The plan accomplishes its purpose by establishing a flexible organization 

 consisting of the OSC and advisory groups capable of providing expertise and 

 assistance as required. The groups consist of Regional Response Teams (RRTs), 

 a National Response Team (NRT), and a National Strike Force (MSF). Generally 

 speaking, Federal On-Scene Coordinators (OSC) are furnished by the Coast Guard 

 for the coastal waters, the Great Lakes, and ports and harbors, and by the 

 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for inland waters (Figure 1). 



The Coast Guard and the EPA are also responsible for developing and imple- 

 menting regional contingency plans for their respective areas of responsibility. 

 These plans are used to identify potential problems within the region; the 

 environmental resources that would be jeopardized should a discharge occur; 

 and procedures, equipment, and techniques to protect and/or reduce damage 

 to the water environment in the event of a polluting discharge. 



Regional Response Teams (RRTs) draw their membership from the Federal 

 agencies at the regional level. Agencies designated within the plan as pri- 

 mary agencies (Department of Transportation, Department of Defense, Department 

 of Commerce, Environmental Protection Agency and Department of the Interior) 

 are represented in all RRTs. Those designated as advisory agencies (Department 

 of Justice, Department of State, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, 

 Energy Research and Development Administration, and Housing and Urban Development) 

 participate as appropriate. Additionally, appropriate State agencies are 

 actively encouraged to provide liaison to the RRTs. 



The RRT acts within each region on an emergency basis to provide advice 

 and assistance to the OSC as required. The RRT can assist the OSC in any 

 number of ways. For example, it could arrange for the use of local law enforce- 

 ment officials to keep sightseers under control at the scene of a pollution 

 incident, or for State fish and game officials to place bird-scaring devices 

 at appropriate locations to reduce the possibility that waterfowl would become 

 contaminated with oil. The RRT also provides advice and assistance in the 

 development of regional contingency plans. These regional plans are designed 

 to provide detailed information on responsibilities and capabilities of each 

 agency executing the plan; inventories and location of equipment; location 

 and telephone numbers of cleanup contractors and their capabilities; contact 

 numbers for each Federal, State, and local agency having direct or peripheral 

 responsibilities in executing the Plan; and action plans for specific geo- 

 graphical locations within the region. To supplement the regional plans, 

 the EPA and the Coast Guard have directed their OSCs to develop local plans 

 insofar as feasible in high risk areas such as ports, harbors, and commercial 

 waterways . 



The RRTs are chaired by the Environmental Protection Agency or the Coast 

 Guard, depending on which of the two agencies has the responsibility to provide 

 the OSC. The plan requires that an RRT be activated automatically whenever 

 a major discharge occurs or the potential for a major discharge (10,000 gal 

 or more in inland regions, 100,000 gal or more for coastal regions) exists. 

 An RRT may also be activated during any other pollution emergency by request 

 from any primary agency representative. 



Regional communication center for pollution emergency response activities 

 is known as the Regional Response Center (RRC). The RRC provides facilities 

 for the proper functioning and administration for RRT operations. 



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