Section 155.1050 - Response plan development and evaluation criteria for vessels carrying groups I through IV petroleum oil as a primary cargo(a) The following criteria must be used to evaluate the operability of response resources identified in the response plan for the specified operating environment:(1) Table 1 of appendix B of this part.(i) The criteria in table 1 of appendix B of this part are to be used solely for identification of appropriate equipment in a response plan.(ii) These criteria reflect conditions used for planning purposes to select mechanical response equipment and are not conditions that would limit response actions or affect normal vessel operations.(2) Limitations that are identified in the Area Contingency Plans for the COTP zones in which the vessel operates, including-(iii) Temperature ranges; and(iv) Weather-related visibility.(b) The COTP may reclassify a specific body of water or location within the COTP zone. Any reclassifications will be identified in the applicable Area Contingency Plan. Reclassifications may be to- (1) A more stringent operating environment if the prevailing wave conditions exceed the significant wave height criteria during more than 35 percent of the year; or(2) A less stringent operating environment if the prevailing wave conditions do not exceed the significant wave height criteria for the less stringent operating environment during more than 35 percent of the year.(c) Response equipment must-(1) Meet or exceed the criteria listed in table 1 of appendix B of this part;(2) Be capable of functioning in the applicable operating environment; and(3) Be appropriate for the petroleum oil carried.(d) The owner or operator of a vessel that carries groups I through IV petroleum oil as a primary cargo shall identify in the response plan and ensure the availability of, through contract or other approved means, the response resources that will respond to a discharge up to the vessel's average most probable discharge. (1) For a vessel that carries groups I through IV petroleum oil as its primary cargo, the response resources must include-(i) Containment boom in a quantity equal to twice the length of the largest vessel involved in the transfer and capable of being deployed at the site of oil transfer operations- (A) Within 1 hour of detection of a spill, when the transfer is conducted between 0 and 12 miles from the nearest shoreline; or(B) Within 1 hour plus travel time from the nearest shoreline, based on an on-water speed of 5 knots, when the transfer is conducted over 12 miles up to 200 miles from the nearest shoreline; and(ii) Oil recovery devices and recovered oil storage capacity capable of being at the transfer site-(A) Within 2 hours of the detection of a spill during transfer operations, when the transfer is conducted between 0 and 12 miles from the nearest shoreline; or(B) Within 1 hour plus travel time from the nearest shoreline, based on an on-water speed of 5 knots, when the transfer is conducted over 12 miles up to 200 miles from the nearest shoreline.(2) For locations of multiple vessel transfer operations, a vessel may identify the same equipment as identified by other vessels, provided that each vessel has ensured access to the equipment through contract or other approved means. Under these circumstances, prior approval by the Coast Guard is not required for temporary changes in the contracted oil spill removal organization under § 155.1070(c)(5) .(3) The owner or operator of a vessel conducting transfer operations at a facility required to submit a response plan under 33 CFR 154.1017 is required to plan for and identify the response resources required in paragraph (d)(1) of this section. However, the owner or operator is not required to ensure by contract or other means the availability of such resources.(e) The owner or operator of a vessel carrying groups I through IV petroleum oil as a primary cargo must identify in the response plan and ensure the availability of, through contract or other approved means, the response resources necessary to respond to a discharge up to the vessel's maximum most probable discharge volume. (1) These resources must be positioned such that they can arrive at the scene of a discharge within- (i) 12 hours of the discovery of a discharge in higher volume port areas and the Great Lakes;(ii) 24 hours of the discovery of a discharge in all rivers and canals, inland, nearshore and offshore areas; and(iii) 24 hours of the discovery of a discharge plus travel time from shore for open ocean areas.(2) The necessary response resources include sufficient containment boom, oil recovery devices, and storage capacity for any recovery of up to the maximum most probable discharge planning volume.(3) The response plan must identify the storage location, make, model, and effective daily recovery capacity of each oil recovery device that is identified for plan credit.(4) The response resources identified for responding to a maximum most probable discharge must be positioned to be capable of meeting the planned arrival times in this paragraph. The COTP with jurisdiction over the area in which the vessel is operating must be notified whenever the identified response resources are not capable of meeting the planned arrival times.(f) The owner or operator of a vessel carrying groups I through IV petroleum oil as a primary cargo must identify in the response plan and ensure the availability of, through contract or other approved means, the response resources necessary to respond to discharges up to the worst case discharge volume of the oil cargo to the maximum extent practicable.(1) The location of these resources must be suitable to meet the response times identified for the applicable geographic area(s) of operation and response tier.