Misplaced Pages

#873126

32-529: The first National Contingency Plan was developed and published in 1968, in response to a massive oil spill from the oil tanker Torrey Canyon , off the coast of England a year earlier. More than 37 million gallons of crude oil spilled into the water and caused massive environmental damage. To avoid the problems faced by response officials involved in the incident, US officials developed a coordinated approach to cope with potential spills in US waters. The 1968 plan provided

64-621: A national program of preparedness planning and response, and facilitating research to improve response activities. The EPA serves as the lead agency within the National Response Team (NRT). Section 300.115 establishes the Regional Response Teams and their roles and responsibilities in the National Response System, including, coordinating preparedness, planning, and response at the regional level. The RRT consists of

96-507: A pipeline terminal before passing through, or alternatively avoid the Suez Canal and travel around Cape Agulhas instead. The canal was deepened in 2009, increasing the draft from 18 to 20 metres (59 to 66 ft). The typical deadweight of a Suezmax ship is about 160,000 tons; the typical beam (width) is about 48 m (157.5 ft). Also of note is the maximum head room—" air draft "—limitation of 68 m (223.1 ft), resulting from

128-622: A release. Section 300.320 establishes the general pattern of response to be executed by the On-Scene Coordinator (OSC), including determination of threat, classification of the size and type of the release, notification of the RRT and the NRC, and supervision of thorough removal actions. Section 300.322 authorizes the OSC to determine whether a release poses a substantial threat to the public health or welfare of

160-581: A response action may be reimbursed. Several other federal agencies may provide financial support for removal actions. Subpart J establishes the NCP Product Schedule, which contains dispersants and other chemical or biological products that may be used in carrying out the NCP. Authorization for the use of these products is conducted by Regional Response Teams and Area Committees or by the OSC, in consultation with EPA representatives. Section 300.415(b) authorizes

192-580: A response situation, consistent with agency authorities and capabilities. Once a response has been triggered, the USCG or USEPA "is authorized to initiate and, in the case of a discharge posing a substantial threat to public health or welfare of the United States is required to initiate and direct, appropriate response activities when the Administrator or Secretary determines that any oil or CWA hazardous substance

224-545: A spill of national significance. In such cases, senior federal officials direct nationally-coordinated response efforts. Section 300.324 requires the OSC to notify the National Strike Force Coordination Center (NSFCC) in the event of worst case discharges, defined as the largest foreseeable discharge in adverse weather conditions. The NSFCC coordinates the acquisition of needed response personnel and equipment. The OSC also must require implementation of

256-550: A standing team made up of representatives of each federal agency that is a member of the Net, state and local government representatives, and also an incident-specific team, made up of members of the standing team that is activated for a response. The RRT also provides oversight and consistency review for area plans within a given region. Section 300.120 establishes general responsibilities of federal On-Scene Coordinators. Section 300.125(a) requires notification of any discharge or release to

288-611: A subsidiary of the Union Oil Company of California , and registered in Liberia but chartered to BP . She was 974.4 feet (297.0 m) long, 125.4 feet (38.2 m) beam and had 68.7 feet (20.9 m) of draught . . On 19 February 1967, Torrey Canyon left the Kuwait National Petroleum Company refinery, at Mina, Kuwait (later Al Ahmadi) on her final voyage with a full cargo of crude oil. The ship reached

320-511: Is almost exclusively used in reference to tankers . The limiting factors are beam , draft , height (because of the Suez Canal Bridge ), and length (even though the canal has no locks ). The current channel depth of the canal allows for a maximum of 20.1 metres (66 ft) of draft, meaning that a few fully laden supertankers are too deep to fit through, and either have to unload part of their cargo to other ships ("transhipment") or to

352-508: Is discharged or there is a substantial threat of such discharge from any vessel or offshore or onshore facility into or on the navigable waters of the United States, on the adjoining shorelines to the navigable waters, into or on the waters of the exclusive economic zone, or that may affect natural resources belonging to, appertaining to, or under exclusive management authority of the United States." The federal On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) "directs response efforts and coordinates all other efforts at

