photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

A train stopped on the BNSF Railway tracks as seen from the Kansas River Bridge in July of 2023.

When you pass by a tanker truck on a highway, sometimes diamond-shaped cards can be seen indicating what hazardous materials they are carrying.

These are called hazmat cards, which are color-coded and identify the types of hazardous materials a truck is transporting, helping emergency responders quickly assess what kind of danger the materials might pose. Next year, Douglas County’s Emergency Management department hopes to log the information visible on these cards as trucks drive by to get a better idea of what materials are being transported through the county.

The data will be collected for a study that will not only assess the materials carried in via truck, but also by train and pipelines. The findings from the study will help the department inform emergency responders on how to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters.

During the Douglas County Commission’s business meeting on Wednesday, commissioners authorized staff to submit an application for a $50,000 grant for the study. The application was sent by the Douglas County Local Emergency Planning Committee and will be facilitated by the Emergency Management department.

“We have chemicals that come through on trains, that come through on trucks, that come through pipelines under the ground, (and) all of these platforms bring these chemicals through the county,” Emergency Management Director Robert Bieniecki told the Journal-World. ” … That can guide us toward our response goals and our planning.”

The department will hire a consulting firm to conduct the study, and then they will conduct local visits; collect data about roads, rail, pipelines, critical infrastructure, emergency routes, prior events, urban development and field data. Some of the hazardous materials they are looking for include chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, anhydrous ammonia, hydrofluoric acid and sulfuric acid, among others.

The last time a similar study was conducted was in 2021, and it included Jefferson and Osage counties. However, the grant application notes that another study is necessary because of the new Panasonic battery plant nearby in Johnson County.

“I think it’s very timely that we get an updated study,” Bieniecki said in reference to the plant. He added it would be important to see what potential materials can be found on highways like K-10 and I-70 with the transportation of lithium ion batteries or any other chemicals being used by the plant.

The study will pinpoint “hotspots” where hazardous materials often pass through. These could include facilities within the county that store or use such materials, which, if released into the environment, could present a threat. Additionally, the study will identify routes commonly traveled by trucks transporting hazardous goods.

In reference to the 2021 assessment, Bieniecki identified several “hotspots,” including Lawrence Regional Airport, where aircraft fuel is often stored and shipped; areas in North Lawrence where a train regularly passes through; and the intersection of 23rd and Iowa streets, a major route for trucks. These locations are in close proximity to vulnerable areas such as schools, day care centers, churches and other frequently used facilities, which increases the level of concern.

The study will be conducted in 2026, and it will help direct emergency responders with training to safeguard people, property and the environment from the impact of accidents or incidents involving the transportation of hazardous materials.

The department requests federal funding each year by applying for the Hazardous Materials Preparedness grant, which is available through the Department of Transportation to develop, improve and carry out emergency plans. In the past, the department has used funding to provide technician training, conduct hazard and risk mitigation exercises and a study to be conducted every five years.

The application says that “… we need to ensure that we are utilizing accurate, realistic, and up to date information to provide an opportunity for the agencies and jurisdictions to test their ability to respond to and manage a hazardous materials incident.”

Bieniecki said Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical responds to hazardous materials incidents in the county, so knowing what these chemicals are and where they typically come in and leave the county is crucial for planning equipment, manpower and other daily operations.

“From an emergency management point of view, we’re looking at how we can help the people we partner with, those first responders, do their jobs better in preparation for a potential event like this?” Bieniecki said. “And how can we help the public? How can we help a resident be more resilient in case there’s an emergency that involves hazardous materials?”