On August 10, 2026, 8:30AM-4:30PM, Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MT DEQ), Montana Disaster and Emergency Services (MT DES), Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will conduct a 1-day event that provides an overview of response authorities, strategies; and clarifies roles and responsibilities during hazardous material release incidents. The intention of this event is to strengthen coordination between EPA, BNSF, and the State of Montana and build a strong understanding of how all entities will integrate during a response and what mutual support they will require. The event will feature presentations from EPA on the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA); MT DES on State Emergency Coordination Center procedures; MT DEQ on state responsibilities during an incident; and BNSF on its incident response capabilities. The event will conclude with a several hour discussion-based exercise revolving around a train derailment hazardous material release impacting a drinking water system in Glendive, MT.

• Test and validate the Federal and State anticipated resource needs and potential response actions for catastrophic incidents.
• Clarify and communicate each entity’s authorities, roles, and responsibilities for oil spills and hazardous materials releases.
• Review and align applicable plans and procedures across all entities; identify any additional agreements needed.
• Ensure all exercise participants are trained on and consistently adhere to established communication protocols and response decision-making processes.