160 



17840 Federal Register / Vol. 45. No. 55 / Wednesday. March 19, 1980 / Rules and Regulationa 



maumials, and endangered and 

 threatened plants and animals fSee 

 { 15ia38(a)(3)). DOI is responsible for 

 implementing this plan in American 

 Samoa and the Trust Territory of the 

 Pacific Islands when required. 



(9) The Department of Justice can 

 provide expert advice on comph'cated 

 legal questions arising from discharges 

 and Federal agency responses. 



(10) The Department of Labor, through 

 the Occupational Safety and Health 

 Administration, will provide the OSC 

 with advice, guidance, and assistance 

 regarding hazards to persons involved in 

 removal or control of oil or chemical 

 spills, and in the precautions necessary 

 to prevent hazards to their health and 

 safety. 



(11) The Department of 

 Transportation provides expertise on all 

 modes of transporting oil and hazardous 

 substances. Through the USCG. DOT 

 offers expertise in the domestic/ 

 international fields of port safety and 

 security, marine law enforcement ship 

 navigation and construction, and the 

 manning, operation, and safety of 

 vessels and marine facilities. The USCC 

 also maintain^ Continuously manned 

 facilities which can be used for 

 command, control, and surveillance of 

 oil discharges occurring on the waters of 

 the United States or the high seas. For 

 those areas where it provides the OSC . 

 the USCG chairs the RRT which 

 develops, implements, and revises the 

 regional and local contingency plans as 

 necessary. 



(12) The Department of State will lead 

 in developing joint international 

 contingency plans. It will also help to 

 coordinate an international response 

 when pollution discharge crosses 

 international boundaries or involves 

 foreign flag vessels.^ Additionally, this 

 Department will coordinate requests for 

 assistance from foreign governments 

 and U.S. proposals for conducting 

 research at incidents that occur in 

 waters of other countries. 



(13) The Environmental Protection 

 Agency provides expertise on 

 environmental effects of pollution 

 discharges and environmental pollution 

 control techniques. EPA will also advise 

 the RRT and OSC on what degree of 

 hazard a discharge poses to the public 

 health and safety, and will coordinate 

 scientific support, including assessment 

 of damages, in the inland regions. For 

 those areas where it provides the OSC 

 EPA chairs the RRT which develops, 

 implements, and revises regional and 

 local contingency plans as necessary. 

 EPA win coordinate with USCG in the 

 preparation of regional and local 

 contingency plans for pollution control 

 and protection of the environment 



(c) All Federal agencies are 



responsible for minimizing the 

 possibility of discharges: for developing 

 the capability to respond promptly to 

 discharges from facilities they operate 

 or supervise; and for making resources 

 available for Federal pollution response 

 operation*. 



(d) In addition to their general 

 responsibilities under paragraph (c) of 

 this section, partidpatiag agencies are 

 responsible for 



(1) Leading all Federal agencies in 

 programs to minimize environmental 

 damage associated with discharges from 

 fadhties they operate or supervise; 



(2) Providing representation as 

 necessary to the NRT and RRTs, and 

 giving assistance to the RRTs and OSCa 

 in formulating regional and local 

 contingency plans; 



(3) Developing the operating 

 capability in their particular area* of 

 expertise for a rapid response to any 

 pollution discharge in coordination with 

 other Federal agencies; 



(4) Making necessary information 

 available to the NRT, RRT. or OSC; and 



(5) Informing the NRT and RRTs 

 (consistent with national security 

 considerations) of changes in the 

 availability of resources that would 

 affect the operation of this PtaiL 



{1510,23 Non-f«d«M pwtjcipaitlan, 



(a) Every State Governor is asked to 

 assign an office or agency to represent 

 the State on the RRT. The State's 

 representative should participate fully in 

 all facets of RRT activitiea and shall 

 designate the element of the State 

 government that will direct state 

 supervised discharge removal 

 operations. Participation of officials 

 &om municipalities with major ports 

 and waterways is also invited In the 

 RRT. (See } 1510J4(f).) 



State and local government agencies 

 are encouraged to include contingency 

 planning for disciiarge removal in all 

 emergency and disaster planning. 

 Federal local contingency plans required 

 by this Plan shall be coorchnated with 

 plana developed by state and locaL 

 governments. This is especially 

 important for traffic control, land 

 access, and disposal of pollutants in 

 removal operations. 



(b) States, industry groups, academic 

 organizatidtis, and others are 

 encouraged to commit resources for 

 removal operations. Specific 

 commitments shall be listed in Federal 

 regional and local contingency plans. 

 EPA and Uie.USCG should explore the 

 possibility of concluding memoranda 

 delegating responsibility to concerned 

 States for cleanup of certain spills. 

 Details on reimbursement to states for 

 removal actions taken under to this Plan 



are contained in § 1510.65 and 33 CFR 

 Part 153. 



(c) It is partiQilarly important to 

 coordinate the technical information 

 generated by scientists from the Federal 

 and State governments, from industry, 

 universities, and elsewhere to assist the 

 OSC in developing cleanup strategies in 

 enviroimientally sensitive areas: to 

 assist in the performance of post spill 

 damage assessments; and to assure that 

 pertinent research will be undertaken to 

 meet national needs. The scientific 

 support aspect of this Plan is described 

 in i 1510.84. 



(d) Federal local contingency plans 

 should establish procedures to allow for 

 wellK)rganized and worthwhile 

 employment of volunteers. Local plans 

 should provide for the direction of 

 volunteers by the OSC or by odier 

 Federal, local or state officials 

 knowledgeable in contingency 

 operations and capable of providing 

 leadership. Local plans should also 

 identify specific areas in which 

 volunteere can best be used such as: 

 beach surveillance, logistical support 

 bird and wildlife treatment and 

 scientiflc investigations. Normally, 

 volunteers shbuld not be used for 

 physical removal of pollutants. If the 

 substance discharged is toxic to 

 humans, or if in the judgment of the OSC 

 other dangerous conditions exist 

 volunteers shall not be permitted at on- 

 scene operations. Regional and local 

 contingency plans should provide for 

 routine education and training of 

 volunteers so that tr aining during an 

 actual incident will not be necessary. 

 Information on discharge and removal 

 efforts should be provided to volunteers 

 frequentiy during the course of plaiming 

 to insure coordinated effort and 

 meaningful participation. 



Subpart C— Organization 



S 151034 Eniergaflcy rsspon** actlvitlea 

 and coordination. 



(a) In a pollution emergency, the OSC 

 is responsible for Federal on-scene 

 coordination. The OSC provides reports 

 to and receives advice from the RRT 

 charged with regional coordination. The 

 RRT is composed of representatives 

 from the regional and district offices of 

 the participating agencies. States, and 

 locail governments. 



(b) National coordination is 

 accomplished through the NRT which 

 receives reports from and provides 

 guidance and advice to the RRTs. 

 Activities are coordinated through the 

 facilities of the national and regional 

 response centers. 



(c) The organization of this Plan is 

 shown in Figure 1. 



BILUNQ CODE 3125-OI.M 



