Mr. Bob Pond

USCG Headquarters (CG-533)

Office of Incident Management & Preparedness

BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Incident Specific Preparedness Review (ISPR)

Major Findings & Recommendations

BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill SummaryDates:20 APR 10; Explosion22 APR 10; NRT Conf Call

Start23 APR 10; RRT VI Conf Call

Start27 APR 10; RRT IV Conf Call

Start28 APR 10; 5,000 bbls per

day29 APR 10; SONS

Declaration30 APR 10; LA EMAC

Request14 MAY 10; Subsea

Dispersants22 MAY 10; POTUS

Commission23 MAY 10; HSIN / ERMA

27 MAY 10; 12,000+ bbls per day

28 MAY 10; WH Triple Forces14 JUN 10; ISPR Chartered10 JUN 10; 25,000+ bbls per

day30 JUN 10; Emergency Rule

Making15 JUL 10; Wellhead Secured2 AUG 10; 62,000 bbls per day*19 SEP 10; Well Sealed18 MAR 11; ISPR Complete

BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill SummaryResponse Statistics:

Total Spilled 4,928,100 bbls

Total Responders 48, 200

Total CG 7,000Total Vessels 345Total Aircraft 127Total VOOs 3,200Total Hard Boom

3.8m

Total Soft Boom 9.7mTotal Dispersants

1.8m galTotal In Situ Burns

411Total Command Post

4Total Branches 17Total Staging Areas

32Total waste 93.4 tons

ISPR BackgroundThe Commandant chartered the ISPR Team to

conduct an assessment of preparedness and response issues from the Deepwater Horizon incident.

Members included Federal and State Government representatives.

Advisors to the Team represented the environmental, oil industry, and OSRO communities.

ISPR Report General Findings

The OPA90 response structure under the NCP is fundamentally sound.

The size and duration of the incident magnified shortcomings in dealing with a SONS.

Intersection of the NCP and NRF affected relationships outside the oil spill response community

The intensity of political demands was unprecedented and unanticipated.

Declaration of a SONS should carry more weight and meaning, including designation of a National Incident Commander (NIC) by President

Roles and authorities of the NIC should be enhanced and better defined

Relationship between the NIC & DHS Secretary should be better defined

The integration of SONS Doctrine with the NRF is a major issue

Spills of National Significance (SONS)Recommendations

Focus Areas AREA COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION &

ACTIVITY ACP POLICY & IMPLEMENTATION IDENTIFICATION & PRIORITIZATION OF

ESAs INTEGRATION OF OIL SPILL

CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR A REGIONAL RESPONSE

WCD SCENARIO QUANTIFICATION USE OF DISPERSANTS USE OF IN SITU BURNING COMMON OPERATING PICTURE EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS INTERSECTION OF THE NRF &

NCP CHARACTERISTICS & QUALIFICATIONS

OF AN EFFECTIVE CRISIS LEADER

POLITICAL DEMANDS ROLE OF THE SECRETARY OF

HOMELAND SECURITY UNDER HSPD-5 ROLE OF THE NATIONAL INCIDENT

COMMANDER AND THE NATIONAL INCIDENT COMMAND

ROLE OF THE NRT & RRTs UAC & ICPs SUSTAINABILITY OF RESPONSE

PERSONNEL CONTAINMENT & SUSTAINABILITY OF OIL

RECOVERY OPERATIONS CASCADING OF RESPONSE RESOURCES USE OF VESSELS OF OPPORTUNITY APPLICATION OF LESSONS LEARNED

FROM PRIOR SPILL RESPONSES & EXERCISES

Coast Guard, BP, & SOSC’s responded to the incident under the NCP’s regulatory authority

Many senior government officials were initially unclear as to the federal government’s role

State & Local EMA’s pointed to the NRF as their system for disaster response

Most affected States’ Governors invoked Disaster Declarations, typically a precursor to Stafford Act declaration

Intersection of the NCP & NRFKey Findings

Intersection of the NRF & NCPNotable Lessons Learned

Senior officials at the Federal, State, & local levels do not know the NCP – lack of engagement for catastrophic oil spill plans and exercises withHigh-level senior & elected officialLocal communities outside immediate port areasState emergency mgmt community

Integrated Federal doctrine (e.g., NCP/NRF) is needed for all significant incidents (including oil spills)

Intersection of the NRF & NCPKey Recommendations

USCG, FEMA, & EPA conduct joint review of the NCP and NRFIncident Mgmt: define and socialize roles of the White

House, PFO, National Incident Commander, NIC organization, NRT, and UAC

Funding: OSLTF vs Stafford ActRRTs and Area Committees should engage state and

local Emergency Management Communities as well as environmental communities.

Role of the NRT

Role of the NRT Key Findings

The NRT was not used in accordance with NCP doctrine.

The program and policy experience of NRT members should be fully integrated with the incident’s response organization

The establishment of the Interagency Solutions group (IASG) showed value of a coordinating group at the national level, a role for which the NRT may be well suited.

What is the role of the NRT during a SONS?

NRT

Platform for

Principals’

Information

Sharing

Support the

Response

Organization’s Needs

Role of the NRT Key Recommendations

The Coast Guard and EPA should ensure that the standing NRT has appropriate representation.

The USCG & EPA should determine the value of embedding an action officer level team (e.g., the IASG) at the NIC to facilitate information sharing and resource identification/allocation at the national level.

Role of the RRTs

Role of the RRTs Key Findings

The program and policy experience of RRT members are important resources that should be fully integrated with the incident’s response organization, and leveraged during a major oil spill response.

The RRTs involved were not fully prepared manage the surge of alternative response technologies proposals.

Role of the RRTs Key Recommendations

USCG and EPA should ensure that standing RRTs have appropriate representation.

Regional type 2 incident management planning

The Coast Guard and EPA should review the authorities of RRTs with regard to their role in alternative response technologies.

Integration Of Oil Spill Contingency Plans for a

Regional Response

Integration Of Oil Spill Contingency Plans for a Regional Response

Key FindingsFew linkages between State and local contingency

plans, industry plans, and the One Gulf Plan

Confusion as to which plan should be the principal response plan for the DWH incident

Regional level planning is necessary for the coastal zone but RCPs for the Coastal Zone may not be appropriate if developed for standard Federal regions

Integration Of Oil Spill Contingency Plans for a Regional Response

Key Recommendations USCG should work with EPA to develop the

concept of RCPs and provide guidance on RCP development

Coast Guard Areas and Districts should be more involved in the contingency planning process to ensure high-quality regional plans that encompass coastal regions.

QUESTIONS?

Mr. Bob PondCOMDT (CG-533)

Office of Incident Management & Preparedness202-372-2240

Robert.g.pond@uscg.mil