SECTION 10

#1732844976874

384-685: The Canary Islands on 14 March. From there the planned route was to Milford Haven in Wales. Torrey Canyon struck Pollard's Rock on Seven Stones reef , between the Cornish mainland and the Isles of Scilly , on 18 March. It became grounded and, several days later, began to break up. In an effort to reduce the size of the oil spill, the British government decided to set the wreck on fire, by means of air strikes from

416-502: The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) and Royal Air Force (RAF). On 28 March 1967, FAA Blackburn Buccaneers from RNAS Lossiemouth dropped 1,000-pound bombs on the ship. Afterwards RAF Hawker Hunter from RAF Chivenor dropped cans of jet fuel (kerosene), to fuel the blaze. However, the fire was put out by high tides, and further strikes were needed to re-ignite the oil, by FAA de Havilland Sea Vixens from RNAS Yeovilton and Buccaneers from

448-472: The RNAS Brawdy , as well as Hunters of No 1(F) Squadron RAF from RAF West Raynham with napalm . Bombing continued into the next day, until Torrey Canyon finally sank. A total of 161 bombs, 16 rockets, 1,500 long tons (1,500 t) of napalm and 44,500 litres (9,800 imp gal) of kerosene were used. Attempts to contain the oil using foam-filled containment booms were largely unsuccessful, due to

480-580: The 70-metre (230 ft) height above water of the Suez Canal Bridge . Suez Canal Authority produces tables of width and acceptable draft, which are subject to change. From 2010, the wetted surface cross sectional area of the ship is limited by 1,006 m (10,830 sq ft), which means 20.1 metres (66 ft) of draft for ships with the beam no wider than 50.0 metres (164.0 ft) or 12.2 metres (40 ft) of draft for ships with maximum allowed beam of 77.5 metres (254 ft). The similar terms Panamax , Malaccamax , and Seawaymax are used for

512-713: The NCP were finalized in 1994 to reflect the oil spill provisions of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. Under the National Contingency Plan, federal agencies should plan for emergencies and develop procedures for addressing oil discharges and releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants; coordinate their planning, preparedness, and response activities with one another coordinate their planning, preparedness, and response activities with affected states, local governments, and private entities; and make available those facilities or resources that may be useful in

544-550: The National Response Center through a toll-free telephone number . The National Response Center (NRC) acts as the central clearinghouse for all pollution incident reporting. Section 300.135(a) authorizes the predesignated On-Scene Coordinator to direct all federal, state, and private response activities at the site of a discharge. Section 300.135(d) establishes the unified command structure for managing responses to discharges through coordinated personnel and resources of

576-437: The United States based on several factors, including the size and character of the discharge and its proximity to human populations and sensitive environments. In such cases, the OSC is authorized to direct all federal, state, or private response and recovery actions. The OSC may enlist the support of other federal agencies or special teams. Section 300.323 provides special consideration to discharges which have been classified as

608-423: The agencies' capabilities and authorities. Section 300.175 lists the federal agencies that have duties associated with responding to releases. Section 300.210 defines the objectives, authority, and scope of Federal Contingency Plans, including the National Contingency Plan (NCP), Regional Contingency Plans (RCPs), and Area Contingency Plans (ACPs). Section 300.317 establishes national priorities for responding to

640-422: The booms' fragility in high seas. Soldiers from 9 Independent Parachute Squadron RE were tasked to clear several Cornish beaches affected by the spill. When the oil reached Guernsey seven days after the grounding, authorities scooped up the oil into sewage tankers and siphoned it off into a disused quarry in the northeast of the island. Some time later, micro-organisms were introduced to see if they could break

672-606: The canal. Plans to deepen the draft to 21 metres (70 ft) could lead to a redefinition of the Suezmax specification, as happened to the Panamax specification after deepening and widening of the Panama Canal. Aframax is a freight rating, not a geographic routing limiter, for tankers are those with a capacity of 80,000 tonnes deadweight (DWT) to 120,000  DWT . Vessels longer than 400 metres (1,300 ft) need permission from

