U.S. Navy Ship Salvage Manual Volume 6 - Oil Spill Response

S0300-A6-MAN-060• Huntington Beach (California) - to recover crude oil spilled from the damaged oiltanker AMERICAN TRADER.• Arthur Kill (New York) - to recover oil spilled as a result of oil tanker BT NAUTILUSgrounding.• Chesapeake Bay - to recover fuel oil spilled following a collision between two cargoships.• Gulf of Mexico - to recover crude oil from IXTOC 1 oil well blowout.The Navy’s position in the national effort to mitigate the effect of oil pollution has been establishedby its performance. Response to oil spills has become and can be expected to remaina major responsibility of the Navy salvage organization.1-3 THE NATIONAL RESPONSE ORGANIZATIONThe Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act) mandated the National Oil and HazardousSubstances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) which is codified as Title 40, Part 300, ofthe Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR 300). The NCP establishes national concept, policy,plan and organization for response to oil and hazardous substance spills. It sets guidelines for federalresponse, establishes the National Response Team (NRT) and 13 Regional Response Teams(RRT), designates participating agencies, Federal On-Scene Coordinators (FOSC) and specialforces and resources. NEESA Publication 7-021 (Series), Oil and Hazardous Substance SpillResponse Activity Information Directory, gives names and addresses of members of the NRT andkey members of the RRTs and special resource agencies.National planning for oil spill response was greatly enhanced by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990.That legislation requires the addition of Coast Guard District Response Groups and Area Committees.Area Committee members are to be appointed from federal, state and local agencies. Ofparticular significance is a requirement for procedures to coordinate Coast Guard Strike Teams,FOSCs, District Response Groups and Area Committees. Areas are to have contingency plansthat harmonize with the NCP.1-3.1 National Response Team (NRT). The NRT is a planning and oversight body whose membersrepresent 15 federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, as shown in Figure 1-1.Representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Coast Guard, respectively,chair and vice-chair the NRT. The National Response Center (NRC), located at USCGHeadquarters and staffed constantly, is the single federal point of contact for all oil and hazardoussubstance (OHS) spill reporting and is the NRT communications center.1-3.2 Regional Response Teams. (RRT). The standing RRTs are responsible for regional planningand preparedness activities and for maintaining Regional Response Centers (RRC). StandingRRT membership consists of designated representatives from each federal agency participating inthe NRT, together with state and (as agreed upon by the states) local government representatives.Navy activities within a region are represented indirectly through the DOD member of the RRT.1-3