(2) The response resources must be appropriate for-(i) The capacity of the vessel;(ii) Group(s) of petroleum oil carried as cargo; and(iii) The geographic area(s) of vessel operation.(3) The resources must include sufficient boom, oil recovery devices, and storage capacity to recover the planning volumes.(4) The response plan must identify the storage location, make, model, and effective daily recovery capacity of each oil recovery device that is identified for plan credit.(5) The guidelines in appendix B of this part must be used for calculating the quantity of response resources required to respond at each tier to the worst case discharge to the maximum extent practicable.(6) When determining response resources necessary to meet the requirements of this paragraph (f)(6), a portion of those resources must be capable of use in close-to-shore response activities in shallow water. The following percentages of the response equipment identified for the applicable geographic area must be capable of operating in waters of 6 feet or less depth: (ii) Offshore-10 percent.(iii) Nearshore, inland, Great Lakes, and rivers and canals-20 percent.(7) Response resources identified to meet the requirements of paragraph (f)(6) of this section are exempt from the significant wave height planning requirements of table 1 of appendix B of this part.(g) Response equipment identified to respond to a worst case discharge must be capable of arriving on scene within the times specified in this paragraph for the applicable response tier in a higher volume port area, Great Lakes, and in other areas. Response times for these tiers from the time of discovery of a discharge are- | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
| Higher volume port area (except tankers in Prince William Sound covered by § 155.1135 ) | 12 hrs | 36 hrs | 60 hrs |
| Great Lakes | 18 hrs | 42 hrs | 66 hrs |
| All other rivers & canals, inland, nearshore, and offshore areas | 24 hrs | 48 hrs | 72 hrs |
| Open ocean (plus travel time from shore) | 24 hrs + | 48 hrs + | 72 hrs + |
(h) For the purposes of arranging for response resources through contract or other approved means, response equipment identified for Tier 1 plan credit must be capable of being mobilized and enroute to the scene of a discharge within 2 hours of notification. The notification procedures identified in the plan must provide for notification and authorization for mobilization of identified Tier 1 response resources- (1) Either directly or through the qualified individual; and(2) Within 30 minutes of a discovery of a discharge or substantial threat of discharge.(i) Response resources identified for Tier 2 and Tier 3 plan credit must be capable of arriving on scene within the time listed for the applicable tier.(j)Salvage (including lightering) and marine firefighting requirements are found in subpart I of this part.(k) The owner or operator of a vessel carrying groups II through IV petroleum oil as a primary cargo that operates in any inland, nearshore, or offshore area with pre-authorization for dispersant use must identify in their response plan, and ensure availability through contract or other approved means, of response resources capable of conducting dispersant operations within those areas. (1) Dispersant response resources must be capable of commencing dispersant-application operations at the site of a discharge within 7 hours of the decision by the Federal On-Scene Coordinator to use dispersants.(2) Dispersant response resources must include all of the following: (i) Sufficient dispersant capability for application as required by paragraph (k)(3) of this section. Any dispersants identified in a response plan must be of a type listed on the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan Product Schedule (contained in 40 CFR part 300, and available online from the U.S. Government Printing Office).(ii) Dispersant-application platforms capable of delivering and applying dispersant in the amounts required by paragraph (k)(3) of this section. At least 50 percent of each effective daily application capacity (EDAC) tier requirement must be achieved through the use of fixed wing aircraft-based application platforms. The adequacy of dispersant-application platforms not detailed within the EDSP must be documented by presentation of independent evaluation materials (e.g., field tests and reports of actual use).(iii) Dispersant-application personnel trained in and capable of applying dispersants within the performance criteria in ASTM F1413-07 (incorporated by reference, see § 155.140 ). The adequacy of dispersant-application systems not fully covered by ASTM F1413-07, such as fire monitor-type applicators, must be documented by presentation of independent evaluation materials (e.g., laboratory tests, field tests, and reports of actual use).(iv) Dispersant-application systems ensured to be available, including trained personnel, that are capable of applying dispersants in accordance with the recommended procedures in ASTM F1737-07 (incorporated by reference, see § 155.140 ). Table 1 to § 155.1050(k) -Tiers for Effective Daily Application Capability
| Response time for completed application | Dispersant application
dispersant: oil treated in gallons
(Gulf Coast) | Dispersant application
dispersant: oil treated in gallons
All other U.S. |
| Tier 1 | 12 | 8,250:165,000 | 4,125:82,500 |
| Tier 2 | 36 | 23,375:467,000 | 23,375:467,000 |
| Tier 3 | 60 | 23,375:467,000 | 23,375:467,000 |
| Total | 60 | 55,000:1,100,000 | 50,875:1,017,500 |
Note 1: Gulf Coast Tier 1 is higher due to greater potential spill size and frequency in that area, and it is assumed that dispersant stockpiles would be centralized in the Gulf area. Alternative application ratios may be considered based on submission to Coast Guard Headquarters, Office of Marine Environmental Response Policy (CG-MER) of peer-reviewed scientific evidence of improved capability.
