EPPR Current Projects and Activities

EPPR’s current projects and activities are summarized below; links to documents are provided as appropriate:


Completed projects and activities are described elsewhere on the site.

Cooperation on Spill Response in the Arctic: Gap Analysis

The EPPR Working Group decided to establish a correspondence group to: 1) consider the 2000 Gap Analysis and the need to update it, 2) consider international regimes related to oil and HNS spills in international waters, 3) review the AMSA recommendations and the report from the Envisioning Disasters and Framing Solutions workshop, and 4) propose a way forward at the next meeting.

This group will be led by Norway, with one representative from each country. Please see the Gap Analysis document. For your reference, assessments from 1998 and 1999 are accessible as well.

Emergency Source Control Management and Spill Prevention Strategies for High Priority Risks

Region: Russian Federation
Project Period: 2000 ongoing
Funding: US and Russian Federation

Local Counterparts: Russian Federation: EMERCOM of Russia; IBRAE (Nuclear Safety Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences); Federal Agency for Atomic Energy of Russia (formerly MINATOM of Russia). US: Office of International Emergency Management and Cooperation, National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy.

Brief: The Environmental Risk Analysis of Arctic Activities (1998) listed various activities, such as chemical spills, that pose a high risk to the Arctic region. The source control management and spill prevention strategies projects will reduce these risks for high-risk facilities and activities through a series of pilot projects. The projects include the development of an ongoing risk assessment methodologies document (working draft) and a series of on-site facility risk assessments at selected hazardous industrial facilities and facilities handling radioactive and / or nuclear materials. The Phase I report on source control management and prevention strategies for chlorine handling at the Apatity waterworks was published in 2002. The Phase II project, a risk assessment at the Russian Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (NIIAR) Fuel Research Department in Dimitrovgrad, was completed in 2004. A related series of ISO 14001 (Environmental Management Systems) training programs were held in the Russian Federation in 2003 and 2004. The revised ‘working draft’ of the ‘Refined Risk Assessment Methodology’ Report will be completed in January 2005. The Phase III source control management pilot project on risk assessment is being undertaken in the Murmansk Region by the US and the Russian Federation, with participation by Sweden and Finland. The working draft of the ‘Refined Risk Assessment Methodology’ Report may be revised based on lessons learned.


Community Radiation Information Project Kola Region

Region: Kola Region of the Russian Federation
Project Period: 2002 2004
Funding: US and Russian Federation

Local Counterparts: Russian Federation: EMERCOM of Russia; IBRAE (Nuclear Safety Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences). US: Office of International Emergency Management and Cooperation, National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy.

Brief: This project responded to the public need for information about radiation by developing and distributing a brochure and informational CD. The focus was on the Murmansk and Arkhangelskaya regions of Russia. The document is available on the EPPR web site in English. A second project, an information booklet to provide radiological response information for government officials in the Russian Federation, is under development.

Community Radiation Information on Emergency Exercises

Region: Russian Federation
Project Period: 2002 2004
Funding: US and Russian Federation

Local Counterparts: Russian Federation: IBRAE (Nuclear Safety Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences). US: Office of International Emergency Management and Cooperation, National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy.

This brochure and informational CD respond to public/professional need for information about radiation and emergency-response planning. As part of a Russian Federation education/training program on emergency preparedness and response, the document explains the rationale, logistics and results-integration of emergency exercises. Available on the EPPR website, the document provides U.S. examples, and focuses on activities intended to inform the public during emergencies.
 



EPPR Mapping Projects

Two projects were proposed at the EPPR Working Group meeting in April 2004. Based on discussions during the meeting, it was agreed to work towards combining the two projects, and possibly others within the Arctic Council. Once the pilot studies and any workshops have been completed, recommendations will be made concerning future directions for mapping within the EPPR Working Group. For the time being, the two projects are presented separately.

1. Interactive Maps and Environmental Information from Arctic Council Programmes on the Web

Region: Circumpolar
Project Period: 2004 2005
Funding: Norway, Canada, Finland, Russian Federation, Sweden, US, AMAP Secretariat, GRID Arendal

Local Counterparts: Norway Norwegian Coastal Administration, Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority; AMAP Secretariat; GRID Arendal; US - Office of International Emergency Management and Cooperation, National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy

Brief: The EPPR Working Group (lead Norway) is moving forward on a pilot study with GRID Arendal and the AMAP Secretariat to develop an interactive web-based map series based on the completed EPPR product, ‘Circumpolar Map of Resources at Risk from Oil Spills in the Arctic’. The Circumpolar Map consists of static maps which are available on CD or the web site it is not interactive and does not include all the data collected. The current proposal involves a shared Arctic Council web server where each group could have its own web site but still use the data of other groups. Based on the results of this pilot study, a workshop will be held and recommendations made at the next EPPR meeting in 2005.

