) The costs and time required to ensure adequate inspection of specific transportation routes and related infrastructure and to complete the infrastructure improvements necessary to ensure the safety of current, and any anticipated or proposed, hazardous and radioactive material transport. (3) Whether emergency preparedness personnel, emergency response personnel, and medical personnel are adequately trained and equipped to promptly respond to incidents along specific transportation routes for current, anticipated, or proposed hazardous and radioactive material transport. (4) The costs and time required to ensure that emergency preparedness personnel, emergency response personnel, and medical personnel are adequately trained and equipped to promptly respond to incidents along specific transportation routes for current, anticipated, or proposed hazardous and radioactive material trgmsport. (5) The availability of, or requirements to, establish governmental and commercial information collection and dissemination systems adequate to provide public and emergency responders in an accessible manner, with timely, complete, specific, and accurate information (including databases) concerning actual, proposed, or anticipated shipments by highway, railway, or waterway of hazardous and radioactive materials, including incidents involving the transportation of such materials by those means and the public safety implications of such dissemination.