(3) Dispersant stockpiles, application platforms, and other supporting resources must be ensured available in a quantity and type sufficient to treat a vessel's worst case discharge (as determined by using the criteria in Section 8 of appendix B), or in quantities sufficient to meet the requirements in Table 155.1050(k), whichever is the lesser amount.(l) The owner or operator of a vessel carrying groups I through IV petroleum oil as a primary cargo must identify in the response plan, and ensure their availability through contract or other approved means, response resources necessary to provide aerial oil tracking to support oil spill assessment and cleanup activities. Vessels operating on inland rivers are not required to comply with this paragraph. (1) Aerial oil tracking resources must be capable of arriving at the site of a discharge in advance of the arrival of response resources identified in the plan for tiers 1, 2, and 3 Worst Case Discharge response times, and for a distance up to 50 nautical miles from shore (excluding inland rivers).(2) Aerial oil tracking resources must include the following: (i) Appropriately located aircraft and personnel capable of meeting the response time requirement for oil tracking in § 155.1050(l)(1) of this section;(ii) Sufficient numbers of aircraft, pilots, and trained observation personnel to support oil spill operations, commencing upon initial assessment, and capable of coordinating on-scene cleanup operations, including dispersant, in-situ burning, and mechanical recovery operations;(iii) Observation personnel must be trained in the protocols of oil spill reporting and assessment, including estimation of slick size, thickness, and quantity. Observation personnel must be trained in the use of assessment techniques in ASTM F1779-08 (incorporated by reference, see § 155.140 ), and familiar with the use of pertinent guides, including, but not limited to, NOAA's "Open Water Oil Identification Job Aid for Aerial Observation" and the "Characteristic Coastal Habitats" guide; and(iv) The capability of supporting oil spill removal operations continuously for three 10-hour operational periods during the initial 72 hours of the discharge.(n) The owner or operator of a vessel carrying groups I through IV petroleum oil as a primary cargo must identify in the response plan and ensure the availability of, through contract or other approved means, response resources necessary to perform shoreline protection operations.(1) The response resources must include the quantities of boom listed in table 2 of appendix B of this part, based on the areas in which the vessel operates.(2) Vessels that intend to offload their cargo at the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) marine terminal are not required to comply with the requirements of this paragraph when they are within the offshore area and under one of the following conditions: (i) Approaching or departing the LOOP marine terminal within the LOOP Shipping Safety Fairway, as defined in 33 CFR 166.200 .(ii) Moored at the LOOP marine terminal for the purposes of cargo transfer operations or anchored in the designated anchorage area awaiting discharge.(o) The owner or operator of a vessel carrying groups I through IV petroleum oil as a primary cargo must identify in the response plan and ensure the availability of, through contract or other approved means, an oil spill removal organization capable of effecting a shoreline cleanup operation commensurate with the quantity of emulsified petroleum oil to be planned for in shoreline cleanup operations. (1) The shoreline cleanup resources required must be determined as described in appendix B of this part.(2) Vessels that intend to offload their cargo at the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) marine terminal are not required to comply with the requirements of this paragraph when they are within the offshore area and under one of the following conditions: (i) Approaching or departing the LOOP marine terminal within the LOOP Shipping Safety Fairway as defined in 33 CFR 166.200 .(ii) Moored at the LOOP marine terminal for the purposes of cargo transfer operations or anchored in the designated anchorage area awaiting discharge.(p) Appendix B of this part sets out caps that recognize the practical and technical limits of response capabilities for which an individual vessel owner or operator can contract in advance. Table 6 in appendix B lists the contracting caps that are applicable, as of February 18, 1993, and that are slated to apply on February 18, 1998. The owner or operator of a vessel carrying groups I through IV petroleum oil as a primary cargo, whose required daily recovery capacity exceeds the applicable contracting caps in table 6, shall identify commercial sources of additional equipment equal to twice the cap listed for each tier or the amount necessary to reach the calculated planning volume, whichever is lower, to the extent that this equipment is available. The equipment so identified must be capable of arriving on scene no later than the applicable tier response times contained in § 155.1050(g) or as quickly as the nearest available resource permits. A response plan must identify the specific sources, locations, and quantities of this additional equipment. No contract is required.(q) The Coast Guard will continue to evaluate the environmental benefits, cost efficiency and practicality of increasing mechanical recovery capability requirements. This continuing evaluation is part of the Coast Guard's long term commitment to achieving and maintaining an optimum mix of oil spill response capability across the full spectrum of response modes. As best available technology demonstrates a need to evaluate or change mechanical recovery capacities, a review of cap increases and other requirements contained within this subpart may be performed. Any changes in the requirements of this section will occur through a public notice and comment process. During this review, the Coast Guard will determine if established caps remain practicable and if increased caps will provide any benefit to oil spill recovery operations. The review will include and evaluation of: (1) Best available technologies for containment and recovery;(2) Oil spill tracking technology;(3) High rate response techniques;(4) Other applicable response technologies; and(5) Increases in the availability of private response resources.CGD 91-034, 61 FR 1081, Jan. 12, 1996, as amended by USCG-2008-0179, 73 FR 35015 , June 19, 2008; USCG-1998-3417, 73 FR 80649 , Dec. 31, 2008; USCG-2001-8661, 74 FR 45028 , Aug. 31, 2009; USCG-2018-0874, 84 FR 30880 , June 28, 2019; USCG-2023-1759, 89 FR 22947 , Apr. 3, 2024 USCG-2018-0874, 84 FR 30880 , 6/28/2019; USCG-2023-1759, 89 FR 22947 , 4/3/2024