Emergency Response
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's (MPCA) Emergency Response Team (ERT) members are responsible for organizing the MPCA's efforts for oil and hazardous material emergencies. Chemical fires, train derailments, pipeline breaks, tanker truck accidents and petroleum vapors in a sewer are examples of environmental and public health emergencies to which the MPCA's ERT members respond.
To request state assistance or to report a petroleum or hazardous materials spill, contact the Minnesota Duty Officer at:
- 800-422-0798 or
- 651-649-5451
These are 24-hours emergency response phone numbers.
The ERT works closely with local, county, state and federal public safety and environmental officials. On-call staff field over 2,000 spill calls annually for the entire state—24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Internal and external spill prevention and preparedness is an important part of the ERT's strategic plan and is carried out through: proactive community planning, fire department training, exercises and drills, and enforcement.
The mission of the Emergency Response Team:
- First, preventing unpermitted releases of pollutants;
- second, ensuring emergency preparedness and planning; and
- finally, responding to environmental releases to support public safety protection and achieve cleanup. This is to be done in an efficient and coordinated fashion, which promotes a clean environment and satisfied stakeholders.
Response Plans
Minneapolis/St. Paul Sub-Area Plan 
- Area Plan for Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana
- Upper Mississippi River Basin Water Quality Plan
- National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan
- EPA Emergency Response Programs
- Coast Guard Marine Safety and Environmental Protection
Rules/Statutes
- Reporting Spills (MN 115.061)
- Preventing and Preparing for Spills (MN 115E)
- Federal Oil Pollution Act
Related Links
- MPCA Toolbox for local units of government recovering from a natural disaster (fact sheets, customizable flyers, forms)
- FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
- Inland Sensitivity Atlas— Spill resonse plans must be designed to protect local surface waters.
- Minn. Department of Public Safety
- Agricultural Chemical Emergency Response — Minnesota Department of Agriculture
- Great Lakes Commision
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Minnesota Geological Survey
- MPCA Remediation Sites
