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What
is a Federal On-Scene Coordinator?
General Duties
- Responsible for providing access to federal resources
and technical assistance
- Coordinates all federal containment, removal, and
disposal efforts and resources during an oil or hazmat
incident
- Serves as the point of contact for coordination
of federal efforts with the local response community
- Coordinates, monitors, or directs response efforts
- Agency providing OSC might differ depending on
the incident (EPA, USCG, DOD, DOE, or other federal
agency)
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| On-Scene
Coordinator - General |
Federal
OSCs are the federal officials predesignated by EPA and
the USCG to coordinate response resources. The OSC, either
directly or through his or her staff, monitors, provides
technical assistance, and/or directs federal and potentially
responsible party (PRP) resources. As the state and local
responder’s gateway to the resources of the NRS,
it is the OSC’s responsibility to provide access
to resources and technical assistance that may not otherwise
be available to a community. Under the NCP, if federal
involvement is necessary because state and local resources
have been exceeded, the OSC is obligated to coordinate
the use of these resources to protect public health and
the environment.
(Note: An example of the OSC’s direction of PRP resources
could be through participation in the Unified
Command or issuance of an administrative order.)
During an oil or hazmat incident, EPA will usually provide
OSCs in the inland zone, and the USCG will generally provide
OSCs in the coastal zone. The OSC coordinates all federal
containment, removal, and disposal efforts and resources
during an incident under the NCP or the Federal Response
Plan (FRP). The OSC is the point of contact for the coordination
of federal efforts with those of the local response community.
EPA has approximately 200 OSCs at 17 locations nation-wide;
USCG has 46 Marine Safety Offices (MSOs), spread among
the nine USCG Districts, each of which is headed by a
Captain of the Port (COTP), who acts as an OSC.
Agencies other than EPA or USCG might provide the OSC
depending on the incident. While EPA and USCG have primary
responsibility under federal laws and regulations, under
CERCLA, DOD, DOE, and other federal agencies provide OSCs
for incidents for which they have responsibility for releases
of hazardous substances. If a federal agency other than
EPA, USCG, DOD, or DOE – has responsibility for
an incident, they only provide the OSC if the incident
involves non-emergency removal actions. Each of the agencies
in the NRS provides resources and technical expertise
and has access to a wide range of federal assets, such
as equipment and special expertise, through the RRT.
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| What
are the On-Scene Coordinator (OSC)’s planning roles and
responsibilities? |
Under
the NCP, OSCs have the responsibility to oversee
development of the Area Contingency Plan (ACP) in
the area of the OSC’s responsibility. The NCP states
that the development of ACPs should be accomplished
in cooperation with the RRT, and designated local
and state representatives, as appropriate. In both
contingency planning and spill response, the OSC
is responsible for coordinating, directing, and
reviewing the work of other agencies, Area Committees,
RPs, and contractors to ensure compliance with the
NCP and other plans applicable to the response.
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In developing the ACP, the OSC must coordinate with state and local response organizations,
including those represented on the State Emergency Response Commissions (SERCs) and Local Emergency Planning
Committees (LEPCs). It is the OSC’s and Area Committee’s responsibility to ensure that the ACP provides for a
well coordinated response that is integrated and compatible, to the greatest extent possible, with all appropriate
response plans of local, state, and non-federal entities, and especially with SARA Title III local emergency
response plans. The OSC should also include, to the extent possible, a discussion of relationships with potential
RPs. In addition, the OSC must periodically conduct drills of spill removal capability, including fish and wildlife
response capability, without prior notice, in areas for which ACPs are required and under relevant tank vessel and
facility response plans. In the event of a significant discharge, OSCs should implement the ICS specified in the ACP.
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| What
are the On-Scene Coordinator (OSC)’s response roles and
responsibilities? |
The
use of the ICS/UC as a management tool does not relieve
the On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) of her or his obligation
to direct, monitor, and coordinate response actions. The
OSC in every case retains the authority to direct the
response, and must direct responses to discharges of oil
that pose a substantial threat to the public health or
welfare of the United States. In most situations, however,
the OSC will choose to monitor the actions of the RP and/or
local and state governments and provide support and advice
where appropriate. It is the OSC’s responsibility to explain
the OSC’s authority at a response during both the planning
and response phases. The ICS/UC also is a useful mechanism
in obtaining input from other responders to help the OSC
in directing and coordinating response efforts.
The OSC should either implement an ICS at the beginning
of a response, or be prepared to integrate into an existing,
properly functioning, ICS during a response. It is important
to recognize that local and/or state responders may already
have established an ICS when the OSC arrives on-scene.
In many cases, the OSC will fill multiple positions within
the ICS organization. An OSC also may elect to establish
any of the functions of an ICS by assigning responsibility
to another individual.
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