2. Radioactivity in the Arctic Map and Information

Region: Circumpolar
Project Period: 2004 2005
Funding: US, Canada, Finland, Norway, Russian Federation and Sweden

Brief: The Working Group will develop a map to provide a full picture of the information on radioactive sites in the Arctic. The map would link to data on the status of all sources of radioactivity. The EPPR lead (Norway) for the circumpolar map and the AMAP Secretariat will conduct a pilot project to make an interactive web-based map that will include the AMAP data on radioactivity sources. A path forward will be determined based on comments received on the pilot project.

Arctic Rescue

Region: Russian Federation, with possible expansion to include countries in the circumpolar Arctic
Project Period: 2004 ongoing
Funding: to be determined

Local Counterparts: EMERCOM of Russia

Brief: Arctic Rescue is a mechanism for the prevention and response to emergencies in the Arctic. The first step would be to establish a coordination centre in Moscow and a network of points with suitable infrastructure (airport, seaport, roads, medical services, etc.). Three stations are proposed for the Russian Federation (Murmansk, Dikson, and Chukotka). The Russian Federation has invited other interested countries to identify potential sites for inclusion in a network. The project to develop international nuclear emergency response capabilities (see below) is seen as an example of a building block for the Arctic Rescue initiative.

Arctic Guide

Region: Circumpolar
Project Period: Ongoing/Updated annually
Funding: EPPR Secretariat

Local Counterparts: not applicable

Brief: The on-line Arctic Guide provides information on how the emergency systems work in each Arctic country, contact points and notification numbers. The Guide also provides a brief overview of the risks in the Arctic and on a country-by-country basis, and summarizes applicable international, multi-lateral and bi-lateral agreements.

Updating the Environmental Risk Assessment

Region: Circumpolar
Project Period: 2004 2006
Project Funding: Secretariat and member Countries

Local Counterparts: existing environmental risk assessments

Brief: At their meeting in November 2004, the Ministers accepted the recommendation that natural disasters be added to the mandate of EPPR. The Working Group will provide information in response to the SAO Chair’s request for further information regarding the implications of the proposed expansion of the mandate. The first steps will include: updating the environmental risk assessment matrix to include natural disasters (information on other hazards will also be reviewed); exchange of information; and clarification of the specific goals related natural disasters. Once the role of EPPR in meeting the needs arising during natural disasters is clarified, specific projects will be proposed. Initial projects could include a review of response programs or workshops on best practices.

Cooperation with Other Organizations

Region: Circumpolar
Project Period: Ongoing
Funding: Country funding for their own participation

Brief: The EPPR Working Group cooperates on projects and information sharing related to emergency prevention, preparedness and response with other Arctic Council working groups and organizations such as the Northern Forum. Current initiatives include the following.

1. Developing International Nuclear Emergency Response Capabilities

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is fostering development of international response capabilities to address ‘nuclear events’, including small radiological incidents, Called National Assistance Capabilities, these assets can be used to respond to events at home or abroad, either through deployment of resources, or “home-based” support, such as analysis of monitoring data. EPPR member countries have been invited to help shape the Arctic component of this ongoing project via the development of a nuclear response component of the Arctic Rescue initiative.

2. Table Top Emergency Exercises

The Arctic Military Environmental Cooperation (AMEC) partners will conduct a tabletop emergency exercise involving the transport of radioactive material in the Murmansk region, in 2005; EPPR member countries are invited to participate. The scenario has not yet been finalized.
Several other table top exercises are planned where EPPR member countries are invited to participate or observe, including:

  • The Barents - Euro Arctic Council Barents Rescue 2005 exercise (terrorism, SAR and oil spill)
  • The US-led biennial ‘Spill of National Significance’ exercise.

3. Cooperation with Northern Forum

The EPPR prepared an updated report (March 2004) on potential cooperation with the Northern Forum, specifically the EPPR response to the recommendations from the Northern Forum’s April 2002 Severe Cold Climate Emergency Response Workshop. The Northern Forum has confirmed their interest and support to undertake work on 4 of the 8 recommendations with respect to oil spills. The Working Group will continue to cooperate with the Northern Forum on activities that support the EPPR agenda, particularly in light of the recent inclusion of natural disasters in the EPPR mandate.