SECTION 20

#1732844976874

704-467: The federal government, the state government, and the responsible party. Section 300.165 requires the On-Scene Coordinator to submit to the RRT or the NRT a report on all removal actions taken at a site. Section 300.170 identifies the responsibilities for federal agencies that may be called upon during response planning and implementation to provide assistance in their respective areas of expertise consistent with

736-458: The first comprehensive system of accident reporting, spill containment, and cleanup. It also established a response headquarters, a national reaction team, and regional reaction teams (precursors to the current National Response Team and Regional Response Teams). Congress has broadened the scope of the National Contingency Plan over the years. As required by the Clean Water Act of 1972, the NCP

768-498: The health or welfare or the public or the environment. Section 300.415(c) authorizes the OSC to direct appropriate actions to mitigate or remove the release of hazardous substances. [1] . Torrey Canyon SS Torrey Canyon was an LR2 Suezmax class oil tanker with a cargo capacity of 118,285 long tons (120,183 t) of crude oil . She ran aground off the western coast of Cornwall , United Kingdom, on 18 March 1967, causing an environmental disaster . At that time she

800-651: The largest ships capable of fitting through the Panama Canal , the Strait of Malacca and Saint Lawrence Seaway , respectively. The term " Chinamax " refers to vessels able to use a number of harbours while fully laden. " Capesize " refers to bulk carriers too big to pass through the Suez Canal—and needing to travel the Cape route around the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Agulhas —but recent dredging means many Capesize vessels can use

832-442: The lead agency to initiate appropriate removal action in the event of a hazardous substance release. Decisions of action will be based on threats to human or animal populations, contamination of drinking water supplies or sensitive ecosystems, high levels of hazardous substances in soils, weather conditions that may cause migration or release of hazardous substances, the threat of fire or explosion, or other significant factors affecting

864-474: The oil down into carbon dioxide and water. This was a limited success, so in 2010, a bio-remediation process was initiated to speed up the process. An inquiry in Liberia , where the ship was registered, found Shipmaster Pastrengo Rugiati was to blame, because he took a shortcut to save time to get to Milford Haven. Additionally a design fault meant that the helmsman was unaware that the steering selector switch had been accidentally left on autopilot and hence

896-783: The scene of a discharge or release." The plan places responsibility for command and control in managing serious disaster response with the US federal government and not a private company like BP , according to a 2010 article in Rolling Stone (magazine) about the BP Gulf oil spill . Section 300.110 establishes the National Response Team and its roles and responsibilities in the National Response system, including planning and coordinating responses to major discharges of oil or hazardous waste , providing guidance to Regional Response Teams, co-ordinating

928-539: The worst case portion of the tank vessel and Facility Response Plans and the Area Contingency Plan. Section 300.355 provides funding for responses to oil releases under the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, provided certain criteria are met. The responsible party is liable for federal removal costs and damages as detailed in section 1002 of the Oil Pollution Act (OPA). Federal agencies assisting in

960-413: Was revised the following year to include a framework for responding to hazardous substance spills and oil discharges. Following the passage of Superfund legislation in 1980, the NCP was broadened to cover releases at hazardous waste sites requiring emergency removal actions. Over the years, additional revisions have been made to the NCP to keep pace with the enactment of legislation. The latest revisions to

992-515: Was the largest vessel ever to be wrecked. When built by the Newport News Shipbuilding in the United States in 1959, she had a deadweight tonnage capacity of 65,920 long tons (66,980 t). However, the ship was later enlarged by Sasebo Heavy Industries in Japan to 118,285 long tons (120,183 t) capacity. At the time of the shipwreck she was owned by Barracuda Tanker Corporation ,

National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan - Misplaced Pages Continue

1024-469: Was unable to carry out a timely turn to go through the shipping channel. The wreck lies at a depth of 30 metres (98 ft). Cave dive sites: 50°02′30″N 6°07′44″W  /  50.0417°N 6.1288°W  / 50.0417; -6.1288 Suezmax " Suezmax " is a naval architecture term for the largest ship measurements capable of transiting the Suez Canal in a laden condition, and

#873126