Emergency Response to Oil Spills and Hazardous Material Release

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Oil Spills pose a threat to human health and safety and frequently result in significant impacts to natural and cultural resources. The Federal Government has the responsibility to respond to oil spills pursuant to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act), the Oil Pollution Act, and the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). 

What is the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) role in preparing to respond to an oil spill?

Preparing to respond to a spill requires collaboration and coordination among many parties on international, national, regional, state, tribal, and local levels; including the private sector. Numerous spill contingency plans have been developed to address the issues of response, assets available to respond, and the organizational structure to carry out a response.

 

  • DOI scientists and technical experts provide expertise and advice to support the response and help to carry out operational decisions that will protect sensitive natural, recreational, and cultural areas and resources; mitigate collateral harm; and facilitate environmental recovery.  This may include overseeing wildlife rescue and rehabilitation operations, and permitting requirements.                                                                                           
  • DOI RRT members support the response by providing advice and access to DOI bureau/office resources and by representing the policies of the DOI.  Based on input from appropriate DOI bureaus and offices, the RRT provides formal concurrence for DOI on the use of different spill countermeasures. The RRT is ultimately responsible for ensuring coordinated DOI participation in response.                                                                  
  • DOI representatives act as a First Federal Official on spills on DOI-managed lands. If a discharge or release affects land under DOI jurisdiction, the land manager may serve as the First Federal Official until the Incident Commander is appointed, as a member of the Unified Command, and/or in appropriate sections of the Incident Command System organization.

 

Inland Oil Spill Preparedness Program (IOSPP)

American energy resources create jobs and revenue.  As the United States leads development of its energy resources, it is less dependent on other nations, and builds a stronger America.  The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages one-fifth of the land in the United States including our national parks, wildlife refuges, and other public lands managed for multiple-uses on behalf of the public.  Because energy resource development and transport carries with it the potential of accidental releases, DOI, as a steward and manager of America's natural resources, must ensure that appropriate policies are in place to balance conservation with America’s energy opportunities.  In response to the growth in domestic oil production and increased inland transportation of petroleum products, DOI developed and implemented the Inland Oil Spill Preparedness Program beginning in 2015.
 
The IOSPP facilitates wider participation and contributions by DOI in nation-wide oil spill contingency planning and response activities by providing resources to support four key focus areas:   
  1. DOI bureau/office participation and coordination in Regional, Area, and Geographic (GRP) committee planning activities;
  2. DOI bureau/office participation in inland oil spill response exercises and drills held by the EPA, U.S. Coast Guard, and National (NRT) or Regional Response Teams (RRT);
  3. Development of an online library of applicable guidance, templates, and technical resources related to contingency planning and response activities; and
  4. Development and delivery of targeted training primarily for DOI, but to include local and regional non-DOI response personnel, to support effective engagement in inland oil spill contingency planning and response activities, with a special emphasis on highlighting protective measures for our natural and cultural resources and tribal lands. 
 
This forward-leaning approach improves DOI’s overall ability to prepare for and respond to inland oil spills. This translates into not only increased efficiency and efficacy during response operations, but also decreased response-related costs to industries which develop and transport oil.  
 

DOI MOU's and Agreements

Training

In order to prepare agencies within the Department of the Interior to plan for and respond to inland oil spills, staff may participate in training to learn agency roles in spills affecting resources under the trusteeship of the Department. In these courses, response procedures are described for inland and freshwater environments with emphasis placed on planning for an emergency response and coordinating the multi-agency response within the Incident Command System as led by EPA. 
 
Selected objectives in IOSPP Trainings include:
  • Describing spill response, oil behavior, and cleanup techniques.
  • Learning OSHA training and safety requirements for spill response workers.
  • Understanding the roles and responsibilities of DOI Bureau personnel in spill response and how DOI coordinates during an incident.
  • Operating effectively within a SCAT team.
  • Demonstrating spill-response reporting procedures required by the Department of the Interior
  • Demonstrating all knowledge skills necessary to be performed by DOI Bureau personnel before, during, and after an inland spill incident.
 
IOSPP training is targeted for Department of the Interior personnel whose responsibilities include overseeing, planning, or participating in an inland oil spill response.
 
For DOI personnel: To register for any available scheduled classes, please contact either your Bureau IOSPP Workgroup Member or the contact person identified for each class.

Funding for Oil Spill Response

Responding to oil spills involves coordinated efforts by the Coast Guard and EPA Federal On-Scene Coordinators (FOSCs), other Federal agencies including DOI, state and local governments, the responsible party (RP), and Oil Spill Response Organizations (OSROs).

