Table 1. General size classes of oil spills. 



Size Inland waters Coastal waters 



Major 10,000 gallons or greater 100,000 gallons or greater 



Medium 1,000 to 10,000 gallons 10,000 to 100,000 gallons 



Minor less than 1,000 gallons less than 10,000 gallons 



Hazardous substances spills pose an added dimension for FWS response. 

 Due to human safety considerations the extent of response by FWS employees 

 must be on a case-by-case basis. No FWS employees are authorized to jeopar- 

 dize their lives unnecessarily. In many of these incidents our technical 

 advice will have to be limited to distal verbal communications with the 0SC 

 and the appropriate RRT. When the hazards to human safety do not exist we 

 must be onscene to advise when fish and wildlife resources and habitats are 

 jeopardized. 



Priorities for FWS Response 



The FWS first priority for spill response is the protection of endangered 

 species and their habitats. Where advisable, the rescue and rehabilitation 

 of individual animals will be provided for. 



The second spill response priority is to engage in activities necessary 

 to minimize the direct and immediate impacts on susceptible fish and wildlife 

 populations for which the FWS has management responsibilities. 



The FWS third spill response priority is to oversee the collection and 

 treatment of oiled birds. The public demands that the FWS actively pursue 

 this. 



The fourth priority, and not least, is to provide the news media and the 

 general public information on fish and wildlife concerns during spill inci- 

 dents. The FWS shares this responsibility with all agencies involved in 

 responding to spill incidents to work together in providing up-to-date, 

 accurate information corroborating a realistic picture of the problem. 



The need for response by FRC's should be based upon all of the preceding 

 priorities. FRC's should always respond to incidents which involve or 

 threaten endangered species, marine mammals, migratory birds, or other re- 

 sources that are under the management responsibility of the FWS. Rational 

 choices must be made in the interpretation of this plan. Through participating 



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