PTI Local Government Energy Assurance Guidelines - Metropolitan ...

■ ■ 24 to 72 hours: Local law enforcement and agencies may continue to redirect traffic, secure particularly hardhit
areas and provide first-responder emergency services. The State’s governor may make a determination on
whether the disaster qualifies as an emergency. If the governor declares a state of emergency, State personnel,
equipment, and facilities will be authorized for use in the response effort. State Energy Offices and/or Public
Utility Commissions may also begin implementing resource-specific contingency plans and coordinating with
Federal authorities regarding driver hour and fuel waivers, as well as other Federal response resources (via
ESF-12 and other mechanisms—see Appendix C for further information). The State’s National Guard may
also be deployed. Volunteers from many organizations and from the general public may begin to assist with
the cleanup effort, as needed.
■ ■ 72+ hours: organizations involved in disaster relief may transition from meeting immediate needs such as
food, clothing, and shelter to longer-term support services. The Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) and the President of the United States may decide whether the emergency should be declared a
Federal disaster, a decision that may take days, weeks or even months.
Ideally, an EAP should assign its energy assurance coordinator an important coordinating role during an energy
emergency. It should be the coordinator’s responsibility to help ensure that interaction between agencies and
departments and the public and private sector is as efficient and effective as possible during emergencies. It will take
time for a new coordinator to develop the trust and experience needed to perform this important function, so the
sooner a coordinator is designated or hired, the better.
Many States rely on their emergency management (e.g., homeland security or civil defense) organizations for energy
emergency response. Other States may focus energy emergency responsibilities on one or more groups that might be
involved. These responsibilities can be grouped into four broad categories.
■ ■ Monitoring the energy supply system in order to detect any unusual imbalances that indicate the potential for
an energy emergency, and if so, advising the appropriate State officials
■ ■ Developing, administering, or coordinating energy emergency contingency plans
■ ■ Communicating with Federal, State, and local agencies related to energy emergency planning and management
■ ■ Maintaining ongoing contact with components of the energy industry, including regulated utilities,
cooperatives, municipally-owned, and unregulated providers 24
While these responsibilities apply generally to State agencies, they also provide a useful template for framing local
government responsibilities. Working with the local government EMA or comparable agency and grouping some of
the local responsibilities into similar categories may be a useful way to start breaking down and outlining key roles
and responsibilities in the EAP. If possible, the energy assurance coordinator should work on this task directly with
the EMA. The local EAP is not meant to replace or diminish any EMA work; it is meant to supplement and augment
existing EMA work.
As noted in NASEO’s State Energy Assurance Guidelines, Version 3.1, 25 State emergency or disaster plans are
designed to delineate responsibilities among State agencies and between State and local governments. These
plans generally seek to define the relationship between both State and local response mechanisms and the Federal
emergency management system.
24
NASEO State Energy Assurance Guidelines, Version 3.1, 2009, page 30.
25
http://www.naseo.org/eaguidelines/.
42 | 3 – How to Develop or Enhance a Local Energy Assurance Plan