NATIONAL OIL AND HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES 



POLLUTION CONTINGENCY PLAN 



AND FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITIES 



Richard E. Hess 1 ' 2 



The National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan 

 (40 CFR 1510), hereafter referred to as the National Contingency Plan, or 

 simply the Plan, fulfills a requirement specified in Section 311 (c)(2) of 

 the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA) Amendments of 1972 (Public 

 Law 92-500). The plan is the result of interagency work and cooperation and 

 has as its central theme the concept that is embodied in the Water Pollution 

 Control Act; e.g., it provides for efficient, coordinated, and effective action 

 to minimize damage from oil and hazardous substances discharges. Possibly, 

 its most important aspect is that of specifying that there should be an On- 

 Scene Coordinator (OSC) to serve as the single Federal executive agent on- 

 scene to direct cleanup and removal operations. 



The plan was first published as an interagency agreement in November 

 1968. It became part of the Code of Federal Regulations in June 1970, pursuant 

 to the Water Quality Improvement Act of 1970 (PL 91-224) and assumed its present 

 format in August 1973 to comply with the provision of the FWPCA Amendments 

 of 1972 (PL 92-500). The current version of the plan was published in February 

 1975, with some minor amendments being incorporated in March 1976. 



The FWPCA calls for the plan to include, but not to be limited to: (1) the 

 assignment of duties and responsibilities among Federal departments and agencies; 

 (2) identification, procurement, maintenance, and storage of equipment and 

 supplies; (3) establishment of a National Strike Force to provide necessary 

 specialized services to carry out the plan; (4) establishment of trained and 

 equipped emergency task forces in major ports; (5) development of a system 

 of surveillance and reporting designed to insure the earliest possible notice 

 of discharges of oil and hazardous substances to the appropriate Federal agency; 

 (6) establishment of a national center to provide coordination and direction 

 for operations in carrying out the plan; (7) development of procedures and 

 techniques to be employed in identifying, containing, dispersing, and removing 

 oil and hazardous substances; (8) preparation of a schedule, in cooperation 

 with the states, identifying dispersants and other chemicals, if any, that 

 may be used in carrying out the plan; and (9) development of a system whereby 

 the State or States affected by a discharge can be reimbursed for reasonable 

 costs incurred in the removal of such discharges. 



1 EPA/USCG Liaison Officer 



OSNCD (WH 548) 

 Environmental Protection Agency 

 Washington, D.C. 20460 

 2 

 The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not 



reflect the official views or policies of either the Environmental Protection 

 Agency or the U.S. Coast Guard. 



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