Northwest Area Contingency Plan (NWACP) Update to Guide Local Oil Spill Response

An oil spill off Vashon was one of the first incidents where a team of Vashon CERTs and Public Information volunteers deployed, back on October 14, 2004. As an island with precious habitat and adjoining shipping channels, Vashon residents need to think not only of land based but water based incidents too.

Responses to a water based incident, such as an oil or hazardous materials spill, are based on the annually updated Northwest Area Contingency Plan (NWACP). The Northwest Area Committee (NWAC) and Regional Response Team 10 (RRT10) are currently completing updates to the NWACP for the 2011 version.

Here is a list of some of the changes:

• A new Liaison Manual to guide our communications with Elected Officials, Agencies, Tribes and Stakeholders during Environmental Emergencies
• Updated Volunteer Policy
• Updated Disposal Guidelines for Washington State
• Updated Marine Firefighting information
• Updated description of industry-funded emergency response towing vessel in Neah Bay
• List of potential command post locations
• New appendix on Environmental Permits for oil spill response

How can you get involved? Participate in the PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, 01-31 Aug 2011, by going online (www.rrt10nwac.com), reading the updates and follow the instructions to submit a comment.

Also, you might consider attending the 1st Annual NWACP Summit on 14 Sep 2011, in Lacey, WA. This all day meeting is open to all interested oil spill partners and stakeholders, and will provide an open forum to discuss specific changes and updates to be made for the 2012 revision of the NWACP. This meeting will also allow for identification of policies, products and other oil spill issues to test during drills, exercises and other appropriate opportunities during 2012.

VashonBePrepared hasn’t identified any technical advisors who could help us in such a situation. If you have expertise, please let us know so we might refine our plans for handling such an event.