![[logo] US EPA](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081013051857im_/http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Emergency Response in the Southeast
National Response Links
National Response Center (NRC)
Oil Response & Removal
- Oil Cleanup
- WhereYou Live
- Reporting Oil Spills
- Preventing Oil Spills
- Preparing for Oil Spills
- Responding to Oil Spills
- Learning Center
Chemical Releases
EPA's Superfund Emergency Response Program provides quick response to the release, or threatened release, of hazardous substances wherever and whenever they occur. It is one of two major components of the Superfund response program designed to protect human health and the environment from the multiple threats posed by hazardous substances. The program's top priorities are below:
- readiness to respond 24 hours-a-day to a release incident;
- response with whatever resources are required to eliminate immediate dangers to the public and the environment; and
- community relations that can be used to inform the public about a release, response activities, and the substances involved.
An environmental emergency is a sudden threat to the public health, or the well-being of the environment, arising from the release or potential release of oil, radioactive materials, or hazardous chemicals into the air, land, or water. These emergencies may occur from transportation accidents, events at chemical or other facilities using or manufacturing chemicals, or as a result of natural or man-made disaster events. While there are many other serious environmental problems with which EPA is concerned, these activities are focused generally on sudden, immediate threats.
Time Critical Responses (Removals)
Removal actions are generally short-term response actions taken to abate or mitigate imminent substantial threats to human health and the environment. These actions are generally surface cleanups. Removal actions can be triggered by burning, leaking, explosion or other hazardous occurrences that cannot wait for remedial action. Due to the short-term nature of these actions, there is a set $2 million and 12 month limit on Fund-financed removal actions.
Pollution Reports (POLREPS) - Reports of cleanups at oil and hazardous substance sites.
- Region 4 Oil Spill Pollution Reports
- Region 4 Chemical Emergency Pollution Reports
- National Emergency Response Pollution Reports (http://www.epaosc.net)
- Spills reported to the U.S. Coast Guard's National Response Center.