The Coast Guard, the Research and Special Programs Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Minerals Management Service, in concert with representatives from various State governments, industry, environmental interest groups, and the general public, developed the Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP) Guidelines to reflect the consensus agreement of the entire oil spill response community. The National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP) Guidelines provide guidelines for compliance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) pollution response exercise requirements. The guiding principles for PREP distinguish between internal and external exercises. Internal exercises are conducted within the plan holder’s organization. External exercises extend beyond the plan holder’s organization to involve other members of the response community. External exercises are separated into two categories: (1) Area exercises, and (2) Government-initiated unannounced exercises. These exercises are designed to evaluate the entire response mechanism in a given area to ensure adequate pollution response preparedness. The next triennial schedule of Area exercises has recently been announced. If a company wants to volunteer for an Area exercise, a company representative may call either the Coast Guard or EPA On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) where the exercise is scheduled.
The Government-Led Area Exercises for Calendar Year 2004 are:
- Guam (Marine Safety Office (MSO) Guam)
- Los Angeles/Long Beach South (MSO LA/LB)
- San Diego (MSO San Diego)
- Prince William Sound (MSO Valdez)
The Industry-Led Area Exercises for Calendar Year 2004 are:
- Chicago, IL (MSO Chicago)
- Long Island Sound (MSO Long Island)
- Maryland Coastal (MSO Baltimore)
- San Francisco Bay (MSO San Francisco
- South Texas Coast (MSO Corpus Christi)
- Charleston, SC (MSO Charleston)
- Morgan City, LA (MSO Morgan City)
- New York, NY (Activities NY)
- Savannah, GA (MSO Savannah)
- Duluth-Superior (MSO Duluth)
- Eastern Wisconsin (MSO Milwaukee)
- Northwest-Puget Sound (MSO Puget Sound)
- Region IV RCP (EPA Region IV)
- Region VII RCP (EPA Region VII)
The Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP) Area exercise schedule and exercise design manuals are available on the Internet at www.uscg.mil/hq/nsfweb/nsfcc/prep/index.html. To obtain a hard copy of the exercise design manual, contact Ms. Melanie Barber at the Research and Special Programs Administration, Office of Pipeline Safety, at 202-366-4560. The 2003 PREP Guidelines booklet is available at no cost on the Internet at www.uscg.mil/hq/nsfweb/nsfcc/prep/index.html or by writing or faxing the TASC DEPT Warehouse, 33141Q 75th Avenue, Landover, MD 20785, facsimile: 301-386-5394. The stock number of the manual is USCG-X0241. Please indicate the quantity when ordering. Quantities are limited to 10 per order.
If you have questions on this notice, or need general information regarding the PREP Program and the schedule, contact Mr. Robert Pond, Office of Response, Plans and Preparedness Division (G-MOR-2), U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, telephone 202-267-6603, fax 202-267-4065 or e-mail rpond@comdt.uscg.mil.