In 1986, the United States Congress passed Public Law 99-145 directing the destruction of wartime chemicals stockpiled at eight sites around the country. The Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) began in 1988 with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) (an agreement) between the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of the Army to provide maximum protection to the public and the environment near the stockpiles. The CSEPP Program was established to assist local governments in developing or improving their emergency preparedness and response capabilities.

The Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG-EA) is the site of the Chemical Agent Storage Yard (CASY). The only agent stored at the yard is mustard agent "HD." It is a liquid not a gas. Mustard agent smells like garlic or mustard.

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The probability of a chemical agent release from CASY in sufficient quantity to endanger civilian residents in Maryland is extremely low. However, emergency planning is necessary and is being conducted to ensure a maximum level of public safety.

The purpose of the CSEPP Program is to provide maximum protection to the public through emergency planning, public education and outdoor alerting devices for as long as the stockpile exists. It is independent of any decision regarding disposal of Army chemical agents.

Response to a chemical stockpile emergency at APG-EA is similar to other emergency operations. As in response to any hazardous materials incident, reaction time will be short. Thus, the alerting and warning of the public, protective action decisions, and implementing protective actions must be accomplished rapidly and effectively.

To assist in the planning effort, the new Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) has been developed to aid in the planning process. The EPZ is divided into subzones and boundaries fall on easily identifiable landmarks such as roads, highways and rivers.

The EPZ is an area extending roughly 4.7 miles out from the CASY within which prompt and effective response is most critical.

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To further aid in planning, and to increase speed of response, several event classification levels exist: NON-SURETY EMERGENCY, LIMITED AREA EMERGENCY, POST ONLY EMERGENCY, and COMMUNITY EMERGENCY. For the first three classifications, no potentially harmful effects are expected outside the military reservation. As a precaution, people living near the APG-EA post boundary may be evacuated during a POST ONLY EMERGENCY.

Officials from Aberdeen Proving Ground are responsible for assessing and classifying an emergency incident at CASY and reporting the situation to State and County officials.

A COMMUNITY EMERGENCY is an emergency that presents a danger to the population beyond the post boundary. Protective actions will be required in response to this emergency classification level. Notification from Aberdeen Proving Ground will include recommended protective actions for the public. Such protective actions include evacuation and sheltering. County and state officials will make the decision on which action is taken at each affected location.

Protective actions include evacuation of the public from harm's way and/or sheltering. Evacuation may be precautionary (agent has been released but the public may not be at risk) or responsive (agent has been released and public exposure is imminent). In case of evacuation, local law enforcement officials will assist in controlling traffic flow. General sheltering instruction will be provided through county public safety education programs. If an event occurs, specific guidance will be provided through emergency notification procedures.

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Organizations on many levels of government are involved in the CSEPP Program, from county Emergency Management agencies to the U.S. Department of Defense. The U.S. Army stores the chemical agent for the Department of Defense. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administers program funding. The Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) is the State's lead emergency planning and coordination agency. Baltimore, Harford and Kent County Emergency Management agencies are responsible for emergency response efforts in the unlikely event of an incident involving the stockpile.