Contingency Plan for Oil and Hazardous Waste
Spills
Oil
and hazardous waste spills in the sanctuary may cause significant
harm to the sanctuary's natural and cultural resources. In case
of such an event, representatives from the sanctuary are empowered
to work with the U.S. Coast Guard, which serves as the Federal
On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC) for any incident response.
On-scene
coordinators are responsible for organizing a response that utilizes
the Incident Command System. Sanctuary staff are trained and familiar
with their roles in this sort of emergency. In addition, NOAA's
Office of Response and Restoration, Hazardous Materials Response
Division (HAZMAT), Scientific Support Coordinators (SSCs) are
available to provide assistance (HAZMAT SSCs are co-located in
each USCG District). The SSC represents NOAA on the FOSC staff,
is responsible for providing mission-critical scientific information
to the response, and directs all NOAA personnel on scene. Sanctuary
staff members are required to coordinate with the SSC when responding
to any such incident.
The
SSC is responsible for coordinating and articulating NOAA policy
positions during a response, particularly with respect to the
use of advanced response technologies such as dispersants, in-situ
burning, and bioremediation. This does not preclude sanctuary
representatives from speaking on issues of internal sanctuary
policy.
For
more information about sanctuary responsibilities in an oil or
hazardous waste spill, click
here for the sanctuary annex to the "Plymouth to Salisbury,
Massachusetts Area Contingency Plan."
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