Draft Guidance for Nationally Consistent Coastal Zone Area Contingency Plan Architecture

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The Coast Guard announces the availability, in the docket, of a draft guidance document intended to establish a new, nationally consistent architecture for coastal zone Area Contingency Plans (ACPs). ACPs are required by the Clean Water Act and demonstrate the planning for oil and hazardous substance incident response at the local level. ACPs for areas within the coastal zone are approved by the Coast Guard. To modernize coastal ACPs, improve usability and attain national consistency the Coast Guard is developing new policy pertaining to ACP architecture. This new, standardized construct will better enable industry plan writers of vessel and facility response plans with multiple, diverse operating areas to consistently align with Coast Guard approved ACPs. A more standardized approach will minimize confusion due to highly variable ACP structure and content and will also facilitate more efficient response, especially for large sale responses requiring mobilization of personnel and resources from outside the region. Additionally, adopting a nationally consistent architecture will facilitate the Coast Guard's development of more modern, app-based ACP products for end users.