Gallon JP-5 Spill at Naval Station Roosevelt Roads - Supervisor of ...

Winter 1999/20004COMNAVACTUK OHS SpillContingency Plan UpdateNavy contractor personnel performed asite visit at Naval Activities, UK(COMNAVACTUK) facilities to updatethe existing Oil and Hazardous SubstanceContingency Plan. Several facilitiesthroughout the UK were surveyed for anychanges that had the potential to releasehazardous materials into the environment.The plan will undergo a revision to updateinformation such as points of contact,addresses, telephone numbers,maps, sensitive area descriptions, mitigatingactions, and a description of the actualfacilities that pose hazards. The planalso must be consistent with the currentUS Navy regulations and the FederalGoverning Standards of environmentalprotection for US installations in the UK.The installations in the greater Londonarea do not pose a major hazard tothe surrounding neighborhoods; however,there are several sensitive areas inthe vicinity that could be affected by arelease of fuel, black oil, or other materialsfrom tanks and storage areas locatedon these facilities. Fortunately, the tenantcommand, in conjunction with localauthorities, is poised to mount a quickand effective response to any release.Having a thorough response plan isonly the first step in the process of thesafe operation of these facilities. Othermitigating actions are taken during normaloperations to ensure the likelihoodof a release is kept to the bare minimum.For example, on one facility, two 67,000-liter heating oil storage tanks are containedwithin a wall that will hold 110 percentof the capacity of both tanks, thereforemaking a release into the surroundingenvironment less likely. If there is, bysome chance, a release that is not containedby the wall, a detailed responsenotification chain and specific actions areoutlined in the response plan. All personnelthat work in these facilities aretrained according to the plan to ensurethat a response to a release may be executedat any time.Other facilities have the potential tocause hazards by releasing small quantitiesof biological wastes, acids, paints,solvents, and various other hazardousmaterials. Although the threat to the environmentis negligible, these materialsare identified in the response plan to ensurethe ultimate safety of the personneland the resources on these installations.COMNAVACTUK has also beendesignated as the Navy On-Scene Coordinator(NOSC) for the UK and surroundingwaters. This area of responsibilityencompasses all territorial waters aroundthe UK and Ireland, the English Channel,and the shorelines of France and Belgium.Any US Navy vessel that releases a hazardousmaterial into these waters mustreport the release to the NOSC. The managementof the response is also the responsibilityof the NOSC.An installation on the Atlantic coastnear Newquay, Cornwall, was also surveyedto ensure that a thorough contingencyplan was developed. The JointMaritime Facility (JMF) at Royal Air ForceSt. Mawgan provides anti-submarinewarfare and ocean borne acoustic informationto US and UK commands. US andUK personnel with assistance from thelocal authorities will manage a responseto any hazardous material release from thefacilities at JMF St. Mawgan. The JMFSt. Mawgan facilities are not under theoperational control of COMNAVACTUK;however, because they are the responsibilityof the NOSC, they will be includedin the plan.ESSM Base Stockton Moves toPort HuenemeThe year is 1975, Bill Gates opens thedoors on a small company calledMicrosoft, and on the other side of theworld, the North Vietnamese take Saigon.The need to centralize the storage andrepair of salvage, diving, and ship husbandryequipment results in the establishmentof the Emergency Ship SalvageMaterial base at Stockton, California. Dueto fiscal and political considerations,ESSM Base Stockton closed forever on30 September 1999. On 1 October 1999,the ESSM Base began operations at theNaval Construction Batallion Center, PortHueneme, California. The new site, as didESSM Base Stockton, will serve as an“anchor in the Pacific” supporting theAlaska, Hawaii, Singapore, and Japanesefacilities. Although the transfer marks theend of an era, it also creates a new beginning.In addition to providing critical supportto these facilities, the Port Huenemelocation give ESSM added advantages.It is located at a deepwater port, enablingfleet ships to anchor. In addition, it isminutes from NAS Point Mugu, providingairlift capability for emergency missions.Located just two hours from SanDiego, it provides a second line of defensefor oil pollution response for all ofSouthern California.(Continued on page 14)