Key Components

Key components in the National Response System include the National Response Center, the National Response Team, the thirteen Regional Response Teams, and the federal On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs). They work with state and local officials to develop and maintain a network of response contingency plans that enables the nation to respond effectively to hazardous substance and oil emergencies. When an incident occurs, these organizations coordinate with the OSC in charge so that all necessary resources such as personnel and equipment are made available, and so that containment, cleanup, and disposal activities are timely, efficient, and effective. Through this safety net provided by the federal government, the nation has successfully contained several major oil spills and releases of hazardous substances time and again, minimizing the impacts on human health and the environment.

Profiles of real emergency responses highlight the most important achievements of the Superfund Emergency Response program: the elimination of threats from hazardous substances in local communities.