Mission:

To provide integrated planning, development, and evaluation of programmatic activities for the Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety; to assure that these activities are fully coordinated internally and externally; and to maintain the supporting information systems.

The functions of this Office are:

1. Design the framework for a long-range program plan. Lead the effort to update the plan annually;
   
   
2. Develop and implement performance monitoring systems for the annual operating plan. Identify problems and coordinate their resolution.
   
   
3. Provide technical support in developing resource, budget, and program plans;
   
   
4. Examine impacts of regulatory, legislative, and program activities, on safety, environmental, economic, social, and technological issues;
   
   
5. Identify technological and engineering information needs for future rulemaking;
   
   
6. Define requirements and manage the Hazardous Materials Information System (HMIS) and serve as liaison with other system users; and
   
   
7. Establish reporting systems to maintain incident and operations data from all modal carriers of hazardous materials (packaged materials only for water transport), and from manufacturers of containers used for hazardous materials transport.
   
   
8. Provide assistance and documents requested pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552 and Privacy Act, for the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety.
   
   
9. Provide financial and technical assistance as well as national direction and guidance to enhance State and local hazardous materials emergency planning and training pursuant to the Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) Grant Program.
   
   

The functions of this Office are also subject to the executive direction of the Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.