 
On March 24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez spilled over 11 million gallons of Alaskan crude into the water of Prince William Sound. There were many lessons learned the aftermath of the Valdez oil spill. Two of the most obvious were:
  • The United States lacked adequate resources, particularly Federal funds, to respond to spills, and
  • The scope of damages compensable under federal law to those impacted by a spill was fairly narrow.
Although the environmental damage and massive cleanup efforts were the most visible effects of this casualty, one of the most important outcomes was the enactment of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), which addressed both these deficiencies.
 
The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2701-2761) amended the Clean Water Act and addressed the wide range of problems associated with preventing, responding to, and paying for oil pollution incidents in navigable waters of the United States. It created a comprehensive prevention, response, liability, and compensation regime to deal with vessel- and facility-caused oil pollution to U.S. navigable waters. OPA greatly increased federal oversight of maritime oil transportation, while providing greater environmental safeguards by:
  • Setting new requirements for vessel construction and crew licensing and manning,
  • Mandating contingency planning,
  • Enhancing federal response capability,
  • Broadening enforcement authority,
  • Increasing penalties,
  • Creating new research and development programs,
  • Increasing potential liabilities, and
  • Significantly broadening financial responsibility requirements.
 
The U.S. Coast Guard's National Pollution Funds Center (NPFC) was created to implement Title I of the Oil Pollution Act (OPA), which addressed issues associated with preventing, responding to, and paying for oil pollution. Title I of OPA established oil spill liability and compensation requirements, including the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF) to pay for expeditious oil removal and uncompensated damages.

Spills of National Significance

When discharges of oil or hazardous substance releases occur within the United States, there is a complex system in place to ensure effective management and mitigation of any threats to the public and the environment. On rare occasions, a Spill of National Significance (SONS) may occur. A SONS is an oil spill that due to its severity, size, location, actual or potential impact on the public health and welfare or the environment, or the necessary response effort, is so complex that it requires extraordinary coordination of federal, state, local, and responsible party (RP) resources to contain and clean up the discharge.

The explosion of the Deepwater Horizon mobile offshore drilling rig off the coast of Louisiana and ensuing loss of well control of Mississippi Canyon Well 252 tragically resulted in the loss of 11 lives and the largest, most complex oil spill response our nation has ever seen. This oil spill resulted in ecological, social, and economic impacts to the rich and diverse ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico and coastlines of the five Gulf Coast states, necessitating the first declaration of a SONS in U.S. history. Reports published following this incident identified how timely, accurate, coordinated, and transparent messaging across federal agencies is critical throughout a response of this magnitude. Pictured right: Oil discharging from the Macondo wellhead. - DOE

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DOI's Roles in Emergency Response to Oil Spill & Hazardous Materials Releases 

The Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance (OEPC), through the Regional Environmental Officers (REOs), receives initial notification of oil discharges and hazardous substance releases from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) or Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  OEPC provides appropriate bureaus/offices within DOI with notification of discharges and releases and provides reports to the Interior Operations Center for situational awareness.  OEPC ensures requests for DOI expertise or assistance reach the appropriate bureau(s)/office(s).  OEPC also represents DOI on standing and incident-specific activations, the National Response Team (NRT), Regional Response Teams (RRTs), and International Joint Response Teams.  OEPC also provides input to press releases and media briefings.

OEPC Regional Offices

Bureau Oil Spill Response Website and Resources: 

National Park Service (NPS)

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS)

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)

Bureau of Ocean Energy and Management (BOEM)

National Spill Response Programs

Each year, thousands of emergencies involving oil spills or the release (or threatened release) of hazardous substances are reported in the United States.  Emergencies range from small scale spills to large events requiring prompt action and evacuation of nearby populations.  The U. S. Government, in conjunction with State, Tribal and certain foreign Governments, has developed a comprehensive preparedness and response system in which the Department of the Interior (DOI) plays a major role.

 

Spill Reporting and Notification

The Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance (OEPC), receives initial notification of oil discharges or hazardous substance releases from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) or Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). OEPC ensures requests for DOI expertise or assistance reach the appropriate bureau(s)/office(s). OEPC also represents DOI on activations, as well as the National Response Team (NRT), Regional Response Teams (RRTs), and International Joint Response Teams.

The USCG and the EPA are the designated Federal lead agencies for preparing for, and responding to, oil spills. DOI fulfills a substantial support role to these agencies for preparedness and response. Additionally, numerous Federal laws and regulations define DOI responsibilities for protecting the Nation’s natural and cultural resources, managing Federal lands and waters, providing technical expertise and assistance, and serving as a Trustee for Native Americans.

DOI also plays an important role in the aftermath of an oil spill with its Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Program.  For more information go to: www.doi.gov/restoration/index

Additional information on NRT, NCP and Links to USCG and EPA Oil Spill Pages:

Tools & Resources

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